Time to step up.....

[aladatrot]

Matt,

I really think Steve got ahold of our old ranger buddy. What he's saying is just about verbatim of what that federal ranger told us the first night we set up camp this year. Remember, he was saying that we should be glad they even allow us 30 days a year because Dog Hunters (specifically) are the REASON there is a hog problem in Sam Houston.

As well, how on earth could dog hunters be expected to make more of an impact in 30 days than every tom, dick and harry sitting in the woods with a rifle for 4 months - plus trappers year round? Open it up to us 8 months of the year and see where your hog numbers go. You'd have riflemen griping that there are just "not the hogs there used to be". The whole think reeks foul.

Chip on my shoulder but Cheers anyway
M

[cward]

I have hunted the forrest for years and hate they did this no I'm pissed and think it is wrong!!!!!I have tried to follow the laws did for years but they keep taking my rights away it could get ugly!!I own property all around the forrest and could make a big hog problem but I'm not until I get real mad!!!!They might be beggen for dog hunters in a few years!!!!Them hogs are going to get bad!!!!And there as for as there deer numbers!!!!I can name about 5 guys that work on them numbers just about every night!!!!Why don't I tell on these guys well the goverment sure don't help me as a dog hunter...So why should I help them with there stupid deer!!!JMO

[Circle C]

I can name about 5 guys that work on them numbers just about every night!!!!

I am sure the poaching in that area has had a significant impact on the number of deer.  Sam Houston is some BIG woods, with very few officers available to enforce the game laws.

[cward]

Yes sir I am not a deer hunter but I know how many get killed these boy live to drink and shoot deer!!!I know for a fact they kill atleast 3 aweek out of the gov. woods!!!!There ain't a gamewarden that can catch them I don't think!!!!

[Bryant]

Paul,

Here's a study Clemson University did a few years back on the effects of running coon dogs through deer.  Not related specifically to hog hunting, but just the same...the effects of supposed dog pressure.

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/publications/pdf/raccoonimpact.pdf

[Circle C]

Bryant,

     I know you followed the thread on TB, do you recall who all posted links by chance?

[kevin]

I think it was Kelvin (SCdogman). 

[3g.southtexas]

Guys/Gals --

I just downloaded and printed several TDHA Membership Forms and will make it a personal goal to get ALL of the people that I hunt with to sign up. 
I have many friends that always want me to take them hog dogg'n and I never ask them for anything in return cause I consider them FRIENDS.
I will ensure that they become members of TDHA, since they enjoy hog dogg'n so much, and present it in the form that even if they do not hunt with dogs... that right/privilege could be depleted.

If they want to hunt with me and my dogs then all that I ask is an ANNUAL TDHA Membership Fee....

Don't sound like too much... does it?

Mike

[Eric]

There have been several people who have said the only thing that will save hog-dog hunters is "them" needing us to do a job. Saying it is a sport, hobby, or right just won't cut it.

Bryant,

     I know you followed the thread on TB, do you recall who all posted links by chance?

We found the thread on TB with the links I believe. Paul has been using it.

[Black Gold]

I renewed my membership last month and my wife joined today.   Gonna try to get some new members this weekend.

[Mike]

I just got off the phone with officer Scott a few minutes ago... not sure what to think about all of it. Hopefully this season will prove that the gun/bow hunters aren't going have a significant impact on the hog population and the dog season will be reinstated.

[Monteria]

I assume that you got pretty much the same answer that I did?

Steve

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

I got a completly differant story when I talked to Bill Adams, but he is a TPW guy, his deal was the complaints from deer hunters about hogdogs chasing deer during deer season, and that hogdogs were chasing and killing deer during the dog hunt in the forest. I asked him if he was going to guess, how often a hogdog hunter has dogs trash on deer. His answer was 50% of the time, I told him that was way high and things have change alot sence he  went hog hunting with dogs 15 yrs ago, and that no one tolerates unbroke dogs anymore.

I smell a rat in this deal, the gun hunters just got a year around season, because they made enough noise to get the doghunters run out. Seems like if they were worried about dead hogs they would let shooters and doghunters both hunt and require doghunters to kill everything they catch. There are some changes that could be made to the rules to adress the problem they have with dog hunters. Just seems like the gun hunters got together to get a year around deal for themselves at our expence. This is not over yet.

Can ya'll check on some gun hunting boards and see if there is any posting by the gun hunters on this issue.....some of them have to be talking about it and what went on.

[Sean]

i sure am sad to hear about this. we have caught some really great hogs in the SHNF over the years. just can't imagine not being able to hunt out there, it's one of the places i was first introduced to hog hunting with dogs

[Mike]

Paul, what that guy told you about the hog dogs chasing deer during deer season would be impossible... the dog season was always after the deer seasons were over.

And even during the two month dog season... you could still hunt hogs with gun or bow also. In the nine years i've hunted it, I ran into one gun hunter... so that tells me the year round season will not be utilized by gun hunters at all.

Extend the season for dog hunting, make it mandatory for the hog to be killed and you will see an impact in the hog population. As it's going to be now, I only see the hog problem growing and getting worse.

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

Yea Mike I pointed that out to him and he really did not have an answer other than hog dogs were causing a problem during deer season and were either running in from neighboring property or being hunted there when they should not have been. So I asked how was this rule change going to help that problem....well no answer. I told him I was sure the biggest impact on the deer herd was poachers, and he agreed so I said using the same logic you should cancel the deer gun season, he kinda got a kick at that because he knew, there was no answer to that. I also told him that if I was going to use some dogs to move some deer around during deer season that I would be sure they were wearing cut collars, he said he had not thought of that. They did not really think this thing out, they (who ever that includes) really just wanted the dog hunters out and are just making up some excuses. The man that I talked with was a reasonable man and I hope I gave him something to think about, until our next conversation.

If there is no baiting allowed in the forest then the gun hunters are not really going to kill any hogs. The deer/hog shooters seam to be the ones that they have used as an excuse. Dog hunters are the problem because they don't kill enough hogs, in a 30 day season. The state and fed biologist are my bet as the culprits in this mess, betting they are anti dog hunters and got this pushed through.

[cward]

Good job Paul thanks for what yall do!!!Stay on top of it we do care!!!Thanks again!

[matt_aggie04]

Paul I couldn't agree more as we are seeing now it is becoming a he said she said with no proof and not even a concensus on why it was cancelled.  I fear that we are never going to get a straight answer from them leaving us with an unclear taget while trying approach the powers that be. 
MG

[TrueBlueLacys]

Has anyone figured out if other groups did know about this? I know it's treading on thin ice because some people are set in their ways about the impact of hog dogs on deer, but getting another marginalized hunting group like bowhunters involved might help. I'd go to some of the larger bowhunting groups and say, "We're getting the run around, but one claim is that hog hunters weren't effective enough so they canceled our season. Have any idea how many more hogs you can catch with dogs than shoot with an arrow? If efficacy is the issue, y'all are next." Same with the coon hunters. Last time I checked a coon dog could run deer just as easily as a hog dog. And if people are still complaining after the hog season has closed, they could be next too.

Seems like such a confusing situation that we'd need strength in numbers to get a real answer or get things changed.

[Sean]

that's a very good point and idea TBL. as weird as it may sound, there is nothing like "self preservation" to drive diverse groups to stick together against a common cause...it's human nature.