Some north Georgia farmers are in hog hell

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. - Farmers in North Georgia are fed up with hogs destroying their crops and they are calling on the state’s Department of Natural Resources to help before the problem becomes too large to control. But the state said trapping them is not that easy as the hogs live in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management area, where trappers are not currently allowed to go.

Johnny Burt said over the past 12 years he has lost nearly $200,000 because of the hogs. He said the state is going to have to step in to help.

Cain's Wildlife Removal Owner Michael Cain said there are anywhere from 60 to 100 hogs that need to be killed. The hogs destroy farmers’ crops, like Johnny Burt's.

"We've trapped them, shot them run them off with dogs. Sometimes you can run them out -- they will stay gone a little while and they're back but what's happening is they're going back to Dawson forest in government land, they stay there," said Johnny Burt.

That makes the land a virtual safe haven. In order to trap and catch dozens of hogs, Cain needs to go to where the hogs live, but right now that is not allowed.

The DNR acknowledges the population growth and is currently working on a policy that would allow a third party to trap on state grounds.

"If you don't go in there and get them all out you're wasting time, they reproduce so quickly,” said Cain.

Georgia’s DNR said hunting season is over next week and then they hope to have the policy in place to deal with the hog problem.