Officials offer 5-figure bounties to combat feral hog population ravaging local community: 'Devastating effect on everything'

Lee County's annual feral hog and coyote bounty program officially commenced with the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, offering hunters a reward from its $10,000 prize pool.

According to a flyer from the Texas county, the season runs until Sept. 25 or until the funds are exhausted. Participants can earn $5 for every pair of hog ears submitted and $10 for coyote ears, and the animals must be harvested within Lee County.

"I think it's been two months, and we have had 20-something," Lexington resident Agnes Lay told KVUE News about the feral hogs that have caused hundreds of dollars worth of damage to her property. "They are tearing up the grass that we freshly planted, and you cannot believe how large the areas are. It's destroying our livelihood."

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind The outlet cited data from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , which reported that the state is home to around 2.6 million invasive wild pigs that cause $52 million in agricultural damage annually.

"Devastating effect on everything that our farmers and ranchers are doing. It affects wildlife. Hogs are omnivores, so they will eat about anything," Lee County Judge Frank Malinak said .

Malinak told KVUE in August that the boars attack livestock such as baby calves, ravage corn and hay fields, and present a hazard to drivers . He also noted that while farmers have tried to install fences, property owners can shoot hogs on their land without a hunting license.

Watch now: Top yogurt producer reveals how the company is evolving to meet new consumer demands Feral swine is a widespread issue across the nation, prompting some areas to declare open season on the animal. Others have provided more creative solutions, such as turning the invasive species into gourmet meals.

Meanwhile, coyotes pose a threat to agricultural crops, poultry, and livestock. However, they are native carnivores that help keep rodent and other small mammal populations in Texas from growing exponentially, making their inclusion in the bounty program questionable.

"They move in and tear up a bunch of property. We kind of go in, help people out and go in," local hunter Braden Buck said of the hogs and coyotes.