A Licking man appeared last week in U.S. District Court on charges he conducted a guided hunt for feral hogs last year in the Mark Twain National Forest in Texas County.
Charles Richard Wade, 66, of Licking, is charged with violation of federal law and U.S. Forest Service regulations. Wade operates Rich’s Guide Service, which advertises guided hunts for feral hogs and other animals.
Wade’s initial appearance on a federal information that was filed against him on Feb. 19 was March 4 before U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. England.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service.
Feral hogs, also known as “wild hogs,” degrade wildlife habitat and private property, and they can pose a threat to humans, pets and domestic livestock through the spread of disease.
They forage heavily on acorns, competing with native species such as deer and turkeys for this important fall food. They commonly eat the eggs of ground nesting-birds and have been reported to kill and eat fawns.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, feral hogs started to become a serious problem for the state in the 1990s, when hog hunting for recreation gained popularity. Groups started raising and promoting European wild boar as a form of alternative agriculture and for hunting on licensed shooting areas. Soon, many of those hogs escaped or were intentionally released on public land. Because feral hogs are highly adaptable and prolific breeders, their numbers started growing at an alarming rate.
Today, feral hog populations are established in more than 20 south Missouri counties and sightings of feral hogs occur across the state.