If you are new to the sport please think it through

[devildawg86]

Let them "make their own bed an lie in"

at some point n life we all do,  i prefer to do lt with the lights on and having done my due diligence. I appreciate the thread for what is and will asks questions as i go and learn from my mistakes!

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

I think it all depends on how you choose to hunt, and with what tools. Over here in the swamp and the marsh, we either are in boat, or we are on our good ol' feet. No big money four wheelers or mules or any of them nice toys/conveniences. Our cost is gas money for my truck, sometimes a boat, and feed/vaccines/gear/medical supplies for our dogs. Pretty simple. Still not cheap, but definitely not in the thousands upon thousands range. Of course it accumulates over time, specifically if you're taking proper care of your dogs.

[charles]

 boats can cost as much if not more than any big money wheeler. my old $12,000 flatbottom boat when I was fishing bass tourneys, I caught just as many bass as them folks with them $50,000 bass boats, but what worked for them and worked for me differed. I used what I could I afford, they used what they wanted and or could afford.
what bout the price tag of the tck used to get ur dogs from point a to point b and back hm? what bout the water resistant/proof snake/hunting boots u were in the marshes/swamps? them cost. it aint all gotta be just them big money wheelers and other toys that add up on the cost to hunt, fish, golf, ride motor cross and so forth. buy whats comfy for the individual and not worry bout how much the next man spent and say oh, I do for less. if u can do it for less, good for u, its ur money. 

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

Well my truck is my daily driver, so I don't count it's value as a hog hunting expense per se'....though if I didn't have it, I wouldn't be going ANYwhere, lol. Waterproof boots, I have those anyway, because unfortunately our property gets real nice and swampy in some parts when we get rain.

I'm pretty much on the same page as you Charles. The point I was trying to make was that it can be cheaper, or it can me more pricey, all depending on what tools one chooses to utilize. Not everything I have seen mentioned is an absolute necessity is all I was really sayin.

[easttexasoutlaw33]

how is it bragging. like he said, some1 ask, he answered. he doesnt need any1s permission to spend HIS money. if he wants to buy top $ equipment, then that is HIS choice and its his choice to do it in the way the suits HIM, no1 else. iv got a lot tied up in my equipment, but I started out on foot and with nothing but dogs, 11Bs, eyes and ears. took me several yrs to get a tracking system, then several more yrs to get me an atv, but I bought it as I got the money. with a broke back and busted out knees and ankles, and several more ankle injuries, I decided to get me a wheeler, more for the medical aspect than to just spend the money. if he wants to buy a conex to keep his machines and equipment and dry goods dry and out of the weather, and be able to secure it, then why bust his balls over it. I agree with muleskinner, if u can get by with spending less and accomplishing the same thing, then that's more to brag about than ole' joe snuffy spending a lot more and accomplishing the same tasks. try taking some midol or something and chill out. uv been on a rampage on 2 different topics busting folks balls, ill gladly giv the name of my crazy/anger meds if it will calm u down.   

No midol just tired of fake people and pretend to know everything. Go re read my man i said i didnt say it was wrong i just said that it is ridiculous to claim it easily takes 35K to start all i said so maybe you need to check your vision

[charles]

My vision is fine. It may be ridiculous for u to spend that much, but u r not him, so get over how he spent. Its not ur cash, its his. U evidently think ur the know all be all and hunter and banker of other folks money. U buy what u want, n let the rest of us buy what we want n try not to get ur thong in to big of a knot of how much or how little the rest spend their money.

[Bo Pugh]

It is a lot more to having a pack of dogs than loading them up and going hunting. I know with me it consumes most of my time when I'm not at work one dog wouldn't be to much to deal with but it's hard to have a good pack with one dog. I know I'm constantly spending money on something dog related whether it be dog food or gas to go hunting or repairs to the kennels are medicine wormer etc. tracking system send off for repairs it's always something. I usually keep around 16 dogs and it takes a while to feed and wash out all them pens and maintain everything. Not to mention I have a ranger and two four wheelers I have to keep running so I can go hunting because it's no way I'm going to walk hunt over here .I look at it like this I have these dogs and am not going to let them sit in the pen if it's a day I can hunt so I have to take them hunting, but it's what I lay in the bed thinking about at night and it's what I love to do. I don't go on vacations or out of town because I have dogs I have to tend to every day. Last year I bought two dogs for 4500$, a month later I had a 1400$ vet bill and a month later I had a 500$ four wheeler bill for maintaince. My wife knew that's how I was before she married me we didn't even go on a honeymoon because I didn't want to ask someone to tend to my dogs. We use to take different people hunting and a week later they would be looking for dogs going to jump in and be a hog hunter now I won't hardly invite anyone hunting just for the fact they are usually going to buy a bunch of dogs and get rid of them all in the same year. I would recomend to anyone that wanted to "become a hog hunter" to hunt with someone a couple years and make sure that's what they wanted to do and not be in a hurry to own a pack of dogs. And one thing. If you ever do get a pack of dogs you can't just get tired of them or hunting and quit I know I can't I'm to far in money invested and way to much time and got a pack I couldn't put a price on not because their good by any means but they wouldn't be worth near as what I have invested in them if that makes any sense to anyone. I recently bred two dogs and got 6 pups and plan on keeping all of them so it looks like more money is soon to be spent but it is the only thing I like to do so before you go buy dogs and such make sure your going to be in it for the long haul

[devildawg86]

Just  because....can i get started with $2000

[charles]

Just  because....can i get started with $2000

Sure u can. i spent like 600 on 3 dogs, NO tracking collars, NO wheeler. I had 1 older dog n 2 young dogs, a compass n a topo map of the area n i walked everywhere or took my flat bottom to place with no roads to the public lands.

[Bo Pugh]

Just  because....can i get started with $2000

You can get started for free it just depends on what you are looking for in a dog and how you want to hunt. I don't think you will find a long range silent dog with a good nose and plenty of bottom for under 1500$ especially if your not good buddies with the owner and if you go that route you will definetly need a tracker or you will prob loose your new dog. It's a lot of dogs in the dog trade section on here all the time of all different types but a lot of them are a lot different than what the caption reads and it has been a many disappointed people buying cheap dogs hoping for a star " me included". One word of advice is not to jump on the first dog you see for sale or your probably going to regret it. It will always be dogs forsale find one you like and will enjoy hunting. What kind of dogs are you wanting to get. Give us a example of the dog you would like to own and how many and whatnot and we could give a little better description of what you might would have to spend to get started

[justincorbell]

My advice would be to get in with a few seasoned hog hunters and hunt with them as much as you can, do everything you can to help every time you go. Hog hunters are overall great folks but i imagine want to make sure the dogs they pass along to others  arent turned over for $ a week later. Show that you are serious about it and i imagine someone will help you out along the way. Ive got a buddy that did pretty much exactly that and he acquired a starter pack of dogs in almost no time and now has some nice dogs out of a solid line because of it. Best of luck, lots of good guys here, i imagine someone can help you out.

[devildawg86]

 Right now i have 1ab pup and one invite from a hunter here n the great state of georgia. I don't have a clue. N my present situation the dogs will most likely be short range and gritty, one striking, rcd, and a lead in catch dog. Really need to.get n the loop.with some folks n my area.

[muleskinner]

So to sum up everything I was trying to say before it got off course. When it comes to hog hunters some of them are some of the best people Out there. They love the sport and everything involved. They love their dogs and do what they can for them. They thrive to keep the sport going for future generations. Then there are some who don't care about anything except Look at me I'm a hog hunter! Like I said before I wish I could write the things that I have seen and what's happening right now but I don't want any more negative publicity to this great sport and the great people involved. It's up to you which category you fall in. I'm just sorry that dogs and hunters have to suffer because of the other group.

[charles]

Well said muleskinner, another good point.