81R30910 JH-D
By: Flynn H.R. No. 1900
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The State of Texas is renowned for the diversity of
its animal population, and select species have become iconic
symbols for certain cities and regions in the state; and
WHEREAS, Residents of the town of Ben Wheeler in Van Zandt
County have come to enjoy an animal that has become a plentiful
resident of the local area: the feral hog; and
WHEREAS, Often called wild hogs, these hardy creatures can
trace their Texas lineage back to the 1680s, when Spanish colonists
brought domesticated hogs into the area; the animals inevitably
escaped their human owners from time to time and established packs
in the wild; more recently, Eurasian wild boars were released in
Texas in the 1900s for hunting purposes, and those that eluded the
sportsmen likewise found a home in the wilderness and mated with the
already existing feral swine; and
WHEREAS, Resourceful, fast-breeding, and able to eat almost
anything, feral hogs have spread to nearly all parts of the state
and have an estimated population of two million; while they can
cause various kinds of agricultural and environmental damage, they
are also a popular and challenging quarry for hunters, and this
sport can have a sizable economic impact in certain areas; and
WHEREAS, East Texas has proven a favorite home for the hogs,
and this is particularly true of the area around Ben Wheeler; the
town has chosen to celebrate the presence of these quick-witted
animals, and the feral hog image has already become strongly
associated with the community; and
WHEREAS, In 2008, residents staged the first annual Fall
Feral Hawg Festival; the event drew some 5,000 people to enjoy a
range of special activities, including the Hawg Queen Pageant, a
parade, a feral hog barbecue cook-off, "kiss the pig" contests, and
more; the festival takes place on the fourth weekend in October each
year and offers a fun-filled tribute to the area's flat-snouted
inhabitants; and
WHEREAS, Ben Wheeler's efforts to honor feral hogs and its
proximity to the fertile habitats where they roam have given the
community a special relationship with this distinctive animal, and
this status is indeed deserving of special recognition; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize the feral hog as the mascot of the town
of Ben Wheeler.