EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

These Texas dogs I have aren't cutting it anymore :o, and everything I have read about the Florida Cur sure has me wanting some bad!  Just got smoked tonight TWICE, air was so thick the dogs needed gills to breathe, and they would not stick with the hogs past about 6/10 of a mile. Came home with my head hanging low, wishing for some dogs like I read about online.

Can money buy a sure enough, real deal, Florida cur?

Them county hogs have caught on to our ways, time to try and give em' something different huh...?

You find a dog that doesnt get outrun and I will buy two! :)

Joey

Joey,


   I read about them all the time!   ;)

Alan,

   They never checked up... there was some shoat killing, but the real hogs smoked us.

The real frustrating thing is that two of these dogs have found and caught literally hundreds of hogs, this was no puppy hunt! :o

I guess I need to go catch another crippled hog so that I will feel better about the dogs I am feeding.

Yes it can ;D  Tell me what you want.

Noah,


PM Sent!

If there ever was a saying " You cant BUY the best pack in the woods " you are diffinetly putting that saying to the test latley, sounds like you may have too many strike dogs on the ground and not enough bay dogs/nut dogs. When i first started i used one stike dog cat and a plott x pitt and a cd and NEVER had problems with runners as soon as i lost them i have had trouble ever since.

Ellis,

  If anyone wants to "test" their dogs, this is the place...  palmetto bottoms, plenty of swamps, thousands of acres without roads or trails, and hogs that have been dogged their entire lives.

This hunt last night had a total of 3 dogs on the ground, 2 sure enough hog dogs, and one pretty solid one.

Now you mention me having too many strike dogs, and not enough bay dogs... maybe you are right, but maybe not.... these dogs have no problem finding and baying hogs on almost every place I hunt, with the exception of about 3 properties that are all linked to this one I got smoked on.

  I only own 4 cur dogs. Each one will find their own hog, and each one will honor the others bay.Typically they will bay a 60# pig and wait on the catch dogs, but put just enough tooth on a hog to make them stop and bay. Now I have bought a number of dogs, and spent good money doing it, but most did not make the cut, including the internet superdogs that I bought. ;)

  I think where my dogs are falling behind on this property is that they do not have the speed they need to get their teeth on the hog before the hog hits the water.
   
In my mind the only thing that is going to help me on this property is having a super fast dog/dogs that can get the hog CAUGHT before they make it to the swamps where the dogs have trouble making out the scent in the water.  Now I may be missing something important and I am sure open to suggestions. I don't claim to have the best dogs out there, but they are not potlickers either, and for the most part I am really pleased with the pack that I have worked to put together...I just don't think the dogs I am running have what it takes to shut down these particular hogs.

do you have a cd that doesn't get winded easy or is fast? or a rcd? you might wanna just let one your cd run with your bay dog that way if they hit them again he will be on his way..     ;D

Richard,

     Any chance your old dogs are still around where you can locate them?  The strike dog and plott x pit?
If so, let me know and I will make it worth your while to bring them down here. I believe that there are dogs that can catch these hogs, I just have not seen them personally.  I genuinely want to see the dogs that have what it takes to catch these hogs.  Even if the dogs are not for sale, it will help to let me know what I need to be looking for in a dog for these properties.  I'd really like to catch some of these barr's that we cut a couple years ago and see what they have turned into!

oklahoma hogger,

   Against my better judgment I did that last night. The dogs struck a sow in a highline right of way, she bayed a few seconds, broke and went about 100 yards, then bayed a few more seconds, so I cut my Tyson dog(catch dog) loose just to shut the damn thing down....He went with them for about 800 yards until the dogs lost the track in the swamp, while they were working it out, we called him in.

   He is no RCD, but he has better wind than our other CD.

   I really don't want to run rough cur or RCD with the pack that I have now, as I don't want to get my current dogs cut down trying to catch with the RCD a mile out.   If I can obtain a sure enough good, fast dog like the florida curs I read about, then I will get my hands on some expendable rough dogs, or RCDs to help.

chris
 i have been where you are right now i was so depressed thinking i didnt know what i was doin , after getting out run a few times in a row.

 i know we dont have the heat you guys have  but i have gotten out run in the summer mostly.
thats why i dont hunt alot in summer.  cause i have to saddle up and ride a few hours before i find some hog sign, dogs are just about over heated before they get on a hog.

 just give Annie a chance to get adj. and conditioned to the heat and she will stick with em.

 

Circle c you say palmettos love them I don't run much at night I got some dogs that that will put the heat on a hog I have 2 that do not run track for track theses dogs run wide they stop them 945 and 2025 and 1725 hogs with no problems now I don't now if you are familar with those hogs I have seen 10 to 12 hour race's up there with people cold packing them all day.There might be a few people on here who no my IKE dog but 90% of the time when he bark's that I will tell them get that catch dog ready he ain't going no where and if they won't to hit that swamp lettem I have a black gyp that loves water she will smoke him down.I hunt alot on the trinty and that hog might hit the river first but she will beat him across.How horse back if I can stay with them dogs I can stay with the hog!My dogs are not rough but they will make one look at him.If I can be any help I will.This is what I love to do is stop them running B______S!

I guess Mandi didn't have her Greyhound with yall. 

We got a 65# blue lacy that isn't the best at finding them but when it comes to stoppin a running hog he's the man.  He is by far the fastest dog we got, and you can tell if a hog has been trying to break by lookin at its back legs when ole Reggie is on the scene.  He aint from Florida and he aint yellow but he fits the bill.

Circle C I wish I had a spare Fla dog to send you. I have a lot of dogs, just some are old and worn out (kinda like me!!). I don't have but one dog out of the nine I have, that will bay a 60 lb hog and he probably won't stay here. Anything else I have is going to have it caught by itself when you get there. But on a big hog they will usually put enough teeth on one to stop it, then back up and bay but are going to bay tight. If it breaks and runs they ARE going to put teeth on the hog and are usually fast enough to get the hog stopped. I can't hunt 2-3 dogs at a time as they are pretty much going to catch anything or get wrecked trying so I hunt one dog out or a dog and a pup. You can see pics of some of my dogs and hogs caught on my website at www.crackercreations.net under Our Hunting and Dog Pics.
I have never owned, fed or led a bulldog, so you can tell these dogs are pretty gritty.

I get outrun occasionally or just get a barr that has been dog caught before and it turns into a running fight, but I hunt palmettos all the time and catch hogs. Most of our hogs down here have been run by deer hounds and they know how to run too.

What kind of dogs are you hunting now?

Craig,

    I am real pleased with Annie, and yesterday was excessively humid. Definitely not ideal hunting conditions for dog or human :o  After we spoke, we got some fluid in her, she cooled off, and she hit a second wind and hunted a few more hours.  Her and my other dogs have what it takes to find and stop plenty of hogs in most of the places I hunt, I just think we are outgunned on this property.  Seems like I have had more dry runs than productive ones on these places the last month or two.

Chance,
   
The Annie dog we are hunting has found and stopped several hogs in one morning off of 1725. She found them and rolled out on the next one before we were done tying.  Last time I hunted the place that ties into this problem property, one of my dogs left out at 6:30am and never checked back in until after 11:00am and 90 degrees. He gave it a gallant effort, but there was not any pork at the end. He works a track slower than whats needed out there I think.

     I know it takes different types of dogs to catch different hogs in different areas.  I would not expect my dogs to perform in wide open west Texas the same way they perform in central Texas.

   If you want to come give them a shot, then we will setup the hunt. Going hunting out of town this weekend, but we can set something up for next week one evening if you're game.

No they are both in doggie heaven both killed hog hunting,, I cant explain y they were that good at stoping hogs, but i know of another dog that is one of the best at doing this but dont know if he will go down there to hunt, I think the two i had made a good pair cause the cat would find them and bay but she didnt put any pressure on em at all and that gave the plott x pit time to get there and if the hog tried to break his nutts or back ham was hangin, the cat always went for under the front shoulder and the plottx was on the rear when the hog stopped the backed off and bayed loosly, alot of people dont like it but i learned ALOT about those two dogs more than any other because i had them in bay pens and let them work a hog together no other dogs, because i didnt have any and couldnt afford to at the time get anymore. Trust me i wish i had them two back, they were the first two i ever owned. I dont know the answer to your problem but are u sure your getting on big hogs and it aint just a bunch of running axs shoats, those things will drive u nuts and make u feel that way.

Ellis,

   Not getting on big hogs, I saw one of them pretty good that they had jumped and I would not put it over the 150-170# mark. Not a shoat, but not a big boy either.  Truth is, I have never had what I consider a big hog do much running, they seem to stand their ground.  Had plenty of runners in the 175#-225# range that we ran a while before we get them shut down.

CrackerC,

   Generally speaking the dogs I am running now are jack of all trades master of none type.  I can rig them, put them on the ground, use with four wheelers, horseback etc.  A couple hunt close in no sign, and venture out 3-400 yards. Another one takes a colder track and you frequently pick him up bayed well over 1 mile. Each one is has found and held their own hogs on many occasions.  If the hog will set up, they bay loose. I expect my dogs to find their own hog, hold it, and wait on the catch dogs to get there. Many times we have multiple bays, and we try to tie most hogs, so I don't want to worry about a dog trying to catch while I am busy with something else.  While I am not looking to change anything with my current pack...I would like to see if I can put together something that will work on these specific properties.  I will not be running my current dogs along with the rough dogs. 

Y'all are funny! ;D

This place has been hunted over the years with every style and breed of dog you can image. I figure my success rate here is about 50/50... but almost 100% in getting in a race.

Cward, you're close by and would enjoy meeting and hunting with you. Just say when and we'll go. You mentioned 1725, 945 and 2025... that's my back yard, been hunting out there since I started. Some places have bad runners and some you can stack like cordwood. In my opinion, the property we're talking about is worse about getting out ran on.

It's all part of the game to me, sometimes the hogs win and sometimes the dogs win. ;)

I hunt rougher dogs it seems than most guys. They aren't really RCD's as they have enough sense to know what they can handle and what they need to bay (usually...). My dogs are going to pretty much catch anything under 100-125 lbs when they get to it. But I save seen them bay smaller hogs in gator dens or under fallen trees. That shows they have a little sense sometimes, as they know that catching a hog in a tight place can be a bad things without help. Some have found that out the hard way....

But I don't catch every hog I get after either. Thats why its called Hog Hunting and not Hog Catching!!!

If you are consistently catching hogs with your dogs most places you hunt, be happy with them. A lot of guys aren't even doing that.......

When I am talking runners I am talking red road  and gum branch huntin club which would be the murry lease I am game for it any time them shell oil road hogs run alittle to.But do yall hunt a horse back or four wheeler /buggy!when I have hunted those palmetos we have always hunted horse back and I can stay with those dogs.the more I holler the more heat they will put on the hogs.But I am game and would like to meet all of yall seem to be really good guys!

Chance,

    Hunted Shell Oil Road earlier this year horseback with several of the guys from the board. Most of my hunting is done on a Mule ( not a long eared one).  Hunted this place we'd like you to come to a few times on horseback, but it is so boggy that you might start off hock deep, then end up belly deep. Almost embarrassed to admit this, but two times I have had to lead my horse out of there pulling the hog , because he couldn't handle me and the hog in the deep bogs.

Looking forward to meeting you.

How wet is it right now!Is it on a river or what part of the country not asking you to tell were it is just asking were abouts.thanks

San Jacinto River bottoms, Harris County,Tx. ;D

It's a swamp year round.

Sounds good ! Mike did you ever live on fostoria rd just wondering!

You poor guys are getting desperate, we used to have the same problem, Mike I know you remember all the times we got smoked four or five trips in a row and then go on Sat morning and catch three.  I guess I am just going to have to quite sneaking out there before yall and maybe you can start catching a few haha  O0
MG

Matt,

   It hasn't been the same since your retirement :o

Haha I was waiting for that one, not a retirement just not as mad at them in the summer time.  I am still in the game.  My ole lady leaves on Saturday and not coming back till next Sunday so you just say when, I am even off next Friday.....
MG

circle c i just saw a floridian curr dog for sale in batson tx. look in the hunting section of southeast classifieds.com

Thanks Lazyj, but I really want a dog that's NOT for sale ;) If that makes any sense.

Circle C......It might not be a problem with your dogs, just the conditions.  I will argue to the end that heat and humidity take the same tole on all dogs that have the same physiological heat tolerance (ei. deep chest and thin fur, ect.) and same level of conditioning.  I dont know what kind of dogs you have or what kind of condition they are in (like physical ability wise).  But I know my dogs right now are not very well physically conditioned with only hunting about every other week lately and not even much time to excercise them at the house cause I been buisy with the FD.  Nothing wrong with it its just life.  With that in mind, I'm willing to say my dogs perform 50% better (maybe more) when they are hard and in top shape from being hunted twice a week compared to just average shape hunted once every couple weeks.  One thing you can do is hunt when the conditions are best for the dogs like low temps and moderate humidity (hard to find this time of year) but you might try to hunt those bad hogs hard in the winter when conditions are best and vegetation not so thick.  Then give it a rest in the summer and hunt the places with easy hogs.  Your dogs might not get better but the conditions will and that might be what it takes to catch a few and thin out those runner on that place.

Also......I'd say you wont find many Florida Curs in Texas becuase Florida curs are curs from florida, and why would someone want a florida Cur if they live in Texas?  Are Florida Curs that much better than those in Texas?  I doubt it.  Probly not any difference at all in quality there are good and bad dogs and super dogs in both states.  Just the super dogs are "not for sale", and its hard to find a dog thats "not for sale" that is for sale.  lol

What we need is a way to measure and standardise speed in hog dogs.  That way we will know what we mean when we talk about fast dogs or dogs that are not fast.  Could be they have slow dogs in florida too.   I guess the fast dogs are ones that catch hogs but what happens when a slow dog catches a fast hog? ;D

Waylon

No, i've been out here almost ten years... lived in Spring before that. The Gum Branch club butts up to my property along with some national forest... way up on the northwest side of it.

you live on 1725 or 945 we own property all around gum branch!

Out near 1725 and 3081.

gottcha!

I'm enjoying this, its hilarious...I've hunted this place with these guys before, and my dog will shut one down or straight up catch, gritty dogs, rcd's, or whatever doesn't matter, the main problem isn't finding or stopping them its the dogs can't get close enough in the 10ft. thick as he!! palms and brush. These hogs don't give em' the chance to get close enough, and they are rough, they'd just get slung off then burned....happy hunting!!!!!!!!!!

I'll have to agree, there is no magic bullet for thick palmettos... add deep water and you've got the makings of some burned dogs..... Florida curs included ;D

We need to get our hands on a yote, or a yote look alike ;D,

Yep, I've heard they work pretty good ;) ;D 

I thought you might like that, I like that dog, very cool looking!

Exactly, but it's fun trying to figure it out. The best way I have found is to use one loose baying dog and they'll bay all night and day. The tricky part is getting a catch dog in there... sounds like an elephant busting thru the palmettos. :o

we outta try sendin red dog in there next time, she may not make as much noise as them big boys!!!! just wanted to fit in.... ;)

Alan,

  I think you are right on track about the small catch dog in the thick palmettos.   Now I have my own theories on what I think might work to stop some of these hogs. Just need to do a little experimenting.

Circle C,

I recently bought two Florida Curs, out of Florida. They are sisters about 1.5 years old. when I bought them the guy told me they didnt know anything but said they had been on a hog two or three times in a pen. I have just started these dogs and I will tell you they both bay very tight on a big hog when only one of them is in there but if you put them both in there together I dont care how big he is they are going to eat him up! When they catch you have to break them off. so far they are not hunting out very well but are going to a bay. They are absolutely the best built and looking red females I have ever seen. I have high hopes for them. I have a super, long range, half hound/cur that is a hog finding machine that will bay a 25 pounder, my hope is that these two girls will be helping me close the deal real soon. Good Luck in your search for the super dog!

Hey raider54, who'd you get those dogs from, if you don't mind me asking?   Do you have any pictures of them?

Raider54, I don't know where you bought your Fla curs but they sound like typical Fla cur dogs. Most don't hunt out real wide but if they ever get on a  hog they are serious about it. And add another cur or two and they get REAL catchy.

They are not for everyone's style of hunting, but they do well for us down here in Fla. They don't stop every hog and we do get outrun sometimes and I wish I could add a little more range to what I have, and maybe a little more nose but I think we all wish we could change something about our dogs ....or we wouldn't keep looking for that next good young dog to come along.

the guys name was Chris in north Fla. he owns a paving business. he bought them as a package deal because he wanted the bulldog in the package. He now hunts open mouth hounds and didnt need these. I will get some pics of them and post them after the weekend. They are rough on a cow and a horse to! >:(

Hey Chris, lets try it, throwing new stuff at em', I'm game and I know red is always game :D

did yall get the running hog problem solved this weekend circle c.  O0

Nope, hit another spot and got 6 small ones last weekend. The runner place is typically hunted during the week, and we try to hit the "good" places on the weekends. ;D

The problem still exists...

Chris/Mike I am game for an early morning this weekend to try to stop them running hogs if all are if not thats ok we can try to do it another day.Moved some cows today with them in the middle of the heat trying to keep them hard!

Chance, this ain't a good place to morning hunt in the summer time. All the residents have access to get to the lake and the river through the property. Try to shoot for one evening next week?

Gottcha!