Hunter, Rollee, and Chase, happy to have a photo while hunting
Some of the kiddos running around during break with another one of the hogs
Hootie is a college kid that is becoming a pretty good hand with Hilschers new bulldog "Cledus"
Okay the title to this post sounds kinda negative, but It was not a negative hunt by any means, but I think I have never hunted with this many people at one time, Usually the "large groups" turn into more of a party than a hunt and that is not why I like to hunt, I rather go where I can see/hear my dogs, but this a good one.
Blackgold had called setting up this hunt on his lease and a few other folks connecting leases totaling a very large peice of land to cover in one day. Turns out one of the connecting peices was a place I had hunted with Hogboy & his cousin last year twice. So I already knew a couple of the folks that would be along on this hunt too. I think most of the people that were on this lease were also along for he hunt. A couple of these guys had hunted with dogs many times in the past and knew a little about what/how things would possibly happen, and are really nice people to be arround. So with the crew I brought and Cody, his brother and Dad, that started us out with 3 Atvs, then add the lease guys and the youngins they invited along at one point we had 8 ATVs goings along! thats where "the convoy" comes into the story. I never did a head count of people, lets just say I can't count that high, nor did it really matter, as there was a buncH!
We turned out the dogs and started heading down the road, a couple of my dogs left out right from the get go, saw them go acouple hundred yards up the road, and cut off in the brush and dissapeared. My friend Hilscgers newly purchased suuposedly finished dog went up the road and barked at some cows, now as embarrasing as this was, I was really proud none of the youngr dogs joined in. My friends went up and took several minutes to capture the dog, whoop him and and tie him up, to put an end to that.
we had planned to go down and drive along a creek bottom but wanted to wait until we had regrouped all the dogs so we waited awhile and drove up, someone had heard dogs in the far distance so we started trying to find Deuce and Rollee who had nerver returned from the get go. Long story Short about two hours later after tracking, driving, & listening we finaly got to where they were bayed, and the first hog was killed. Got them some water and let those two ride back to more center of the property we put the dogs down again. and was not long and we had dogs in different directions obviously on hogs. Sherry struck one, a few brakes and runs other dogs caught up with her and got another caught. The new dog left out and was gone, we moved on down and found him bayed, and the other dogs got on a different one but lost it, and went to the the solid bay and caught that one and then another. Deuce and Rollee were looking pretty beat, I loaded them and took them back to the camp and watered and rested them all for about half hour. Carried them down another direction and turned out again. This time the dogs weren't hustling too hard and seemed pretty worn out, but we kept on going. Cody walked up ahead and the dogs went on out again, wasn't long and no sign of Deuce or Rollee again, so we started tracking and again they were on long range. We all drove that way and could here them, but were walking, so I just knew they were on another group of hogs and decided they should walk to them to keep them from busting. I think Cody gave me a dirty look. a few hundred yards across a grass bur infested feild and they were still walking away Cody and his camera headed in followed by Thomas & Hootie with the catch dogs. This time they got two caught and we saw lots of hogs running back across the open feild and them young fellas got really excited seeing all them hogs! even though they did not make down to the catch. Them kids were tough now they were not scared and kept up pretty darn good. This time my two dogs had to be carried out of the woods as they wre DONE! so was I, it was 2:15 in the afternoon, and I have not had any lunch yet! Afterall that there were no big exciting hogs or catches, just a fun hunt with good people.
I have to let yall know if yall invite Cody along on a hunt make sure you also invite his little brother to drive the 4 wheeler because I pretty sure he made sure he foud every bump and hole to go through since Cody was on the back of the bike with the video camera! We sure gave him a good ribbing about getting to the bay in rtime to get video too! seems I remember something about Video man falling down or something along the way to one of the hogs! Guess Cody will have to tell about that though.
One thing that really shocked me, Hunter, the smallest fella out there rememberd my dog Buzzard, from the hunt a whole year before, and was going around looking in my truck and trailer for that dog when we pulled up, he was dissapointed I did not bring his buddy along, I hope he made some new friends today. His Dad said he had told everybody about his last hunt and that dog, This is one memory that will stick with me.
