Wild Pig Workshop being held next Saturday in Weogufka
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Wild pigs, while not native to the Americas, are now widespread throughout much of the United States Agencies are partnering together to host a Wild Pig Workshop next Saturday in Weogufka to discuss trapping and management of wild pigs, and more. Photo courtesy of Alabama Cooperative Extension System
By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
Hunters, farmers and residents in Coosa County and surrounding areas will have the opportunity to attend a free workshop next weekend to learn more about wild pigs, their increase in numbers and expansion of their range through the nation.
The Wild Pig Workshop is being held through a partnership among the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Tuskegee University, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and MTM Environmental.
Ivan Solomon with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Dr. Derris Burnett with Tuskegee University will be participating in the workshop to demonstrate pig processing. They will break down a store-bought carcass and discuss the various cuts.
The tentative agenda for the workshop includes both indoor and outdoor activities and presentations. One such indoor presentation will go over growing herbs and herbs that pair well with pork, for those who choose not to attend the pig processing demonstration, as they will occur simultaneously.
Other topics will include trapping and management, food safety, NRCS funding opportunities, surveys, and a taste test with free samples.
Extension’s 4-H will also offer children’s activities for ages 5 and older throughout the day while adults take part in the various aspects of the workshop.
Wild pigs are not native to the Americas, but have greatly expanded their range since first being introduced to the United States in the 1500s by Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto, who extensively traveled throughout the Southeast.
The Alabama Extension System shared information that because pigs are highly adaptable and capable of fending for themselves, they were a popular livestock species for early explorers and settlers. The Extension reports that in the centuries following European exploration and colonization of the eastern U.S., settlers, farmers and some Native Americans continued to promote the spread of pigs by using free-range livestock management practices.
Additionally, in the early 1900s, Eurasian or Russian wild boar were also introduced into portions of the U.S. for hunting purposes. Through cross-breeding with wild domestic stock, the Extension reports that many hybrid populations now exist throughout the wild pigs’ range.
Wild pigs are now widespread throughout much of the nation, with established populations in at least 36 states and an additional 12 states reporting a presence of wild pigs, according to the Extension System.
To help spread information and enable citizens to be better prepared to trap and manage wild pigs, the agencies are hosting the Wild Pig Workshop locally at the Weogufka Center for the Arts, Entertainment and Education next Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. t o 1 p.m. The Weogufka Center is located at 145 Memorial Loop, Weogufka.
The workshop is free for everyone and is family friendly, with all ages welcome. Registration is required so the agencies know how many attendees to expect and prepare for.
Registration is online at www.aces.edu/go/6615 or can be made by contacting Dani Reams at 256-368-1694 or emailing acr0087@auburn.edu.
If anyone has questions or needs reasonable accommodations, they can also reach out to Reams at 256-368-1694.
