Message #193423

[bulldogger]

The first time I hunted hogs with dogs about 10 years ago a couple buddies and myself were invited by a real nice cowboy whose family has ran cows in Florida for generation and has lots of ranches.  He took us out and we used a Cracker Cur.  Only brought two and only one on ground at time.  He brought the son of the female we hunted all day just as backup. We all were in a jeep and he was on a horse.  The dog would range out hunting and then he would radio us on jeep where the bay was, we could hear bay typically.  He did a great job of how this hunt was going to go down and where to aim on hog before we ever headed out to hunt.  I have read on hear were others have had problems with guest and I thought everything went great because he did a great job of preparing everyone.  He let us know that when we got a solid bay the shooter and him would get up close and to never have finger on trigger until he said you can put finger on trigger and take your shot.  The biggest hog we got that day broke but the dog took out as well as him on the horse and we followed and it got stopped about 400 yards away.  The cur was gritty and caught the two about 100-125 pound hogs and was real impressed cause he would just say"bay, bay, bay" and the dog would let go and back up and bark and then he would say put finger on trigger and take shot.  He let us know that if the hog moved at all or dog moved in to hog to immediately take finger off trigger.  On the caliber of gun he said we could use whatever just as long as it was strong enough to take hog down.  He said he had never hunted with a catchdog and always just ran one at a time unless he was training younger dog or not hunting with guest.  The female he had, had great handle and it probably was safest way to not have a bunch of other dogs to bay up and gives distance to take shot.  SInce then I have only hunted with a Catchdog but really enjoyed the hunt to watch this one dog hunt all day and we shot 5 by lunch and it was hot that day as well.  I have never brought even a knife on hunt only rope since hunting in Texas and love that the best because I really enjoy bulldogs.