Want to fight the feral hog problem in Texas? Start with $8,000, a helicopter and a machine gun.

Feral hogs have terrorized Houston neighborhoods for years, tearing up grass and causing property damage in search of food. But did you know there's a way you can fight back against those pesky pigs? It involves a helicopter and machine guns. Because Texas classifies feral hogs as unprotected, exotic, non-game animals, they can be hunted by anyone using any method at any time of year. Private businesses take advantage, charging customers thousands for the opportunity to hunt hogs from the sky. "We get quite a bit of clientele from places like New York, California (and) Chicago, where the firearm laws are extremely restrictive," said Chris Britt, co-founder of Helibacon in Bryan. "They come to Texas and the idea that you can shoot a machine gun in a helicopter is just mind-blowing to them. They think of it as the Wild West." While hunting hogs via helicopter may sound outlandish, it's actually one of the most effective ways to eliminate the animals, if done correctly.

Once in the air, the sound of a helicopter will start to get a group of hogs, or a sounder, running. The pilot pushes the sounder to an area where they can work and the gunners can start firing. "It's very safe and very controlled," Britt said. "But it sounds so outlandish and exciting that it's a really big draw. People enjoy the experience." Booking a helicopter hog hunting trip is usually straightforward. Normal packages cost between $2,000 and $8,000, depending on party size, and usually include weapons, ammo, and at least a few hours of flight time. Helibacon outfits customer with semi-automatic AR-15s, with the option of upgrading to fully automatic machine guns at extra cost. Some bookings even include meals and lodging. In San Angelo, Helicopter Pig Hunting and Divided Find Lodge & Ranch to offer corporate events that make an entire weekend retreat out of the experience. Demand for the trips is high, with companies routinely seeing long waitlists. A representative from Helicopter Pig Hunting said they fly about 70 hours a month and are booked all year long, while Britt said Helibacon's business has been "roaring" since the pandemic slowed in late 2020.