A Village of Fenney resident is worried about wild hogs threatening his expensive home.
Larry Bodensteiner, who lives at 5814 Sweet Bay Trail, voiced his fears Thursday morning before the Community Development District 12 Board of Supervisors.
He said the wild hogs started their activity about a month ago near his home. The hogs are now visiting every night.
Bodensteiner and his wife said they have tried turning on lights and a radio to try to scare the hogs away from their property, which is located near a nature trail and a large wetland.
“Hogs apparently don’t like Christmas music or country music,” he said.
While that appears to be working for now, he said he fears the hogs will get bolder.
“They are getting closer and closer,” he said.
Blair Bean, assistant director of District Property Management, acknowledged there is a wild hog problem in that area. He said a number of options are being considered, including trapping.
The wild hog is defined in Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations as a hog that is free-roaming and which cannot be legally claimed as a domestic hog in private ownership. This species is popular to hunt and occurs in all 67 Florida counties. Wild hogs occupy a wide variety of habitats but prefer oak-cabbage palm hammocks, freshwater marshes and sloughs, and pine flatwoods. They can reach weights of more than 150 pounds and be 5 to 6 feet long. They usually travel in small family groups (sounders) or alone, according to FWC.
Wild hogs can carry parasites and diseases – some that can be transmitted to people, pets and livestock.
The Bodensteiners purchased their home in 2018 for $504,000.
