After Shooting An 820-Pound Animal In His Front Yard, Man Learns What It Is

Reimagining a Wild Encounter: The Day a 820-Pound Hog Invaded a Family’s Lawn

In July 2017, an unusual story made headlines, and we’re revisiting it today.

Wade Seago, a resident of rural Samson, Alabama, found himself facing an unexpected visitor on his front lawn: a massive 820-pound wild hog. Seago, accustomed to the presence of local wildlife, was initially unalarmed when his schnauzer, Cruiser, began barking outside.

Seago’s rural home is frequently visited by deer and raccoons, so Cruiser’s commotion was not immediately concerning. However, the situation escalated when his daughter’s frightened screams reached him.

“I rushed to see what was happening,” Seago recounted in an interview with AL.com. “I peered out the back window but saw nothing, so I hurried to the front of the house where my daughter was looking out. What I saw was unbelievable.”

Just a few yards from his front porch stood a formidable feral hog with tusks about six inches long. Fearing for Cruiser’s safety and the potential danger to his family, Seago dashed inside to retrieve his .38 caliber revolver.

“By the time I got into position, the hog was around 12 yards away,” Seago explained. “Cruiser was safely out of the way, so I took my shot.”

It took three shots to bring the enormous hog down. The following day, Seago took the animal to Brooks Peanut Company to weigh it on a drive-thru scale, and he was astonished to find it tipped the scales at a staggering 820 pounds.

A taxidermist by profession, Seago often engages in deer hunting for leisure. Although wild hogs are not uncommon in the area, he had never encountered one of such immense size.

In Alabama, feral hogs are considered an invasive species due to their rapid reproduction and minimal natural predators. They are known for causing significant damage to agriculture, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimating annual losses of around $800 million.

Seago shared with The Associated Press that he plans to mount the hog’s head and shoulders for display in his taxidermy shop, while the rest of the hog was discarded due to concerns about the safety of the meat in the humid environment.

“Given the high humidity here, I wouldn’t have felt safe eating the meat,” he said.

To manage the growing population of feral hogs, Alabama regulations allow hunters to cull as many hogs as they wish on private land. Seago expressed no regrets about his decision to shoot the hog, viewing it as a necessary action to protect his family.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if I had to,” he said. “It was the right call.”

Sources: AL.com, AP via The Washington Post