Wild hogs in the United States are invasive, destroying crops, endangering animals and humans, and causing an estimated 2.5 billion dollars in damage each year. They have been a problem since the 16th century when European settlers imported domesticated pigs, which are descended from Eurasian wild boars. In Florida, Hernando de Soto is said to have introduced the first cargo of feral swine in 1539.
Escaped farm stock can also became feral, but the wild hog population truly exploded with the introduction of Eurasian and Russian wild boars for sporting purposes in the early 20th century. These escaped animals then merged with the existing wild hog population. In many states, they are labeled vermin, and hunting restrictions are sometimes lifted. Learn more about wild hogs and the most enormous wild hog ever caught in Florida.
Wild Hogs in Florida
All 67 of Florida’s counties have wild hog populations.
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Recent reports confirm that Florida has one of the country’s largest wild hog populations. Florida is home to around 1,000,000 wild and feral hogs. All 67 of Florida’s counties have wild hog populations, with 1,675 sightings reported through 2025. The problem is so bad that there are few restrictions on hunting wild hogs on private property. With the landowner’s permission, these hogs can be hunted regardless of the time of year, hunting license status, or weapon. The use of poison is prohibited, and hunting on Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) land is regulated by hunting seasons and licensing requirements.
The Average Size of a Wild Hog
Wild boars are distinguished from feral hogs by their longer legs, snouts, and larger heads. Wild boars differ in size from feral pigs because of nutritional limitations during growth; domesticated hogs are typically fed more and grow much larger than the average wild hog. Additionally, male hogs are larger than females. Though there have been reports of hogs exceeding 1,000 pounds, these were feral pigs, not wild boars. Adult wild boars average total lengths of 50 to 75 inches and weigh 75 to 250 pounds.
The Largest Wild Hog Ever Caught in Florida
Feral hogs typically only reach about 250 pounds.
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The Weiser Weight and Tusk (WWT) Trophy Wild Boar Record Book had been recording scores beginning in 2005. However, as of 2025, the website is offline. The boar’s score was calculated as follows: Weight + Tusk Circumference + (Tusk Length × 50). A “T” after the score indicated that tusk measurements were the dominant factor, while a “W” meant that weight was the most significant factor. This article only considered WWT Free-Range Wild Boars in the “weight” class. “Barrs” or barrows were not considered, as castration indicates a history of domestication.
The Largest Wild Hog Ever Caught in Florida
On September 10, 2005, Tiffany Smith took down a free-range wild boar that scored 636.75W in the WWT scoring system. Smith was the first hunter to have a boar score over 600 points. The next highest-scoring boar, at 614.50W, was killed in December 2005 by Todd Prevatt. Scores were last updated in 2023, and the website remained in operation until 2024.
On December 15, 2018, dogs and trappers caught a massive 400-pound sow that had been prowling around a subdivision and a school bus stop. After a week of trying to trap the animal, Palm Bay police blocked traffic while a hunting party of four men and four dogs converged on the area. One of the dogs single-handedly cornered the sow, but she kept charging and trying to bite the men as they attempted to subdue her. She was eventually hogtied and caged. The sow was later euthanized in accordance with Florida law.
Another Giant Hog in Florida
A wild boar-domestic pig hybrid can grow much larger than the average feral hog.
On August 27, 2004, Larry Earley shot a giant hog. His neighbor had been complaining for some time about hogs raiding the grain meant for his cattle. Earley saw the hog, and when he approached, it charged him. After retrieving his handgun from his truck, he shot the hog twice as it charged him again, killing it. The only scales available had a 500-pound limit, so he took the hog to a processor, who estimated its size. The processor estimated its weight to be between 1,100 and 1,200 pounds.
However, wild hogs do not grow that large. The photos suggest it was hybrid of a wild boar and a domestic pig. As mentioned earlier, domesticated pigs can grow larger than wild boars, especially those that feed on grain. The weight was also estimated, and the results were not reported to any record-keeping agency. While Snopes verified the story as true, the hog in question was not a true wild hog.
