Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott has signed a bill that will allow people to kill feral hogs without a state hunting license.

The bill was heavily supported and sponsored by Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola. It allows any landowner, landowner's agent or lessee to take a feral hog without a hunting license. It goes into effect Sept. 1, 2019. 

The bill clarified previous legislation that implied landowners could hunt hogs without a license if they showed proof of damage to their land.

“These are not wildlife these are domesticated hogs that and releases and got away and became what we call feral hog," farmer Richard Cortese said in this report.

“They're doing more damage than anybody can imagine right now, last year we lost over 150 acres of corn,” he added. Some estimate the damage nationwide from feral hogs at more than $400 million annually.

Trespassing laws are still in place, along with landowner agreements for lease-holders. Hunters cannot just show up in Texas and start blasting hogs anywhere or anytime.

However, the new law should give landowners more clarity and help with protecting their property.