Why not open mouthed?

[outlaw14slayer]

When I was introduced to hunting hogs with dogs the guys I hunted with had all closed mouth stuff and couldn't stand an open mouthed dog.  Now these same guys all have some open mouthed dogs.  We have had no trouble finding hogs with either.  The number of hogs we catch has been virtually the same.  What are the advantages of closed mouth dogs?  Anybody got any proof to back up their opinions or is it what your guessing? 

[Noah]

No open dogs for me... no doubt they push hogs... especially on small properties.

[djhogdogger]

I like a dog to be closed mouth unless it is looking at a hog. Then I know that there is a hog to be caught. A dog that is open on the track barks when it smells a hog. Maybe the hog is there and maybe it isn't. In my oppinion, most dogs that are open are colder nosed dogs and they could be barking at a hog that is long gone. I could be wrong, that is just my oppinion. Our curs will only find a hot track and will not open up unless they are looking at the hog. Its just the way that we hunt. There are many different hunting styles. One isn't better that the other, you just have to find one that suits you.

[outlaw14slayer]

Noah; What type of country do you hunt?  I hunt in NE TX.  It is super thick with lots of cover hogs feel comfortable in.  We have not really seen any difference in what we are catching.  Do you think geographic region/terrain may play a part in if and how far hogs are pushed by open mouthed dogs?  Do you have any particular instances open mouthed dogs pushed hogs?

[BigAinaBuilt]

Stalking ,Trapping and chasing them with dogs I have learned pigs are extremely smart animals and I have no doubt if me walking up within eye or ear range will cause a pig to run that a pig that knows the sounds and movements of a dog will also run. If someone were coming after you would you rather them sneak up or talk aloud while coming in?? For my survival I hope they are screaming and flailing through the bush!! I also teach my dogs to honor each others bay and if I had a open dog barking as he ran a trail it would mess up the rest of my pack really bad! I have never kept an open dog long enough to compare the results! Just my opinion!

[Randy_P]

A friend and I were discussing this topic today.   You guys say that a open mouth dog pushes hogs....Do hogs not know when silent dogs are trailing them after they have been jumped???  Hogs are going to run regardless most of the time.  The ones that keep running have dogs that are chasing rather than biting and making the hog stop and fight.  Open dogs DO NOT push hogs.....hogs that keep running have dogs that are not getting the job done!!  Just my opinion

[Noah]

I hunt all different types of terrain in FL, mostly thick river bottom, swamp land type stuff... the thing that makes the biggest difference to me is that all these hogs are under intense dog pressure from all directions... being as smart as they are, being caught a few times and released... a hog knows to head for the hills at the first bark.

I've seen hogs slip as far as a half mile away just from a dog barking at a cow in the pasture... they know what's about to happen

I'm of the "stealth attack" approach.  Hit 'em hard and fast before the know whats happening!

I can take my quiet dogs and hunt a thousand acres all day long, take an open dog and the hogs would be run off the property in an hour.

[Buck]

A friend and I were discussing this topic today.   You guys say that a open mouth dog pushes hogs....Do hogs not know when silent dogs are trailing them after they have been jumped???  Hogs are going to run regardless most of the time.  The ones that keep running have dogs that are chasing rather than biting and making the hog stop and fight.  Open dogs DO NOT push hogs.....hogs that keep running have dogs that are not getting the job done!!  Just my opinion

Gentlemen we have a winner!

[HogzgoneWild]

I like close-mouth dogs to run hogs, just personal preference, but I ran open-mouth hounds for coons when I was younger. Difference being when I coon hunted the dogs barked on trail to get the coons to tree, now that I hog hunt the dogs run silent to get close enough to shut them down and bay, so I can catch em'.

[BigAinaBuilt]

A friend and I were discussing this topic today.   You guys say that a open mouth dog pushes hogs....Do hogs not know when silent dogs are trailing them after they have been jumped???  Hogs are going to run regardless most of the time.  The ones that keep running have dogs that are chasing rather than biting and making the hog stop and fight.  Open dogs DO NOT push hogs.....hogs that keep running have dogs that are not getting the job done!!  Just my opinion

A hog being chased by a closed mouth dog will not run as far as one that can hear the dog on its ass and as far as a hog that won't stop for a dog being the dogs fault I think both of you need to keep discussing.

[raider54]

A friend and I were discussing this topic today.   You guys say that a open mouth dog pushes hogs....Do hogs not know when silent dogs are trailing them after they have been jumped???  Hogs are going to run regardless most of the time.  The ones that keep running have dogs that are chasing rather than biting and making the hog stop and fight.  Open dogs DO NOT push hogs.....hogs that keep running have dogs that are not getting the job done!!  Just my opinion

I agree with 1/2 this statement: if hogs are running once a dog has jumped them then you are right! the dogs are not getting the job done! but if you turn your dogs out and they strike a track that is an hour old those hogs are say 1000 yards away, the hogs familiar with dogs on them hear the dogs, they start running straitline. By the time the open mouth dogs cold trail 1000 yards those hogs have a huge headstart and you will never bay those hogs. This doesnt happen with silent dogs. JMO Ive hunting hounds a long time

[pig snatcher]

Without going into a page of detail, I run a mixed pack of open and silent dogs.  Sometimes I feel that the barking pushes the pigs and sometimes it doesnt seem to, sometimes that cold hound nose picks up tracks in hog scarce places that the silent dogs cant take.  It all seems to equal out in the end though.

There is a difference between a good hog hound and a barking babling idiot of a hound.

[Randy_P]

Please explain what you mean Big Aina.  What do i need to keep discussing.  One thing that has not been stated is the fact that there are different types of open dogs.  Some bark every breath, others bark when the trail is hot, others give mouth every now and then.  Are we talking about any dog that gives mouth before they see the pig pushes them or only the ones that bark every breath on track

[outlaw14slayer]

I have a lot of experience hunting hogs at night with a bow.  I have had a couple instances where I had hogs close that hauled when they heard a 4-wheeler several hundred yards away on its way to pick me up.  I know hogs are super smart and they understand that certain things mean danger.  I just don't feel like they leave the country when they think danger is on the way.  I believe they head to their security cover, wherever that might be.

[raider54]

Without going into a page of detail, I run a mixed pack of open and silent dogs.  Sometimes I feel that the barking pushes the pigs and sometimes it doesnt seem to, sometimes that cold hound nose picks up tracks in hog scarce places that the silent dogs cant take.  It all seems to equal out in the end though.

There is a difference between a good hog hound and a barking babling idiot of a hound.

I dont think we need to confuse a silent dog with a hot nose dog! There are COLD NOSED hounds that are silent

[pig snatcher]

verry true.  I just tend to associate hounds with being open and curr type dogs with being silent.  Used to own a verry nice little plott that was silent.  

MY BAD.

[raider54]

When hogs have been dogged they will leave the country when they hear a dog comming if you dont believe me come up to north texas and hunt with us. Im a hound guy and I love a good race and I promise you a long nite in my neck of the woods

[BigAinaBuilt]

I feel the dog should only bark when the pig is stopped, ass to the ground and wanting to fight other then that it is unneccessary and counter productive. What I meant by keep discussing is at first read over of your comment I wanted to say you should keep logging hours of hunting and put yourself in a fEw moRe of theSe situations but I am nowhere near the level of "experienced" and am working on not judging other peoples methods and beliefs. If you keep discussing the subject and gain a few more guys knowledge of past experience with hogs running from just sound (before being bumped) you will see the common factor is the pigs run. I have no doubt you still catch pigs with open dogs but I know the experienced ones reaction! No doubt!

[BigAinaBuilt]

I also forgot to mention I walk hunt every time with a very close range pack and if the dog takes more then ear range to get the hog stopped I don't answer and they get called off and my dogs know this! 1000 yards through the forest is way to far to let the pig run!

[Randy_P]

Big Aina, how much experience do you have with running open mouth dogs?  Pigs will sit their ass down and bay for an open mouth dog as well as a silent dog.  

Raider, How do you know the pigs are leaving the country, have you seen them actually leaving??