Why use RCD's?

[Etxcntryboy]

Got a question.  I am NOT critizing anything, just trying to get some info.  I have never even heard of a RCD until I became a member here, people here in the Piney Woods of Angelina county don't even ust the term Strike dog.  Usually there are bay dogs and catch dogs.  Bay dogs find 'em and bay till the bulldogs get there.  Ok, that being said, here is my question.  If you strike dogs have one bayed say 1 mile from you, would you want a RCD to be caught for the long time it might take you to get to the bay.  I have thought about tis alot, and I can understand the use of one if you have close range dogs. 

The reason I am asking is I have a pup that is about 7 months old, and she has never tried to bay anything just catch, but she will hunt pretty good.  So I don't think she will make a straight catch dog, also she has alot of cur in her and I don't trust a cur catch dog.  She caught a 150lb show pig the other day, I know it was just a show pig, but It got out and with her help I got it back in.  The reason I mentioned the show pig was to illustrate the fact that she ain't scared of the size. 

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

[Circle C]

RCD   is a very loosely defined term. I think a lot of people call their rough/ catchy curs RCD, that's not what I consider a RCD.



I have what I consider a RCD, he is a pit that trots alongside the horse, until there is a bay.  He is also used as a lead in catch dog.  I don't like to carry a dog in the saddle unless I have to, that's why we have a RCD. Additionally, I don't hunt horseback very often, but it's nice to have that type of dog available when needed.

[Bryant]

I haven't ever had need for one, but what I consider a running catch dog is a dog that hunts or stays with the other dogs, but when he/she sees a pig is a straight lock and hold catchdog.

In my opinion, RCD + Deep Hunting Strike Dogs = Recipe for Disaster

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

Good question, To me a running catch dog is a dog that can run a HOT track and /or run on sight. It will catch and hold a hog on its own with correct style and not get cut to ribbons on every hog it catches. It can handle a good sized hog by its self and a pair can hold about any hog. This would be an Australian style finder/ holder.

I do not consider rough curs, or bull dog crosses to be running catch dogs, although many do preform very well at the task, most don't hold clean enough for me.

I personally believe that super rough curs and bulldog crosses that are run with a pack cause more trouble than they are worth. If you are having trouble holding a bay the answer is to breed better quality BAY DOGS.

I believe that the Australian style cross bred dogs and some Dogo's are true running catch dogs and they can be hunted in a way that uses that style to your advantage. One or two or three finder/holder type dogs will catch a lot of hogs and not get cut down every hunt. This type of style when combined with GPS tracking while hunting from 4 wheelers or horses/mules is the future of depredation hunting in my part of the country.

This type of dog can also be used as a long range turn out catch dog or led in to the bay as well. Clean holding style is the difference to me, that is the big difference in the dogs that are bulldogs, or crosses that you can leave down, or will follow horseback. I know that there are many types of dogs that can be used successfully and are being used successfully as RCD's in this way and I in no way think there is anything wrong with doing so if it is working for YOU, because that's all that matters.

I don't really understand using a mixed pack of bay and RCD's because of the safety issue, bay dogs running a track some distance and the RCD's catching along ways off and getting dogs hurt. I have run these type of RCD's but I  run "just" them ,no bay dogs, 2 or 3 at a time and they stay short range and catch what they find.

That's just my opinion, I don't care what anyone else does and am not trying to say anyway is better than the other. This was just for discussion sake.

[buddylee]

I use what I consider RCD's. One is 1/2 AB, 1/4 PIT, 1/4 EP. He is super rough. He will catch up 350 lb. boars by himself and anything bigger with help. My other dog is 1/2 pit, 1/2 great dane. Only had him on hogs up to 275 so far. Our dogs hunt fairly close. The RCD either run with our strike dogs or stay around us. There whole job is to catch or stop what the bay dogs find. We usually have only one good strike dog on the ground at a time. It takes a hell of a good dog to keep a hog from running if he wants to run and I don't feel like having a 2 hour race. I wanna catch him where they are. Plus I hunt by myself alot so having a RCD and a walkin pit is really nice.

[make-em-squeel]

I think there are people who do it because they cant keep the hogs bayed or from breaking, but I personally perfer a rcd because even though I use mine as a lead in cd I like the diversity of a cd with good lungs and leg on him/her. When we have more than one cd and the right mix of dogs on the ground we cut them loose from 500 to 1,000yds out sometimes. Or like the other night the curs were split bayed after we got to the closer hog the bulldog broke loose and headed to the other dogs and it was 45 min until we could get there, alot of dogs would have heat stroked out by that time but my partners dogo was locked on no problem, walking back to the truck after that he was running around like a pup burning off energy.... so even though its rare it is handy to have the advantage when needed.

[cantexduck]

I use what I consider RCD's. One is 1/2 AB, 1/4 PIT, 1/4 EP. He is super rough. He will catch up 350 lb. boars by himself and anything bigger with help. My other dog is 1/2 pit, 1/2 great dane. Only had him on hogs up to 275 so far. Our dogs hunt fairly close. The RCD either run with our strike dogs or stay around us. There whole job is to catch or stop what the bay dogs find. We usually have only one good strike dog on the ground at a time. It takes a hell of a good dog to keep a hog from running if he wants to run and I don't feel like having a 2 hour race. I wanna catch him where they are. Plus I hunt by myself alot so having a RCD and a walkin pit is really nice.

 So he will catch a 350lb hog but not a 400lb?

[owenkennels]

we use RCD's with our med range strike dogs because we dont have real large places to hunt. we hunt farm land with aonly retrieval rights on the neighbors places so the faster and closer we catch the hog the better. our RCD's run with our strike dogs or we can lead them in. plus it is really nice to have a cd with good lungs for those split bays like make-em-squeel was sayin.

[BigAinaBuilt]

I am not really sure what to call the pack of dogs I run today but I have always let all of my dogs run together because there is just to much thick branches and steep gulches to be connected to a dog while trying to traverse through. My pack is pretty short range and I focus alot on keeping them that way but there are instances where the hog breaks and I have to hurdle and scramble to get to where they finally are able to get it stopped.

[hogman49]

my rcd is 1/2 plott 1/4 pit 1/4 bmc he is a brindle dog he wieghs 60plbs he has cought up to 300 pound hogs with just him and a bay dog havnt got any bigger to see but it takes a break stick to get him off peps laugh when they see him bc he ant a pit but evry one that has seen him catch has been impressed so now the reason i use him is bc he was the first dog i got when i started and i hunt the marsh alot and they bay up close and i dont want to hold on to a leash just my op.


one mans gold is a nothers crap

[PPHOGDOGGER]

I use what I consider RCD's. One is 1/2 AB, 1/4 PIT, 1/4 EP. He is super rough. He will catch up 350 lb. boars by himself and anything bigger with help. My other dog is 1/2 pit, 1/2 great dane. Only had him on hogs up to 275 so far. Our dogs hunt fairly close. The RCD either run with our strike dogs or stay around us. There whole job is to catch or stop what the bay dogs find. We usually have only one good strike dog on the ground at a time. It takes a hell of a good dog to keep a hog from running if he wants to run and I don't feel like having a 2 hour race. I wanna catch him where they are. Plus I hunt by myself alot so having a RCD and a walkin pit is really nice.

 So he will catch a 350lb hog but not a 400lb?

I IMAGINE HE IS SAYING THAT HE HAS BEEN ON A 350 POUNDER AND GOT THE JOB DONE BUT PROBABLY NOT HOLD ANYTHING BIGGER.

[mississippi hog]

Good question etex. Always wondered how it would work. I do know hunting around here in the places we hunt, and the dogs we run, if the hog breaks before
the bulldog makes it in.... Well, you better get your butt in gear and catch the bulldog up. Could be a recipe for disaster.. We always use a lead in catchdog.. Most of the time when a hog breaks around here your not going to see him stop for a couple of miles, and you can't just jump in the truck or hop on the fourwheeler and drive back up to them...We'd be stitching more than Betsy Ross...

[PPHOGDOGGER]

Good question, To me a running catch dog is a dog that can run a HOT track and /or run on sight. It will catch and hold a hog on its own with correct style and not get cut to ribbons on every hog it catches. It can handle a good sized hog by its self and a pair can hold about any hog. This would be an Australian style finder/ holder.

I do not consider rough curs, or bull dog crosses to be running catch dogs, although many do preform very well at the task, most don't hold clean enough for me.

I personally believe that super rough curs and bulldog crosses that are run with a pack cause more trouble than they are worth. If you are having trouble holding a bay the answer is to breed better quality BAY DOGS.

I believe that the Australian style cross bred dogs and some Dogo's are true running catch dogs and they can be hunted in a way that uses that style to your advantage. One or two or three finder/holder type dogs will catch a lot of hogs and not get cut down every hunt. This type of style when combined with GPS tracking while hunting from 4 wheelers or horses/mules is the future of depredation hunting in my part of the country.

This type of dog can also be used as a long range turn out catch dog or led in to the bay as well. Clean holding style is the difference to me, that is the big difference in the dogs that are bulldogs, or crosses that you can leave down, or will follow horseback. I know that there are many types of dogs that can be used successfully and are being used successfully as RCD's in this way and I in no way think there is anything wrong with doing so if it is working for YOU, because that's all that matters.

I don't really understand using a mixed pack of bay and RCD's because of the safety issue, bay dogs running a track some distance and the RCD's catching along ways off and getting dogs hurt. I have run these type of RCD's but I  run "just" them ,no bay dogs, 2 or 3 at a time and they stay short range and catch what they find.

That's just my opinion, I don't care what anyone else does and am not trying to say anyway is better than the other. This was just for discussion sake.

110% AGREE

[setexasplott]

i have what i consider a rcd . but only let him run where i have a problem with this dang russian hogs acting like they r breed with a race horse it works good for me he will stay close to my bay dogs and the hog gets caught. but i only do this if there is another catch dog that can be held back just in case of a split bay .

[Cull Buck]

I don't utilize a RCD but I can definately think of some circumstances where they would come in handy.  And if you pair a RCD with the right pack of dogs they could be very effective and help each other from getting too torn up.  It seems that a a good pack of rough short range hot nosed curs paired with a good RCD or two would catch a lot of hogs in the right terrain.  Long range dogs with a RCD would be bad and a RCD on a property that is heavy with the thick stuff would be bad too.

I thought about using my catdo as RCD during grain season because of how good his lungs are and how fast he is.  I did it one time and it worked great.  I noticed all of the curs get gone and about 300 yards from us I heard him get there and the fight was on.  A quick 300 yd sprint thru the milo and it was all over in less than minute.  The second time was a disaster.  I unclipped him, he ran 1500 yds (a good ways further than most of my curs hunt) with his nose down on to someone elses property.   I sat at the property line trying to call him out and he finally comes to me 30 minutes later with a blood all over his mouth and muzzle.  I'm 99.9% sure he probably found a coon or something like that to crunch on but I quickly realized he won't make a RCD because he has too much drive and is hunting for himself not bringing muscle and holding power to the pack of curs.  Now if I had a couple more just like him....

[Look Fur em]

I've owned a RCD that would stay with the pack and catch any hog but got help from the other two dogs I hunted him with. I hunted the same three dogs together all the time. They had caught several hogs way out and held those hogs for 30-45 minutes with minimal cuts. A 200lb hog with about an 1 1/2 teeth took him out when he was 8 years old less than a 100yds from me. He was caught on one ear and one of the other dogs were caught on the other. The other dog didn't have a scratch.  Luck of the draw. He caught many hogs in his lifetime. I only have one of the three left and she is 8 now. I didn't have alot of bays but caught more hogs with those three then anything I hunt now. I know there are some running hogs in everyones backyard and alot of variables. The hogs I hunt are few and far between. The hogs are more of a european strain and run. If a dog barks they are off to the races. He had what I would call technique he didn't run in like a linebacker and slam the hog but would just catch the hog. If you put him in a pen he would just go in at a steady pace and grab the hog. When he caught he would not stay out in front of the hog but turn his body next to the hog. He is sorely missed.

I think they have their place in the right situations and terrain. It all depends on personal preference and what works for you. The term RCD I think has several definitions. I have not been able to find a replacement for him. Just my experience.

[Black Gold]

Here's what I've been working on......will see come January if it works:

Mimic'd my style (that I'm working on) after being able to hunt with Bloom's and their dogs RIP & BLACK.....

VERY close range RCD's.....If they are over 150 yards then they are too far.  Run 3-5 on the ground at a time.  No 4-wheelers, just walking thru the brush like I was spot-n-stalking with a bow. 

I'm not a numbers guy....if I can get 1 or 2 pigs in a few hours then I'm happy and done. 

Stay close, walk, and be able to hunt small properties.  A few hours of spending time with God, my dogs, and a friend or 2 in the woods.......THAT'S MY GOAL and objective with RCD's.

I've done the "find the bay-dogs" for 6 hours thing......love watching a good bay dog work but not my cup of tea.

To each his own.....

[LAWLERSHOGWILDHUNTS]

We live and hunt in south Texas. Hogs are notorious for finding thickets of brush that are extremely hard for the dogs to get to. our start dogs have no problem finding hogs but what we consider RCD help them to keep the hog until the pits get there. Becuase of the size and weight it's tougher for a pit to get through the brush rather than a pit/ cur cross that catch well and are strong but not so heavy. We have onehound that doesn't stop until a hog is found so having RCD already on the ground helps to stop the hog until the pits get there. To me it's alot like a help dog except they don't bay as much and catch pretty hard

[cantexduck]

Most of my dogs catch when the bulldog gets there. I dont want to run a RCD b/c I think that alot of cuts happen on bay dogs at the catch, why prolong the time of the catch to the time you get there?