Chris good questions. I think I may be able to shed some light, but may not fully answer your real questions. As for the hard labor, I agree. Work them to where they don't want to come back for more.
I must admit, I never lived in the times where true "chain gangs" were in use. However, for several years I did work inmates. I would pick them up at one of the state prisons in the morning, transport them to another town, and work them during the day. I would bring them back to the prison in the afternoons, only to pick them back up the following day. This was a week day job only. No weekend work. My crew would do everything from pour concrete sidewalks to mow right of ways. In the training classes, it was pointed out that if one escaped, to mark where they last were seen. The Deparrtment of Corrections would send out some of their human trackers (bloodhounds), who would then start the track. Even if the prisoner walked amongst other people, the dogs would be able to "hue the line". Luckily, I never had one try to run on my crew. I guess the thought of coming to work for me the next day was just too tempting.
Now, as for hogs, I'd like to make a few statements. Generally if you are track hunting, you have a specific track that interests you to begin with. It really does not matter if it has nothing with it, or 5 other tracks walking with it. If your dog is sound at "hueing the line" it is irrelevant. What I typically do is find the track I like. I try to find where I can see it for 20' or so. I will put one or two of my dogs down on the dirt to empty out. They will not leave the area until I tell them to go. After they do their stuff, I will call them over to the track where I feel they should be able to start their work. I will point directly in the track and snap my fingers. I'll tell them to hunt it up. If they begin to just wonder around all the different sign trying to start, I'll call them back over to the "chosen" track. If I have to tell them to settle down, I will. Generally, they figure out which track I am wanting them to get on. Once they begin the track, I make sure they are staying with the track, as I have already determined where it was going for 20' or so. As I said, you most likely did not hear what you wanted to hear, or you simply wrote my response off as some WWW. BS. Either way, I know what happens, and feed what I feed. My advise to everyone is feel free to question it, but don't think that because you have not seen it first hand, it does not exist.
