A controversial hunting program aimed at reducing the abundant feral hog population that’s destroying vegetation and other wildlife in Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and the adjacent Schewe tract got under way Tuesday near North Port.

The three-day hunt is one of several pilot projects around the state sanctioned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Sarasota County jointly owns the 6,440-acre Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, adjacent to North Port, with the water district. The nearby 1,722-acre Schewe tract is owned solely by the district. The hunts will be held on the properties from sundown to 2 a.m. through Thursday. According to the district, there is no “bag limit” on the number of feral hogs that can be harvested.