The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is finalizing an amendment to its wildlife management rules expressly allowing unmanned aircraft – drones – to track feral hogs as part of a population control plan. Wharton County ranchers, farmers and hunters may soon have the chance to add a new tool to their arsenal in the fight against feral hogs, provided TPWD agrees. As it stands currently, “Under federal law it is unlawful to shoot or attempt
to shoot or intentionally harass any bird, fish, or other animal from aircraft (including drones) except for certain
specified reasons. Feral hogs in Texas accounted for about $118.8 million in agricultural damages in 2016 and 2019 studies.