Safer or the same -- catching and shooting over a bay?

Some good points made allready. I have hunted both ways but have far more expereince with baying and shooting. First let me mention that allot of people say they shoot over thier dogs but this is kind of missused language... because I know for me personally I would never shoot over the top of a dog. What I mean is if there are dogs between you and the hog or behind the hog or anywhere in the line of fire or near it, then you have to wait on a shot. Safety is always the #1 priority when shooting a rifle at any time and even more so at a Bay. However, because I know that self controle is lacking in many people, very few people are allowed to shoot a hog at a bay when they hunt with me.

True blue you said you use lead in catch dogs that hunker down when they catch, but do they ever miss? And even if they dont miss does that imobilize the hog completely? I know the anwer to those questions but my point is if you want to compare the two methods, you need to do it on an equal level. Asuming that the catch dogs hit and don't miss and when they do they put the hog under controle immideatly is ok and can be accomplished with solid lead in catch dogs. But if you make that assumption then you have to also assume that on the other hand, the shot is made safely with all dogs out the way and the hog drops dead immediately. So the question is when the method is executed perfectly which one is safe for the dogs.

Honestly it really depends on the dogs. But in most cases people that shoot usually run fewer dogs which from my expereince will result in less injuries during the baying process. More dogs cause them to tighten up and get in each others way. Also people that shoot usually have dogs that are loose baying dogs, that also results in less cuts. Catching a hog can result in cuts that would not have happed by just baying, but on the other hand getting close enough for a shot in thick brush can result in a busted bay and dogs have to stop the hog again which can result in cuts that would not have otherwise occured. So it goes both ways.

My opinion is this.....there are so many different ways of doing things with both methods, different kinds of dogs used in both methods, and different people with different levels of safety in mind..which you will find in both methods,it is almost imposible to say which method is safer for the bay dogs and have it apply to all situations. Dogs get cut with both methods and sometimes die from those injuries. Is using catch dogs safer than using bay dogs and a rifle? Absolutely not. Is the opposite true? not necessarily. I will say this, I expect 95% of the dogs I hunt with to die of old age and hunt them past ten years old.

I don't really see the need to have this conversaition to justify one way of doing things over another. Both methods are valid and can be done safely. Having to put a dog down from injuries recieved by a hog is no more cruel that having to put a dog down from hip displasia brought about by obesity from over feeding and irresponsible breeding.

Waylon