Feral hog operation scheduled to close Drew County areas

Cut-Off Creek WMA and Seven Devils WMA in Drew County will be closed to daytime public access Feb. 20-26 for officials trying to halt feral hogs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, in cooperation with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, will be conducting aerial operations aimed at reducing feral hog populations in the areas. The flights will be dependent on the weather, according to a news release.

To provide safety for the public and comply with USDA regulations, access won’t be allowed during the ongoing operations. Varying weather and site specific conditions won’t allow for specific dates of the closures.

The closure dates do allow some flexibility to take advantage of resources over large contiguous tracts of habitat, according to the release.

In the event that access to the areas is restricted, AGFC and partnering agency staff will be onsite to maintain road and access closures, according to AGFC Director Austin Booth.

“I understand this can be a temporary inconvenience to those who use the areas, but feral hogs are an invasive species, a public nuisance and a threat to Arkansas,” Booth said.

“They compete for food resources, destroy habitat by rooting and wallowing and will eat ground-nesting birds, eggs, fawns and young domestic livestock. We must use every tool available to us to keep these animals in check,” Booth said.

The aerial operations are the result of planning and coordination of multiple partners, condensed into several days of actual operations.

The AGFC and USDA APHIS would like to thank the public in advance for their patience and understanding while these activities are underway and apologize for any inconvenience related to the operation.

Details: AGFC Feral Hog Coordinator, Ryan Farney, (501) 223-6471 or Arkansas APHIS Director Robert Byrd, (501) 835-2318.