EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I believe as hunters, dog men and women, and people who enjoy a rurual lifestyle that we need to quit fighting amongst ourselves.  Everytime I get on different hunting forums I see hunters fighting with each other or complaining about each other.  One of the main struggles going on is between hog hunters and deer hunters.  We have different opinions about hunting in general and I strongly believe it is hurting our sport.  All hunters and or people, urban and rurual, need to come to some kind of common ground.  Our sport, lifestyle, is being attacked and the fighting going on is just speeding up the process.  In this country today so many people are so busy trying to change our "backward" ways.  Everyone has their nose in everyone else's business.  For example if you see someone's dogs that you believe are malnourished instead of posting about it on the internet for everyone to see, why don't you stop and visit with them and see what is going on.  Maybe you can help them out.  Maybe they need a different deworming program, or maybe they need to move some dogs.  What I'm saying is don't just jump to conclusions and get on your computer and post it for all to see.  You are just fanning the fire.  I understand your concern, I don't like to see animals being mistreated either, but unless I'm willing to help find a solution to the problem, then it is really none of my business.  I have a feeling that as hunters if we don't unite that hog hunting with dogs is going to go the way of chicken fighting.  We need to take care of each other, and I mean all hunters in general.  When the anti's read about hunters at odds with each other can't you just see them smiling?  It makes me sick to my stomach.  Every and I mean every law they pass that takes one of rights away needs to be fought.  Even if it doesn't pertain to you personally.  Think of your rights as a pile of gravel.  Everytime they take a pebble out it may not seem like it affects you, but one day you'll look around and see that your pile is all gone.  I'll get off my soap box now, it's just something I've been wanting to express for awhile now. 

I agree !

Agreed.

praise the lawd!!! :)  you said it all right there...

I couldn't agree more, but good luck getting it done over night! LOL! For every person and post that wants to get everyone on the same page there are probably two or three post and people that will run their mouths about it.

There needs to be some common ground for everyone to come together on though. Deer hunters think our dogs run their deer off... Ranchers think our dogs run their cattle... and so on and so on. WE think that deer hunters and ranchers would rather shoot our dogs than let us help with the hog problem. In helping with the hog problem, it will increase the deer population in certain areas, and will have crops not torn up to be able to have cattle and to be able farm agri. It's a full circle. When you figure out how to explain this to each side and actually have all sides listen to what you're saying, then you'll be a step ahead of the game.

I will say this though... The more people like yourself that get involved with LSWDA and TDHA the bigger their (our) voice is and will be in the future. Even if you are not in the woods every weekend, or its your buddy that has the dogs and spots and you just tag along... go get memberships in the associations to help the cause and fight! The bigger the voice, the bigger the sound! The bigger the sound, the more people will hear and listen! Join the cause and show your support buddy! We gotta start somewhere.

Ryan, your'e right it's not going to happen overnight.  It's going to take an open minded, educated, process.  Hunters of all kinds of game need to realize that we need each other's support.  Some ideas I've had are writing articles to some deer hunting magazines stating facts about the negative effects of hogs on whitetail habitat.  I've seen articles on several experiments where deer movement, with radio collared deer, was monitored while allowing coonhunters to hunt with hounds on different plots of land.  Information that can benefit hog hunting needs to be published in a manner that shows the benefits it provides, to both deer hunters and landowners.  The truth of the matter is alot of deer hunters pay big bucks to get a shot at a big buck.  It has turned into a multimillion dollar industry.  Gone are the days were you went to the deer lease just to hang out, ride around, and relax.  I blame TV for alot of this madness.  Deer hunters have gotten to be some of the most anal people on this planet, I know I'm one of them.  They want the least amount of pressure put on their land as possible.  They believe that any unnecessary pressure will run off their deer.  Yet after all that money, and the limited time they have to hunt, when they are sitting in the stand and the hogs flood into the sendero or under the feeder, they realize they have wasted one more hunt.  It's like I told my brother one day when we were discussing some of these issues, you can't shoot what you can't see.  If information is presented to each other in a positive benefical manner then common ground can be gained.  It's a process and one I believe is long overdue.

yes sir   you hit the nail on the head1

I sure would like to get a copy of those articles to post on our site... PM me if you have this and/or more information... Good post!