EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I'm new to the sport and have got an untrained 3/4 BMC 1/4 Pit that I am looking to start, but where should I go from there? Any breeds that are overlooked (cheaper) that make solid dogs? Has anyone used dogs from the animal shelter before? Should I just bite the bullet and come to terms with spending half my life's savings on a good set of dogs?

There are many ways to go in this game. The best advice I can give is go slow and keep your wallet closed. I would put the money on a good cd so your dogs coming up work can pay off


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Thanks for the advice. Do you or anyone have any experience hunting hounds? I sure like the looks of a walker or bluetick or a cross of one of them but I'm afraid I could never get one to be silent on track.

Depends on how patient you are.
      Couple things you might consider.    You want loose dogs or gritty dogs?  Curs or hounds?    Hunting big properties  or small ones.    Best to know what style of dog you believe would fit your hunt style and try to get dogs that would compliment  you and one another instead of having dogs so divers the they don't work well together as a team.  
    If you want to be catching  pigs by January,  might better buy some started dogs.  If  your patient you can buy pups.  
Buyer be ware!!!   Good luck to ya!

Just keep this in mind one mans junk is another mans treasure. Im still in process  in getting  my pack together. But this past year i decided to cull hard and im down to one dog but im planning on getting a good pack this year. The style  im choosing  is running two jagds, running catch dog  and a big catch dog. Its a style that alot of hog doggers will probly not like but its my yard. My best advice to yo u buddy is listening to guys been doing it awhile but be careful for some doggers once u get u some decent dogs they might try to dog your dogs. Just keep in mind where u wanna be.

I want my best find dog to be loose just so less chance of injury but also want one or two tight, gritty baying dogs. I hunt small properties so a short-medium range dog will be fine. Looking for silent on track. Also want my gritty dogs to help catch with catch dog(s). I like hounds but understand the difficulty to get them to hunt silent. I am also very interested in GSP crosses, I love watching those bird dogs hunt haha.

Hounds are great but I wouldn't suggest getting a started or young dog if your not experienced with them. I would go with a good established hound. This way you decide if there for you and recoup your investment.   


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Make friends with some hog doggers that breed their own dogs. Also there's free pups on the ethd dog trade fairly often


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If you can find someone who will take you with them and you can prove that you are what you think you are they could very well give you something they are breeding and teach you how not to screw the dog up. Keep yer mouth shut and prove yourself will take you a long way.

I was mostly talking about how on the dog selling sites I see dogs for sale everyone wants $300 for an unregistered, un-started pup that may not turn out no matter how bad you want it to. I'm not scared of training my own, I have experience training working dogs. But as for "proving what I think I am" I'm confused. What is there to prove? That I can stab/tie a caught hog, or not make a bunch of noise during a hunt? This is a sport/hobby for me. I'm all for respecting the wisdom of those who know more than me but you make it sound like a cult or military boot camp or something. I've been on many hunts with friends who run dogs and I'm looking to get into it myself. Never had to prove anything to them.

I had good luck with getting pups out of a proven line and a couple older dogs from people to get the pups going but unless you are really good friends with someone who has a lot of good dogs you're going to be paying for a good dog to train pups in my neck of the woods.I feel that you can only teach a pup so much but a seasoned dog can teach it much more. As far as hounds go I can't comment but if you're wanting silent dogs don't try to find one that hasn't been bred to be just find silent curs you also said your tracts of land are smaller another reason to consider Curs rather than hounds.By no means am I an authority on the subject but I managed to build a decent set of dogs on my own like this also Judge was correct in that you need a quality catch dog as well. Good luck.

Question1: many people start their dog in a pen with a hog to make sure the dog has interest. Some believe that a pen will ruin a  dog n only do mock hunts n drags for their dog. I think both are a fine way to start your dog.
Question2: Every breed of dog has been tried on hog. Some like certain breeds vs other breeds so i will say NO to your question on a cheaper overlooked dog. If you can think of it someone has tried it.
Question3: Im sure someone has made a dog out of a pound pup if he spends the amount of time some of us spend with our pups.
Question4: Its all up to you how much you wanna invest in this sport. It is expensive as heck though. If you wanna try a high bred dog for x amount of $ then go for it brother.

Lots of good people to meet when it comes to this sport. I've been lucky enough to come into contact with more than 1 person who has either given me a honest finished good dog or a well bred pup. My advice after a year of getting started would be don't get so hung up on a dog that you can't cull it but also be patient. Expect too much too soon and your dogs will disappoint you every time. Relax like had to learn to do and my mutts started surprising me

The only thing I can think that he means by prove yourself is to show you are trustworthy of someone giving you a young dog and it will be taken care of and not be for sale the next week not saying you don't take care of your dogs or you would be the kind of person to turn right around and sale a pup you got for free but these are the things I want proved to me before I give someone a nice pup or young dog

Here are some pictures of my BMC mix. I've ran him a few times with some finished dogs but he is still a little shy. I am just gonna go ahead and look for a finished catch dog or two, but I want to keep working with this one until he can find his own. He has legs for days and a strong nose but he is scared of men. He will obey every woman's command who has been around him but runs from me and I've never laid a finger on him  ???.

(http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w394/magnessmason/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvrfpujcc.png) (http://s1073.photobucket.com/user/magnessmason/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvrfpujcc.png.html)

(http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w394/magnessmason/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps4ljkgirl.jpeg) (http://s1073.photobucket.com/user/magnessmason/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps4ljkgirl.jpeg.html)

U don't need a team just one dog and a gun


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^take his advise. I have a loose dog that bays hogs pretty much every hunt. On hot days im hesitant to send a cd to a loose dog. If it breaks, my cd will over heat and die. Her and a .22 and I would certainly get more hogs.

I would like to catch them and haul them out of the woods alive. Hogs are selling for quite a bit here in West Texas. And before you say get a trap or anything like that, I like watching dogs work. There is nothing as exhilarating as seeing dogs on a big hog.

Cool lookin dog right there.

Curcross you explained exactly what I meant. Mr. Oinker I'm not tryin to be a dick, I'm just surprised that if you have hunted with guys for awhile that they have not offered something that would get you started.

Thank you, I am ready to get him on a pig but I am trying to just woods train him and not use a bay pen just cause he's already 8 months and he is somewhat timid in the woods anyway. Hopefully over the next few weeks I can get him trained a little better, the previous owner didn't work on the basics even haha.

if you pay for dogs, at this point in your hog hunting education, youre likely going to get screwed. and ,you need to go either loose or rough, not mixed like you said before. hunt with a lot of guys. Work. Make a hand, and if you show respect, loyalty, and you are dependable $1000 dogs will get thrown your way. You CANT buy your way into hog hunting... you CAN spend a ton of money, but..... your better off going to the casino.

They only feed about 3 dogs at a time, if one gets killed they either try to use a favor and get another or they start over with pups. That being said most of the people they gets dogs from act like its pulling teeth to let go of a dog so the whole "friend of a friend" thing doesn't work so well.

I wanted a mix of the two because the people I have hunted with have a bird dog that will find one from a ways and is the lead find dog but he bays loose and that's okay. They also run a more gritty dog that will find his own and help catch. I really like the setup because it keeps the best dog away from harm as much as possible.

There's also alot of good info on here about gaining the trust of a shy dog. 

U can get a catchdog from the pound.
You need figure out what type of dog you want. Short range, long range, rough, bay, etc.
Breed a good English Pointer to a good gamey leggy pit and I guarantee that you will get hunting dogs. Raise the whole litter up and pick the ones you want, sell the rest. It's the best absolute way to get quality hunting dogs.

this man is not lying. Now I cannot say I've had a $1,000 dog thrown my way but I've been given a RCD that I would have paid $6-800 for and I've been given a pup that's from good blood and I'm fixing to go hunt a solid finished gyp that might get given to me. If you can get a dog man to take you hunting you got that first hunt to convince him your the real deal. If you can do that, atleast from my experience you get welcomed with open arms and people are more than willing to help you out whether it's giving you a good dog or just showing and telling you the things you want to know.

Someone's having litters, make friends with that guy


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That's how my brain works
X2


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You can get a catch dog all day long at the pound but it's a gamble of sorts. A cd price is 150 to 300 is going rate you will have that in a pound dog in few weeks and it might be a cull or a fighter. Best to get one that is solid so what ever other dogs you have will not put in work for nothing. Your only going to know what you like to you try it for a while.


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Thanks for all the good advice guys! I'll search for the info on shy dogs.

If you'll read what you wrote again, you'll realize what Wayoutwest meant. They act likes it's pulling teeth to get a pup cuz they don't know you. Now if you spent quite a bit of time catching hogs with em and letting them learn you watch you prove yourself to them, chances are you wanted have to ask for a pup, they'd ask you to raise one.

If you find you an established older guy and make a hand just as Ed said. Life would be much easier. If you intend to make a pack out of another man's culls you better have a good eye for a dog. If you plan to buy your way in send me 3000 and I will send you a dog worth 500. That will save you some time and probly money.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Shotgun said it, you don't buy your way into this game. Youd go broke

I sold out in 2007...in 2009 9 I got back in and am just now liking the 7 I have...I leased a Plott gyp for a fair price but drove 40 hours total to pick her up and drop her back off...She is a good hog dog and she was out of the mans best dogs and the line out of some well know big game dogs...and I bred her to one of my males...and I like four pups that are 7 months yesterday...I believe in breeding my own because in my opinion I have a better chance getting what I want...

if you don't mind the wait get you an older gyp not needed or a female out of excellent stock that is not that good,buy her cheap and breed her to a good stud and you will have something to take to the woods in a year...

I don't think I conveyed myself clearly. I'm saying the people I hunt with can barely get dogs for themselves, even know they've known the breeders for years. But I understand what y'all mean. I come from a pretty small area and there's not too many doggers around. I might could make friends with ranchers and get some good cow dog blood lines though. Any thoughts?

That was another question I had. I did get offered a BMC gyp that wouldn't hunt but she was built very nicely but I was afraid to take her and breed her because everything I've ever been told says that bloodline is the most important factor. Would I have a good chance at some decent pups with only one parent being a hunting dog?

I would not breed the gyp unless all of her ancestors where very good dogs I would not breed a gyp that didn't hunt that is from dogs that didn't hunt just to get pups

There are good dogs to buy that give you a good head start you can find em and be hunting good very quick. Then add one here and there don't think you have to breed dogs just to get started that is mistake number one I would say get a few yrs of experience with dogs you like and make wise choices with your dogs this will take you farther faster remember slower is faster when your prudent


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I've got one more question, when culling pups what do you do with them? I know some people give them away as pets but I have heard of people killing them. What's your opinion on the best way to get rid of unwanted culls?


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Totally agree there are plenty of decent dogs for sale just make sure you go see the dog hunt or get a fair trial period on the dog.All people aren't out to screw you over as everyone is saying. Be a judge of character when you meet the man selling the dog and if you have a bad feeling say thanks but no thanks. I've sold solid dogs that just didn't quite fit my style or pack and I've also bought solid dogs that I loved.Don't waiste your time trying to turn a junk dog into a dog cause it usually don't happen don't go breeding dogs yet because you don't even really know what you want to breed for.Buy a couple decent strike dogs with a trial period and not a week I like at least a month and buy a catch dog go catch some hogs and figure out what you like or dislike in a dog if you come across something you like better than what you got  than evolve your pack. You will never be completely satisfied and should always be thinking of ways to better your pack.This sport isn't cheap but its manageable if you take your time but first you gotta get in the woods and tie some hogs and you ain't gonna do that breeding dogs right off the Rip just my opinion but I don't like sitting on the sidelines for a year and I waited an entire year on sub par pups from half assed dogs and that's all it was a waiste of time.Reuben started over but Reuben has time and experience to know where he wants to get and how to get there you on the other hand just need experience and buying a few dogs is how you get it. Riding coat tails ain't no fun for me.

Reuben,  what big game line was the gyp you used out of and who did you lease her from?     Just curious and if its not public info you can send me a PM.    And if its none of my business then I understand that too.    I just like to keep up on plott bloodlines and how others view their strenghts and weaknesses.    

The advise on that is don't breed any dogs till you understand what you want and what you call a dog. Then only breed when you are 100% sure that you want that cross. Not just to breed or have a better dog cuz more then likely it won't happen then you will be forced to do what you might not be ready to Handel jmo


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You need to hunt with someone about 3 years before getting dogs. That way in the 3
Years you can learn how to take care of dogs and how to raise them and what to do with culls. I didn't read all the comments but I skipped through and read most of yours. If you go buy a dog right now your going to get number 2ted on unless you just get real lucky and it's not that many nice people out there selling dogs. You don't need a bulldog first because if you don't have anything baying hogs why the hell feed a bulldog. Hunt with someone learn about dogs is my advise its a lot more to hog hunting than just going hunting and wanting to get a pack of dogs and start catching hogs.

My pups on the dams side go back to Eugene Walkers Pocahontas p lotts...I leased her from someone that will see this post and he can chime in if he likes...he actually loaned her to me but I chose to pay my way...I have high hopes for the pups...they are acting right...I would have replied sooner...still don't have computer internet access. ..