Hog Hunting South Texas (CAUTION DEAD HOGS)

[Brute 23]

IF you have ever been considering Hog Hunting in South Texas this is the year to do it. There are TONS of hogs this year. :shock:

Went out this weekend with dogs and killed 23 hogs :mrgreen: , a small portion of what we actually saw. Both us and the dogs were wore out. We were leaving ranches wore out with hogs in the fields still. Check out the pics of our dogs, hogs, and UTVs. IF you might be interested in some thing like this, give me a shout. ;-)

 

[angie1]

The dogs ~ they are wearing radio collars? Do they hunt far out ahead?

Also, I have seen bird dogs get competitive and fight over a pheasant. I'm thinking that this may be more common with these. Is that so?

Last question, I promise. Each hunter brings how many dogs? And what kind of dogs are they? (that is a 2 for 1 deal).

Good job on the hogs!

 

[Brute 23]

The dogs ~ they are wearing radio collars? Do they hunt far out ahead?

Also, I have seen bird dogs get competitive and fight over a pheasant. I'm thinking that this may be more common with these. Is that so?

Last question, I promise. Each hunter brings how many dogs? And what kind of dogs are they? (that is a 2 for 1 deal).

Good job on the hogs!

Ask away, answer the best I can.

Some of the dogs are wearing tracking collars. It is partly for them getting far when hunting (our dogs are typically shorter range though) but another reason is if the dog gets hurt some where and can not make it back to us we can track to them.

These dogs will try to get like that where they want to fight over a hog (most dogs will), but we are very strict about the dogs manners. I do not tollerate that in my pack. No dogs fights, no people or other animal agression. I would rather catch no hogs with well mannered dogs than tons of hogs with trashy dogs. Our dogs are easy to handle and well mannered. ;-)

No set amount of dogs to bring just depends... We have little things we do like hunt old with young, certain dogs hunt better together, different dogs for different types of hunting. Lots of factors we take into account from experience doing it.

Our STRIKE dogs (find the hogs and bay them) are typically a Curr type dog (BMC, Catahoula). Tend to be more hot nosed, stike off the hood, short range dogs. Usually just get a plain collar and maybe a tracking collar. Most of your cow dog type dogs also work for baying hogs.

Our CATCH DOGS are typically a bulldog breeds (Pitts, ABDS, or Xs). They do exactly as it sounds, catch the hog by the ears and hold it so we can dispatch the hog with a knife asap. Usually have a thicker collar which is made of Kevlar type materials. Some times have a vest if weather permits.

The Farmers are already in a frenzy and begging us to get back in there ASAP. Those hogs were all caught in brush lines, down in creeks, and along the river by the corn fields we hunt during grain season. They haven't even planted yet. :shock: They will start at the end of Feb. That's like putting money in the bank knowing there are robbers waiting around the corner.

 

[angie1]

OK then ~
The season is year round then? I am thinking these are considered nuisance animals? The black on laying on the cage ~ it is about how old? Full size? Is there a bounty? Here we have a bounty on pocket gophers. You bring in the 2 front feet.

Your pups ~ how old are they when you take them out, I'd imagine they have to have some growth on them to do this. Bird dogs start young, often very basic, playful training at 6 weeks. I realize most ability is inherent, but do they require training as well?

The vests I assume are to protect the dogs from the hogs rather than the brush...?

Do the call dogs also grab the hogs ~ dual purpose?

 

[Jogeephus]

Looks like you had a great time. Like your setup and dogs. Right now we can't run dogs cause the pigs are in the river swamps and we don't want to lose the dogs. We have a few that still come up to the fields and I take every possible shot at these. Here's one my 22-250 met yesterday and we will be having her as our honored guest at supper this Saturday.

 

[Brute 23]

OK then ~
The season is year round then? I am thinking these are considered nuisance animals? The black on laying on the cage ~ it is about how old? Full size? Is there a bounty? Here we have a bounty on pocket gophers. You bring in the 2 front feet.

Your pups ~ how old are they when you take them out, I'd imagine they have to have some growth on them to do this. Bird dogs start young, often very basic, playful training at 6 weeks. I realize most ability is inherent, but do they require training as well?

The vests I assume are to protect the dogs from the hogs rather than the brush...?

Do the call dogs also grab the hogs ~ dual purpose?

The season is year round. You have to have a hunting license but you can hunt them by an legal method.

Yes, they are very much a nuisance animal. Destroy lots of acres. I will take some pics of the corn fields this year and post. I am talking about huge chunks of acreage gone. :shock:

Those are no where near full size. Biggest one I have ever killed was #400, the can get pretty good size. The boar hog in the last pic weighed #200 with out guts.

No bounty here, they would probably loose their rear on that one. :lol:

Pups usually start asap baying from out side a pen. When ever they get out of their clumsy stage they will work hogs in the pen. Once they have been working in a pen and broke off trash they go to hunt in the woods with older dogs. Nothing special you have to do, the toughest part is knowing probably what time they are ready to do what.

YOung catch dogs start catching in a pen around 10 months. With them you some times have to teach them to specifically catch the ear, alot of bulldogs do it naturally. Couple times in the pen and they are ready for the woods.

THe most important thing is pleanty of time in the woods, thats where dogs are made.

Yes, the vests and collars are to protest against the tusks. Like razors when a hog swings its head... :shock:

Yes, the STRIKE dogs also will catch once the catch dogs do or if it is a small hog. They will also try to catch on the rear if the hog is trying to run from them to spin the hog and stop it (bay up).

 

[Brute 23]

Looks like you had a great time. Like your setup and dogs. Right now we can't run dogs cause the pigs are in the river swamps and we don't want to lose the dogs. We have a few that still come up to the fields and I take every possible shot at these. Here's one my 22-250 met yesterday and we will be having her as our honored guest at supper this Saturday.

Yup, :nod: good eater.

 

[angie1]

The season is year round. You have to have a hunting license but you can hunt them by an legal method.
Yes, they are very much a nuisance animal. Destroy lots of acres. I will take some pics of the corn fields this year and post. I am talking about huge chunks of acreage gone. :shock:
Those are no where near full size. Biggest one I have ever killed was #400, the can get pretty good size. The boar hog in the last pic weighed #200 with out guts.
No bounty here, they would probably loose their rear on that one. :lol:
Pups usually start asap baying from out side a pen. When ever they get out of their clumsy stage they will work hogs in the pen. Once they have been working in a pen and broke off trash they go to hunt in the woods with older dogs. Nothing special you have to do, the toughest part is knowing probably what time they are ready to do what.
YOung catch dogs start catching in a pen around 10 months. With them you some times have to teach them to specifically catch the ear, alot of bulldogs do it naturally. Couple times in the pen and they are ready for the woods.
THe most important thing is pleanty of time in the woods, thats where dogs are made.
Yes, the vests and collars are to protest against the tusks. Like razors when a hog swings its head... :shock:
Yes, the STRIKE dogs also will catch once the catch dogs do or if it is a small hog. They will also try to catch on the rear if the hog is trying to run from them to spin the hog and stop it (bay up).

Yes, STRIKE dogs, not call.
Thank you for taking time to explain.
Is interesting stuff!

 

[Brute 23]

The season is year round. You have to have a hunting license but you can hunt them by an legal method.
Yes, they are very much a nuisance animal. Destroy lots of acres. I will take some pics of the corn fields this year and post. I am talking about huge chunks of acreage gone. :shock:
Those are no where near full size. Biggest one I have ever killed was #400, the can get pretty good size. The boar hog in the last pic weighed #200 with out guts.
No bounty here, they would probably loose their rear on that one. :lol:
Pups usually start asap baying from out side a pen. When ever they get out of their clumsy stage they will work hogs in the pen. Once they have been working in a pen and broke off trash they go to hunt in the woods with older dogs. Nothing special you have to do, the toughest part is knowing probably what time they are ready to do what.
YOung catch dogs start catching in a pen around 10 months. With them you some times have to teach them to specifically catch the ear, alot of bulldogs do it naturally. Couple times in the pen and they are ready for the woods.
THe most important thing is pleanty of time in the woods, thats where dogs are made.
Yes, the vests and collars are to protest against the tusks. Like razors when a hog swings its head... :shock:
Yes, the STRIKE dogs also will catch once the catch dogs do or if it is a small hog. They will also try to catch on the rear if the hog is trying to run from them to spin the hog and stop it (bay up).

Yes, STRIKE dogs, not call.
Thank you for taking time to explain.
Is interesting stuff!

No problem.
Its not for every one, but is the most effective legal means of controlling damage to crops and property to date, and lots of fun. ;-)

 

[Parkerson Cattle Co.]

Unfortunately, they will never be completely controlled. It would have to be 50% of the population for 50 years to make a dent in their numbers. Estimated in the millions in Texas, and yearly a very small percentage of hogs is actually taken. They do damage to more than just crops, they compete with other animals, have no predators, and studies are showing that they are doing damage to some deer populations. I trap them, but it looks like more fun with dogs....

 

[TexasBred]

Have also heard of several people killed when colliding with a wild hog on the highway. Those things are like trying to run over a large anvil. Gonna be hell to pay when they get to the interstate.

 

[Brute 23]

It doesn't take a very big hog to total a vehicle out. Especially this year, these hogs are healthy. They are thick, packing the pounds. :nod:

 

[Darhawk]

You use radio collars....great practice for the safety of the dogs. A neighbor hunting the swamp below my ranch lost three dogs in one night hunting hogs. Took two days to find the bodies.

Hogs are nothing to play with. I have a 7 inch tusk on my desk I found down in my lower pasture, which looks like a target range for field artillery. One night woke up to a ruckus down by the barn, and found a number of hogs tearing into a cattle feed bin. They had broke down a fence and bent to one side a coral gate. Shot one, which scattered the others. She weighed 140 pounds and roasted up nice. A neighbor shot a large boar, came in around 400 pounds. Took 3 shots to drop it. In its hide were 23 healed bullet wounds.

When fixing fence down by the swamp, I keep a 270 at my side. I'd rather come upon coyotes any day rather then a pack of hogs.

 

[mnmtranching]

Hog hunting sounds like great sport. But, sure sounds like they cause a lot of damage.

 

[Brute 23]

The latest thing is hogs getting in neighborhoods and tearing up landscape. Alot of anti-s all the sudden become concerned then when its THEIR yard or golf coars. :lol2:

It is alot of fun but can be very dangerous. I do it because I enjoy working with the dogs. ;-)

 

[Beef11]

I'm getting that itch again. Time for some pulled pork.