Mississippi § 49-7-140 - Importation, release and transportation of wild hogs; prohibition; permit; penalties.

§ 49-7-140. Importation, release and transportation of wild hogs; prohibition; permit; penalties.

No person may import into the state or release into the wild, any live feral hog, wild swine or Russian Boar. No person may transport on public roads or off of the property of record where captured or relocate within the state any live feral hog, wild swine or Russian Boar, except as permitted by the department. For the purposes of this section, “feral hogs, wild swine or Russian Boar” are defined as any hog that is not a domesticated pet or livestock. A violation of this section is a Class I violation punishable as provided in Section 49-7-141. Wild hogs may be caught or trapped and transported within the State of Mississippi, with a permit, issued by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. Wild hogs may not be released or removed alive from any mobile device or vehicle, except that wild hogs may be released alive for the purpose of slaughter into an enclosure no larger than five hundred (500) square feet in size and constructed in a manner that prevents the escape of any wild hog, or to a facility where the hog may be immediately prepared for slaughter. The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations for the issuance of a hog transportation permit consistent with this subsection, provided that the authority to issue such a permit is based on the determination that the individuals, at the time of requesting such permit: Does not have a history of repeat hunting offenses; or Has not had his or her hunting privileges revoked. Any person transporting a live wild hog within the State of Mississippi must first obtain from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, a live wild hog transportation permit, as provided above, for each wild hog being transported. A violation of any regulation of the commission promulgated under the authority provided in this section shall be a Class I violation and punishable as provided in Section 49-7-141. In addition to the penalties provided therein, upon conviction, the violator shall forfeit all hunting, trapping and fishing privileges for a period of one (1) year from the date of conviction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the lawful transport of domestic swine for customary and ordinary purposes of intrastate or interstate commerce, or agricultural practices.