EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I'm in need of opinions.

I'm getting a hog dog. But I can't have a pack of dogs. Essentially what I'm looking for is a single dog that can trail, find, and bay a hog. Until I can arrive on scene and either shoot or spear it. Depending on the situation I find. But I don't want him to try to catch the hog and he will be working alone.

I have some ideas about which bred would be best suited for this. But I want to hear opinion from other, more experienced hunters.

Thanks

It isn't the breed you are looking for. It is the dog that will do the job.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I agree...my choice will be the right mt cur or plott/cur cross...

But any breed that has hunt...nose and bottom that can do it alone...

If I was in that situation all id want is 1 good ol east texas curr dog and a 30 30.

Well, I have the 30-30. Lol!

Thanks for the thoughts! I'm hearing Plott more and more, and I'm leaning that way as of now.

As I've mentioned before, I'm new to hog dogging and still getting used to all the terminology. What does 'bottom' mean?

I hear that a lot.

Thanks

Bottom is what takes the dog to the end of the track be it 1 or 40 miles. It is his want to. His stamina. His desire to finish the job.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Gotcha. You're right. Nothing else matters if they quit on you.

If I could only have one dog it would be a gooden


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If I was going to hunt one dog it would be one that would catch a hundred pound pig and under and bay anything bigger

If I was going to run one dog I would want one that would bay very loose putting no pressure on the hog . Once the hog stops the dog would back way off and just bark .

You just described pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. Great nose, great drive and endurance, bay and hold till I get there.

All jokes aside if your brand new to this I would suggest you hunt a dozen times with some one with that type of dog cuz you might be looking for something you don't want. That type of dog will get gone be gone and stay gone and if your new at this it might just be more then you want if you are on foot or got a small place or what ever the case may be. Every one wants that type of dog no matter what they say but lot of times it ain't practical


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alot of factor in getting a hog dog is the place you have to hunt not nessarly how you want to hunt, if you want to hunt a long range cast dog but only have 200 acres its not gonna work out good. you just have to look out side the box

I would have a 40 lb plott female with a good nose and as fast as I could get her.  All day stick- sit back and bay all day, bit one in the butt if he runs type dog.  Really tough feet, ability to work in heat.  Chop/bawl mouth, medium to stalky build.

since you said one dog and you may take hog with spear ... I'd think you would want a tight bay'n  perty good sized dog ..... you don't sound like you want to run hogs for miles like  some of us  do hahahaha ...

Well, at least I can stop googling 'gooden' now.  :)

The few times I've been out I've been with that type of dog. So, to the extent I'm familiar with any of this, I'm familiar with that.

But you bring up an excellent point. I'm looking at some Plots out of White Deer. I hear (as a breed, not necessarily out of White Deer) they range out to anywhere from 800-1500 yards. I don't mind walking, but we could be in store for a lot of 1 hog days at that rate.

Does that range sound about right? Based on what you know/know of Plotts?

Sign me up for this. I've been thinking a lot about getting a female. The breeder at White Deer said they were better with kids, less territorial.

Also, and I don't know if this is true with hog dogs. But from my background in bird dogging I can say the females tend to be a ton more focused, far less easily distracted, and generally easier to handle.

Do you find that to be true?

Haha! I'll run wherever they take me but I hear you. Tight baying with an occasional bite to redirect the hog. Bite on the ass if he runs. That kind of thing.

The spear is an 'if I get the perfect opportunity" thing. Or, if we happen to be hunting in a group. I'll have a pistol if not.

Good points.

I'll be primarily in national forest land. Except for SHNF, obviously. I might be able to hunt some ranches and farms in Montgomery. Still working on that. But those properties are pretty spacious.

Curious though, what's your idea of long range? I'm looking at Plotts out of White Deer in Fredericksburg. I'm hearing anywhere from 800-1500 yards is what those dogs typically run. What's considered long range?

Range is where that Dog generally hunts. Now if that Dog is hunting at say 1000 yds and jump's a runner that Dog could be out of pocket and miles away for hour's and hour's if you plan on walking you are going to have a difficult time Keeping up especially with a loose dog that runs the air out of one instead of putting teeth in one.

Everyone pretty much said what range and bottom is...If your going to shoot over them find toy a loose dog, hound , cur whatever, and go to hunting. It might take you awhile  to find what you want but keep with it and it'll happen.

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Toy-you

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Here's my two pennies. As soon as you mentioned shooting. Loose dogs should be your answer. I see it like this if your walk hunting. Long range dogs ain't your answer. Especially if the dog your going to be running isn't properly tone broke. Tone broke mean. If dog is out of pocket. It hears that tone, it's coming back. Or goofing around etc. to me, People think "long range" is cool. Instead of some people that actually NEED deep dogs. Me personally can't hunt, and won't hunt extremely deep dogs. My places won't hold em. I'll be in trouble quick. If your walking, like I do. Or a buggie and road somewhat. Find you somthing 300-500 yards out, with plenty of bottom, in case it's needed. You still mite find yourself 2 miles out, but at least you had s handle on the dog. When it struck. After that it's up to the hog.  keep a handle on the situation. Chit can hit the fan really quick, especially being new. I'd start out with something you can handle and slowly start going up to 800-1500 range dogs. If that's even what you need. Don't burn yourself, you may find out you don't need that sort of range. If you got a deep dog. It starts a hog at a mile, and that hogs runs. Your feet gunna be Hurtin, come next day. Carrying a loaded gun 2+ miles through water and brush and hills and slips, and bumps. And tangle ups in brush briars, don't sound no fun. Especially at night..

I doubt the area your hunting, hogs are going to be thin. Where them dogs gotta cover miles before hitting one single track. I didn't read all the post. Just the first few. If I re mentioned somthing. Sorry. I'm a walk hunter just passing some advice over from personal experience.

hahaha  you know when I was  young I'd cuss a dog that didn't go far  enuff or run  long  enuff .... now I cuss em when they do hahahaha ......

Hell in young and when I'm on foot I start cussing when they get to damn deep.  Hahahah

if I were going to hunt 1 out, I would want a dog that preferred to work alone ( independent) medium to warm nose, enough bottom to stick with a runner, enough baying ability/ grit to stop a hog that wanted to fight, enough handle to stop and come in when I called them off, and enough intelligence to catch hogs they could catch and bay what they couldn't catch.
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I would invest a lot of time scouting to try to put this dog into hog sign. I would spend a lot of time with the dog in the pen and in general working on handle.
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These dogs exist BUT they are scarce. You are embarking on a path less traveled. I admire your willingness to try it.
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Search crackers ( his Monkey dog fits your description) Warrent, Florida Curdog, TazD, and Blackstreak on this site. They seem to hunt a similar style to what you are looking for. Good luck. Keep us posted.

Crackerc, not crackers.

Appreciate ya, Shotgun66.

I was thinking the same thing about the scouting. Both for ranging and for managing the heat. You're also right about handle. Not only because of range. But also because there's a real good chance I'll be shooting near him.  loose baying dog who listens seems to be what I need.

I'm thinking female Plott.

a good line of hog dogs that consistently produces hogs that can work alone or in a pack should work...usually gritty dogs when in a pack or with another dog will be about right when hunted alone as far as stopping a hog and then backing up and baying...

I have a friend that used a kemmer cur for many years to shoot over...he was as good as any I have seen...

X2

On my phone

There never will be a perfect dog by no means. Everything has its faults. I'd want one with lots of bottom, drive, ability to work, and a good nose the list could go on. The dog or dogs you will own should fit your style, what you like exc.


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Nailed it