It's one of the biggest issues and talking points in the state of Texas. Feral hogs. These things are just nasty creatures, and I don't mean just their look. They are angry and will attack without any kind of provoking.

When you see feral hogs, and you see them often here, your best bet is to head inside without even thinking.

KLAQ El Paso logo
Get our free mobile app

HOW MANY FERAL HOGS ARE IN TEXAS

A ton, simply put. It's estimated that there are more than six million feral hogs in the United States as a whole. You would think they would be relatively spread out with numbers like that, but Texas is where they seem to want to be.

Out of those more than six million feral hogs, it's estimated that nearly HALF of them roam the great state of Texas. Granted, we're a very large state, but we're talking about three million hogs. That's a lot, no matter how big you are.

HOW BIG ARE FERAL HOGS

Well, they tend to range in size, anywhere from 100 pounds to 400 pounds. The smaller ones tend not to cause as much damage as the bigger ones, but they still do their fair share.

WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE DO THEY CAUSE

These feral hogs cause BILLIONS of dollars worth of damage every year. They destroy agriculture, local wildlife, and native habitats. The bigger ones that weigh around 300-400 pounds have been known to destroy farming equipment among other things.

DO FERAL HOGS KILL PEOPLE

They can and have, but it's an extremely rare occurrence that someone loses their life to them. There's a bit of a debate as to how many reported deaths are due to feral hogs in the United States, but it's somewhere between 4-6 people.

However, many more have been attacked by them and severely injured.

CAN YOU SHOOT FERAL HOGS

The short answer to this is yes. They are not protected by the state of Texas, which means if you see them on your private property, you are well within your right to take them out. They do not require you to have a hunting license to shoot them.

You do however need a hunting license if you plan on trapping them due to a multitude of things. Based on how nasty they can be, I'm not sure why you'd want to trap them.

The Oldest Oak Tree In Texas Is Incredible

The pictures don't do it justice.

Gallery Credit: Chrissy

Top 15 Under the Radar Cities in Texas

Texas is booming, and as more people move here, they'll be looking at areas like Austin or Houston to settle down. There are plenty of others places they ought to consider, though.

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, along with data about home sales and public school ratings, Orchard recently ranked and graded the Top 15 Under the Radar Cities in Texas.

These are unexpectedly good places to make a life for yourself and your family in the Lone Star State. Did your hometown make the list?

Gallery Credit: Big Ced, Townsquare Media

More From KLAQ El Paso