The Largest Wild Hog Ever Caught in Texas

Although they are not native to the United States, populations of wild hogs are exploding across southern regions, including Texas. Thanks to abundant land and a lack of natural predators, wild hogs thrive and reproduce quickly in these areas. Although similar in shape to their domestic cousins, wild hogs, also called wild boars or razorbacks, are hairier and more aggressive. Wild hogs are smart and elusive, making them a challenge to catch. In addition, these giant pigs can reach enormous sizes. But just how big is the largest wild hog ever caught in Texas? 

Boarzilla the Monster Hog

While a 300-pound hog is considered “large” in Texas, true monsters can tip the scales at 500 pounds. However, “Boarzilla,” the largest wild hog ever caught in Texas, nearly broke the scale weighing in at an astonishing 790 pounds. For reference, that’s even larger than the average grizzly bear. Texas hunters Blaine Garcia and Wyatt Walton captured the behemoth boar just north of De Leon in Comanche County on January 16, 2015. The two had started a business called “Boar Collector Feral Hog Removal” because of the large population of feral hogs running around Texas. 

Although Garcia and Walton had hunted their fair share of wild hogs before, they’d never seen anything quite like the legendary Boarzilla. Garcia spotted the great animal and called in his buddy Walton for backup. Garcia and his bulldog set off chasing the boar across 20 acres. Garcia’s dog first tried to grab the hog’s ear, but the boar was so big that the dog could only grab its jaw. The hog nearly escaped, but Walton and his dog arrived in the nick of time. According to Walton, Garcia’s dog looked like a piece of jewelry hanging from the hog’s head because the boar was so enormous.

Despite securing three of the hog’s legs, the animal continued to fight, momentarily overpowering the two men. Finally, they managed to subdue the hog and move it to a temporary enclosure. CBS News reported that Garcia later discovered the hog had escaped from a local rancher’s pen.

How Many Wild Hogs Live in Texas?

Wild hogs are among the most invasive species in the U.S. They are not native to Texas, but they thrive nearly everywhere in the state. These incredibly adaptable animals have very few natural predators in the state. They also have lots of space to roam, plenty of food sources, and a high reproduction rate. Experts estimate that feral hogs have established populations in 253 of 254 Texas counties.

In fact, with an estimated 2.6 to 3 million wild hogs, Texas is home to the largest population in the United States. Unfortunately, these invasive animals wreak havoc on Texas’ ecosystems and compete with native wildlife for food and shelter. Texas A&M has estimated that feral hogs cause around 500 million dollars in property damage across Texas every year, including both agriculture and private property.