Hog Hunting ???

[dd444]

I have been thinking about getting into hog hunting.I really enjoy running my hounds on deer.So I thought hog hunting would be the real dog hunting rush.But I have never hog hunted.The river bottom here is full of hogs.And they are begging hunters to kill them.So I have a place close to home to hunt.But I don't know where to start.Like what would I need to get started in the sport.I know where I can get a started plott and some pups.Besides dogs what would I need to get started?Can anyone here give me any info?
Thanks

dd444

[NitroHunter]

That would be up muddawg's alley, he usually visits here during the weekends and posts some.
He's a hardcore hog hunter and I'm sure he would be glad to help someone get started in the sport.

[muddawg]

First you have to decide how you want to hunt. There are basically two ways:
1. The type huntrers who use hounds or long range dogs and chase the hogs all over the place. These usually require large tracts of land, alot of time to hunt, some type of access for remote areas such as a 4 wheeler, boat or alot of roads in the property and cold nose dogs that will cast hunt. The dogs can't be real catchy.
2. The kamakazee style that we hunt on small tracts of land with hot nose dogs that are really rough and catch most hogs on contact.

A good track dog will cost you $1000 or more. A tracking unit with 4 or 5 collars will cost you around another $1000. Cut collars and vests will run around $500. Most hogs today have either russian influence or have been dogged hard which means one thing..they run like heck! So you either have to have a large tract of land that your dogs won't get off of on to posted land or shorter range dogs that are rough and stop the the hogs before they can get off the land you have permission to hunt. Most hounds, like it or not, tend to be trashy (deer runners) if you try to hog hunt them and must be broke off deer. This can be a nightmare sometimes and requires the use of another $500 or so dolllar shock collar unit. IN my opinion, any dog with with some nose and some bulldog in them will make you a hog dog if you hunt it enough. We use mostly bird dog x bulldog crosses cause we like the short range dogs. They are silent trackers, have good trailing and winding ability, are rough enough to stop hogs and most will hunt pretty good. Pups like this can be got real reasonable and a started dog can be got for around $500. One started dog and so quick learners and you can be in business in about a year. Alot of folks hunt catahoulas but they just aren't my cup of tea as alot tend to be semi-open on the track, are one person dogs, and have more range than we like. TO me a good hog dog is toitally silent until it bays, is rough to stop big hogs, will catch smaller stuff alone and has a good handle. Since there is no season on hogs, the meat is delicious, you can hunt day or night in so many different ways and no hunting is any more exciting or physical than dog hunting hogs it gives you a year round thrill that no other game hunting can match. Some folks spend $2500 or more on one dog but it all depends on how you want to hunt. Be careful buying catahoulas as not all are bred for hunting and there are alot of catahoula peddlers out there. Both catahoulas and BMC's have a tendancy to be shy, one person type dogs with a mind of their own.
Where a deer will usually run a circle when pursued by dogs, hogs will flat out leave the county in a straight line. I'll be glad to help you in any way I can to get started and you are even welcome to go on a hunt with us sometime and see how we do it.

[dd444]

Muddawg
The land I was talking about hunting is a {WMA} it is 28,000 acres.Its about 2 miles wide or less in places, and has a river running one side and the tentom waterway on the other side.The area I was going to hunt is about 15 miles long form one road to the next.With a boat being the only way to hunt it.This place is full of hogs,they are begging hunters to kill them.They plant food plots every year for the deer but the hogs destory the plots.Every year it seem there are less deer and more hogs on the WMA.I think the hogs are pushing the deer out of the area. I have been told by the area administer to shoot any hog I see and if I don't want it leve it laying.Most of the hog hunters I have seen around here use plott hounds.Or a plott bulldog mix.What do you think about hog hunting with plotts,if you had an area this big to hunt?
Thanks for the help.

dd444

[hunt4fun1]

dd444 said:

I have been thinking about getting into hog hunting.I really enjoy running my hounds on deer.So I thought hog hunting would be the real dog hunting rush.But I have never hog hunted.The river bottom here is full of hogs.And they are begging hunters to kill them.So I have a place close to home to hunt.But I don't know where to start.Like what would I need to get started in the sport.I know where I can get a started plott and some pups.Besides dogs what would I need to get started?Can anyone here give me any info?
Thanks

dd444

Good LAWDY!!!

Get on em.
The eat great, AND they are a BLAST to spot and stalk. find out where their newest favorite root area is and set a ground blind close by.
Just be careful if you can't see one wounded thats run off. They tend to get a little unmanagable when they are hurt.

If you wanna run dogs, seems that muddawg is the foremost knowledgable resident in that field.

Good luck bro.

[hunt4fun1]

Oh.....I almost forgot......some states (like mine) will not let you run dogs to hunt BUT they will let you bait an area.

AND it seems like the smaller female hogs eat the best. I like the 40 pound range. They fit PERFECT on my smoker.

[muddawg]

Plotts and some other breeds are OK if you don't mind chasing a dog all over the country. In my case though, I like to catch em as close to the easy access as I can and that usually don't happen with hound types. I would get me a started medium range rough dog that would wind off the front of the boat and pack the rookies with it. Makes for shorter chases and it's a pain to try and drag a 200 lb. hog a 1/2 mile or more out of a swamp. A rough short range dog though that would run the river bank along with boat would make for much more enjoyable hunting and less dragging.

[dd444]

Hummmm I see your point Muddawg!I have a frend that hog hunts with plotts.And he is going to let me go on a hunt with him to see what its like.But we will have to wait for cooler weather.Here we can't hog hunt at night..And its to hot during the day.The heat index today was a 108.I don't know about his dogs but thats to hot for me to be running around in..LOL

dd444

[muddawg]

Because there are no regulations around hog hunting here, it can be done about anyway you like. Some state land does not allow running hogs with dogs though. I'm telling ya though, them long range dogs make for a rough hunt when you ain't got alot of access to an area and have to get the hog out. I prefer pointer x bulldog crosses, they have the nose, are silent trackers, have alot of short to medium range hunt in them and usually are rough to stop hogs fast. BUt if you like to hear hounds run there's no problem with that either. The rangier your dogs are, the less rough you want them to be. AIn't nothing worse than have to have dogs trying to catch a rank boar a mile away when it'll take you 30 minutes to get to em. Most folks who hunt rangey dogs lead the bulldog to the bay from a long way off.

[mudfish2]

I have use pits and pit crosses with either american or english bulldogs..the good thing about pits.they bite and hang on and if ya use three or four..you can just walk up and stick your pistol in his ear...I have huntd over bait in Florida and was sucessful on a small sow and decent boar wounded both with the 270 and almost paid dearly...alot of screaming, from me and the pigs and I looked like barney fife trying to get the 44 mag outta the shoulder holster....I shot about a 450 lb and a 200 lb sow here on my place with the 06...one shot took out the smaller one but the bigger one needed a bullet or two from the 38 in the head, after the first shot from the pistol she rose up and talked me into the trash pit..doing her death throws on and around me..again I thought I was a goner and yet again more screaming like a girl from and the sow...guess ya had to be there..together they filled the back of a friends pickup...haven't hog hunted much lately but maybe me and muddawg can hook up on a trade hunt...hint hint

[muddawg]

The only time I take a gun is if I go alone and haven't had to use it yet. We live catch em, have caught several without a dog caught on em but with a dog baying them to keep their attention 'til I could get a hold on the tail. Ain't nothing worse than crawling through a rose bush head on your hands and knees and have a hog come up the trail and meet you, now that is a catch or get caught situation and luckily it wasn't over 100 lbs. LOL I'm always game for someone to come up and hunt with me. If there is a hog around these ole pound puppies usually getter done.

[dd444]

muddawg
Here in Ms. we have to kill them unless we get a permit to move a live hog.A permit cost $25 apiece and there only good for 48 hours.And there not easy to get..
I have been checking into and trying to learn everything I can on hog hunting.

dd444

[dd444]

muddawg
I have been doing alot of reading on other hog hunting forums.And I will need a cut box.What do you think I will need to put in a cut box and where can I get it?Thanks for the help

dd444

[muddawg]

I think there is a post on my board about cut boxes. For the woods, epinephrine, bulky dressing and hemostats. After they are home you can use antibiotics, tetanus toxoids, sutures or staples, razors, turpentine, wraps and bandages, IV fluids, lidocaine and such.

[bearhoundsman]

sounds like i need to make a trip to mississippi