Migrating hogs create nighttime risks

By LPR Staff
POST-REGISTER

As winter bears down on Central Texas and foliage and forage becomes less available, feral hogs throughout Caldwell County are leaving their dens for “greener pastures.” Often, those greener pastures are on opposite sides of the highway.
In recent weeks, roadsides throughout Caldwell County, most notably on Highway 142, hav

e become littered with the carcasses of feral hogs, who routinely migrate from field to field in search of food. Unfortunately, the hogs often migrate, not only in pairs or trios, but in large numbers, creating a traffic hazard for drivers.
According to Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Sgt. Paul Cowan, at least two serious collisions have been caused by hogs in the last few weeks.
Unless drivers take caution, particularly driving at night, however, more are likely to come.
In general, the area’s feral hogs rest during the day, saving their energy for the evening’s forage and migration. Because their coats are often dark, these hogs can be difficult for rural drivers to see and avoid.
Further, because they migrate in groups sometimes as large as nine or ten, herds can cause even larger complications.
Drivers are reminded to exercise extra caution, particularly in dark, rural areas where hogs are known to live and migrate.