Wild hogs rip up Charlotte County backyards

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – Dozens of wild hogs have made one Punta Gorda neighborhood their home, but in doing so, residents said they’re turning green backyards into mud pits.

“We first seen them coming across the backyard and said, ‘oh my God.. there’s a bunch of pigs,'” said Jim McCas, who lives in Burnt Store Lakes.

At one point, McCas said he counted 30 hogs in his backyard, which was perfectly manicured until a month ago.

That’s when they discovered his oak trees, he said.

McCas hired an animal trapper, but things got more muddier.

“While we were trying to get them out of the trap, we had about ten other pigs out here that kept coming and charging at us,” said Jimmy Kazlauskas, the animal trapper. “One point, I drew my gun because I thought we were going to get attacked by one that kept coming after us.”

One of the hogs weighs over 500 pounds, neighbors said.

Nine hogs have been caught so far, but two climbed their way out of the cage. Kazlauskas said he will keep working until all the animals are apprehended.