Tough hunting this past weekend for sure.
Malcolm was a trooper, Saturday we hit a creek bottom that was absolutely covered in blackberry vine and poison ivy from waist to chest high. One the way into the bottom Malcolm got to deal with a cottonmouth, then commence to dealing with the vines for the next 2-1/2 hours while the dogs were trying to work things out. Never a complaint.
This weekend was tough on the dogs as well, we ran 10 different cur dogs and 2 catchdogs for the weekend.
We ended up with 4 dogs with blown pads - 1 stays in a rough concrete kennel, 1 stays on a 20' chain, 2 in stay loose dirt kennels. These dogs are typically hunted at least twice a week and are not prone to blown pads. So I am not sure what got to them as the ones with the blown pads did it in their first hunt.
One dog hunted every hunt every day. He had his good moments and his bad
There was one dog that really stood out this weekend. Mike's Cheyenne dog, the ole girl is better than 9 years old, she hunted Friday all day, she stayed on the ground the entire time, never once catching a ride on the mule. She clocked just over
31 miles on the GPS, and when we were headed back to the the truck Friday evening she was still busting brush looking for swine. Saturday AM she was bouncing off the chain at 4:00am ready to go again, but Mike left her home to save her for Sunday. Sunday she did it again, gave 100% the entire hunt. I thought it was pretty neat that the ole girl showed up several of the younger dogs.
Overall I was really pleased with how the dogs performed this weekend. Had we been covered up in fresh sign and not been able to catch hogs, then I would have been upset.
