Picture it: The easy soul harmonies of The 5th Dimension singing Up Up and Away playing in the background punctuated by the sounds of high powered rifles. Texas has approved hunting for feral pigs and coyotes from hot air balloons.

Texas lawmakers have approved hunting feral hogs and coyotes from hot air balloons.

The state already allows shooting feral hogs from helicopters. The latest hunting twist comes as the state looks for new ways to control a growing hog population that causes millions in damages to crops every year.

Hunting by helicopter has proven expensive and difficult to hit anything, and often scares the animals away. Hot air balloons are quieter and offer a more stable line shooting platform.

The bill requires the state to license hot air hot hunting. Texas has an estimated two million feral hogs. Their high breeding rate and lack of natural predators has seen their population explode

The bill passed the Senate Wednesday night and now goes to Gov. Greg Abbott for his consideration.

I’m not sure how this would work. It’s my understanding that you don’t really have much control over where you’re going when you’re up in a balloon. Will hunters launch their balloon and hope it drifts over some hogs? Maybe the balloon will be tethered in area with a dense pig population. Either way, it sounds like a unique way to spend the day.