Hog Doggin with Mike Bolen

[kp]

Today I went out with Mike Bolen and Marty at a good spot not too far from my house.  It's 1500 or so acres that is owned by Harris County, and is utilized as a land bank for wetlands mitigation.  Manmade swamps, lakes, and ponds are home to a great deal of wildlife.  Ducks were everywhere this morning when we arrived, and were there when we left.  Alligators also call this spot home, but they are dormant right now.  White Tails and Hogs out the wazoo.




We got on some hogs a couple times, but didn't get a solid bay.  At the end of the day, we were pretty much headed back to the vehicles when ol KP spotted a group of hogs across the bayou headed for the woods.  Mike, being the excellent guide that he is recommended that we stay put and rest the dogs, because he figured the hogs would come back out to the bayou.  So, we sat for a while chewing the fat.  Sure enough, just as Mike predicted, the hogs came back out.  This was as much zoom as my camera would provide...they were probably 300 yards out.




So...here's the dilema.  They are on the OTHER side of the bayou, which has what appears to be a great deal of water in it.  We talked over our strategy, and decided to cross at a shoal area where the water wouldn't be so deep.  We gather up the dogs and across we go.  They were on the hogs in no time!  As soon as Mike and I made it to the top of the levee, here comes a 200# Barr sprinting out of the woods, heading for the water.  As soon as he got across, he stopped and waited for the dogs.  He put up a good fight, but the dogs overcame him, and NATURALLY took him into the water.  Without hesitation, in goes Mike. 



Now, I can testify that the water was at least 36" deep, because my hip boots are 34"...and they had some water in them when it was all over.  Mike legged and stabbed the hog while I was still making my way across to help.  Rather than drag it up the steep bank, then down the other side to go up yet another bank (fork in the bayou) we decided to float him downstream to the point, then upstream to a shoal where we could cross.  Marty winched the hog up the bank with ease.

Here's the wrecking crew:



Mike and his daughter Brooke, on her first hog doggin' adventure.


Marty's bunch.


And our guest of honor.




Blue took some staples, but will likely be just fine...

I'm sure Mike and Marty will have something to add to this when they get some time.

To go out on a guided hog-dog hunt with Mike Bolen, check him out at http://www.easttexashogdoggers.com/GUIDED%20HUNTS.htm

Thank you Mike for having me out!

kp

[NThoghunter]

Good one Mike, way to get the kiddos out there.  Tell Brooke congrats for me and to keep an eye on Dakota.

[Mike]

Dang KP... you tell a purdy story!

I had a blast. Even if we wouldn't have caught that hog, it was good to get out and visit with you and Marty again. The kids also had fun, Brooke was out as soon as we hit the highway.

That water sure was cold and the long ride back to the trucks didn't help any.

Whenever y'all are ready to do it again... just holler!

[kp]

Same conditions on our ride home.


Not shown in the photo is Marty's daughter Michelle, who was the first one to pass out.

kp

[kp]

"kp's got the camera!"  Not bad for my still photo audition, eh?

kp

[grunter_hunter1]

nice barr hog

[nothing]

that looks like a good place to hunt and thats a real good hog you got. good story good stuff.

[duece24]

what's going on??? it's the man the myth the legend...naw it's just me...lol....been so busy i haven't been able to get the dogs out any....i will tell ya'll that is a great spot that mike has there..been there a couple of times, i actually stuck my first hog there....if you are going out sun or mon holler at me i actually got some time to go hunt..plus the dogs need a good run....i was able to take the dogs out thanksgiving i think sye has got the puppy out of him(I THINK..lol)...anways just thought i holler at ya and say those are some mighty fine pigs ya stuck there....holler at me if you need or want an extra pair of hands...832-496-5261...

[jml]

Nice story,  good to see those young ones out, my son Wade always wants to go but he's still a little too young.

[Cuervo]

yeah kp that is a good place to hunt and yeah being with mike he can show everyone a thing or two, and thats great taking the kiddos along they will prbably sleep through tonight and mid day tom. huh lol and great photos also mike brooke  looks like shes ready for round two CONGRATS 

[mley1]

Mike, KP, thanks for having me and my crew out to hunt with you guys Saturday. WE HAD A BLAST!  The kids REALLY had a GREAT TIME! They were sure tuckered out on the way home.   

My nephew from Iowa has never experienced anything like hog dogging. He was talking a mile a minute when we got home. His mom and dad wanted me to say THANKS to you guys for taking him along with us. He'll have lots to tell his buddies in Iowa about the hunt. He has never rode the atv's, handled or watched dogs work, seen hogs, or touched a feral hog like he did with you guys Saturday. He experienced a bunch of firsts thanks to you guys!

And my kids. Well, what can I say. THEY LOVED IT!  They want to go AGAIN!    Only they said NEXT time I gotta get wet and not worry about them so much!     Mitch and Matthew were ready to swim the bayou to help ya'll, but I stopped them at the waters edge. One step and it woulda been over Matts head. But, they sure wanted to hit the water! 

Thanks again guy's! Huntin with ya'll is always fun!   

Here's a few more pics that ya'll might like to see.

KP and Mike floating the hog over to where we could winch him up the bank. The banks were sure steep too.



Here is a pic of where the little bayou entered the big one. The bank was 75ft-100ft up. My winch cable was 75ft and we used all of it plus about 20ft of mule tape.



Another pic of the cutters.



All the kids wanted a pic with Clifford, the catch dog.



Here is a better pic of the hogs when they came out of the woods. We watched them for several minutes before they went back into the woods and gave KP and Mike a chance to get across the bayou and put the smack down on them. Like KP said, they were about 300yrds away and gave the kids a birds eye view. And, when the dogs ran the barr out of the woods and caught the hog they were real close and got a front row seat to all the action!

[Clay]

Awesome pics ......but wheres the video sean....good looking hog i know them kids had a blast i hate it when its so thick they cant see anything that was a perfect spot for them to bay up so they could see everything as it unfolded

[Sean]

i skipped out on this one Clay(sorry about that KP and Marty). had some other stuff going on. and of course i end up regretting it, and of course i missed out on some good video oppurtunity. figures. great hog though guys!
"and of course congrats to my little tweeter(brooke) on her first hog", says her very proud uncle!! 

[longshot]

Way to go Mike and Crew!   Antoher good one goes down for the county because of good hunters and good dogs!!
Longshot