The Mingo National Wildlife Refuge near Puxico will be closed for one day this week or next while aerial sharpshooters kill off feral pigs.
The MDC will deploy a sharpshooter in a helicopter to target the invasive species that is known for destroying habitat by rooting up vegetation.
David Hasenbeck is a priority habitat coordinator with the MDC in Piedmont. He said feral hogs are attracted to undeveloped lands like Mingo and other popular outdoor destinations.
“Some of the coolest places that we have in southern Missouri are also some of the places where these pigs are living. And that’s just an example of what we have going over at Mingo,” Hasenbeck said. “It’s one of the neatest remnant swamps we have left in the United States. That’s why it’s of special concern to us, and that’s one of the reasons it actually attracts itself to the pigs. ”
Hasenbeck estimates there are about 200 feral hogs in Mingo and surrounding areas. He says aerial operations are by far the most effective method for killing the invasive species. The MDC also traps them.
He said it will be difficult to completely eradicate feral hogs in the Southeast Missouri Ozarks, but the MDC can control them in some of region’s more unique locations.
“Just like Taum Sauk Mountain, Johnson Shut-Ins, Mud Lick Mountain, some of our most pristine and premier keystone public areas are actually large undisturbed area of timber and wildlands. And that’s what’s attractive to the pig,” Hasenbeck said.
Feral hogs have been present in Missouri for centuries, but their populations increased in the 1990’s when they were released for game. They carry diseases that can be spread to humans, pets and livestock, have been known to attack people, and destroy habitat and young wildlife.
The MDC cannot specify which day the wildlife refuge will be closed due to variable weather conditions.