hog hunting in Texas question

[buddylee]

I have an honest question not meant to start trouble. I see so many folks on here talking about hogs in Texas running. I was watching some the American Hoggers shows I've recorded and one show in particular got my attention. The episode in Louisiana where the hogs wouldn't stop for their dogs. They talked about about how their dogs were not used to the terrain. To me the problem was the hogs were running and wouldn't stop and their dogs weren't rough enough when they did stop. They talk about hunting on 40000 acre ranches. Do the hogs on that size ranch not get dogged enough to run ? Is this all in the editing ? What am I missing ?

[KevinN]

Your gonna get your people saying that the show is staged. That's fine, I'm sure it is. A big problem would be the terrain though. Dogs use to running mesquite and cedar pasture, open terrain, etc. are gonna face challenges in east Texas or Louisiana they are not use to. I can see that being a big issue.

[younghogdogger.]

X2 on the terrain being so open were they usually hunt so the dogs wasnt used to the tickets

[arrowbar]

another issue you have is fight or flight, bay style of dogs, terrain and endurance that all factor in, some animals will high tail it reguardless of the situation, others will fight, some will do mixtures of it. I have been on some bear that just wont tree, and some that the race is really really short, some hogs will run and run, others will bay.

[T-Bob Parker]

What I can't understand for the life of me is why people think gritty dogs will stop a runner or that loose dogs are the ticket. I don't grit or lack of has any merit at all. I've had both and had had problems with not getting a hog stopped with both types.

They key is good dogs vs sorry ones.

I know a few dogs fast and gritty as they come that ain't no hog dog. And by the same token while I don't want gritty dogs chewing up a hog, I know one gritty Ol gal who is among the most talented dogs in Texas, don't care who disagrees.

A good dog who knows what to do with a hog is hard to come by and so everybody wants to get on these gritty or loose debates when in reality we need to regognise a sorry dog when we see one and vice versa.


Sorry.  carry on now. I just had some steam that needed blowin

[W-tate]

well said t bob     its all about the dogs   dont matter how gritty  or loose   its how smart the dog is

[BOBDOG]

Interesting topic, loose or gritty is not as important as finesse. For years I hunted gritty dogs with finesse.
They stopped hogs and kept them stopped. Either caught out or bayed (big hogs in bad spots) but they were rough with a purpose. Then I had a loose baying red tick once that could keep a hog stopped all by her self.
She was a master of her style. She would grab a$$ if needed but then she would back off to, and hogs just seemed to settle.

[DSmith]

Not to say good or bad about their dogs, but Lea hit the nail square on the head when she said the dogs weren't used to the new terrain, as if being dropped on another planet.  Very true.  We forget, dogs senses are many time greater than ours in every way.  So a dog that is used to the sights and smells of one place, when suddenly dumped out in another, it would be like dropping them on another planet.

My dogs aren't used to that much water.  I've taken them to east Texas, basically Lousiana, and they didn't hunt worth a darn.  They hated that much water and didn't know what to do. Then a buddy of mine brought his dogs from Lousiana and we went down to a 7000 acre ranch near Dilley and his dogs didn't hunt worth a darn.  It was bone dry, sand & cactus, nothing like what they are used to.  Everything smelled different, it looked different, and they came out of the brush at the end of the day loaded with thorns.  He was disgusted and I thought he was gonna shoot the dogs.  It wasn't their fault, they were really good dogs back home.  They just didn't have time to adjust to the new environment. 
Same as when I get an older dog, and I usually get mine from Lousiana or further east.  It takes at least 6 - 8 weeks for them to get used to the area and the way that we hunt.  For that first 4 weeks, I'm lucky if they will wander around my back yard, much less go look for a hog.  Then about that 6th week, WHAM, they start coming around and get back to hunting.

So it surprised me none to see the dogs acting odd and not getting the hogs stopped.  You go from desert to swamp in 24 hours and expect them to hunt like they always have?  Not likely. 
And going on horseback and jeep, through the swamp?  To me, that was the dumbest part of all.  4 wheelers or utvs are the way to go, then long sleeve shirts to make it through the briars.
 
I just want Lea to join my team.  I promise I won't cuss her and she can call all the shots for all I'd care.   

[T-Bob Parker]

I don't know, maybe there's something what your saying. Ive got a red dog who's a good dog round here but when I take him on a road trip it throws him for a loop

BUT, Ive got a few others that I've taken al over the state and no matter what type of ground their on, they don't forget what a hog smells like.

I've had to be real honest with myself an recognize that the super talented red dog just doesn't have what those other two do.

Like I said earlier, learn to be honest in your own head no matter what others think and act accordingly.

[DSmith]

BUT, Ive got a few others that I've taken al over the state and no matter what type of ground their on, they don't forget what a hog smells like.

I wonder if it's their exposure to other places, that has taught them to adapt quicker?

Kinda like a football player playing on the road in front of a huge, rowdy crowd for the first time.  With each game, it gets easier and less of a shock to them. 

[firemedic]

What I can't understand for the life of me is why people think gritty dogs will stop a runner or that loose dogs are the ticket. I don't grit or lack of has any merit at all. I've had both and had had problems with not getting a hog stopped with both types.

They key is good dogs vs sorry ones.

X 2.......glad to see another hunter who feels the same way as I do about this.