Close Hunting Dogs

[SpringCreek]

I’m fairly new to running hog dogs, I’ve trained cattle dogs before so I am not worried about training them. My primary concern is finding dogs that will hunt close. The places I’ve already got permission to run on are  between 700-1230 acres. I don’t want rangy dogs of course. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on breeds to run on that size property. Pretty wooded, but not super brushy. Any and all advice is super appreciated. Thank y’all.

[Judge peel]

They come in every breed. Generally the short range dogs tend to be rough but not always


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SpringCreek]

All I’ve really ran behind are Lacy’s. Most of them were a little rough and hunted fairly close, but they were just not my thing I guess.

[NLAhunter]

Probably best thing to do if you can find some people that hunt dogs like you are looking for go hunt with all you can and decide what you like

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[SpringCreek]

That’s my issue, the only folks that run close that I know, run Lacy’s. I’m not a fan of them. Lol.

[T-Bob Parker]

almost every dog youll find for sale on here or facebook will fit the bill for staying in close range. if they weren't short ranged, they usually wouldn't be for sale. best advice I can offer you is buy 3 dogs off the public market and hunt them for the next 3 months. keep the best one, rid yourself of the other two and start fresh with two new ones and repeat.

[jsh]

My current set of dogs now do not cast out far hunting.  However, when they get into them they will stick literally for miles.  They are not rough either, so it also depends on how much the hogs run or are pressured as to how much country we’ll cover. I could never hunt 700 -1200 acres with these close hunting dogs without knowing the neighbors.  Now if I throw 2 more dogs on the ground with them, they’ll commit more physically to holding a runner.  Even if they do decide to catch, one of them rolls pretty good so then a “problem” presents itself with the close hunting dogs on small properties. It’s a tricky answer cause a lot of it depends on the hogs, how often it’s hunted, dogs and terrain.  I have one place that you can be in pigs for hours on just a few hundred acres, but it’s because of the terrain - there’s just nowhere for them to go really.

I’m not trying to discount what anyone else has said, but just because they are short range, doesn’t mean they’ll fit small properties. Like Terry said though, you’ll probably not easily find a dog for sale on here that rolls out pig after pig.......

[TheRednose]

If I had to hunt small properties I would go to as close to straight catch dogs as I could. I would run like them Fla and Gorgia boys do with the Florida curs or bird dog/bull dog crosses. I would stay away from hounds because even a close hunting hound if it is bred well will have a lot of bottom to them. Stockdogs like bmc's might work well too, because they tend to be able to stop hogs and even though they may want to range far they are smart and can be taught to hunt the way you want I bet.

Just some thoughts, good luck.

[SpringCreek]

I was considering finding cur/bull crosses, just kind of hard to come get it seems. Gritty, shut them down type dogs. I feel like I’d almost be better just raising my own for the task. Good game bred pit, crossed over a gritty BMC instead of just running somebody else’s culls. Hogs are pretty dense, property is fresh. I’ve worked for the neighbors and the hate pigs just as much so I can get away with crossing on a chase if I have to.

[Judge peel]

I got Florida cur x cat they decent for the job. I got mnt cur and mnt cur x stock dog. They work good for the same. Adding pit to cur won't solve anything in my opinion. Yes there are good ones of that variety. If your just wanting a dog or two that catch on sight I would just find some that are already doing it save you a lot of time and effort


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheRednose]

I was considering finding cur/bull crosses, just kind of hard to come get it seems. Gritty, shut them down type dogs. I feel like I’d almost be better just raising my own for the task. Good game bred pit, crossed over a gritty BMC instead of just running somebody else’s culls. Hogs are pretty dense, property is fresh. I’ve worked for the neighbors and the hate pigs just as much so I can get away with crossing on a chase if I have to.

I've never hunted behind a BMC/Bulldog but I have see bird dog/Bulldog and they were nice. I seen a real nice straight BMC do it well too.

I would prob go the stock dog route and look for one from a long line of rough hog stoppers and then go from there. They are usually real smart and can usually learn the way you want to do things.

[warrent423]

A set of "rank" stock bred cur dogs, with a good handle, can be hunted effectively anywhere. Our recipe has always included bulldog in the mix. That's "Bulldog", not pit bulldog Most don't know that there is a difference.

[SpringCreek]

So a good cur with a little bulldog back in it, I can probably arrange that. Now to just track down good cur pups. When I was younger and we ran coons it was behind Stephens curs, so of course off that logic I’m learning towards trying to find some good Mt. Curs, I know they are smart as a whip, just figured they might be too rangy.

[Cmwhogger]

I run mountain curs and BMC. Here in the Ozarks close range is crucial. With that being said I have some old stock mtn cur that are short range and will catch anything. I have a BMC that will range out along with a "modern" bred mtn cur but they will stick with a pig for miles. We don't run a catch dog and havnt found a pig the mtn cuts can't hold but if they don't stick together it could be a long race. You can never garauntee you will stay within a certain property.

[Slim9797]

Springcreek I sent you a message.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bignasty]

640 acres /1 square mile
1280/2 miles

[Judge peel]

Lot of folks run short rough dogs I wouldn't just start mixing up dogs when there already out there save you lot of time and heart ache besides the money lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[make-em-squeel]

lol, i bet theres plenty of folks wanting to sell you a close hunting dog, their called culls with no bottom. if thats what you want go with athletic abs,dogos,game bred pits or half those/half cur or cat or bird ie outlaw curs

[SpringCreek]

I think I’m going to end up with a couple GSP/AB x Catahoula pups I ended up finding. I think that will work well.

[Mike]

Tone training your dogs will allow you to hunt smaller properties without sacrificing their range or bottom. I hunt lots of city places that are small and surrounded by roads... just a tone and my dogs stop and go in reverse.