few questions cause i wanna start hog huntn

[donbhuntn]

i coon hunt all the time but after watching some youtube videos on hog huntin i cant help but wanna try it.
first question---to start dogs out do you just put em in a pen with a hog u can buy from a farmer or somethn?
2nd----whats a good breed to run in your opinion?
3rd---whats a good number of dogs to run and whats the youngest youl hunt a dog?

im thinkn bout getn a catahoula and breeding my mtn.fiest heeler mix to a heeler and keepn a pup outa it for throwin with the dogs..the mtn.fist heeler is the grittyest dog ever and will fight a coon of any size.hes smart as a whip, take him rabbit huntn in snow,diller huntn when im campin,herds cows,coon hunts,and squirrel hunts....do you think one of his pups could make a hog dog?

[NORMZILLA44]

There can be alot of different opinion's, and discussion's. I have been running my own pig dog's for 24 years now. I have seen, and also had trial, and error for sure. A pen is a good way to start a dog, but to much in a pen, and you can not make them as good in the wood's. You can start em there to know what they are after, and get a hide wherever you can ask around for pig hide's. Let them smell the scent chew on the hide expose them to it, on a regular basis. The best way to train one is to able to run them with a good dog, a veteran. I start my dog's at about six months in the woods, at a actualual bay or catch. I will run them sooner to get them used to being out, and finding there way around, and tracking back to me. But it is a fine line that's why I say 6months, beacuase you want them old enough to know that they have to take something serious like run from a hog, but not be ruined if they get hit or have a bad experience. Ive seen some dog's that should be started at a year. Depend's on the dog, but most should be good for starting at six months on a actuall bay or caseh, or catch. My Three favorite's are Black mouth cur's Catahoula, and pit bulls- bull dogs. Not in that order, but these are the best for us in our group, not for everybody. You need to get the right dog for you, and that's what is the best. One that fit's youre need's. But I would get a Catahoula or a Cur for sure, and or a cross. Find someone that has a good hog dog line, and start there. Don't just take there word ask around, see pic's of pig's caught by there dog's. Pup;s they have produced. If you have a good pup from a good line alot comes natural to that dog. Good luck Norm...................

[donbhuntn]

thanks for the reply...before i get any dogs what gear should i get and whats some good brands.

[NORMZILLA44]

Depends on youre game plan. We run catch dogs now, so we just carry pistol, and knife. One good investment is a shock-training collar. It will save you alot of headaches, start using it on youre pups get them used to it young. You can use to train them on basic yard commands, and behavior. It will help you in the long run, and save you alot of hassle in the woods. Break them from livestock, deer, whatever you dont want them to chase, and other correction's in the field. I just got my first tracking sytem, and I am still figuring that out, and working on that. Get some good collars for youre pup's for youre name, and number in case they get lost in the field. I started my first group of dog's, and never ran cut vest's. My second group got some vest's. And so on I am now into I think my seventh generation of pig dog's. Our strike dog's don't wear ves't anymore. I have found for us it limit's how much they can run, and they get kinda chafed under the arms. It does slow there movement. We armor the catch dog's from head to toe. I love my dog's, and they are family!! So Don't want them hurt. The vest thing is up to you, again alot of different opinions. To start with get good pup stock, Tri tronics I think is the best for a shock collar. Two dog set up, start putting together a extensive first aid kit, for your'e dog's and you. Everything you can think of put it in there. I keep mine in a back pack on a four wheeler. A couple two way radio's Midland has proven the best for us. We have tried them all. I forgot your'e other question how many dog's? For strike, stop, bay We prefer 2-3. If you dont run catc dog's we have had good luck with three. If I was you I would start with two, and make a good team, you can always grow, but you need at least two. And if you decide not to catch, and just want to bay, two plus will be better. We are currently running my two, brother's. Tanner, and Jack. Then two or more of our catch dog's. Have a good pistol, or a good compact rifle whatever suite's you, and even if you aren't a knife hunter, carry one capable of doing the job. I have a cold steel oss they are made just for that. Even if you just catch, and use a blade, carry a pistol for the just in case, even if you don't use it. We always carry both! So get them pups,and get started man! Let me know. Norm...........

[LAHOGHUNTER]

Norm is right when he states there a lot of different opinions. I hunted hogs for the past 7 years in many areas of the SE US. The type of dog or dogs you will need depends on the number of hogs you have in your area, the type of terrain in your area, and how fast you want a hog caught. A huge factor is..have the hogs that you are hunting been exposed to dogs before. Hogs in my area run a lot because there is a lot of pressure. The hogs that don't run get caught. If you are hunting a small area and you don't want you dogs to range out far, you may consider a dog with a closer range. If you are hunting large areas with difficult terrain, you may want hounds or a cross that will range out. My recommendations is all dogs have tracking collars. My older cur dogs that have been around a lot of hogs don't wear cut gear. They've been cut before and they learn to stand back. I run a half and half pack. A couple of Plott hounds and a couple of cur dogs. One of which is a registered Catahoula. When my catahoulas dies, I wont own another one...just my choice. You need to consider the roads in your area. Sometimes I hunt out of my pick up truck, most of the time I hunt from my Polaris ranger. You may need a dog box. Oh yeah....has anyone mentioned that this is not cheap. And its not like it looks on TV. It is simple if you have a lot of hogs in your area; hard if you don't. When I lived in Florida, I hunted with one or two dogs. There are just that many hogs.

[NORMZILLA44]

Thanks Lahoghunter. I remember when I first started how guys were you gotta have this dog its the only breed LOL! And by reading what you wrote I know you understand, and learned what I did. The best is what works for you gear, and dog wise! There is no one best of anythigng for everybody for sure. Man we got some bad !$$#% Hybrid Boars around hear, and they all run on us. Since the Russian line was re-introduced around here it also changed the make up. We had to add catch dog's to our lineup, which being a dog man for many years, it was a knew learning curve, a different type of dog, and hunting. One thing I learned out of it 2 catch dogs minimum on the big boars. One, and they got banged up to much, more than necessary, not at all would be nice. I guess just like training a pup with a vet dog, same goe's for people if a newby can meet a seasoned dog man who want's a dependable, helper hunter that is a great way, that's how I learned the ropes, and got my start. Been hearing that about Catahoulas from a few people that they wont run em again. I had some good luck some real good ones, but looking back I realized that they were crosses, and mix maybe that helped. Got the best of both outa the mix maybe. Seen some awnry ones though, maybe straight blood is different. I did fall in love with the Black-mouths along time ago. I think the Black mouth cur can impress anyone!

[dogemdownsouth]

Your in Missouri right? So you dont have very many pigs to hunt. Im in Arkansas is how I know that. So the last thing you want to do is start killing every pig you find. Leave the gun at home and bring your knife just in case you absolutly have to kill one that maybe has been too chewed up by the dogs. Go online and get you a few sets of hobbles 2 large and 2 small. Catch and tie every hog possible and release so you can do it again another day. Everyone thinks that you have to kill something when you hunt. THATS NOT THE CASE. 2 good strike dogs and 2 good catchdogs (pit) will do the job. Never let your catch dogs run with your strike dogs. keep them with you. Walk them into the bay as close as possible as cut them loose to avoid tearing the pig up anymore than necessary. I prefer Plott hounds for strike dogs. If you are serious about getting into hog hunting come join my forum. you will have all the info you need from guys that do it in and around our area. I also have a personal website, both are listed here in my signature.

[NORMZILLA44]

Hey, Dodgemdownsouth, some kinda strong words, when you say everyone thinks they have to kill the pigs. We dont kill them all here, and we release plenty so I wouldny say everybody. And I would'nt recommend, to a rookie to just go with a knife, surprised a seasoned hunter would say that. Im guessing you are? I have been catching pigs, and running dog's for twenty four years now, and we still carry a pistol for the just in case. Haven't fired it in about four years, but I have heard of, and seen on the web, and read in some of the big pig dog mags. O fsome guy's getting there dogs beat to hell just to save a hog. Yeah keep the catc dogs close, but what about dog safety. You let them go close first, and foremost for dog SAFETY! MOST important. You can catch, and tie, and relocate many pigs, but not everyone, and not just because of dog cut's. Alot has to do with terrain, and having the helping hand. Flat ground is nice. Last pig I hobbled busted the d rings, right off that hobble, and stood back up, had two legs free. It's not alway's full proof. We have some of the biggest baddest, mouantain Boars alive. A russian hybrid type. They are all runners here. None of them stop to fight, they all run, and the average is three hundred plus. And this is all rugged mountain country no flats. The tv shows show the flat ground catch, and release, and one dog method sometimes. Like to see that tried here. That would be sacrificing a dog. So new hunter's there are alot of opinions, but don't trust every one of them. The best thing to do is find a veteran hunter with a good rep, that you can offer youre help, just to go in the field with him, and get experience. There are some false magazine type hunter's out there. And some guy's care more about the glory, or catching a hog or making the video, than ther dog. The most important thing is respecting, and looking after youre dog out there. Norm Green. On my seventh generation of pig dog's. And 24 years experience.

[Pops]

first stick w/ the feistXheeler & anything you breed off it. hoggin is more about the dog than the breed, you already know the heelerX and can get him started best.
second don't run more than 2 bay dogs nor more than 3 total. more than 3 they get in each others way and get cut up more. if the heelerX can stop them by himself take 2 lead in catch dogs. for catch dogs look for "pitt bulls" free to good home or cheap from a country pound (really any kind of bull or mastif breed or cross has a fair chance of making a catch dog).
third kill them all. TX is an effing mess because people didn't want to kill them all when they only had 100,000 now they have over 1 million and it is an ecological disaster w/ quail, & turkey in the crapper in a lot of places. chances are you won't catch them all. but if you do put yourself out of the hog hunting business you can always move elswhere and be back in the game in short order. I hear real estate is super cheap in FL right now and they are as bad off as TX.

[dogemdownsouth]

HA HA HA. Yea lets kill them all and load our stuff and move. Obviously after hearing that comment, we have figured one thing out. DONT TAKE HOG HUNING ADVISE FROM A GUY IN UTAH. As for the everyone thinks they have to kill when they go hunting comment. If your not one of those shoot them all guys then obviously I wasnt talking to you. I can count the times on 2 hands that I carried a gun hog hunting, even as a rookie. So thats why I gave that advise, and for the dog safety issue, I have had 4 dogs killed in 12 years, 2 of those drowned, 2 of them bled out, and a gun wouldnt have saved any of them.

[donbhuntn]

lets not argue it was a simple question

[Bucunter1983]

First of all isnt it illegal to stick a hog in Cali with a knife? Its was while I lived there for 22 years. 2nd it was said that the hogs in Cali run like hell, well with you catching and then releasing the hogs I wonder why they run so bad. 3rd I would NOT recommend a rookie to take a gun of any type to a bay, more than likley he's gonna get all giddy and shoot his or his partners dogs. What I would reccomend is to go hunting with more than a few folks that do it differently and find the way that fits you best. Me, I perfer a yella cur or a fast track driving hound for my bay dogs, pits are the norm for catch dogs around here. I have not seen a single Catahoula that I would even think of feeding and Ive seen my fair share. Get ya some dogs that are bred to work and hunt I wouldnt even think about some crazy heelerX.
I believe someone is blowing smoke up their A$$ about being a dog man and running dogs for 24 years when one of there threads is asking what type of tracking system they need and has never used a telementary(BEEP BEEP) system before.
When buying a dog heres a lil advise, listen with your eyes cause your ears will lie to ya. Hunt with something before you buy it, theres alot of crooked SOB's out there

[NORMZILLA44]

Well texan, I dont know anything about Texas never been there, but what Ive seen pretty flat country you guys are dogging. Its all Steep goat type country where the hogs are here. They all run because like I siad before, they have alot of russian blood you dont see white belts, or loppy ears, and not much domestic in em. The real deal the biggesst baddest mountain Boars. Yeah knives arent leagal, but should be as a safer way, and means to kill them. As for the tracking sytem I never had the money for one, and you could not use them here, and dindnt know much about them, and 98 percent of the time we get to the barkin ok. So yep its my first one wow can you believe it! I dont run straight hounds, and try and keep close to my dogs. I think somebody created a monster in Texas, and heard some rumors the wild hogs that were blamed for pseudorabies, and other disease may have got it from farm pigs that lived in squaller. And when we released pigs, I am talking about pregnant, and little ones. The big boars go down, and we get plenty. Are pigs are just meaner, and badder than you see on tv the country too. That show pig bomb explained the runner's too, as a hybrid, but I guess all those guy's are blowing smoke too when they say they all need catch dog's now. You are obviousily a magazine hunter if you question a hunter, because he never used a Trakker. That pretty much covers all the guys I know, and some have hunted twice as long as me. Thats good stuff man bring youre dogs here, and run with me a weekend you will leave with youre tail between youre legs.

[Bucunter1983]

Thats funny, I was born and raised in Cali, had my first set of bear hounds when I was 11. Paid for and trained my own dogs, Im the 4th generation that ran hounds there. I know California like the back of my hand, Tracking systems have been around for decades now and they were and still are LEAGAL to use in California. Growing up there wasnt less than 20 dogs on our yard, hounds and bird dogs. I can come and run with the best in Cali, my dogs would have no problem keeping up. Im located in East texas big thicket area, I can show ya some spots a tick couldnt get through and some swamps that are so god awful it would make you want to cry when your dogs hit them. I plan on going back to Cali next spring to visit my grandad, who is still running our family bred walkers that my great grandad started breeding, Maybe Ill look ya up if the offers still on the table and Ill bring a 2 year old yella dog with me if he is still alive by then.

[Pops]