Lets get familiar

[HogzgoneWild]

Lets get familiar to who we are talking to and getting advice and information from. Do tell....... why do you hunt hogs with your dogs, what dogs(breeds), how do you hunt(road, wheeler, walk), how long have you hunted with dogs, breed, train/raise, how many dogs do you have, how many do you run at one time etc..

Most know me on here and the answers but for those who don't.....
I hunt for many reasons, there is the famous "to see my dogs work" but also because I love it!!! and so do my dogs, I enjoy seeing the work paying off. Because the woods are a great place to be and my family feels the same. And it beats sewing . I have a male and female lacy, a cat, and a new plott female, along with a female pit and two pit pups(male and female) We have hunted from the truck, a wheeler, horseback, but by far my favorite is walking(and what I do the most) I have hunted with dogs a long time since I was about 7 yrs old (but that was coondogs) started hog hunting with dogs for hogs over about 8 yrs ago, and for the last 4 or 5 years  been breeding and training my own dogs and pups. I usually run 2 or 3 bay/strike dogs at one time but have had much more on the ground when hunting with friends. And we mainly hunt palmetto's, and thickets.

Since we have a few thousand members we should have alot of responses to this in just a week, lets see who will share.....??

[make-em-squeel]

Great topic- I typically hunt curs or cur/hound mixes with 3 to 6 strike dogs and 2 bulldogs. I will hunt whatever is conveniant for the terrain and my friends, never hunted on horses but may try this fall. I love to see dogs work and young dogs come up but legging a hog and having dogs talented enough to stop one and catch it is a lot more fun than spot lighting a coon! Its the best therapy in the world, it is my weekly excape and i have met some of the best, upstanding people and my friends in this sport (my only friends now that i am old, conservative and set in my ways) ........ God Bless!

[Rockin-P-Ranch]

I hunt BMCs.At this time I have 13 dogs in the kennels.I have no pits,abs,or any other breed just BMCs.I have been chasing these dang things sence the 70s. Done it horse back, foot,truck,and 4 wheelers. still like to go a foot from time to time.I also use a couple of my dogs both ways on cattle and hogs. And yes it can be done.I breed,raise,train,and use my dogs. I run 2 to 3 dogs on the ground at a time. But more when I hunt with freinds. I hunt because I love to watch good dogs work.and do what they where bred for.

[BigAinaBuilt]

I hunt with dogs because I love dogs in general and enjoy working with a dog to do things that some say can't be done. I have been "running the dogs" for 22 years and my first hunts were on my uncles backs (I miss these days). I currently have 6 dogs in my yard and all are different breedings. We walk until we've had enough and then turn around and walk back.  I run 4 of my dogs on the ground at a time at max.

Disclaimer:  Take my advice along with everyone else that is willing to share and sit down with yourself and then get out there and create your own experiences and opinion.

[firemedic]

I hunt hogs with my dogs because it's more fun and more rewarding than any other type of hunting I've ever done and I've hunted critters of some sort since I could get outside on my own,....built a trap and caught an English Sparrow when I was around 5 I think. Up until about 5 or 6 years ago I was a hound man,....hunted coons for years when I was a teenager in high school. Then my buddy that had cur dogs for years gave me one and I liked the way he hunted and acted. Right now I have 2 dogs, a cur/fiest cross and a Plott/cat cross, both are silent on track but the fiest cross will yip if she jumps a hog that wants to run. We hunt on foot most of the time, I hunt with some guys from TN most of the time and they have hounds that are open. We use some standers to head off the hogs if they want to run. I've hunted hogs and bear with dogs since the mid-70s, don't hunt bear much anymore. I have had several dogs at one time over the years but I prefer to keep only 2 or 3 now, I hate to leave a dog in the pen when I go hunting,.....don't know why that is really, but I always have. I bred and trained dogs for a lot of years, just never had many at one time. We usually run about 5 or 6 dogs together at one time, I run my curs right with their hounds and they do fine, they just don't bark on the trail. I do enjoy a good race with the hounds though,....it's just the hound man left in me I reckon. We don't have any 'catch' dogs.....our dogs will catch if they think they can handle it and sometimes if they don't!  I hunt locally with a buddy that has only curs and we sometimes take an AB as a catch dogs, but the curs can handle just about anything but the biggest and meanest. I love it and intend to do it 'til my dying day if the Good Lord sees fit to let me.

[gottagettem]

i started hunting with a buddy last year.. and this year have decided to get my own pack... i hunt hogs with dogs for the chase.. and fun of being in the woods.... i had a pit catch dog. but hust lost him... and i had a reverse bmc.. but i lost him anout amonth ago.. he was getting started on a good foot to... now i am left with my eight month old bmc.. that is learning and my finished bmc that is about five years.... also have a blue healer that is my truck riding buddy.. but will stay with me in the woods no matter what...also will go to the bay and help.. but will go in for the catch when im close.....but dont really want to get him hurt...i need a catch dog now.. badly... i road hunt my dogs.. sum times.. but do mostly walkin.. good exercise. since i ride in a towtruck all day.....do most of my hunting with the same guy that strated me in this... but now im lookin forward to run with other new guys.. and my self....always lookin to help out on sum hunting.....the more u hunt the more u learn.. and have fun.. but its all about havin fun....

[jkcasey]

Well, I grew up in East Texas and we hunted hogs however we could. I guess the real reason I like hunting hogs with dogs is there is an element of danger that gets my heart pumping. I mean lets get real, anyone can shoot a deer or a hog for that matter, with a rifle or bow, but it takes a little more grit to go in and catch one with a pack of mutts. Here in NM, we don't have the population that there is back home, but there are hogs and as long as there are a few rooting around I'll get after them as much as life allows. I run just about any kind of dog that will run one, open or silent it doesn't matter to me. Right now I have a 3/4 bluetick 1/4 cat. that will rig one off the wheeler on occation. He would be my main find dog. My other three are two hound gyps,one grade lion bred bluetick and one redtick, and one 1/2 jagd 1/4 plott 1/4 ridgeback gyp. If you haven't hunted behind a dog that is part or full jagd you need to try one. You wouldn't think such a little dog could do so much. I just want to say thanks to everone on this forum, I love getting on here and hearing stories and seeing pics. of hunts back home. Some times I can almost smell the green briar and youpon.

[hogaholicswife]

My husband has hunted since he was 10 every single night of the week until we moved far enough away to only do it on the days off.  I hunted in school with family and friends on the weekends, typically after working cows and not having anything better to do.

We run gritty Fl Curr dogs out of a long line that my husband's childhood mentor raises and have bred some of our own off of it.  We hunt primarily cane but our dogs are versitile and do not discreminate on terrain although the more open land it is the farther they go    they will wear most other people and their dogs out...We have catch dogs that we use on occassion when the currs need a little backup or if there is something trying to sneak past  us thats way ahead of the curr dogs.

In total we have 4 finnished wind/trail/bay dogs, 2 CD's, 7 curr puppies and 1 red tick x walker hound puppy.  We typically run no more than 2 - 3 dogs on the ground and rotate with whom ever is bringing their dogs.   The dogs wiind from the truck 95% of the time but will trail if needed to figure out a track.  Here in the last year we have been using the Ranger, which is a little different for them. 

We hunt because we love to, it is good times with close friends and family for story telling/carrying on....not to mention the thrill of the bay or watching the dogs cut out across a field after a big one.  We both have a passion for starting young dogs and watching them come into their own, knowing that we were able to afford them the opportunity to do what they were bred for and what they love to do!

Of all the addictionss there is hog hunting is our choice!

[Purebreedcolt]

26 been hunting with dogs for a while not real sure how long 10 years give or take had dogs all my life though.  Hunt for the relaxation and hate of hogs.  Roaded fourwheeler walk no horses.  Hodge podge of dogs. Feeding 12 tring to put a set of dogs together I like. Think I work with dogs as a release from the world it seems that when messing with dogs and hogs the world is perfect lol. 

[duece24]

i started hunting hogs about 4yrs ago. i do it because i played football through college and when it stopped i couldn't find anything that gave me the rush that football did. currently i have a bmc, dog/bmc, and a dogo(will be going to all mt. curs here real soon as my strike dogs). when i go by myself i take my three dogs, when with friends there's no telling how many dogs will be on the ground. i've been dealing with dogs since i was a young kid, bred pits for probably 17yrs. i normally walk hunt, but i have roaded from the truck and i have hunted via atv.

[Caney Creek Hog Doggers]

Have 26 in the pens. I don't really have a favorite breed but lean more towards BMC, whatever finds hogs works for me.

BMC: 2 gyps,2 males one is my main strike dog

BMC x: 4 males

Leopard Cat: 3 gyps, 2 males

Cat x: 2 male

Lacy: 2 males

Kelpy x: 2 males

Greyhound x: 1 male

Pit and pit x: 2 males, 2 gyps

AB: 1 male

AB x Bull Mastiff: 1 male

I have hunted on horseback,4 wheelers,out of trucks, and walked hunt. My favorite is hunting off 4 wheelers, my dogs hunt real fast so this is pretty affective for my style of hunting, walk hunting is my second choice, we walk hunt mostly through the winter.

I have been hog hunting with my own pack for 2 years, did alot of coon hunting with dogs when I was 14 to 15. I was practically raised around dogs, my mom was a vet tech for 13 years and currently has a boarding and grooming shop, I have seen some of the ugliest dogs through her buisness lol.

I basically hog hunt because it an adrenaline rush and I get a thrill out of sticking hogs. I like to take new people out and get them into the sport, its always a warm feeling when a first time hog hunter sticks their first hog, I love being around the dogs and taking care of them. I have learned lots from watching the dogs work and from fellow hog hunters, its a great sport I wouldn't trade it for the world!!!

[Lone Star 88]

There is nothing like it when the bay dogs are bayed, cutting the catch dog loose and running in behind him. There isn't any other hunt that your in there hand to hand with your dogs. I have two, Rebel a Merle, AmStaff once a stray was down to 45lb now 63lb. Sandy a BMC gyp 7 mon. saddle back Paul M gave her to me, she thinks she can kick Rebels a$$. She will be ruff. I have been hunting hogs with dogs for two years now. We go on the weekends ride ATV's, catch dog rides till there bayed and we walk in to the bay. Some time we walk hunt. Cut um loose. Sidney

[lonewolf]

I grew up with hunting & working dogs (coon,rabbit,bird & cattle)! I have trained a lot of cattle dogs over the last 20 years. I love to see a good dog do his job right, to me that's very rewarding. I hunt hogs with dogs cause of the thrill of the chase. I have 9 bay dogs, 2 catch dogs, and 1 cowdog. I will hunt 3-4 on the ground at a time. My whole family enjoys hog hunting and we go as often as we can. We hunt off of polaris rangers, very little walking, and horse back sometimes. I've been in South central Oklahoma all my life. We had a few hogs when I was a kid and then I did'nt see any till about 15 years ago. Now they are everywhere and almost all of the ranchers and farmers will let us hunt. Most will call when they see fresh sign, this makes it great when training pups and young hunters. I mostly hunt BMCs, But I do have some cross bred dogs that do a good job. I don't breed my own I try to buy a good bred pups from known hunters.

[preacher1]

I grew up coonhunting and had no preference to the breed . I liked em all but I did want a dog that hunted my style. We mostly pleasure hunted and had no use for a dog that would leave the county. We had to go to work /school the next day. Hounds were about all I had ever been around. I was coonhunting when I heard about hoghunting and it always intrigued me, but I figured the vet bills would eat me up. Well about then my 2 boys started eating enough to make me realize that by the time I split a coon between the 3 kids and wife that left me eatin the neck! Some boys took me on a hoghunt and for a while I kept a set of coondogs and hog dogs. I still got 1 coondog (redbone).My Hogdogs are a motley crew of mixed cur, 1 redbone, and 1 pit. I don't pay much for dogs but the ones I keep suit me. That's why I feed em and no one else has to like em. I ain't never owned or seen a perfect dog. Only heard about them.I do enjoy getting on here and reading others comments.   

[Barticus]

I've always been a bird hunter up till last year. Had labs mostly. Now I'm hooked on this hog dog thing. I've only been 4 times, and I love the rush. I like the element of danger in it. I have a year old Catahoula, and hunt with some friends who have Cat crosees , a plott cross, and a GSP. The few times I have went we used 4 to 5 bay dogs at a time. No catch dog. The GSP and The Cats catch pretty dang good.

[goose]

i have been around hunting dogs all my life grandpaws were avid rabbit and foxhunters and dad used to have about 15 deerhounds now just 5 beagles...i keep around 10-15 dogs including my 3 catch dogs...my style of hunting depends on the terrain i hunt i have dogs that are great for walkhunting and dogs that are go getters and get outa sight quick....try to learn each dogs strengths and weaknesses...been huntig about 10 yr nnow and breed my own dogs and outcross and buy as well...i enjoying raising and st ;arting young dogs i usually keep the whole litter and cull thru them till i get the best 2 or 3...has worked so far...my dad messed up and took me hoghunting with one of his buddys when i was i kid and been hooked ever since

[BIG BEN]

 My name is Ben Little, Im o27 years old and I have been around hounds and bird dogs my whole life. Both Grandfathers were houndsman in California. I grew up with at least 15 dogs at my house at all times hunting Coon, Bear, Cats, and hogs. When I got old enough to have a say about the dogs me and my father started breeding and training GSP for quail, Pheasant, and chuckar and got into competion field trials and did quite well at it. Although I bred and raised bird dogs my true passion was the sound of a good big game race and I ended up getting my own set of hounds. I moved to texas almost 5 years ago and new nothing about the hog hunting here and sold all my dog equipment and dogs before I came, then one day seen a pack of curs and catahoulas cross the road chasing a hog and the bug bit me again.  I hooked up with a couple of great and honest people on here that have hog hunted with dogs a very long time and never looked back. My dogs mainly consist of Plott crosses and curs.

[BigDaddy2508]

Well I will start by saying that I new to this game of hog hunting.  I have however been hunting with dogs almost my whole life.  Mostly water dogs and i have had some good ones.  I have also so been hunting my whole life and have hunted alover this country and for almost every type of North American game.  I lived in Alaska for 14yrs and was lucky enough to hunt a bunch while up there.  I managed a Kodiak Bear, 2 black bears, a 68" Alaska Yukon moose, Lynx,  Caraboo, Dall Sheep, mountain goat, Elk Rosevelt and Rocky Mountain (Montana) wolves, wolveriens and tons of Sika Blacktail Deer , fox, beavers and river otters. So I am not a rookie to the hunting game.  But with all that said hunting behind dogs for these hogs is just plain fun and never seems to have a dull moment. I love this game and am going to be a hog hunter the rest of my life.

My dogs

1 Colby Pit Gyp

1 BMCxCat

But there will be more soon.

[HogzgoneWild]

Several great reply's, glad to see those willing to share and be honest. But numbers could be better, so c'mon folks don't be shy!

[gottagettem]

numbers .. what do u mean by numbers... telephone.. or years of hunting?