EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I knew it was bound to happen one of these days but I dang sure didn't think this past saturday was going to be "the" day. some friends met up at my house mid afternoon saturday despite the cold wet nasty weather to make a run by the house. I toted my old trusty smoke dog as well as his son, a gyp named zoey and my camo dog (purchased from DJhogdoggers a while back) and we headed to the woods. Everyone got unloaded and we headed towards a block of woods that holds a good number of hogs, turned a corner and watched a big sow shag arse across an open field and hit the woods, a buddy decided to drop a couple young dogs even though the wind was blowin completely wrong for the track to see if they would line it out.......they gave it hell but never did get her lined out so we loaded em up and continued on our way.
 

Dang left me hanging


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I wasn't ready to post that lol, not sure what happened........

Anyhow we continued on to the block of woods and got to the downwind side and I turned my smoke, zoey and camo dogs loose and let em roll, they strolled out on their own tracks and one of em came bayed on what we are pretty sure was another sow and pigs, the other 2 made it to em and they all broke different directions but were headed back in our general direction, zoey and smoke closed the distance to roughly 100yds and we heard squealing and then nothing (typical of these rough mutts ive been running......hahaha) well after about twenty minutes of hearing pigs squeal they lost interest and I holler at em to come out, zoey came back to us and camo crossed the road in front of us and rolled off into another block of woods............ well my ol smoke dog came into about 30-40yds or so and sat down, I hollered at him a few times and passed it off figuring he was doing what he had done multiple times in the past thinkin he was more than likely enjoyin a piglet dinner.......... well after about 20 minutes of him still not coming out and still showing treed I decided to go see what was going on.......I walked in to him, got close and realized that he wasn't eatin on anything and that sadly he had passed away........

I knew quite a while back that his days were numbered as he was getting way up in age however I made a deal with the man that I got him from that I would hunt him until he wouldn't go anymore and I did just that........ I was sure sad (and I still am) to see the old man laying there lifeless but at the same time it was hard for me to be too terribly upset. That old dog lived for 1 thing and it was hunting/working hogs and in his earlier days cattle and I can't think of a better way for him to go out than being in the woods doing what he loved.........we looked him over for quite a while trying to figure out what could have caused it and couldn't find a knick/bump/bruise/cut/poke or anything that would explain what happened.....I honestly think that the old mans heart finally just gave out on him....... Smoke was born in a barn on Mr. Witherspoons yard in early 2001 and was coming close to the 14yr old mark.........a hell of a run for a dog in the line of work he was in and I can honestly say that he hunted as hard for me saturday night as he did the first time I dropped him a few years back . I am still kinda lost knowing that he won't be around to hunt with anymore but because of him (and Mr. Witherspoon) I still have a yard full of dogs that will keep me happy and in the woods chasing pigs.

It's gonna be a long while before I find another dog that will make me smile as often as he did and make me as proud as he did on a regular basis but it will come. Zoey is a close relative to smoke and a gyp I really wanted to breed to him before he passed (i was actually waiting on her to come in to make it happen but I never had the chance......such is life I reckon.). His son skeeter just turned 17mths of age and has really been doing a fine job rolling out and making a hand himself so hopefully he will step it up a bit more and fill the void. Camo is doing his part as he has since the day I purchased him and God willing he will stay healthy and keep on rolling along. Those three along with bonnie and the others in my yard can and will still get it done but its gonna be a long time before I get used to the old man not being around.

I know im rambling but I feel like I owe it to the old man to say a few words about him. I will never say he was the best dog i've ever hunted behind but you can bet your last dollar that even in his old age he was the best dog i've ever owned and he is going to be sorely missed by me and family and hunting partners for a long time. Here's to you smoke, hope to see ya again someday.

I would post a couple pics of him but my tapacrap app won't upload on my phone anymore and I never did figure out how to post a pic off my computer lol, hell he wasn't much to look at anyhow just a good ol goofy lookin curr dog that managed to get it done here and there  ;)

Sounds like a hell of a dog and a good companion. Sorry for your loss Justin.

Dang that sucks Justin... sorry to hear it. 14 years is a helluva ride for a hog dog.

I appreciate it Kevin, he wasn't a rockstar by any means and he had his faults like any other dog but he kept me happy (for the most part lol). Even in his old age that devil would throw down on a bull and piss me off to no end doing it but hell it was part of what made him the dog he was. I have a son to him that will hopefully continue showin out and make a hand (minus the livestock bayin lol). And I have plenty of options to breed back to his blood as needed, hell he was old as dirt when I got him from Mr. Witherspoon as a slowed down "puppy starter" a few years back......but you couldn't tell him that, he was just one of those dogs that really loved his job, he didn't care to screw around the buggy sniffin other dogs and hike his leg on everything in site he just like chasing pigs around and I enjoyed being a part of it!

Thanks Mr. Mike I appreciate it. I know that you better than most know what its like to loose a good one, seems like you have lost more solid dogs (from what I have heard of em) the last couple years than anyone should have to....... its never easy but ya can't do anything but roll with the punches and keep on going.

Dang Justin, I sure hated to read this.  I know you thought highly of em, and they're hard to replace. Hopefully some of his offspring will fill his shoes for you.

14 years is a helluva long career for a hog dog.  At least he went out with his boots on!

^ you nailed it ben, hard to be too upset about losin him, he had a hell of a run and went out in the woods and not on the chain, just hope i did him justice while he was around. it'll be a long time before i can say if his son will fill his shoes but he is on the right track anyhow. Thanks for the kind words.

Sorry for your loss Justin.

Yep best way to go if ya gotta.

Hate to hear it. Best of luck with your up and comers.

You can put another dog in his place but never fill his shoes. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks gentlemen, appreciate it. And Mr. Barnes you are correct, guess i worded it wrong but hell i reckon if there were one to fill em i imagine it would be his son ;)

Dang bro that sucks sorry to hear that

Sorry for your loss. Rest knowing you allowed him to leave this world doing what he was born to do. Like a working dog should and not someone's couch pet. Remember the great times and all the hogs. RIP Smoke

Thanks guys

I know how you feel buddy i lost a good one today was a week ago it doesnt matter if its those little things you didnt like like barking when told to shut up hell you miss that too. Lol

Goes to show you took damn good care of him to make it hunting that long.

The old Warrior went out with his Boots on!! Good for him!!
Sad day for you, but it should also be a proud day for you! You honered your word to your friend, showing good character, as well as taking care of your best hunting buddy to his last day, proving your worth as a dog man!

I'm sorry for your loss, and just a word of
Advice so you can maybe learn from my mistakes.
Don't try too replace him. Those special dogs are something you can't replace. I tried too do the same when my old buster dog died. And granted the dog I got too replace him wasn't bad. It just wasn't fare too ask him too do what buster did. You're blessed too enough to have off spring out of him while I wasn't. So keep at it man! Glad he went out strong. Good luck with the youngins!

RIP Smoke. Sounds like a helluva dog. Ain't no dog perfect. All you can ask for is heart. Sounds like he wasn't lacking there.

Thanks for all of the kind words gentlemen, I sure appreciate it............It doesn't make it any easier but at least around here most if not all of you know what it is like and can relate. Like I said before, he was no rockstar but he was a good honest ol potlicker and he was my potlicker haha, gonna miss that old dog but at the same time losin him will just push me that much harder to get the youngins going!

Dang it Justin I sure hate to hear about Smoke. I just now found out. I dont get on here as much as I used to. I know that it was a hard loss for you. Old Smoke was family and one bad ass dog. There is some comfort knowing that he went out doing what he lived for. I know that he would have been so broken hearted it you would have left him at home. Lol, he sure did love his job.  RIP Smoke. You will be missed by many.

Thanks Mrs. Dinah, I sure appreciate the highly spoken words about the old man, we are gonna miss him for a long time no doubt. BUT thanks to good people and friends like you, your husband and Mr. Witherspoon I have plenty of good blood to keep on hunting with..... Camo is still rockin and rollin along with the rest of em and I have plenty behind him including that little hell raisin red gyp I got from ya'll a while back to keep on going......just gonna be a bit strange goin to the woods without him at first but I know one of these youngins will step up and make it happen. Thanks again for the kind words and the great dogs!

Sorry for your loss. RIP Smoke

Sorry for your loss.

Thanks fella's, i appreciate it!

Sorry for your loss Justin!

Appreciate it it Terry

Sorry for ur loss, hope u find that smile again hunting behind them young dogs coming up..

O i was smilin ear to ear the other night when two of em took a direct shot from a skunk to the face and came back to the buggy causin my buddies to scramble different directions gaggin! Ive said it 100 times, a trashy pup is a huntin pup lol!!!!

And thanks for the kind words!

Hate to hear that I'm sure glad I had the pleasure to hunt with him. Good dogs are hard to come by.