EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

 Bin starting mock hunts and was wondering how far yall drag the hog and what ages do yall start pups on mock hunts. If you drag a short distance will it make the dog short range? I have a year and three month dog that can find a hog on a mock hunt but hangs around real close in the woods. When i drag the hog i have rubber boots on so i dont think he can smell me. Whats yalls experiences n thoughts.

Never done a mock hunt before but i have been thinking about it and how i want to go about it. Got this idea from guy a while back but haven't used it yet. But he told me they use to tie a broom stick to the hogs back feet then they would just let it go in the woods, and eventually that hog is gonna get caught up in the brush somewhere. But only downfall to me would be u couldnt really help the pup by making sure they stayed on the track. you wouldnt have to worry about that once they knew what they were in the woods for. Just an idea i got and i figured i would pass it on

Just make sure there is a good amount of underbrush for the stick to get caught on!!!  ;)

We just use long hobbles so the hog can walk but not run and let the pups find and bay it.

well me and a good buddy of mine have been doing a lot of these here lately with younger dogs. we will let them see the hog every other day for about 2 weeks and let em bay the heck out of it then we will hobble up 2 legs and let him go for about 5 or ten mins depending on the size of the hog we use one about 40lbs or so.. then let the dog hit that hot track and see how far she will range out. our pups went about 5 or 600 yards and found the hog. hope i could help some

Start em chasing bacon around 12 weeks old to get feel for nose and dedication to track.
Start dragging live pigs around 3 months old, short runs to begin with and tease them a bit when the find it.
When they successfully find the pig...make the drag longer and more complex.
If they get off track just wait patiently until they come back to it and slowly continue on but let them work it.
You continue to drag until they can successfully work a track across water, fields, thickets and cutbacks. For the more experienced ones you can even pick the hog up and make a complete break in the track. It will help them with being able to work the area until they pick it up again.
Usually have them done around 5 months to 6 and ready to hit the big boy woods by 6 to 7 months old if they aren't culled.

When they are young do not let them bay until they stop themselves .  Pull them in the heat of the moment to keep them wanting more and build the fire inside em.
If they work correctly they should bay till they slober on their bellies and do their own hog finding by 1 yr or barely over ...if not......hmmmmmm time to ask yourself why?

Or could be one of them late bloomers! Haha :D ...........but its your feed bill.

Hope it helps bud. Good luck.  ;)

Thanks for the advise, i got one pup about four months old when i did my first drag i had him out n when i was about halfway through the drag he latched onto the hogs ear the pig wasnt but about 15 lb. so i guess i should start him on trying to find the pig he went out with my older dogs.

Range has nothing to do with working a track out.