Beginner hog hunter. What type of dogs? Advice needed.

[delta hunter]

I am going to get my first pack of dogs in the near future and am needing some advice. I have been hog hunting with friends over the last 7 or 8 years. One group I go with runs plott hounds, curr, and walker crosses that are mainly bay dogs. They will catch a hog around 50lbs or less and anything bigger they will send a catch dog. The thing i dont like about this is dogs often get too far apart and we spend half the day going after dogs, and a couple times the bay has busted when the catch dog is sent to the bay. Is this just the group of dogs or common with hunting this way. The other group I go with runs catahoula, curr, and plott hound crosses that are more rough dogs. They will bay and catch the hog with no problem once several dogs are there to help catch the hog. The thing I dont like about this is it seems like the dogs dont hunt out far enough from the atvs and some dogs are just help dogs and wont hunt on their own. Once again, is this just the group of dogs? The reason I'm asking this is because if I ask them about it they make up excuses about the dogs and dont want to admit if they have a few bad dogs in the pack.

[KevinN]

IMO - your pretty much dead on. There are dogs that range WAY out...and dogs that hunt close.
There can be issues (negatives) with each. I've seen a really good hound cross, I mean he flat out hunted...had great bottom, but...he would leave the other dogs behind and cause issues because of it. The pack didn't fit this dog.

I would say a lot of your decision should be based on your location...the terrain you hunt and the hog population. Of course...we're out there to enjoy ourselves and our dogs as well...who wants to hunt behind a dog they don't like and a style they would rather not indulge in.

In the end...it's whatever makes you happy.

[justincorbell]

you will likely get a different answer from every person that posts on this thread. No matter the breed or background, you will have culls....there's no way around it, granted some lines of dogs will produce more good pups than others but thats all irrelevant now. If I were in your shoes I would try to hunt with as many different groups and styles of hunters and dogs as you can, then sit back and decide what style of hunting fits you best (roading, casting, winding etc etc) then decided what it is you like best and what you like least in a hunting dog,once you have decided on what you want to start hunting then put in the time/work blood sweat and tears and prove that you are in it for the long haul and want good dogs, more times than not when someone with dogs dogs see's that you are dedicated and in it for the right reasons you will have dogs fall into your lap. Good luck and happy huntin, there's alot of good people on this site with YEARS and YEARS of experience and knowledge to bring to the table......then theres the guys that will act like they have years and years of experience that are still wet behind the ears and talk out their rears lol.  Bottom line is take the time to really think out exactly what you want out of a dog and you will be way ahead of the game before you ever spend a buck on a pup.

[Easttex91]

From someone who is wet behind the ears still I'd say don't go buying a whole bunch of puppies yet. If you have plenty of friends who hunt as often as you'd like to you might be alright getting a dog or two that is ready to start and hunting behind their dogs. If not take the time and $$$$ to buy you a dog finding his own hogs already. A good dog usually costs a fortune but raising 346 puppies till you get one you like ain't cheap either.

Just what I think though.

[justincorbell]

From someone who is wet behind the ears still I'd say don't go buying a whole bunch of puppies yet. If you have plenty of friends who hunt as often as you'd like to you might be alright getting a dog or two that is ready to start and hunting behind their dogs. If not take the time and $$$$ to buy you a dog finding his own hogs already. A good dog usually costs a fortune but raising 346 puppies till you get one you like ain't cheap either.

Just what I think though.

Hit the nail on the head josh.

[delta hunter]

Thanks for the responses. Most of the time they ride rodes and game pick up trails and let the hogs hunt through the woods and the rodes while we ride behind them. Sometimes they will walk the dogs themselves through cutovers etc. Another question is about how much would a few good dogs cost that hunt and find hogs themselves cost? I was thinking about getting some finished dogs and working with there pups in the long run.

[Easttex91]

Thanks for the responses. Most of the time they ride rodes and game pick up trails and let the hogs hunt through the woods and the rodes while we ride behind them. Sometimes they will walk the dogs themselves through cutovers etc. Another question is about how much would a few good dogs cost that hunt and find hogs themselves cost? I was thinking about getting some finished dogs and working with there pups in the long run.

That's the million dollar question lol hunt high and low and don't buy anything without seeing it hunt. To me $800-1200$ is a good price for a good not great dog but that's just what I see myself spending on one. I guess the real question you gotta ask is what can I pay for one.

[Shotgun wg]

Delta hunter what type areas are u gonna hunt? This is a important question. I hunt fields a lot. For me I don't need dogs that cast 1000 yards. If mine get out 2 to 300 that's plenty. Most of the time I can pick up a track or wind from the turnrow. In this situation a dog that will get out 100 yards will do the job. Also where I hunt there are lots of runners. I have seen guys with decent rough dogs catch more hogs in this place than jam up bay dogs. For instance I went with a guy in some river bottoms and watched his dogs bay hog after hog and be able to walk in put a catch dog on em and it was a done deal. The same guy brought the same dogs to where I hunt. Got on a hog in a few minutes spent the rest of the night chasing the dogs. Hog would bay for a min then break before we got anywhere near close. He hunted on this place 4 or 5 times and never failed to get on a hog but never managed to get one either. Personally in my situation I believe rough dogs catch more hogs but rough dogs also have a shorter life span.

[delta hunter]

I will be hunting mainly hunting clubs/farmland with CRP fields, cutovers, canebrakes, and just plane ol thickets. I have been on hunts when we have runners then sometimes they will run 100 yards and not a yard further. I have thought about maybe getting 1 or 2 strictly bay dog with a good nose and hunts long range just for those slow days when the hogs are not moving much, but that is if I decide to go with a pack of rough dogs. These are just ideas though, not sure what I want to do yet.

[Shotgun wg]

In woods IMO a dog that cast farther is a plus loose is also a plus due to the fact it may be a lot farther walk to get to them or creeks or other obstacles that might slow u down. Crop and crp combo's tend to either allow faster or less restricted access in this case the previous dogs will work but so will short range rough dogs. If I had my ideal pack for the type hunting u are gonna be doing I would have 2 or 3 loose long range dogs and 2 or 3 rough as a corn cob dogs and hunt them however needed or according to situation. If I was u trying to run one set of dogs I would go with mid range dogs that were gritty but not real rough. Cat cur crosses should fit the bill. Straight curr's would probly also do the job. I would be looking for dogs that will work in that 300 range with a lot of bottom. I probly didn't help but u hunt in the same type areas I do and this is the type I would want if we didn't have so many track stars.

[M Bennet]

get u some hood dogs if yur driving alot

[TexasHogDogs]

Only you can anwser that question.  No one else can anwser it .  You are the one that is going to have to decide what kind of dogs you want and which way you are going to hunt long - med -short same goes for the ruff catchy kind are the back off bay kind.

There is a lot of different opinions on what short is and what long is .  My dogs hunt out to 1000 yds and all inbetween most the time .  Thats long to me because of the proptery I hunt and I myself dont see any sense in having any longer ranged dogs .  A true 1000 yd is a long long way and a whole lotta ground to cover when its a circle around you in all directions.  If you are in the pigs and your dogs cannot find them in this space you might as well hang it up any way know what I mean .  Then you got to allow for the chase if you got long range back off bay dogs so the dogs may go another mile are two before the hog wears out and they bay .  I dont want to run em till their lungs pop.  I want to catch them in a reasonable amount of land .  So you going to have to anwser that question only you know what you really want .

Its a never ending question that only you can anwser.

[Irondog87]

Best luck we have had is loose dogs that are only gritty when they see a hogs back side. If it turns they should grab some a$$ till he stops then get back and bay!! Thats in a perfect world though. We have runners 90% of the time here where I hunt so if ur dogs are too loose the hog will jus slow run for miles and miles! Literally!! It's always good to have a suited up(vest and collar) running catch dog that loves to catch 200# hogs and down but will get rough with the big one till it stops. I am a firm believer in catch dogs as well, a jam up strike dog is a lot harder to find then a suicidal catchdog that can seal the deal. Plus the catch dog is suited up for getting cut. A lot depends on the dog, every dog is different even every breed. I've seen loose and rough curs as well as hounds. I have a redtick that will catch 200# or less but he is smart about it. Best dog I ever had was mid range and only rough if the hog turned, she bayed loose as ever. This dog would NOT bay in a pen for her life, she was 100% woods dog. I've seen to many people ruin great dogs from putting them in a pen and showing the dog that all it has to do is bay. Train for wut u want and always buy a finished dog in the woods:)

[KevinN]

Best luck we have had is loose dogs that are only gritty when they see a hogs back side. If it turns they should grab some a$$ till he stops then get back and bay!! Thats in a perfect world though. We have runners 90% of the time here where I hunt so if ur dogs are too loose the hog will jus slow run for miles and miles! Literally!! It's always good to have a suited up(vest and collar) running catch dog that loves to catch 200# hogs and down but will get rough with the big one till it stops. I am a firm believer in catch dogs as well, a jam up strike dog is a lot harder to find then a suicidal catchdog that can seal the deal. Plus the catch dog is suited up for getting cut. A lot depends on the dog, every dog is different even every breed. I've seen loose and rough curs as well as hounds. I have a redtick that will catch 200# or less but he is smart about it. Best dog I ever had was mid range and only rough if the hog turned, she bayed loose as ever. This dog would NOT bay in a pen for her life, she was 100% woods dog. I've seen to many people ruin great dogs from putting them in a pen and showing the dog that all it has to do is bay.

Putting a dog in a pen DOES NOT show it all it has to do is bay!! Come on man!! A dog will either put his mouth on a hog or he won't...a pen has nothing to do with it. You think competition dogs don't put their mouths on hogs?! Think again.

[boone823]

Bottom line it all depends on your style of hunting. If you have been hunting with your buddies you should know what style suits you. Hunt with some more people and find a line that you like. There is no right or wrong answer just what works for you.

[delta hunter]

Once again thanks for the responses. Does anybody have some good websites to find some dogs (bay or rough dogs). Wanting to look around on the internet ( if i can find any websites) before I drive any where.

[halfbreed]

   go to the bayed solid web site and get in the classifieds , it will take you to bay dogs .com might find someone close to you , since i don't think we got no delta's in texas  lol  just four words of advice to give        TRY BEFORE YOU BUY   that is all  .  good luck with it !!

[crackerc]

Get you some Blue spotted dogs and a Dogo......then you can be a REAL internet hog hunter.......

Just kidding. Like someone else said, there are all types of dogs out there. Just depends on your hunting style and where you hunt. My advice is to go hunt with several different people/types of dogs ad pick the type of dogs you like best. After all, you are going to be hunting them and buying the feed!

[cantexduck]

Best luck we have had is loose dogs that are only gritty when they see a hogs back side. If it turns they should grab some a$$ till he stops then get back and bay!! Thats in a perfect world though. We have runners 90% of the time here where I hunt so if ur dogs are too loose the hog will jus slow run for miles and miles! Literally!! It's always good to have a suited up(vest and collar) running catch dog that loves to catch 200# hogs and down but will get rough with the big one till it stops. I am a firm believer in catch dogs as well, a jam up strike dog is a lot harder to find then a suicidal catchdog that can seal the deal. Plus the catch dog is suited up for getting cut. A lot depends on the dog, every dog is different even every breed. I've seen loose and rough curs as well as hounds. I have a redtick that will catch 200# or less but he is smart about it. Best dog I ever had was mid range and only rough if the hog turned, she bayed loose as ever. This dog would NOT bay in a pen for her life, she was 100% woods dog. I've seen to many people ruin great dogs from putting them in a pen and showing the dog that all it has to do is bay.

Putting a dog in a pen DOES NOT show it all it has to do is bay!! Come on man!! A dog will either put his mouth on a hog or he won't...a pen has nothing to do with it. You think competition dogs don't put their mouths on hogs?! Think again.

  A woods dog has no reason to be worked in a pen. I really think working a dog in a pen affects it's hunting. I have a female that would not touch a 50 pig in the woods. Put her in a pen and she turns into a catch dog. I had her in a pen to help get a pup to bay. I used her because she is my loosest dog. Forget a pen. The last thing I would judge a hunting dog on is how they do in a bay pen.

[Irondog87]

Kevin. Taking a dog to see if it has interest is one thing ( nothing wrong with that) but repeatedly taking one will ruin it! I've even done it. Made my dog short range and wouldn't use it's nose. Wouldn't hunt, I'm guessing because he expected me to find the pig for him (like walking one up to a bay pen a saying here's the hog, now bay) guess I should've put "IMO". I have two pups five months old that will bay any hog in a pen but that was to gain interest. Ill never put them back in a pen again. Only woods from here on out. I've seen they have all the interest they need now jus to see if they will make strike dogs or not. Not every dog will be finished no matter how hard u train them. Some jus don't have it. Not trying to say one mans training is wrong by no means. But "IMO" over use of a baypen CAN ruin the chances of a dog becoming a strike dog.