Awesome Weekend- Gator Country Hunt

[TShelly]

We hunted the Gator Country tournament this year. The team was Van Dorn, Cward, Murray, Jake & Mathew Fernandez. Marshall, JJ, Clint & I were helpers along with Rowdy & Loretta. When we called up there to sign up, the lady told Erik that the number of teams to sign up this year was down 30% because not everyone was agreeing with the new  rules. We decided to go ahead and enter since we had a good place to hunt and would be hunting anyway.

Friday night Boogie, Jett & Sally had a pig killing party until 1am when they finally got everything caught.

Saturday morning with heavy eyelids &  everyone dragging their feet we struck out hunting. It was going along about 10 am before the first hog was caught and from then on it was nonstop action til about 4pm. Mathew had a good bay with 2 Barrs together. It was 45 min-hour long wait before we could get a bulldog to him... Because someone forgot to take their phone with them lol. They said jakes white bulldog hit that first hog so hard, it knocked it down to his knees where the rest of the cur dogs jumped on. From there a few boys flew in and form tackled that monster. Dogs relayed a 100 yards further and bayed the other Barr, which they quickly caught. As I'm going to the dogs bayed in a mile to the north with Marshall & Chance. JJ, mathew, clint and Jake called to say they caught the two barrs that went 260# and a 326# & for us to tighten up and deliver our own bigggun. It wasn't long before we were within hearing distance of two of Mathews and one of Jakes dogs hammering down in a briar/switch cane thicket. The way they were barking we could tell it was a big hog. On the count of 3 we turned Obama and Cwards bulldog to them. The cane thicket literally  blew up like an atom bomb as this hog meets the catch dogs head on. For about 45 seconds I watched as those bulldogs faught to get a good hold. I could already see Obama was cut down good but he was still fighting to hang on to the piece if the right ear, while chance's had a gorilla hold on his nose. Finally we got him caught and tied. Only then did we realize how big the sob was. Truly a monster, Mack-daddy hog. He only had one ear and the other was cropped extremely short. Obama got it pretty bad by almost having his tail cut off and a nasty cut through the vest and up into  his chest cavity. we arnt sure how many but he has multiple broken ribs and is still touch & go. hopefully that tough daddy didn't marry mommy will pull through, but even if he does he will be out for months or more with the broken ribs. When the dust settled we had tied 14 on Saturday with 3 good Barrs, lots of sows/shoats and a few boar hogs.

Day 2
We were in sows and pigs from the start. 6-8 small hogs later it was coming on about noon and time to goto the weigh in.

We ended up winning the big Barr side pot that paid out $700.  We declined to weigh in the rest of the hogs as we could sell them for more money than turning them in. The largest Barr and smallest both went to some of our landowners for sausage


Driving home Saturday evening we sat back and reflected on everything. Even though we just caught one of the biggest hogs of our life and with 2 other man size hogs, there was still this bitter feeling of disappointment;  in having a hellacious stringer of 5 hogs we can't weigh. The three Barrs would have weighed 977# on their own.  People said that a Barr side pot would be the answer to this,  but this hunt shows you can have the side pot but still get royally screwed. Why? There was never a problem before with these tournaments;  While I don't think bad intentions were involved  with the new rules, we have clearly shown that it is inherently flawed.  This isn't some fishing tournament where the only damage you are worried about is a sun burn, or carpal tunnel syndrome from reeling the fish in. Hog hunting is real life danger for you and your dogs. At any moment it could be the end of your dogs life. Dogs can be gutted or put out for months by hogs that you can't do anything with. You don't know the feeling of total helplessness when you go through all that work of catching a huge hog live, getting him tied and out of the woods only to have him not count; not to mention your dogs being out for months after the damage they cause.  I know not everyone agrees with us. All I can ask you to do is close your eyes and imagine it is you hunting a tournament, and that's your dog getting gutted, cut down or possibly even killed by a huge hog that won't even count. How do you feel now?!?

In 3 tournaments this year we have caught a total of 8 Barr hogs and absolutely zero of them were cut and released by us or team members. That should prove that we can't help but catch whatever the dogs stop and bay.

Legal Disclaimer: these are just my opinions on the issue of tournament hunting and Barrs.

 Thanks for reading and for all the overwhelming  support from everyone else who agrees with us.

Congratulations to the winners, not trying to take anything away from them, they worked hard and caught the right hogs!! Fat boys won first, Mcvey took second and not sure about the rest

The biggest Barr weighed 401# after a 24 hour draw sitting in the trailer!!!

326 Barr



Everyone with the smallest Barr




401# Barr









 

[t.wilbanks]

Very Nice!!  Hope Obama heals up quick...

[TeJaShOgSlAyER]

Hot damn boys another real good haul! Them are some big daddy pigs for sure yal keep at it your doing what ya love and that's catching big hogs! Sucks knowing you had the weight to win it and not being able to weigh em good! Hope them dogs heal up bud!

[TShelly]

We all sat around talking about it. This hog was so old, it wouldn't have suprised any of us if he was cut 10+ years ago

[Rowdy]

Nice job and pics!!!

[BA-IV]

Great hunt guys, helluva weekend...y'all caught some studs!

[T-Bob Parker]

Tony my friend, y'all put up a stringer of winners, cuaght the hog of a lifetime and those dogs hunted their butts off. Congrats!

As far as the barrs go, it makes me sick to my stomach that all that hard work has to go to waste.

[Lance]

Congratulations to y'all on some awesome hogs! It's truly a shame that you were'nt able to weigh them in your stringer. In fact , it's a disgrace ! I have about decided that I will not hunt anymore tournaments that don't allow barrs in the STRINGER regardless of how much I like the people that put the tournament on or how big the pot and prizes. I only catch at most 4 or 5 barrs a year and have never caught one for a tournament but when I do I want to be able to weigh it in my stringer. If it's an East or Central Texas tournament then it should alow barrs because there are alot of barrs in both areas. I believe that these tournaments are wrongly giving in to pressure from Texas J and the Trail of Tears. Prime example, and  I'm sorry if it hurts some feelings. I have said several times how much I think of the guys on the Fatboy Outfitters team and how much I like their tournament. I think alot of Clayton , Abel and the rest of the guys! Some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting ! But their tournament was on the same weekend as the 3W tournament and it was the 3W's first year. The 3W had over 10 more teams and had less than half the added money in the jackpot ! I had to work but the guys on my regular team wanted to hunt the 3W because it allowed barrs. I'm a TDHA member but I will be hunting the Blake Granbury hunt next weekend because it allows barrs. The guys on my team wanted to hunt it because it allows barrs and I am with them because 3 to 1 is a majority ! The TDHA can say what it wants to but long before the 2013 tournament rules were released Texas J stated, pretty confidently, in a post that the TDHA would not allow barrs in their stringer. I believe, the only reason they are allowing one barr in the stringer is because of the pressure that was applied by all of the people that was pro BARR ! It is obvious that Texas J had already talked to the BOD and convinced them to not allow barrs or he would'nt have been so confident as to state the TDHA's stance 2 months before the rules were released.  Just for the record I would, and am sure I will, lose a tournament to some big barrs but I would rather know I lost to the biggest baddest hogs and dogs in the woods than win and know that someone got their dogs wrecked on some barrs and were'nt allowed to weigh in. I've always been a very competitive person but I would rather get my butt kicked by the baddest dude on the block than say that I won against inferior competition ! That's just the way I feel and I'm sorry if it hurts anyones feelings but there is nothing that will be done to change my mind !

[Mike]

Helluva haul my friends!

I'm with Lance on this one... why even enter?

Gator Country and TDHA both changed their rules this year against barr hogs. If everyone would take a stand and not enter... I would imagine that both contests would re-think their rules for next year.

[Ron]

X2. If I catch it I want to weigh it

[cward]

We entered theses competions to try not to be sorry sports about what all we have posted. Mike im done with the no Barr competions after this year. I will say this I did not stand by the trailer at weigh in I stood away and watched people came to our trailer and was amazed by the real trophies in the trailer. The people just had to see how big this hog was he was a one of a kind. We did not complain we accepted the prize for biggest Barr. We got congratulated on our hunt before we even weighed in. To me it was like we won but didn't get the award by the tournament. Gator country did a good job of entertaining they had alot to look at for the kids. I think gator country could be one of the best tournaments out there if it allowed barrs in the stringer.  The hunt was great. It was another great hunt with good friends. We have some great stories that we will never forget.
One good one is that we had a split bay Mfkennels and Rowdy went together to a bay Rowdy is my 12 year old boy. Neither had a phone so they were separated from us for over two hours we had no clue where they were. I was only imaging what they were into. Both are pretty head strong. We were joking on what they convinced each other to do. Lol  They showed back up in one piece.
Walking over a mile to get to the dogs baying that big Barr was a,nightmare of its own. Then getting him out was no easy chore.
Great people great times.
Congratulations to fat boys on there win.
Congratulations to Cole mcvey for there second place win. Good jobs.
Good to see everyone and meet all the New people at the gatherings.

[txhogsanddogs]

Another great hunt guys!  Hope the CD pulls threw.   

[Circle C]

Congratulations to y'all on some awesome hogs! It's truly a shame that you were'nt able to weigh them in your stringer. In fact , it's a disgrace ! I have about decided that I will not hunt anymore tournaments that don't allow barrs in the STRINGER regardless of how much I like the people that put the tournament on or how big the pot and prizes. I only catch at most 4 or 5 barrs a year and have never caught one for a tournament but when I do I want to be able to weigh it in my stringer. If it's an East or Central Texas tournament then it should alow barrs because there are alot of barrs in both areas. I believe that these tournaments are wrongly giving in to pressure from Texas J and the Trail of Tears. Prime example, and  I'm sorry if it hurts some feelings. I have said several times how much I think of the guys on the Fatboy Outfitters team and how much I like their tournament. I think alot of Clayton , Abel and the rest of the guys! Some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting ! But their tournament was on the same weekend as the 3W tournament and it was the 3W's first year. The 3W had over 10 more teams and had less than half the added money in the jackpot ! I had to work but the guys on my regular team wanted to hunt the 3W because it allowed barrs. I'm a TDHA member but I will be hunting the Blake Granbury hunt next weekend because it allows barrs. The guys on my team wanted to hunt it because it allows barrs and I am with them because 3 to 1 is a majority ! The TDHA can say what it wants to but long before the 2013 tournament rules were released Texas J stated, pretty confidently, in a post that the TDHA would not allow barrs in their stringer. I believe, the only reason they are allowing one barr in the stringer is because of the pressure that was applied by all of the people that was pro BARR ! It is obvious that Texas J had already talked to the BOD and convinced them to not allow barrs or he would'nt have been so confident as to state the TDHA's stance 2 months before the rules were released.  Just for the record I would, and am sure I will, lose a tournament to some big barrs but I would rather know I lost to the biggest baddest hogs and dogs in the woods than win and know that someone got their dogs wrecked on some barrs and were'nt allowed to weigh in. I've always been a very competitive person but I would rather get my butt kicked by the baddest dude on the block than say that I won against inferior competition ! That's just the way I feel and I'm sorry if it hurts anyones feelings but there is nothing that will be done to change my mind !

X2

[MFKennels]

Lol Chance we went to my 3 dogs bayed and they had a nice boar hog bayed. Maybe 250lbs but he kept on walking with the dogs. Ask rowdy about it. We were trying to get up close enough to rope him but he kept braking. Rowdy was telling me that we should go ahead and jump on him. I started laughing and i told him to call your dad and he said with what? He said i dont have my phone.

[cantexduck]

 Good hogs ! That is one big barr.


      Hope the bulldog makes a good recovery

[cward]

Lol Chance we went to my 3 dogs bayed and they had a nice boar hog bayed. Maybe 250lbs but he kept on walking with the dogs. Ask rowdy about it. We were trying to get up close enough to rope him but he kept braking. Rowdy was telling me that we should go ahead and jump on him. I started laughing and i told him to call your dad and he said with what? He said i dont have my phone.

You got to watch that boy. If he can get close he will make a move even if its the wrong move.lol I knew there would be some talking going on between ya'll two. He is a mighty fine hand I just have to becareful with him he will catch a big hog with no help. For the people who don't know Rowdy he weighs 85 pounds thinks he is 10 foot tall and bullet proof.

[BM]

Chance why do y'all won't to give away those barr's at a tournament? I hope y'all stay away from my neck of the woods.I have cuaght 2 over 300 and turned them back because i don't need them to eat.I cut alot of hogs every year.

[matt_aggie04]

Bull of the woods right there!  Great job and a lot of hard work right there, now y'all quite giving them your money, they will get the picture when nobody enters. Until then your just supporting their cause. Can't complain about the team and keep buying tickets to watch em play.

[cward]

Chance why do y'all won't to give away those barr's at a tournament? I hope y'all stay away from my neck of the woods.I have cuaght 2 over 300 and turned them back because i don't need them to eat.I cut alot of hogs every year.

We only turn them in at a tournament. The two barrs that could not be turned in we made sausage out of both.

[Caney Creek Hog Doggers]

To all of you who won't enter contest because they don't except barrs!!

I believe that just goes to show how much you need barrs to win a contest. If you cannot go hunting in a spot that does not have barrs and catch real hogs that can compete with everyone else then sell your dogs and Please find another hobby. Stop trying to blame all the ppl who have eliminated barrs from contest, it's not there fault they have real dogs that can compete in a hunt without having to worm there way to the leader boards by catching barrs that naturally should have nuts and weigh alot less. If you think I'm wrong by saying this think again, not everyone has barrs on their hunting spots but I do believe everyone does have boars. So if you don't want to get involved in contest that don't allow barrs then apparently you can't hang with the real hog hunters. Sry to be that harsh but this has been talked about way to much on here. I'm not calling anybody out or trying to make anybody look bad just shedding a little light. These contest are supposed to be so dog and man can compete FAIRLY against other hunters without having to cheat to beat everyone else. If you don't think that is cheating then go rob a store cuz apparently stealing is ok also !!