Just out of curiosity???

[rdjustham]

Im working the other night and i run into this guy opening a gate.. Now theres lots of poachers here who just cut locks and help themselves, so i check out with the guy and hes the head maintenance guy for a very very very large developing company    (for you FL boys its WCI).  ASk him what hes got goin on this late in the evening on a Saturday and he says hes looking into hog removal.  I ask him if he wants them trapped or if he minds dogs and I could help him out (no charge of course  ) and he tells me he doesnt want amateurs  he HIRED  yes Hired some pros.  They pulled up in a chevy trail blazer  with four dogs and a small trailer, the bottom section was maybe a foot and a half tall  .  Now lets just say they did catch somethin where the heck were they gonna put it?  If i was gonna call myself a pro (and i dont by any means)  I think id have drove my truck with a place to put my catch ( like my big steel dog box).  What would be yalls take on this? Now being the respectful hunter i am, i didnt say a word to the property manager about my opinions or observations, wished them all the best of luck, shook hands got back in my patrol car and left, thinking the back seat of my crown vic would prob be a better holding place for pigs than their chevy 

[Mike]

Yep, there's a lot of so called "pros" out there these days charging folks to catch hogs... most of them are greener than grass outside. They have all kinds of promises and guarantees that come with their services.

The said part is, a lot of land owners believe it.

[rdjustham]

Mike you aint lyin.. NOW I WANT TO MAKE THIS CLEAR I didnt try to back door anyone, i sat there talkin with ALL OF THEM, land owner and "pros" for a bit and the land guy told me to stop by his office next week and say hi.  SO IM HOPING these guys showed their talk was bigger than their walk and i et an invite.. But i aint gonna push it.

[Critter Catcher]

I've run a feral hog removal service for 14 yrs (been hunting and trapping them a lot longer), at what point do you claim being a "PRO"?  I've trapped and caught a lot of hog like most on this board but at no time have I claimed to be a pro.. That is a bold stance to take, that emplies you are the best at removal of a game we all love to chase. I've been backdoored by folks that make big claims and charge way more then I ever thought to but time goes by and most of the land owners have called me back. One guy that talked a big game started out strong but soon found he over stepped his abilities. There are a lot of people trying to get into the business without considering the time and dedication it takes to do it right..Anyone can call themselves "PROS" but their actions speak volumes to their abilities...

[hogaholicswife]

There are a few of those around our area...you see the trailers and wonder what in the world they are hauling or could haul in them, one of them is so small a shoat is on his belly and then the other is large enough to haul a 300lb calf in  

I would stop in and say hi, no harm in that at all and you never know those guys may not have gotten it done to the owners satisfaction.....maybe you can get that yeller dog and those pups a place to work!  

We recently got semi-back doored by a guy that has been trying hard to get in on our spot, he hunts in town where we sometimes venture but for some reason everyone thinks our spot is soooo great when in reality it is dang hard to get on anything right now.  My husband wasnt happy about it and doesnt mind telling they guy who is bringing him out there with him about how he doesnt apprciate it....especially when this guy has one of the sweetest spots to hunt right now that no one else is even allowed near but he still chooses to come to our place just because he can  

I know of a guy over your way that we hunted with a few times, other people had permission and he allegedly bad mouthed everyone of them until the manager kicked everyone out but him....now in my book that is just flat out dirty and not right, some folks just have no cuth.

As far as professionals, I find that those who have that swagger of knowing it all to be the ones who are the least experienced and have been doing it for 30 years.....when in reality they have only been at it for about 3 lol its funny what egos can do for you.

I wanted to tell you thanks for the offer on a pup, if you have a female in a few months I may  take you up on it as I would like to get a female CD but the husband may go to work out of state and I do not want to watch more dogs not get used than what will be sitting in the pens if he leaves.  

If you get it and are catching a bunch I know someone that is buying all of them you can get in the trailer and the prices are pretty darn good right now.  We have been selling the few we have been catching along with some other critters to make a few extra bucks to pay the feed bill.

[zachW]

most of them are greener than grass outside

wish our grass was green outside

[firemedic]

Good luck RD.....I would for dang sure stop by and talk with the landowner since he invited you. You might take some pics of hogs that you've caught in the last few years, just in the off chance that he might want to see some of your 'results'. If this landowner isn't a nit-wit, he'll be onto the so called pros pretty quick and kick them to the curb. Remember the phrase......"no brag....just fact" goes a long way with folks from my generation and older. Be sure to leave him some kind of card or something so that he can have a quick and easy way to get in touch with you if the pros don't pan out.

[ujustneverknow]

Yes I agree With the bachelor crap!! Some of the ones haven't hunted hogs a year yet! And they think they know it all and screw it up for the rest of us.  Then u got some that have showed up for years but make us look like idiots!  Go give Em a try especially when it's coming from a good ole boy! If nothing else u may open a bigger door than u think!

[rdjustham]

There are a few of those around our area...you see the trailers and wonder what in the world they are hauling or could haul in them, one of them is so small a shoat is on his belly and then the other is large enough to haul a 300lb calf in  

I would stop in and say hi, no harm in that at all and you never know those guys may not have gotten it done to the owners satisfaction.....maybe you can get that yeller dog and those pups a place to work!  

We recently got semi-back doored by a guy that has been trying hard to get in on our spot, he hunts in town where we sometimes venture but for some reason everyone thinks our spot is soooo great when in reality it is dang hard to get on anything right now.  My husband wasnt happy about it and doesnt mind telling they guy who is bringing him out there with him about how he doesnt apprciate it....especially when this guy has one of the sweetest spots to hunt right now that no one else is even allowed near but he still chooses to come to our place just because he can  

I know of a guy over your way that we hunted with a few times, other people had permission and he allegedly bad mouthed everyone of them until the manager kicked everyone out but him....now in my book that is just flat out dirty and not right, some folks just have no cuth.

As far as professionals, I find that those who have that swagger of knowing it all to be the ones who are the least experienced and have been doing it for 30 years.....when in reality they have only been at it for about 3 lol its funny what egos can do for you.

I wanted to tell you thanks for the offer on a pup, if you have a female in a few months I may  take you up on it as I would like to get a female CD but the husband may go to work out of state and I do not want to watch more dogs not get used than what will be sitting in the pens if he leaves.  

If you get it and are catching a bunch I know someone that is buying all of them you can get in the trailer and the prices are pretty darn good right now.  We have been selling the few we have been catching along with some other critters to make a few extra bucks to pay the feed bill.

Sorry girl my gyp dropped all males    You might know the guys who were out here, they "claimed" they hunt all over lee, hendry glades okeechobee all the time.  Couldnt tell you their names though.. Got tired of listening to the.. this is how its done thing right thing.. Shoot they didnt even know how to tie, "we use hobbles they work better". 

[earlisbubba]

I've had almost the same exact experience.  The guy was getting $50 for every hog he caught.  He was probably taking em across the scales when he left with them and getting paid again.  I wished em all good luck and drove away.  I was trapping two miles away for free btw.  

[coyote hunter]

Hold up. I'm a pro.   I get professionally outran. I professionally kick the dirt and stomp my hat when it happens. I professionally get in my dogs parses when they let a hog slip em. I drive a professional 88 Chevy 4 wd pos.  And professionally thank the good lord when my dillo/skunk dogs trash on a pig. U can call me a pro.   Just trying to lift the mood. Sorry y'all deal with ppl like that. I do too. Shouldn't have too but I guess this is a love hate sport. I love to hate it sometimes.

[Critter Catcher]

I'm see in this threat people upset because some charge for trapping and hunting hog, why would you be upset by that? I charge to recover my expenses usually 20.00 a head and mileage over a certain distance, if everyone charged just enough to recover their loses it would be the norm for a service provided that people need. Just like an exterminator for a pest in your home, you don't have to get greedy like some folks but this shat gets expensive, building trappings, feeding dogs, gas, corn, dog meds., man the list goes on and on..I have a pretty good job during the day and trap and/or run dogs everyday (including weekends), my day job could not keep up with my hunting expenses and I don't have all the toys I would like to. To charge for your services in no way implies you're a "PRO" it just means you want a little help helping people that need your service. I this mind set then a welder should provide his service for free and a pipe fitter the same he!! let's throw in an electrician all free services that people need. It makes no sense to be upset at someone for finding a way to make money at something they love to do...JMO

[hogaholicswife]

I only wish we could get paid, I would settle for 10 bucks a head like the helicopter was getting and allegedly shooting a few hundred a trip    we spent better than 8k last year on gas, feed etc. and when asked what we have invested it gives most heart palpatations...

Florida seems to be alot different than Texas, there are so many people willing to do it for free that unless you can get a contract with the State or know someone at a big ranch youre most likely doing it free....I have even seen large ranches down soth kick contracted people out b/c the employees were complaining that they would do it for free.

We have never back doored anyone, we are the ones who abandon our hunting spot when others show up or make it there before we do.  We battled the helicopter, who was short lived but still a pain b/c you never knew when he was coming.  We dont go looking for new spots because we know that if a place has hogs either its being hunted or the owner doesnt want people on their property.

It would be nice if Fl was more like Tx seems to be where everyone just pules in and goes but down here people keep a tight lip otherwise you end up getting screwed by someone.

[Bryant]

Critter Catcher,

It would definatly be nice to get paid, but to me hunting hogs is a hobby and I figured out a long time ago that hobbies are expensive.  There are too many people willing to do it for free, for me to expect that anyone is going to pay me.  Good hunting spots are hard to come by, and so sometimes you do what you have to do.  If you've found a way to make a little cash, by all means get after it.  For me, time spent and memories made in the woods with my sons and dogs is payment enough.

Heck...be nice if the state would pay me to help keep the fish population at the local lakes in check also...but that's just not going to happen.

[rdjustham]

I didnt mean to imply i think or want to get paid for my hobby.  I just found it humerous that so called pros, didnt even have a Truck or a trailer large enough to haul out what they told me was a DEFINATE catch.  The fact that they were POSITIVE and there was NO question they were going to catch hogs struck me as funny as well.  Anyone thats been doing this sport long enough knows there is NO guarantee when you drop the dogs, they get out run, out fought and sometimes the hogs just plain aint there.  Just want to say it again, I in no way meant to imply people shouldnt get paid for a service they provide.  By Hogoholics wife is right.  There are more people in Fl that would do it for free than there are YANKEES in FL!   

[Critter Catcher]

I gotcha rd..here in fort bend there's a lot of folks that have screwed people over so they are real hestitant to let just anyone on their property without references or word of mouth. I keep hearing from land owners how they have given a person permission and they bring all their buddies and treat the land as their personal bar and 4 wheel drive mud hole. I understand about people making promises they can't deliver on, I tell everyone I trap or run dogs for I will decrease the numbers but I will never be able to get them all no one can. I have heard in ag meetings people telling cattlemen they can eliminate the hog herds, all I can do is laugh, it can't be done. There comes a time on any property were you hit the limit and it becomes a management program, you put a dent in the population and try to keep the numbers at that level. There are quit a few folks here that boast they are "PROS" but as said in this stream they just got started in the sport or hobby and lie to get properties then screw it up for the rest of us..I could throw names under the bus but I won't, they know who they are..My wish is the states come forward and offer a bounty or would hire REAL doggers and/or trappers to battle the populations, offer compensation for our efforts and help feed all these dogs. I recently did an interview for a newspaper, haven't seen it yet, but I told the reporter all of this. I told him about the liars in our circles and the states position and the need for bounties, we'll see what actual gets printed...