I not only think they can, I know they do. The term used to describe the ability to differentiate between individuals within the same species while trailing is "To hue the line". The most noted would be bloodhounds that track people. They can tell the difference between individuals, yet stay with the sought after scent. Different breeds of dogs have been bred to keep this trait mantianed. Certain lines within the breed, are better at it than others. Most coon hunters could care less if their bluetick had the ability, as they just want to tree coons. They don't care if it is the first one they left trialing on or one they just stumbled upon. However, often times biggame hunters like this trait as they trophy hunt. This is where I like the trait. If I place my blueticks on a specific track, generally speaking they will stay with that track. They may flush other individuals, however, they stay after the "chosen" one. However, when free cast, I think they just bay a hog, JMO though. Seen it first hand plenty of times. I can assure you, it is the gospel.
"To hue the line" does intrest me, I don't doubt some do when hog hunting, but I would almost bet way more DO NOT "that claim that do it". Thats where I have some sarcasism. The huing the line is something I would like to read more about, because it gets me to thinking further about scents and species. Especialy when you are talking the difference between humans and hogs. A human is going to be alot easier, different foods secrete through the skin, then add soaps and body lotions, toothpaste, and you have a very distinct combination mixed with individual body odors & pheremones. How distinct is a hog scent going to be after all it lives in a group, lays with other hogs, eats the same foods, rolls in the same wallow. I am sure an animal that lives seperate from the crowd will be much easier to identify, so what kind of research has been done for wild hogs on this hue subject?
Well it sure interests me too! I would love to have one super cold nosed dog in my arsenal that would dependably hue the line. I use to have a redbone that was good at it but I didn’t use him much. When I did dump him on a track it was on! All day usually
! I always think about that dog when I see an oversized hog track that my curs won’t take. When he took a track, I was almost 100% sure we were going to look at the hog that left it. The problem with him was that he didn’t care too much for baying a hog. When he put a hog at the end of the track he felt like his job was done and would leave it after a few minutes unless the other dogs showed.
