Sharing tips to help catch more hogs.

We had a really good post a couple days ago about our expectations for pups and young dogs that was directed towards helping newer hunters. I think it would nice to share some things we have learned over the years that helps us catch more hogs. It may be some observation that you have made of their travel patterns or maybe something that an old hog hunter taught you about hogs or dogs that has helped you catch more hogs. We are never to old or experienced to learn something new and it will help old and new hunters.

I catch alot of good boars on two or three day old rooting. I believe this is because big dominant boars do not stay with the sounder unless there is a sow in heat at that time. I think that they stay 1 or 2 days behind and wait for a sow to come in heat. Even if there is a sow in heat the younger boars and older boars that are'nt dominant any more are cold trailing the sounder just waiting for the main man to slip up so they can sneak in. Like I said I never pass up semi old rootings and it pays off alot of the time.

Another thing that I've learned about hog rootings is that some times it can be hard to find hogs off of extremely fresh rootings, especially in wet soil that holds sent for along time. I'm talking about big sounders with lots of hogs. A good older strike dog can usually work it out but it can be very frustrating for a young dog. I've seen other hunters and been guilty myself of getting mad at a young dog because they could'nt figure out which direction the hogs went. It's not because they don't have a good nose. It's because they have a good nose and there is just to much fresh hog sent around for them to line it out. It's not good for a young dogs confidence to let them work it until they give up and quit. I'll let my older dogs figure it out. If I'm hunting younger dogs then I'll give them about five minutes or so then I'll take them about 200 yards from the rootings and ride or walk a circle around the rootings until they pick up the sounders track as they were leaving their feeding area. It usually works and is great for a young dogs confidence. If my older dogs can't figure it out then I will do the same thing with them.

When I bay a sounder I will catch what I can before they bust. The dogs will roll out on running hogs and I will follow and catch as many as I can. But if I've got time and still feel like hunting then I will return to where the sounder busted and let the dogs work that area one more time. It does'nt always work but alot of the time I will bay another hog or two there and they are usually big hogs. Those hogs are big and old for a reason. It's because they are smart. They will lay down in some brush and let the dogs chase the young hogs while they hide. The hogs that you catch like this are usually big boars or barrs, sometimes it will be a big sow but whatever it is it will usuall be big. If you think hogs are'nt smart enough to do this then how many times have you had a big boar run until he found a bunch of sows and pigs to dump the dogs on.

I hope this helps someone to catch more hogs. Happy hunting and post something because I also like to learn from others.