For all the professional hog hunters...the new bait law...does this mean all your clients have to buy the bait license? This law is kinda confusing as it applies to hogs, last year I could kill them all day long over bait...now it appears I need the new bait permit. Is that how all you guys read the law?

yep

you won't need the "special" free permit, now it's $15

Ha ha...as a former military member...I learned along time ago...anytime the government says they are doing something to help you...hold on because you are fixing to get hosed

Texas just announced they are sick and tired of hogs and now you don't even need a hunting license to kill them.

Here in Alabama we stood by with thumbs planted firmly in areas we shall not discuss for 20 years as hogs were caught and moved all over the state, populating all 66 counties. Then, we say "Oh gosh, that's not good, we need to outlaw moving live hogs." So we shut the barn door and locked it just as soon as we could tell the horses were out of there.

And now we say you can shoot hogs over bait (cause we really need to get rid of them) but you gotta pay $15 to do so and if your buddy comes from out of state to help he has to pay $51 and if your kids want to tag along you better pay $15 for each one of them and if your wife rides in the truck you better make sure she has a hunting license and a $15 permit too.

But just wait. Before you know it they will want you to pay a fee to kill fire ants and spray Cogon grass. It's coming. Government's gotta eat.

My thoughts exactly, just like the mandatory deer check, it's going to cost a whole lot more $$$ very soon.

My understanding is that you can still get a special permit to kill hogs with out the $15 licenses on properties with a hog problem. But in my opinion it’s a whole lot easier to shell out $60 for a family of 4 than to get a permit for all the properties I hunt. But I’m not gonna sit out in the heat and wait to shoot a stinking hog anyway. Lol

Correction: 67 counties. Must have left out Tuscaloosa.

220-2.01 (L) FERAL SWINE: No Bag Limit–Daylight Hours Only No Closed Season
See 220-2-.07 for legal hunting hours.
Dogs cannot be used to hunt during and in areas of spring turkey season.
Upon capture, it shall be unlawful to release any live feral swine. See regulation 220-2-.86.
Trapping by landowner or his agent.
Privately owned and leased lands only Special Nighttime Season May 1 – August 31
No Bag Limit – May be hunted daytime or nighttime hours
Dogs only – no firearms allowed.
Note: Permit may be obtained through your local District Office for nighttime nuisance control hunting outside of the dates of deer season.
*Check with USFS for further restrictions
220-2-.86 Feral Swine Regulation
(1) The seasons and methods for taking feral swine will be as provided in Rule 220-2-.01.
(2) Upon taking or capturing or having in possession any feral swine it shall be unlawful to release said feral swine alive or to transport said live feral swine. All feral swine taken by trap or dogs or otherwise must be killed on site. Furthermore, it shall be unlawful to release any live domestic swine into the wild.

220-2-.02
(e) It shall be unlawful to possess any equipment that uses electronics to increase the ability to see in the dark (night vision equipment) while hunting any species of wildlife, both protected or unprotected species.

220-2-.27 Permit to Take Protected Wildlife Causing Crop Damage, Property Damage, or Concern for Human Safety
Protected wildlife causing crop damage, property damage, or a reasonable concern for human safety, may be taken at times and by means otherwise unlawful by first procuring a permit from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Permits for the removal of protected wildlife will be issued by the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or his designee if after investigation it has been determined that such protected wildlife should be removed for human safety, or to protect agricultural crops or other property from excessive damage. Feral swine and coyotes are species for which the necessity of demonstrating specific damage is not required. Such permits will only be issued to the person owning the land or his/her official agent or to any person who has a lease on such lands, provided the lessee has the permission of the landowner to remove protected wildlife. Except for feral swine, permits shall not be issued to take, capture or kill protected wildlife causing damage to crops planted for wildlife management. All wildlife taken shall be disposed of as directed by the issuing agent, and except for feral swine it may not be utilized personally. All feral swine taken under permit must be killed on site in accordance with 220-2-.86.
The means, methods and times for which a permit is valid may be stipulated.
Any person, firm or corporation engaging in the business of wildlife damage control shall obtain a permit from the Department prior to taking, capturing or killing wildlife and shall conduct wildlife damage control only under terms and conditions as specified by the Commissioner or his designee.
A property owner or tenant shall be allowed to take one squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, beaver or skunk per incident that is causing damage to said individual’s property without a permit. A property owner or his agent may take blackbirds without permit when found causing damage or posing a nuisance or health threat.
Persons taking, capturing or killing wildlife under the provisions of this regulation shall abide by all state and local laws and ordinances. Live caught animals may not be relocated across a county line or major river drainage.

Ok so.......... results of my direct conversation with an Alabama Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officer....

I think we need to understand what "special permit" means.

The Whitetail baiting permit ... is ONLY good during deer season and allows hogs as well.
The permit (referred to as supplemental feeding by DCNR/Fish and Game) is for deer hunting, the allowance of hogs is just a piggyback rider to the law. (hahah get it... piggyback....).
The purpose and intent of the law is to allow deer hunting over bait.

Now there is a different and distinct permit from the Whitetail Baiting License/Permit.
That permit is the Nuisance Wildlife Control Permit. This is the permit that allows for hunting using baits and during the 220-2.01 (L) "Privately owned and leased lands only Special Nighttime Season May 1 – August 31" allows the hunting of hogs at night. This nuisance permit also nullifies the 220.2.02 regulation on night optics during the nighttime special season.

So heres the rub....

During deer season you must have the $15 permit to hunt over supplemental feeding sites (aka baiting). This permit does nothing for you outside deer season.

Outside of deer season you can bait for hogs with the Nuisance Control permit and during the special night time season hunt with whatever optics you want at night.

Outside deer season - Landowner or authorized agent should get the nuisance control permit, this will allow anyone with the owner/agent's permission to hunt hogs over bait and at night during the special nighttime season.

During deer season - You can hunt deer (and hogs) over bait see See 220-2-.07 for legal hunting hours.

And some wonder why hunters get fed up about having too many regulations, laws and chit to keep up with. All this is idiotic just to kill hogs and deer.

Nothing but a bunch of bull crap!

So, according to all that above, are you saying that simply having the $15 baiting permit does NOT allow one to legally hunt hogs over bait outside of deer season?

This is nonsense!!

Nope

Nope. Hunters in Alabama can now hunt white-tailed deer (when in season) and feral pigs year round with the aid of bait on privately owned or leased lands if they have purchased and are in possession of an annual bait privilege license issued by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). The new license, $15 for resident individual hunters and $51 for non-residents, is now available anywhere hunting licenses are sold including online at www.outdooralabama.com.

the official department emails say contrary. You CAN legally bait and kill hogs out-of-deer-season with the bait permit. Period. Some peoples kids.....

most of the above is incorrect. You can bait and kill hogs in, say, Sept legally if you have a valid bait permit. It does NOT just apply to deer in deer season, it applies to hogs all year with a valid bait permit.

Yep good all year round for hogs on bait etc..... the information I got from my initial conversation with DCNR was incorrect.

I'm curious if one still needs the nuisance permit for night hunting.

Alll GWs don't have good information, you would think they do but there has always been a lack of good accurate information flowing downhill from Montgomery....

I would think you would still need a permit from District office to night hunt hogs.