SPRINGDALE – The McIlroy Madison County Wildlife Management Areas will be temporarily closed Jan. 29-30 in cooperation with the Arkansas Feral Hog Task Force to fight the spread of invasive feral swine in Arkansas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services will be conducting aerial operations aimed at reducing feral hog populations on the area. The flights will be dependent on the weather.

To provide safety for the public and comply with USDA regulations, access will not be allowed during the ongoing operations. AGFC and partnering agency staff will be on-site to maintain road and access closures.

Feral hogs threaten both wildlife and agriculture in Arkansas. They destroy habitat, prey on wildlife and can be linked to transmission of diseases such as brucellosis and pseudorabies (swine herpes virus).

The AGFC and USDA APHIS would like to thank the public in advance for their patience and understanding while these activities are underway and apologize for any inconvenience related to the operation.

For additional information, please contact Ryan Farney, the AGFC Feral Hog Coordinator, at 501-912-9541, or Arkansas APHIS Director Robert Byrd at 501-835-2318.