EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Anyone try to stay away from cut gear as hot as it is right now?

If it's to hot to run cut gear it's too hot to hunt. That is just my opinion. I will adjust the way I hunt to stay near water when it gets hot but I won't run my dogs without gear.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I run cut gear year round just pick the coolest time and hunt on the creeks when I am done they are done

Some gentlemen I use to hunt with when I first started....they use to carry the vests and gear up when we got a bay going. I liked that.

Another "old days" rant....but....man back in those days we didn't run to bays, no one got excited.....we walked to the bay, got the cd's geared up and cut them loose. I miss those days. Everyone's in such a hurry now days. I still would rather walk....and I do when I'm by myself.

Last few hunts I only put a cut collar on cd. No vest. Several reasons.  1) heat
2) other cd there too
3) first and second and only time he got cut he wore a vest. One on back leg and one on elbow. ....

We run cut collars on all the dogs.  Only dogs we run cut vest on is our cd's.  I soak em in water then put em on.  Seems to keep em plenty cool and not rub em raw, as they usually blast a creek anyways in the winter and are soakin wet. 

I've never ran cut collars or vest on any dog on the ground. My buddies do but I just never have. Catch dog been wearing cut collar in heat that's it no vest this time of year. I'll carry it just incase being that I look at every pig before I cut him loose.

One if the best cd I've hunted with hardly ever wore a vest. He was a one of a kind. The dog was smart about the way he caught. Handle alot if big good hogs with just him on the ear. And never had any serious cut down. 

Just trying to see what everyone else does. I don't think there is a problem with running cut gear this time of year but with my pack all 3 of them rather just catch then bark. Don't own a "catch dog", never needed one. Only problem i have is that all the dogs are out hunting and running around consistently and having cut gear on them makes them last about half as long. Considering taking my chances and running them naked. Just was wondering what everyone else is doing. I'm about ready to start feeling a cool breeze.

I used to be all gung ho about having top o the line cut gear blah blah blah. I now prefer a bulldog to learn to catch nekkid till they get it right.

No gear on baydogs and i only run catch vest in cooler months on the cd. Vest are double edged swords imo, they do save dogs and kill a lot also. We always end up in water and I've seen my fare share drown because of vest.

I didn't play football without pads in high school. Yep we played a lil yard tackle no pads but it's not the same as game time. I would be a blithering idiot if I had layed licks and took them like I did on Friday night. To each his own I reckon. Happy hunting.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I have done kick boxing with no cup....still do....im a slow learner::)

I agree with ferris that's the only way to do it hot or cold!!!

I like my dogs...the ones that need a vest will wear them year round...the dogs had a long swim this past weekend with vests on...maybe an hour or longer...I was concerned but all went ok...

The way I figure it is like this...once I put a vest on a dog he will always wear one from then on...

Guess everyone has there own opinion on the subject. Trying to only hunt the dogs at night right now to keep them from over heating. I'm here in Central Florida and its way to hot down here. We hunt a place in Avon Park called the Bombing Range and every one seems to run dogs with nothing down there, even in the winter. Everyone has a style of hunting they grew up doing so nothing wrong with that.

Ruben I agree

I've never ran cut gear on my dogs. Just a name plate collar &  a tracking collar

It's easier to manage a dog with cut gear on than it is to control what hog the dogs with no cut gear on find.

U get in the trinity river where I hunt with all that cut gear on a dog your gonna wish u wouldn't of. Seen 3 dogs of other people I've let tag along. And they cried all the way back to truck dogs went under and I assume got hung up never came back up. So I've always carried it but hardly use it. Rather my dog die to a pig than drown. Jmo

cut gear? we dont use no stinking! Cut gear!!!!.

Ya ferris the river makes me nervis with the dogs that have vest on but what ya going to do

I have to admit I seldom use cut gear. I like my dogs to have full range mobility, as well as learning to fight a hog to minimize injuries. I carry a vest for the bulldog, and if needed can put it on before releasing him.

Taz most of my dog will catch or try to catch no matter what size the pig I vest up cuz I don't want to send them to there death

We run Gear on our dogs year round.. When it's hot we hunt more water spots and at night, I carry a bottle of water on me at all times jus in case we have to cool one down.

i can see putting it on the bulldog from time to time but i cannot see putting it on a baydog ever, if it gets ruff enough they will back up and bark but its no way i could hunt a dog in a vest i dont think they could run a three or four hour race through thickets and swim creeks etc without being hindered alot. ive seen few dogs be swimming in high water get hung in vines without a vest and drown and seen few heat stroke with a vest on and seen a few die from hogs, i would rather mine get killed by a hog than get die because of a vest.

Bo Pugh I hear ya my dogs have run hogs 5 or 6 hr with vest on we hunt some rough stuff just like every where else. But my dogs has been cut up teeth knocked out and still not back up that why the vest stay on those dogs others I will run with out just the way I roll with it got to way your options and know your dogs

With the right vest it's not a problem to run 4 to 6 hours. The trick is finding a vest that fits the way it should. No restriction but plenty of protection. Not every vest on the market is made for a running dog. I have mine built to measurement with alterations to the standard pattern allowing extra reach. Like stated tho u do have to watch the heat a lil closer.


Shotgun
Arkansas

There is no right or wrong answer, to each his own, I've had cut gear save a dog and I've had it cause a catch dog to miss more than one hog,I've seen to many dogs get hung up because of cut gear, I prefer my catch dogs to learn how to catch and take a beating without the aid of a vest, IMO this learns a dog how to catch a hog the right way

Ive done it both ways and imo the best answer for heat is an Aussie style vest that covers vitals but is minimally invasive in mobility and heat ...not to mention they go on in one quick swoop

There's no way I can see running my CDs or my rough strike dogs without a vest it's hard to replace a great dog we run vest on ours year around and it gets hot and humid here in south Texas but the dogs do fine. The right vest has a lot to do with it the only vest we use are hardcore hog dog vest with 2 layers of Kevlar been using them for a while and no complains so far Michael is a good guy and can help u out with any questions you may have