In the quiet rural town of Samson, Alabama, one man’s routine evening turned into a moment of high-stakes action when he came face-to-face with a feral hog so massive it left the entire community talking. Wade Seago, a lifelong outdoorsman and owner of a taxidermy shop, is no stranger to wildlife. But nothing could have prepared him for what he encountered just steps from his front porch—an 820-pound wild hog with tusks measuring nearly six inches long. It all began with his schnauzer, Cruiser, barking wildly outside the house. This wasn’t unusual for the small but feisty dog, who often reacts to raccoons, deer, or other critters roaming the property. But something felt different this time. The barking was frantic and nonstop. Wade was about to brush it off when his daughter screamed from inside the house. That’s when instinct kicked in.
Wade raced to the front window and froze. Just five yards from the porch stood an enormous feral hog, its bulky frame and protruding tusks giving it a menacing presence. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Wade later recalled. Fearing for the safety of his family and their loyal pet, Wade rushed to grab his .38 caliber revolver. By the time he got outside and into a shooting position, the hog had moved slightly, now standing about 12 yards away. Wade fired three shots before the massive animal finally went down. The next day, he brought the carcass to Brooks Peanut Company, where it was officially weighed. The hog tipped the scale at a jaw-dropping 820 pounds, confirming what Wade already knew—this was no ordinary wild animal.
Although shocking, Wade’s encounter wasn’t entirely out of the blue. Alabama has long struggled with a growing population of wild hogs. These animals, introduced centuries ago, have thrived due to a lack of natural predators and their incredibly high reproductive rates. They now pose a serious threat to native wildlife, crops, and even human safety. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wild hogs are responsible for an estimated $800 million in agricultural damage each year in the United States. In Alabama, they tear through fields, uproot vegetation, and cause widespread ecological harm. Wade, being a deer hunter and taxidermy expert, is familiar with the presence of wild hogs in the region—but he said he’d never seen one even close to the size of the beast he brought down.
Despite his expertise, Wade admitted the hog’s immense size made the encounter unnerving. “This wasn’t a normal situation,” he said. “This was a real threat.” Many neighbors and locals agreed, praising Wade for his quick thinking and decisive action. Although feral hogs are not uncommon in the area, they rarely approach homes so closely—let alone reach such gargantuan proportions. It’s a growing concern in many rural parts of the South, where homeowners increasingly find themselves taking action to protect their families and properties.
Because of Alabama’s loose restrictions on feral hogs, residents are legally allowed to hunt and kill as many as they need to on private land. The state encourages it as a method of population control, given how rapidly these animals reproduce and the damage they cause. As for the hog Wade encountered, he made the decision not to consume the meat. With the heat and humidity, he didn’t want to take any risks. Instead, he plans to mount the hog’s head and shoulders as a display in his shop—both as a tribute to the wild encounter and as a warning to others.
Reflecting on the experience, Wade stands by his decision to act swiftly. “I didn’t think twice about taking down this hog,” he said. “I’d do it again tomorrow if I had to.” His story serves as a powerful reminder that even in familiar surroundings, nature has a way of surprising us—and sometimes those surprises come with sharp tusks and 800 pounds of muscle. This extraordinary incident is a wake-up call for rural homeowners to stay alert and understand the risks posed by feral wildlife, especially in areas where they are known to roam.
