If you did not yet secure a hunting permit for the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve's night hog hunt, you are out of luck. That's because all of the permits have been sold.

The preserve will be the site of wild hog hunts at night between Jan. 22-24. According to a news release, the activity is "one of a series of wild hog hunts being held on District lands in an effort to control the damage being caused to the natural habitats."

Hogs have been causing increased and frequent damge, opening up the possibility for the hunts. The preserve is east of I-75 and north of US 301 — very close to New Tampa.

Why are hogs such a problem?

"Wild hogs live throughout Florida in various habitats, but prefer moist forests and swamps, as well as pine flatwoods," according to the District. "They are omnivorous and feed by rooting with their broad snouts, which can cause extensive damage to the natural habitats. In fact, they can leave an area looking like a plowed field."

Wild hogs are not native to Florida.

For more information, please call the Land Management Section at the District’s Brooksville Headquarters at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4467.