Shaquille O'Neal goes feral hog hunting in East Texas darkness: 'I am the nightvision'

It's a bad day to be a feral hog. At least when Shaquille O'Neal is around.

The 7-foot-1 NBA legend spent a night hunting hogs in East Texas last week with the crew behind Texas_NightHunter. And according to Shaq, he didn't need much help locating his target.

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"I smell pigs," O'Neal says into the camera while standing in the darkness. "Some people need nightvision. I am the nightvision."

Moments later, Shaq fires his gun before eventually walking over to a hog on the ground and finishing it off.

CONTENT WARNING: The video below contains graphic footage of a hog being shot and killed.

For the record, we at OutKick OutDoors do not condone the no-look discharge of a firearm under any circumstances. Please do not do that.

The hunt took place near Paris, Texas, according to a Facebook post highlighting O'Neal's outing. He joined East Texas native Matthew Prescott and other members of the local crew, which has previously taken notable guests — including two-time Super Bowl champion Torrey Smith — out hunting.

And while Shaq stalking pigs in the dark makes for entertaining content, knocking down feral hogs in Texas is also doing landowners a favor.

A very, very big favor.

Texas has the largest feral hog population in the United States, with millions of the invasive animals roaming the state. Texas A&M AgriLife has reported that feral hogs cause more than $670 million in annual agricultural losses, while landowners spend an additional estimated $130 million or more each year trying to control them and repair the damage they leave behind.

The animals tear up crops, pastures, fences, roads and waterways, damage habitat used by native wildlife and can carry diseases capable of affecting livestock, wildlife and humans.

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They're also notoriously difficult to control.

Feral hogs reproduce quickly, have few natural predators and have dramatically expanded their range. Texas A&M researchers have previously estimated that roughly two-thirds of a population would need to be removed annually for several consecutive years just to keep the numbers from growing.

So Texas isn't exactly worried about hunters like Shaq taking too many.

There are no closed seasons or bag limits for feral hogs on private property, and a hunting license is not required when hunters have landowner authorization. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department even specifically promotes nighttime hog hunting, noting that the animals become increasingly nocturnal during the hot summer months.

This also wasn't O'Neal's first rodeo — or "Shaqfari," as he calls it.

Hunting has been a longtime hobby for the four-time NBA champion. Over the years, O'Neal has hunted everything from waterfowl to wild boar and goats. He even devoted a section of his 2001 autobiography, "Shaq Talks Back," to his hunting adventures.

And if there were ever any question about whether a Hall of Fame big man belongs in the wilderness, O'Neal also tested that theory back in 2016 when he joined survivalist Bear Grylls for an episode of "Running Wild." Shaq trekked through the Adirondacks, climbed a massive rock face and spent the night sleeping outside in the woods.

So this wasn't some celebrity photo-op where Shaq showed up, held a rifle and went home.

The man just really loves a Shaqfari.

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