Anderson Valley is facing a growing and destructive siege from an invasive force: wild pigs. While feral hogs have long been a part of the California landscape, a combination of recent wet winters and the animal's prolific breeding habits has led to a noticeable surge in their population, leaving a trail of costly damage and frustration for residents, farmers, and vintners.
Across Mendocino County, which ranks among the top counties in California for reported wild pig activity, the problems are becoming increasingly visible. Homeowners report waking to find their lawns and gardens completely overturned, the soil tilled into chaotic mounds by pigs searching for grubs and roots. The damage often resembles the work of a rototiller, requiring significant time and money to repair.
For Anderson Valley’s wine industry, the stakes are even higher. The pigs are drawn to the irrigated soil of the vineyards, where their rooting can damage or destroy young vines and disrupt critical irrigation lines. Their voracious, omnivorous diet also means they can consume ripe grapes, directly impacting the yield and quality of the harvest. The cost of fencing an entire vineyard is prohibitive for many, leaving growers in a constant battle to protect their crops.
The problem extends beyond private property. The pigs' rooting behavior contributes to soil erosion, which can degrade water quality in local creeks and streams—a critical concern in an environmentally sensitive watershed. They also compete with native wildlife, like deer, for food resources such as acorns.
State and local agencies are aware of the escalating problem. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) allows for year-round hunting of wild pigs, and Mendocino County provides resources for residents dealing with nuisance wildlife. However, many locals argue these measures are not enough to curb the exploding population. The pigs are notoriously intelligent, often learning to avoid traps and becoming nocturnal to evade hunters, making control efforts a constant challenge.