Havent hunted in a while, now Im paying for it.

[Cooter56]

With being really busy before deer season and then wanting to deer hunt more than usual during deer season I let hog hunting take a back burner to a lot of things. Well now I believe I am paying for it. Every dog in my pens would hunt and find hogs for me. I was very happy with the caliber of dogs I had. So I took a week off between Christmas and New Years to strictly hog hunt with some buddies who were coming up from south florida. We had no problem finding hog sign and my buddies had no problem catching hogs with their dogs. Out of all 7 of my cur dogs only one would hunt like usual. The rest almost seem like they have never been hunted before. I figured after a couple of days they would get back to normal and live up to what they were but at no point did they get any better.

I had a long talk those same buddies and we figured its either one of two things. The lack of being hunted over the last SEVERAL months, or them being around strange dogs. Any advice or ideas? Never had this problem with my dogs but I've also never let them sit this long or do I hunt them with strange dogs either. Thanks!

[Slim9797]

My dogs shut it all the way down around other people's dogs...  I've never left mine up for several months but i have kicked dogs out after 2 months of sitting up and they did as they should have, or atleast hunted half assed. If they got in sign they would do like they should though


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[TheRednose]

Take them out by yourself and see if they will hunt, if they will then you know it was the strangers. The layoff shouldn't affect them like that. I could see them being out of shape and rusty and maybe not hunting quite as hard but they still should hunt I would think. Maybe see how they act with a hog in a baypen, maybe that will get them fired up. Just some thoughts, good luck.

[Cmwhogger]

Agree with slim. Probably more with strange dogs. Might be wrong but try them without any strangers and see what they do.

[Cooter56]

I hope that's all it is. I know what they can do and they've produced a lot of hogs for me. Its kind of a let down knowing what they're capable of and not doing it. Ill definitely give it a shot. Thanks guys.

[tmatt]

How are the dogs in question?
Have they been hunted with different dogs and/or people before?
Do you try just your dogs by themselves or was it with the other dogs?

[tmatt]

Correction to above post...
How old are the dogs in question?

[Cooter56]

The dogs range from 2 to 4 maybe 5 years old. The one I mentioned that is doing good still is a younger dog. The oldest one and the one that has bayed the most hogs for me is acting like he has no idea what to do. I normally hunt my dogs alone but every now and then hinted with other people's dogs. This isn't the only time they've been hunted around other dogs it's just the only time they've acted like a bunch of junk dogs. Like I said I know what they're capable of and it's just disappointing.

[parker49]

only way to figure it out is to hunt them like you normally do .....and see if they hunt like they normally hunt .... if so its the strange dogs ..... haven't had it as bad in males  but females I have  had  some that would not hunt with strange males if any dog tried to hump or bow up and cower them down they would quit...... I bet they will start back hunting for you ...

[Cooter56]

Yeah I'm going to give that a shot. Hopefully that's all it is and they're a little rusty. Probably going to go tonight. Hopefully tomorrow ill have some pics to post. Thanks for the advice guys.

[Slim9797]

Well....


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[Cooter56]

Didn't get to go. Had some things come up. Going tonight though.

[Slim9797]

Good luck. Hope they catch every hog in the woods for ya


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[tmatt]

Being older dogs and having hunted with others before they shouldn't be acting like that... While they were on that break did you ever take them some place and just let them run?

[Cooter56]

Well... I got to go last night. No pictures to show though. We bayed a big one but once we sent the catchdog to it, he broke. We finally caught the dogs about a mile later because the hog wouldn't stop. The dogs I had out did like they used to do. Im guessing it was the strange dogs.

[tmatt]

Try them again with those other dogs... I bet they hunt like they are supposed to. They didn't know what to think about being off and were probably just stretching out and getting used to being in the woods again.

[Cooter56]

Well folks! They still have it in them and my newer dogs are doing great also. Went Monday to a WMA hunt in a god forsaken place called Mallory Swamp here in Florida. Hogs everywhere but the blocks are miles wide and covered in titi (really dense tall bushes) and soaking wet, but hey its called a swamp for a reason. Anyways we caught 7 hogs there and no pictures. Then Tuesday me and a buddy went hunting in our hunting club and wound up catching 3. The 3rd one on Tuesday was about 150lbs boar hog with 2 inch cutters. Crazy thing is my buddys dogs had just went through that same area and ran an armadillo and a deer out and wouldn't go back in. I sent my dogs in and in just a few minutes they fell to baying. I sent them some help and they had him caught when I got in there. The same dogs that my buddy was using had been making mine look like total crap for a little while. Well my dogs got their pay back yesterday. Had a great day and my dogs definitely made me proud. My young black mouth got cut from his lip to his ear and my leopard gyp got a small poke in her shoulder. They seem do be ok though. Again just want to say thanks for the advice from everyone.

[Cooter56]

Tried to post pictures but my damn work computer wont let me get on photobucket. Ill try to do it on my phone.