When to turn the Catch Dog loose?

[leonriverboy]

I've tried just about every technique when it come to turning the catch dog loose.  This question is for lead  in CDs. The way I was taught and the way I did it for years was sneak up with the cd and try to be able to see the bay with in about twenty yards or less in heavy brush.  We would let the bay go on for a while before we released the cd.  I was always told that the bay would settle the hog down and he would not be as likely to run.  Here lately as soon as I hear the bay I get within about 200 yards as long as the CDs can hear it and turn then loose.  I would like to be able to tell you I'm catch more hogs but I still have plenty of busted bays, especially if it's a big boar.  I have more big boars get away than I catch.  I've even started carrying a .450 and just shoot them if they run.  Any thoughts?

[BIG BEN]

 The way you were taught is the correct way. If a hog is gonna break he is going to do it if you cut the CD loose from 20 yards or 600. I like to see what the situation is before I cut the cd loose, thats the whole point of doggin for me is to see the dogs work catching the big hogs is a bonus.

[Outback Catahoulas Austra]

we hunt a bit differently herein OZ. I only use the Cats to find & bay, then i shoot the hog..
If i'm running with a mate who has catch dogs they rarely break...
Do you hunt open or thick wooded country?

[TxHogDoggin]

The way we do it is the same as already said but we like to get around the side of the hog so maybe he won't see the cd. But sometime you can't get that close so we unlatch them and hope for the best.

[pltx ken]

Well my opinion is i dont think there is a "CORRECT" way. I believe its all a matter of opinion and style. Also if you hunt night or day. I hunt night only mostly. So therefore ot dont matter if you walk 30 yards from the bay or not because you cant see them work all you can do is here them. For Me as soon as i here a bay i release catch dogs. If i can here them, so can my catchs dogs so they better get there butt to them. Not to mention i run extremely ruff dogs so most times we dont even get a bay. I dont beleive there is a wrong or right way i believe its all a matter of opinion and what suites you best. If it works for you then do it. I no if someone tells me im doing it wrong i would say there nutts. IT works for me so obviously im doing something right. I have been with people that lead in. It works great for them so obviously there doing something right.

[JDJP]

I think more than being able to see the dogs bay, geting close before you let the catchdog go allows you to get in there more quickly and leg the hog.
I want my dogs to bay all day, but only have to catch briefly.

Now in the day time, when you can see, you could give your cd an advantage by letting him go when the hog is focused on something else, looking away. instead of the pig seeing it coming.

[Purebreedcolt]

I want a solid bay also depending on if I know the place and how thick.  But regardless I want the dogs settled in baying and not caught most times it is a good hog and I want to be there quick

[sfboarbuster]

I think more than being able to see the dogs bay, geting close before you let the catchdog go allows you to get in there more quickly and leg the hog.
I want my dogs to bay all day, but only have to catch briefly.

Now in the day time, when you can see, you could give your cd an advantage by letting him go when the hog is focused on something else, looking away. instead of the pig seeing it coming.

I have a feeling your not ever gonna need a catch dog!

[Nickjones]

I always walkin in on the bay. Hunted with some boys the other day and there dogs bayed a cow. i notice my two trash broke dogs come back to the four wheeler so i told the boy with the catch dog not to turn him loose. Next thing u know he cut him loose and he ran to the bay and caught him a big rank black cow. U never know what u might be bayin. They said they have hunted out there for years and never had it happen before. I did have one dog that has never bayed a cow in on the mix. but i bet he will never do it again. 

[M Bennet]

i like to turn loose 40 yrds unless it keeps breaking then ill comacazee my cd , but theres not really a right or wrong way each hunt is different

[raider54]

i like to turn loose 40 yrds unless it keeps breaking then ill comacazee my cd , but theres not really a right or wrong way each hunt is different

X2,  We usualy cut the CD'd loose about 100 yds out unless we are hunting with someone that wants to walk them in.  Im not sure I put much in to makin sure the hog isnt looking because if you are only 20 yards out and cut them loose with our rough dogs that hog will change directions 5 times before the CD's get there. Im not sure there is a right way, but I do think you shoud be able to get to them quickly!

[brw7979]

It depends on the country I'm huntin. Sometime's I'll walk my CD in as far as I can to be sure the bay dont break and then have my CD trying to keep up with a runnin hog and the bay dogs. But I've cut him loose at 300 yds away. One of the draw backs to lettin go so far away is the CD is gonna be (or had better be) haulin azz to that bay to catch and when he gets there he's not going to be as fresh as he would if you let him go from 20-50 yds away. So I try to get there to them as fast as I can. The bay dogs are normally caught with the CD and they have all done there job so there waitin on you to hold up your end of the deal.

[Heaven Sent Kennel]

we like to walk in and make dang sure it's a hog and we like to see our bay dogs work. In doing it this way I like to see my bulldog hit a hog it just gets me fired up seein' a hard hit. When bull dog hits everything else does also and we ain't 2 far behind that. I like all that excitement in a short period of time. When working some dogs I've turned my CD loose farther out so I didn't get to see the big hit and wasn't near as much fun for me. So all in all the more I get to see the more I enjoy it all.

[nichols]

I think it's better to get as close as possible. 1) You can be certain that it is a hog you're dogs are baying 2) Sometimes its a small hog in alot of brush and a catchdog is not needed 3) The hog may be close to a river, creek, pond and you need to put a lariat rope thru you're catchdogs vest to pull it out of the water 4) The closer you are to the hog the quicker you can get ur catchdog off and save some damage to the hog and ur dog.

[SC Hog Wild]

Usually what we do is get within 50-100 yards then turn loose. Some of the thicker areas we have to turn loose a little further out, making a lot of noise trying to push through the thicket will make the hog break and besides it's hard to lead a worked up CD through a heavy thicket anyway...

[Coady Curbow]

I like to get to where I can see or hear the hog.  One time, I carried some guests, cut the catch dog loose from about 200 yards and found him digging in the same hole as the bay dogs.  I needed some blood pressure medicine! LMAO