Arkansas 2026 Feral Hog Incentive Program: Landowner's Guide

Arkansas's Feral Hog Conservation Incentive Program is back for 2026, and after a strong first run in 2024, the state has made it bigger. Pig Brig® Trap System recently hosted a live webinar with Ryan Farney, Feral Hog Program Coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), to cover details in this year's program. Farney said the application window closes September 11, 2026. Here's a full recap of what he covered, so you can get your application in before the deadline.

What's New for 2026

The biggest change is the money. In 2024, AGFC capped reimbursement at $10,000 per landowner. For 2026, that cap has doubled to $20,000, so you can apply for multiple traps.

There's also a new paperwork requirement. The name on your W-9 has to match the name you register with when you sign up as an Arkansas state vendor. Farney gave a real example of why this trips people up: if your hunting club applies but the property or entity is technically owned by a corporation, the corporation's name on the W-9 is what has to go on the application, not the individual's name.

One thing that hasn't changed: if you applied in 2024, whether you got funded or not, it does not affect your eligibility this year.

Who Qualifies

Acreage and Trap Limits

Any landowner in Arkansas who owns or leases at least 100 acres can apply. If you don't have 100 acres on your own, you can still participate by applying as a Co-Op with other small acreage landowners, as long as your combined acreage reaches 100.

From there, the total acreage on your application determines how many traps you can be approved for. AGFC allows one trap for every 500 acres, up to a program maximum of three:

• 100 to 500 acres: one trap

• 501 to 1,499 acres: two traps

• 1,500 acres or more: three traps

So 100 acres is enough to be approved for a trap. You just can't be approved for a second one until you clear 500 acres.

Already own a trap? That doesn't count against you. How many traps you currently own has no bearing on how many you can get through this program.

Cooperative (Neighbor) Applications

You don't have to apply alone. A Co-Op application can cover multiple properties under different owners, as long as the combined acreage clears the same 100-acre minimum. If you're teaming up with a neighbor, you include their name and phone number on the application.

The properties don't have to be adjoining, but they do need to be in the same county. Farney's reasoning for encouraging cooperative applications: hogs don't respect property lines, so when neighbors coordinate, removal tends to be more effective across the whole area.

Who's Excluded

AGFC employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to apply.

What the Application Actually Asks For

The whole process is online through the AGFC website. Nothing gets mailed in. You can start your application here.

Basic Information

You'll fill in your name, entity type (individual, LLC, trust, etc.), contact information, and whether you're already registered as a state vendor. None of this affects your funding decision. It just helps AGFC plan.

Property and Location Details

You'll drop a pin on an interactive map for each property or parcel you'll be trapping on, including non-contiguous parcels. For each one, you'll answer a few questions that help AGFC gauge hog pressure: whether neighboring land grows row crops, whether neighbors use feeders or supplemental feed for deer or cattle, and roughly what percentage of the parcel is water, forest, or low brush.

You'll also need to upload a photo of hog damage or hogs themselves from within the last six months. One change from 2024: this photo no longer needs to be geo-referenced. AGFC tried that requirement in the last cycle and dropped it within hours of the application opening.

Trap Selection

The application lists the eligible trap systems, and you can select more than one. Eligible systems include net traps such as Pig Brig, plus Game Changer, Boar Buster, Big Pig (panel trap only), Jager Pro (Sergeant model), and Hog Boss Gates (complete trap system with camera only). If you're approved for multiple traps, you're free to mix and match brands.

Pay attention to the model restrictions on that list. Big Pig qualifies as the panel trap only, Jager Pro as the Sergeant only, and Hog Boss Gates only as the complete system with a camera. Buying a different model from one of those brands won't be reimbursed.

How You Get Paid Back

Payment Structure

This is a reimbursement program, not a discount at checkout. You buy the trap at full price out of pocket, then AGFC pays you back 75% of what you spent, up to the $20,000 cap. That 75% arrives in two payments, both calculated on your total purchase: 45% once your purchase and vendor setup are confirmed, and another 30% after you log your first successful catch in AGFC's QuickCapture (Esri) app.

That second payment is tied directly to actually using the trap. Farney was candid that this structure exists specifically to encourage landowners to get their traps in the ground and start reporting captures, since that data is a big part of why the legislature keeps funding the program.

What's Covered, and What's Not

Reimbursement applies to anything tied to the trapping system on your invoice, including associated equipment and warranty costs. A couple of important limits: traps purchased before the 2026 program opened are not eligible for reimbursement, and you can't apply for just a camera if you already own a trap. It has to be a full trapping system.

Timeline

The application window closes September 11, 2026. Farney said AGFC will rank all applications after that and expects to notify applicants within about two weeks.

Before your approval letter goes out, you'll need to complete a short training video (about 10 minutes) and pass a 10-question test with a score of 80% or better. You can retake the test as many times as needed.

Once approved, you'll have roughly three months to show proof of purchase, meaning an invoice. That's Farney's estimate rather than a published deadline, since AGFC hasn't finalized one yet. The trap itself doesn't have to be on your property by then, which matters given current manufacturer lead times. One hard rule: invoices dated before your approval notification will not be reimbursed.

A Program With Real Results

Since the 2024 program launched, AGFC approved 251 landowners and has tracked more than 8,400 feral hogs removed, a number Farney said is still climbing as 2024 participants continue logging trap events. That response is exactly why the Arkansas legislature funded a second round for 2026, and why AGFC keeps asking participants to report their captures even after that second payment lands.

Where Pig Brig Fits In

Pig Brig is on AGFC's list of eligible trap systems for this program, and the 75% reimbursement (up to $20,000) applies the same way it does for any other approved trap, whether you're getting one system or qualify for multiple. Since the incentive covers the full trapping system plus associated equipment, a bundle is often the simplest way to get everything you need on one invoice.

If you're weighing which setup fits your acreage, you can browse Pig Brig's trap bundles. And for more on the program itself, including past webinar recordings and updates as deadlines approach, Pig Brig maintains a dedicated Arkansas Conservation Incentive Program page with resources built specifically for this application.

Who to Contact

If you're weighing which trap system fits your acreage and land type, Pig Brig's trap support team can help you think it through before you submit your application. For questions specific to the program itself, eligibility, or the application portal, AGFC's Private Lands Division is the best point of contact.

FAQ: Arkansas's 2026 Feral Hog Incentive Program

I have 200 acres. Do I qualify? Yes. The minimum is 100 acres, and 100 acres is enough to be approved for one trap. You won't qualify for a second trap until you're over 500 acres.

I have less than 100 acres. Is there any way to participate? Yes. You can apply as a Co-Op with other landowners, as long as your combined acreage reaches 100 acres and all the properties are in the same county.

Do I have to pay for the trap upfront? Yes. This is a reimbursement program. You buy the trap at full price, then AGFC pays you back 75% of your cost in two payments, up to a $20,000 cap.

When do applications close? September 11, 2026. AGFC expects to notify applicants within about two weeks after that.

Does already owning a trap disqualify me from applying? No. Trap ownership has no bearing on eligibility or how many traps you can qualify for. Your acreage determines your allowance.

Do my hog damage photos need to be geo-referenced? No. That requirement was tested in 2024 and removed. You still need photos of hog damage or hogs themselves from within the last six months, but location data isn't required.

Can I apply with a neighbor if our land isn't adjoining? Yes. Co-Op properties don't have to be adjoining, but they do have to be in the same county.

I applied in 2024. Can I still apply for 2026? Yes. Whether you were funded in 2024 or not, it doesn't affect your eligibility this year.