LEE COUNTY, Texas — In Lee County, this year's feral hog and coyote bounty program is underway. The county is offering a total of $10,000 to people who help control the feral hog and coyote populations.
It was a busy day at the Lee County Annex Building on Monday. The new fiscal year just started, and it was the first day funds were available for the county's feral hog and coyote bounty program. People came in to get that bounty.
“Turning in the hogs' ears that we have trapped that have been tearing up the property," Lexington resident Agnes Lay said.
The county offers $5 for each pair of hog ears turned in and $10 for coyotes.
Lay said the hogs have caused hundreds of dollars in damage to her property.
"I think it’s been two months, and we have had 20-something," she said. "They are tearing up the grass that we freshly planted, and you cannot believe how large the areas are. It’s destroying our livelihood."
Each year, the feral hogs can cause $52 million in property damage just in Texas, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
That's a big reason why Lee County Judge Frank Malinak said the county has a bounty program. The goal is to reduce the population of feral hogs and coyotes causing property damage and threatening livestock.
"Devastating effect on everything that our farmers and ranchers are doing. It affects wildlife. Hogs are omnivores, so they will eat about anything," Malinak said.
Malinak said it's been a busy first day of the new 2025 fiscal budget.
"We have already used about 20% of the budget," he said.
Jordan Rogers and Braden Buck are hunters who brought in more than a dozen hog and coyotes ears.
"They move in and tear up a bunch of property. We kind of go in, help people out and go in," Buck said.
This year's program goes until Sept. 30, 2025, or until the $10,000 set aside for it runs out.