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Article Courtesy of Action
News Jax
By Yona Gavino
Published March 18, 2026
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WATCH VIDEO |
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ST. AUGUSTINE — Feral hogs have taken over a quiet World Golf Village
neighborhood, turning it into their own stomping ground. Now, the homeowners’
association has approved trappers to step in and control the problem.
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The trappers asked Action News Jax not to
name the subdivision to avoid attracting hunters.
No hogs were spotted during our daytime visit, as these
animals are mostly active at night. For two adult hogs and
about a dozen piglets, this area is hog heaven.
Nicole Doucette and Michael Sheppard work for Quick Catch.
Their t-shirts read “Squeal Team 6.”
The pair were called in to tackle the feral hog problem.
“They’re incredibly invasive. They came from Spain,”
Doucette said.
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Trail cameras captured the hog family the team is targeting. Backyards in the
neighborhood have been churned into what look like plowed fields, with bird
feeders drawing the animals in.
“The piglets start off around 40-50 pounds. Adults can get anywhere from 300 to
400 pounds,” Doucette said. “The ones we have right now are 150-200 pounds.”
Trapping the animals takes plenty of muscle. The pair hauled 150-pound trap
doors for large metal traps. But to lure the hogs in, the team uses a gentler
approach: deer corn.
Videos from previous trapping operations in Nocatee and another part of
Jacksonville show the hogs in action — in both black-and-white nighttime and
daytime color footage.
Neighbor Dave Field said he’s frustrated with the constant hog activity.
An HOA meeting Thursday afternoon discussed strategies to rein in the hogs. But
for his wife, the wild animals are just part of neighborhood life.
“We love living here. Wild boars and all,” Charlene Field said with a laugh.
The trappers said the meat from the captured hogs will be donated to charities
and shelters. Action News Jax reached out to the HOA for comment, but they did
not return our call.
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