The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife has issued a Special Wildlife Management Permit to control feral hogs in Deer Management Zone 25.

Feral hogs compete with wildlife for available food sources, prey upon ground-nesting birds and small mammals and may carry disease. For these reasons, feral hogs are classified as a potentially dangerous exotic animal.

The increase in the population of feral hogs has also resulted in damage to lawns, golf courses, farm crops and forests in Gloucester County.

Feral hogs may be pursued during the season dates prescribed for Deer Management Zone 25 and may be harvested anywhere in Zone 25. Sportsmen and sportswomen will be permitted to shoot free-ranging feral hogs of either sex and any age while deer hunting during the Permit Bow, Six-day Firearm, Permit Muzzleloader, Permit Shotgun and Winter Bow seasons, provided they have not reached the season bag limit for deer.

Shooting is permitted only Monday through Saturday during legal deer hunting hours. Only weapons authorized for deer hunting may be used to take feral hogs. Written permission must be obtained from the landowner to pursue feral hogs on private property.

Feral hogs must be checked at the Sportsmen’s Outpost on Fries Mill Road in Williamstown. Harvested feral hogs may be retained for personal consumption. Sportsmen are responsible for the butchering and disposal of the carcass.

Personnel from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture may be at the deer check station on key days of the hunting season, especially Dec. 8, 13 and 17, 2008 to take samples.