Old timers...

[RyanTBH]

I would really like the mods, experianced, and old timers to chime in on this one. I would love to hear some of the best advice ya'll could give to a semi  started hog dogger. Also good old pictures and favorite stories would be cool too...

[SCHitemHard]

same here, any advice, old learning shots and things yall would pass on 

[southtexasdogger]

Im not that old (42)but I've been around the block.
The 1st advise Id give a newby is to to learn how to take care of your dogs.Not just feed and water.
Your dogs are the connecting point between you and the hogs you seek.
I've seen way to many times young hunters spend alot of money on dogs and they don't take care of the dogs and wonder why they wont hunt for them.
1st-Learn how to take care of a dog! If you don't know than ask there are plenty of folks on here that will help.
2nd-Find someone that hunts dogs that you respect and spend as much time in the woods with them as you can.
      Even if all you are doing is draggin pigs at first Knowledge is priceless.
3rd-SLOW down let your dogs have a chance to work out a track, just because you drove a strike dog around a mott and nothing happend does'nt mean there is'nt hogs there you have to be patient enough to let your dogs work.

Just my 2 cents.

[pigrig]

pig hunting isn't like other hobbies you've got to be commited you can't put your dogs in the deep freeze and pull them out when u feel the need for a hunt.have some patience, be prepared to wear out some boots,and enjoy the journey

[S_J_KENNELS]

1st-Learn how to take care of a dog! If you don't know than ask there are plenty of folks on here that will help.
2nd-Find someone that hunts dogs that you respect and spend as much time in the woods with them as you can.
      Even if all you are doing is draggin pigs at first Knowledge is priceless.
3rd-SLOW down let your dogs have a chance to work out a track, just because you drove a strike dog around a mott and nothing happend does'nt mean there is'nt hogs there you have to be patient enough to let your dogs work.

Just my 2 cents.

X 2

[ED BARNES]

MY HUNTIN PARTNER IS 78, HE TEACHES ME THE OLD WAYS AN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I TEACH HIM A NEW WAY. THERE IS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE IN OLD DOG MEN IF YOULL LISTEN

[OWL Black Mouth Curs]

i'm not an old timer, but here are a few pieces of advice anyways...

#1 - do not bring a dog home until you have the proper facilities to confine it...
       pens and kennels need to be dog proof and easy to clean... dogs are known to be diggers, climbers, wire chewers, gate openers,
       and the list goes on, make sure your pens/kennels accomodate these dog behaviors... if you have a chain setup, set it up      
       proper.  that means quality chain, snaps, swivels, collars etc. it must be tangle free, with access to a non-spillable source of
       water.  shade is also a must during summer. check and maintain your chains and snaps and replace as needed. double
       collar/double snap collar slippers. it does not take reading many post to see where gyps get accidently bred, dogs get into fights,
       or get out and get hit on the highway. though, sometimes it doesn't matter how well you prepare yourself or think you are    
       prepared these things happen regardless.  a quality setup will minimize heartaches and headaches down the road. if you are set
       up to keep five dogs safely, do not bring home number six, seven, and eight, until you are setup to keep and use them proper.

#2- know and learn your dog's behaviors. know which of your dogs are growly, know when your gyps are expected to cycle and what
      to look for and expect when they do... all gyps are different, so know the dogs you are feeding. there are no reasons to NOT
      know your dogs' personalities.  knowing and learning these things will keep your dogs out of trouble on the yard further down the
      road, becuase you knew better to begin with...

#3- use them. if you want to hunt hogs with dogs, get out and hunt. there are NO substitutes to making your dogs better hog dogs.
      you have to hunt them.
      
 these are just a few pointers. i have learned quite a bit through trial and error, and i have learned quite a bit by observing others' triumphs and failures. if you pay enough attention you will learn something about yourself and your dogs everyday, one of these ways or the other.  happy hunting...

[Boar Collector]

pig hunting isn't like other hobbies you've got to be commited you can't put your dogs in the deep freeze and pull them out when u feel the need for a hunt.have some patience, be prepared to wear out some boots,and enjoy the journey

I like this a lot! Thank you

[RyanTBH]

Im not that old (42)but I've been around the block.
The 1st advise Id give a newby is to to learn how to take care of your dogs.Not just feed and water.
Your dogs are the connecting point between you and the hogs you seek.
I've seen way to many times young hunters spend alot of money on dogs and they don't take care of the dogs and wonder why they wont hunt for them.
1st-Learn how to take care of a dog! If you don't know than ask there are plenty of folks on here that will help.
2nd-Find someone that hunts dogs that you respect and spend as much time in the woods with them as you can.
      Even if all you are doing is draggin pigs at first Knowledge is priceless.
3rd-SLOW down let your dogs have a chance to work out a track, just because you drove a strike dog around a mott and nothing happend does'nt mean there is'nt hogs there you have to be patient enough to let your dogs work.

Just my 2 cents.

#1-Check... (Plenty of big boars have made this be real and necessary) #2-Check... (Blakebh is my lifelong friend, might not know everything, but was taught by some pretty good doggers. I listen and watch everything that he does) #3 is the stickler... I like this and have brought it up multiple times. We move quick with our dogs because they are gritty and ballzy as he!!. If we don't stay on their butts, WHEN they get caught on a big boar we have to be there quick. So I'm honestly trying to find the easy medium in this one... Thanks for the tips!

[RyanTBH]

pig hunting isn't like other hobbies you've got to be commited you can't put your dogs in the deep freeze and pull them out when u feel the need for a hunt.have some patience, be prepared to wear out some boots,and enjoy the journey

I like this too! They are in the woods every weekend. Sometimes durring the week if we get calls from land owners. I'd like to go everyday!!!  Thanks for your input!

[RyanTBH]

MY HUNTIN PARTNER IS 78, HE TEACHES ME THE OLD WAYS AN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I TEACH HIM A NEW WAY. THERE IS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE IN OLD DOG MEN IF YOULL LISTEN

Ed, we need to get together after I get healed up! Drifter seems to be doing good for you... I would like to see the progress in person and in the woods!  I like that you put in this that you teach "new" ways of doing things too. There is always more than one way to skin a cat! 

[RyanTBH]

i'm not an old timer, but here are a few pieces of advice anyways...

#1 - do not bring a dog home until you have the proper facilities to confine it...
       pens and kennels need to be dog proof and easy to clean... dogs are known to be diggers, climbers, wire chewers, gate openers,
       and the list goes on, make sure your pens/kennels accomodate these dog behaviors... if you have a chain setup, set it up      
       proper.  that means quality chain, snaps, swivels, collars etc. it must be tangle free, with access to a non-spillable source of
       water.  shade is also a must during summer. check and maintain your chains and snaps and replace as needed. double
       collar/double snap collar slippers. it does not take reading many post to see where gyps get accidently bred, dogs get into fights,
       or get out and get hit on the highway. though, sometimes it doesn't matter how well you prepare yourself or think you are    
       prepared these things happen regardless.  a quality setup will minimize heartaches and headaches down the road. if you are set
       up to keep five dogs safely, do not bring home number six, seven, and eight, until you are setup to keep and use them proper.

#2- know and learn your dog's behaviors. know which of your dogs are growly, know when your gyps are expected to cycle and what
      to look for and expect when they do... all gyps are different, so know the dogs you are feeding. there are no reasons to NOT
      know your dogs' personalities.  knowing and learning these things will keep your dogs out of trouble on the yard further down the
      road, becuase you knew better to begin with...

#3- use them. if you want to hunt hogs with dogs, get out and hunt. there are NO substitutes to making your dogs better hog dogs.
      you have to hunt them.
      
 these are just a few pointers. i have learned quite a bit through trial and error, and i have learned quite a bit by observing others' triumphs and failures. if you pay enough attention you will learn something about yourself and your dogs everyday, one of these ways or the other.  happy hunting...

These are two points that I found out the hard way. One from my wife, and the other from walking out and having gyp stuck to my lead strike dog. When I was getting started I’d jump on a dog that was a good prospect. Didn’t realize what I was getting myself into at the time… but I knew my wife wasn’t happy and let me know too! LOL! Now that I have been through a few dogs I know “kinda” what I’m looking for, and what I’m NOT looking for. This has been one he!! Of a learning experience and is continuing to be that way still. There is so much information on this sport, hobby, and way of life it is ridiculous; and this board is the main source. Well thought out chain set ups are one of my pet peeves… and even when you think that everything is the way you want it there is still a possibility of it messing up. The dogs I am still learning because even knowing a dog for 17 years like I have she’ll still throw out a surprise or too. I need to get me a calendar to mark my gyps cycles on, and worming routines down. That is a good one, and I will deff be taking that one down in the memory banks. I am always analyzing the dogs, so I’m off to a good start I guess. It seems to be the norm that there is always something else to learn though. AND last, the dog being in the woods, for now, isn’t a problem. They get hunted regularly, and fortunately get put on quite a few hogs, IMO. I am grateful that I have friends/partners that will hunt my dogs in my absence. Thank you for your good points and input.

[RyanTBH]

Ok guys, I was really hoping to get some more tips, stories, and just old timers input! Thanks to y'all that have already done so, I appreciate the advice!

[ED BARNES]

TERPINTINE CURS EVERYTHING!

[RyanTBH]

TERPINTINE CURS EVERYTHING!

LOL! Please explain a little more...

[ED BARNES]

MEANT CURES NOT CURS!

[geronimo]

ryan tbh, im not an old timer and i havent been hog dog hunting but abt 6 yrs. but i thinu will b sucsessful because u seem willing to learn, and apply what works for u. 1 thing i have done is b quiet and listen to your eyes, cause they dont tickle your ears, another words seeing is beliving and anyone can talk b.s. but when u see methods and different ways things r done u can b the judge if it will work 4 u. another thing i agree with is stick by your dogs through it all if u care enough to feed them and hunt them then be prepared to go to war with them and for them, and above all have fun cause if its not fun to u then u wont last long...good hunting and i belive u will be catching hogs for a long time man.

[RyanTBH]

MEANT CURES NOT CURS!

So are you refering to things like Mange and skik stuff, or what? sorry, but I'm still confused. You can PM me if that's better. This is exactly the type of info I am looking for though.

[RyanTBH]

ryan tbh, im not an old timer and i havent been hog dog hunting but abt 6 yrs. but i thinu will b sucsessful because u seem willing to learn, and apply what works for u. 1 thing i have done is b quiet and listen to your eyes, cause they dont tickle your ears, another words seeing is beliving and anyone can talk b.s. but when u see methods and different ways things r done u can b the judge if it will work 4 u. another thing i agree with is stick by your dogs through it all if u care enough to feed them and hunt them then be prepared to go to war with them and for them, and above all have fun cause if its not fun to u then u wont last long...good hunting and i belive u will be catching hogs for a long time man.

Thank you very much for those kind words of wisdom. I am trying my best to cram as much knowledge from this board as I possibly can, and I am hoping more "old timers" chime into this post to help me out. I am so passionate about this life style, and I want to get involved in as much as I possibly can. I deff stick with my dogs… heck, I have been putting so much effort into getting my Diablo back up and healthy enough to hunt again, even with one leg missing. I know he still has it in him, and you can see it on his face and in his eyes. I know that no matter what, even if they are getting cut to hell, I am going to be right behind them giving it hell too. If they are going to put their life on the line for me, I will do the same for them, and I think that combination will keep us both as healthy as possible. Thanks again for your input Geronimo!

[OCD]

Im not that old (42)but I've been around the block.
The 1st advise Id give a newby is to to learn how to take care of your dogs.Not just feed and water.
Your dogs are the connecting point between you and the hogs you seek.
I've seen way to many times young hunters spend alot of money on dogs and they don't take care of the dogs and wonder why they wont hunt for them.
1st-Learn how to take care of a dog! If you don't know than ask there are plenty of folks on here that will help.
2nd-Find someone that hunts dogs that you respect and spend as much time in the woods with them as you can.
      Even if all you are doing is draggin pigs at first Knowledge is priceless.
3rd-SLOW down let your dogs have a chance to work out a track, just because you drove a strike dog around a mott and nothing happend does'nt mean there is'nt hogs there you have to be patient enough to let your dogs work.


good advice
Just my 2 cents.