The Largest Wild Hog Ever Caught in Hawaii

Hawaii is home to tons of wild hogs. While Polynesians likely brought domesticated pigs to Hawaii around the 4th century AD, these animals are still considered invasive. Before people were around, hogs did not exist on the island.

These domesticated pigs quickly become feral, though. Today, the island is still home to a sizeable wild hog population. Some of these hogs get exceptionally large. They can do a lot of damage to Hawaii’s ecosystem, damaging plants and outcompeting other animals.

Hogs naturally “root” in the ground for food. This involves digging up large areas of land at a time. Therefore, hogs don’t just consume massive quantities of plants; they also destroy the ground while foraging.

Unsurprisingly, the island allows the year-round hunting of these feral hogs. They’ve become a serious nuisance. However, figuring out the largest hog in Hawaii is a bit more complicated.

What is the Largest Hog on Record in Hawaii?

Determining the largest hog ever caught in Hawaii is nearly impossible. There are documented captures of very big hogs. However, there is no official record-keeping system compared to some other states.

Therefore, any documentation of hog weight is completely unofficial. For instance, there is a news report that mentions a 300-pound boar. However, there is no “largest hog” record (and 300 pounds probably wouldn’t beat it).

Hawaii simply doesn’t keep these sorts of hunting records, and hunters may not even be required to report their harvest of wild hogs. They’re considered a nuisance animal across Hawaii.

Many large hog stories are instead circulated within hunting communities or on the local news. However, we don’t have official documentation to figure out the exact size of these hogs. Most are not officially weighed.

Furthermore, Hawaii tends to emphasize controlling the local hog population – not individual trophy hunting. Therefore, it would make sense that the state wouldn’t keep these sorts of records.

How Big Do Wild Hogs Get in Hawaii?

It’s safe to say that wild hogs can get decently large in Hawaii, though they often don’t compete with many states on the mainland. Boars regularly reach a size of 150-200 pounds, though some may reach 300 pounds on a regular basis. Catching a 300-pound boar may be surprising, but it isn’t unusual.

Sows are typically smaller than boards. They only reach a size of 100-150 pounds, typically half that of a comparable boar.

Genetics and food accessibility are the two main factors affecting the size of wild hogs. Most wild hogs in Hawaii have a mixed ancestry of Polynesian and European breeds. Wild hogs also have to find their own food, and those who find more food tend to get bigger than those who struggle.

In comparison, domestic pigs raised for meat in the mainland US tend to reach a weight of 400-500 pounds. That’s significantly larger than their wild counterparts. This is likely due to both selective breeding and food availability.

The largest wild hog ever caught was 790 pounds in Texas. Wild hogs in Hawaii cannot even touch these numbers.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © NataliaMills/iStock via Getty Images