Taking action seems to be a public-versus-private piggy problem for residents in east San Antonio.
SAN ANTONIO — The effort to rid the Eastwood Village area in east San Antonio of feral hogs that have been leaving the heavily wooded Salado Creek backwoods and getting into nearby backyards appears to have taken an aggressive turn.
A now-deleted social media post featured a picture of a dead hog with a caption claiming that someone had come into the area and shot the animal and removed it. San Antonio police responded to the post by saying that discharging a firearm in a municipality could be a criminal offense, depending on the totality of the circumstances.
The original social post, which appeared on the NextDoor app last week, featured a picture of about 10 small-to-medium-sized feral hogs foraging in an alley that abuts the east side of Martin Luther King Park.
The post urged area residents to be careful, which sparked a long thread of comments about how to respond to the invasive and sometimes dangerous animals.
While one man who claimed to be a bow hunter asked for directions to the site, another said he would like to come set up a trap. Another advocated for poisoning the hogs. Several wondered why the city hasn’t done anything to address the issue.
And while almost everyone expressed an interest in ridding the area of hogs, at least one man who lives in the area seemed to be feeding them, saying he likes feeding birds but when he throws corn on the ground, the pigs get to it first.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department responded to the complaints by reminding residents they can call 311 if they spot one of the hogs.
“The city has a contract with a vendor to trap and remove feral hogs. If park or trail users encounter a feral hog, they are urged to keep their distance,” the department wrote. “There is no city ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife in San Antonio; however, feeding wildlife is discouraged.”
Area residents said they are caught in a dead zone of inaction, because even though the hogs come from the park, the danger to homeowners is on nearby private property.
Officials with the city’s 311 help center confirmed they only create work orders on complaints involving city land.
KENS 5 asked the Parks and Recreation Department if they have taken any steps inside the park to address the issue. We are awaiting a response.
A spokesman in the District 2 City Council office said they have received no complaints about problems in the area.
Acqunetta Drummer, who lives on the alley where the hogs are being spotted on an almost daily basis, said she has called 311 several times and seen no action.
“I think it is getting worse, yes!” she said. “Nobody with the city has been any help. They just refer me to the wildlife and wildlife don’t do nothing.”
An urban biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said that, if there’s a bright side, it’s that hungry hogs go for the groceries they find in the wild, meaning they’re always on the move. Researchers add the hogs are omnivorous, eating both plants and animals, and their diet is always changing based on what’s seasonally available.
Although the animals are known for leaving serious damage on their travels, biologists said the problem may resolve itself as soon as the hogs move up and down Salado Creek, foraging for fresh food.
Additional information about feral hogs can be found here.