Wild hogs are not uncommon, especially in southeast Alabama, but 820 lb. monsters like the one Wade Seago discovered in his front yard in Samson, AL are a little more rare.

Seago awoke last week to his dog barking constantly at something lurking outside his home. As it is common for the schnauzer to be barking at squirrels or deer, Seago didn’t think anything about it until he saw the mammoth hog for himself. He raced in the house to grab his .38 caliber pistol and took his position on the front porch. It took three shots to take down the hog from 12 yards away. When Seago weighed his kill the next morning, it tipped the scales at 820 pounds and boasted 6-inch tusks.

Feral hogs are considered a serious threat to all wildlife in Alabama. According to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, feral hogs cause more than $800 million of agricultural damage in the United States annually.

“High reproductive rates, a lack of natural predators, voracious omnivorous feeding habits, destructive rooting behavior and habitat destruction are just a few reasons why Alabama sportsmen and land managers are encouraged to help control this non-native species.”

Feral hogs have no closed season and no bag limits in Alabama. Therefore, hunters can legally hunt these animals throughout the year with no restrictions.

There has been speculation that the hog killed by Seago was a regularly fed pet owned by a neighbor and was not a truly wild hog. However, the thought of a gigantic hog roaming the woods is still unsettling for some Alabama land owners.