HOPKINS, S.C. — Due to reports of increased feral hog activity inside Congaree National Park, near Hopkins, portions of the popular destination spot will be temporarily closed as staff conduct feral hog management work.
Beginning at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 15, access to frontcountry trails and facilities, including the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, parking lots, and Longleaf and Bluff Campgrounds will close and not reopen until 5 p.m. Thursday, November 16. In addition to those areas listed, there will be no access to all park trials west of the South Cedar Creek Canoe Landing, and Cedar Creek will be closed between Bannisters Bridge and South Cedar Creek landings. No backcountry permits will be issued for these dates.
Staff from Congaree National Park, USDA APHIS, and Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park will be using firearms, including high-powered rifles in an attempt to control the feral hog population in the park.
Feral hogs are aggressive and the animals come equipped with natural weapons in the form of sharp tusks. Recent observations of the feral hogs in the park have indicated that the animals have potentially become accustomed to the presence of humans and have been approaching visitors while ignoring or being unresponsive to hazing, behavior that could eventually cause injuries to park visitors.
This is the second attempt at culling the feral hog population inside Congaree National Park this year. In May 2023, a hunt was held after a group of feral hogs began to destroy a portion of the park by rooting in the soft soil, eating firefly larvae.
The large social animals also cause millions of dollars worth of damage to farmland each year.