EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I haven't been on here in a while. Seems I never have time between working and dogs and the few times I do I don't even see anyone on here I know.

But I went on a hunt a week ago that was....interesting....and thought I would share it with the few guys I do know on here. I had posted something a couple weeks ago, but the post was deleted, not sure why.

Anyway, last Sunday (Nov 8) I loaded my two old wore out dogs Monkey (10 1/2) and Spur (9) and went to my lease. I normally hunt by myself anymore which can be a good thing and a bad thing...just depends on the hunt. This hunt I wish I had a couple of strong backed helpers with me.

My lease is 29,000 acres of rough woods. Timber has been cut a lot and cut overs have grown up thick as hair on a dogs back.  No pasture hunting here! I has run a hog with Monkey the week before in an area for over 5 miles on the Garmin but he never got it stopped. He just isn't as fast as he used to be. But neither am I ! I saw the track where it crossed a dim road and it looked to be a sure enough good hog. So I went back to the same area and put both Monkey and Spur out together, something I rarely do anymore. Seems every time I do they get wrecked. But it usually produces a good hog.

I let them out of the box on the 4 wheeler and started down the same dim trail Monkey had struck the hog the week before. They went ahead, Monkey went off one side of the road and Spur on the other. They were each out 250-300 yards on the Garmin and just working around. It was real thick and they were looking for a hog I could tell. I could see they were making loops but the two dogs weren't together. Now this was about 2 PM after the deer hounds had been all through the place so I figured any hogs were either squatted tight or had left the area. I should mention I left my backpack, phone, extra leashes, etc on the 4 wheeler. I am always afraid of losing my phone in the woods . My dogs had been out for about 30-40 minutes when I saw Monkey line out on the Garmin. He is 110% silent so if not for the Garmin I wouldn't know what he was doing. At about 600 yards out I heard him bay. Looked at the Garmin and Spur was bee lining to him.  I thought...I hope I hear a squeal when they get together. Well, when Spur got there I heard both dogs baying, which means a good hog with these two dogs, even as old as they are.

I hurried as best I could trying to get there. Both dogs were baying their hearts out and i love to hear these two bay together. Monkey is Spur's sire and they sound similar. But when the two are baying together it's like they try and see who can bay the loudest. Sure sounded pretty on a cool afternoon in the thick woods. As I got close I heard the hog run the dogs. Sounded like a good hog as he was breaking things down running the dogs. I eased in and could see yellow (the dogs) but couldn't see the hog as it was so thick. Both dogs were baying every breath. I tried to ease in a little closer and the hog ran the dogs. Good lord what a hog! And teeth everywhere! No catch dog, by myself and this is the best hog I have been on in years! He stops with his head behind a cabbage palm so I pull my pistol (.44 magnum) and shoot him right behind the shoulder. He was angling a little away from me so I figured the shot would angle right into his boiler room.  It's about a 10-15 yard shot, it should be lights out!

Well, he fell at the shot, the dogs piled on him, I ran in to grab a leg to keep him down until he died (as he had some terrible teeth) and just as I got to him...he jumped up! He saw me, slung the dogs off and here he comes! I had holstered the pistol (so I could grab a leg ) so I  ran around a tree....he chased me around that tree, I grabbed another one and went around it, and so did he! He was still after me but Monkey had him by the rear and and the hog was dragging Monkey chasing me! Spur finally grabbed him too and that pissed him off enough he spun around and got after the dogs. He slung Monkey pretty good and then the hog broke and ran.

The dogs were on him like white on rice, pulling hair and fighting him for about 200 yards. Then they get him stopped and bay again. I hurry as fast as I can, having to crawl in places, and just about the time i get close enough to see the bushes moving the hog breaks again. It's a running fight for about 100 yards and they bay again. I hurry to get there and just as I get close, the hog breaks. This goes on for like 40 minutes. This hog acts like he isn't hurt at all. They must have stopped him 8-10 times in 40 minutes and I have yet to see the hog other than the first time.  Finally they bay and its a REAL thick spot. I ease in from the downwind side being as quiet as I can. The hog runs the dogs and I see a shot. I shoot him behind the shoulder again as I can't see his head. This is from like 20 feet away. The shot knocks the hog down, he bounces up and breaks!

The dogs are right on him and stop him pretty quick. I ease in and he runs the dogs again, knocking down trees as big around as my arm. I see the hog and can see his head this time. The dogs are right in his face so I have to be careful shooting. I aim right below his ear and shoot. He drops like he was hit with a sledgehammer. The dogs pile on him, I run in (or actually crawl in) and the hog gets up again !!!

I had kept the pistol out this time and shot him right in the face as he turned to me. Down he went, this time for good! Thank God! I was out of bullets and the box of shells was on the 4 wheeler in my backpack.....with my phone!

Only then do I get a good look at this hog. It's a barr hog, left ear cropped, tail bobbed and LOTS of teeth! It's starting to get dark, I am a long ways from my 4 wheeler and miles from my truck. it's Sunday night, I am almost two hours from home and have to work the next day. So I tie some mule tape around his mouth behind his teeth, snap a lead to that and pull. And pull....and the hog doesn't move. Monkey is hurt, won't even put his right rear leg on the ground, but is steadily chewing on the hog. I don't have my phone to call anyone for help(or take pics) so I head to the 4 wheeler. Glad I had the Garmin because I didn't know where I was or where the scooter was. Spur follows me out, Monkey stays with the hog. i keep calling him and after I am about 300 yards away he starts coming to me on the Garmin. I get to the scooter, load Spur and wait on Monkey. It's about 5:30, maybe 30 minutes of daylight left. Monkey finally limps out and I load him. Jump on the 4 wheeler trying to find a way closer to the hog. I see a guy standing next to his Polaris ranger so I stop. They are trying to catch their last few deer hounds out. I explain what happened and he said they would help me get the hog out. He told me this as he was fixing himself another mixed drink.....

His two buddies show up and we drive around.....and around...trying to get closer to the hog. Close as we can get the 4 wheeler is 580 yards. I had told them they could have the hog I just wanted a couple pics first. When they realized it was dark...and we had a 580 yard drag....they looked at me and said " we don't want him that bad! Goodnight."

I had called 4-5 people while driving around trying to get help but to no avail. Funny when you call & say HUNT everybody wants to go. Say DRAG....and everyone is busy!

So as bad as I hated to do it, I headed to the truck without the hog & without any pics even! Didn't hardly sleep that night upset that I couldn't get the hog out of the woods. I decided to at least go back the next weekend and get the head. I had to work all week, but went back the next Saturday, 6 days after the hunt. We have quite a few bears in the lease so didn't know if the hog would even be there.

I drove as close as I could (580 yards) left the dogs on the 4 wheeler (in case there was a bear camped on the hog) and headed in......WITH my phone! I got close and was having to crawl around. I could smell him but didn't see him right away as SOMETHING.....probably a bear, had fed on the hog and pawed leaves and sticks and cabbage palm fronds on top of him. Now that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up! squatting down in a super thick spot, no dogs, cutting the head off of SOMETHING'S dinner! You wonder what's watching you! Anyway, got that done, hooked a leash to the mule tape I had put on him the week before and headed to the scooter. I would be lying if I said I didn't stop a couple times and listen to my back track though!! :)  Just in case that something was coming to claim his dinner!

Got out to the 4 wheeler and that head was smelling ripe! Maggots all over it, but I did get the head. I am estimating the hog was 270-280 (and I won't be off by much) and the teeth measured 4 1/2".  Still makes me sick I couldn't have gotten the whole hog out and on top of the dog box last week.

Anyway, here are a couple pics if I can remember how to post them. I just wouldn't look at them while you are eating! :)
(http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/MarkFreddy/20141115_131656_resized_zps070dda67.jpg) (http://s621.photobucket.com/user/MarkFreddy/media/20141115_131656_resized_zps070dda67.jpg.html)
(http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/MarkFreddy/20141115_140529_resized_zps02bb0c73.jpg) (http://s621.photobucket.com/user/MarkFreddy/media/20141115_140529_resized_zps02bb0c73.jpg.html)

Where the bear...or whatever..had fed on the hog. I had to remove the leaves & such to get the pics.
(http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/MarkFreddy/20141115_131545_resized_zps529e6fc8.jpg) (http://s621.photobucket.com/user/MarkFreddy/media/20141115_131545_resized_zps529e6fc8.jpg.html)

Helluva story and helluva hog Mark!

That's an adventure there! Good story and good teeth on that sucker!

Thanks guys. That hunt got real interesting a couple different times!!  LOL

Nice teeth good story read it twice

Man that was a great story. Hope Ol Monkey is doing better. Hope you have something out of him besides just your  Spur dog. They sound like good ones. when you go it alone like that it really makes you think and rely on your dogs. Good job.

Good story. Nice teeth. I have read several stories about ur monkey dog. Sounds like he is still getting it done.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Great story  and hog good job bud

Heck of a story and heck of a hog!

That's an awesome hog Mark...sounds like you better retire Monkey to the good life after getting some more pups outta him to fool around with!

Agree with all.  Great story and glad you got the head to show.  I know you were proud of posting that pic.

Not only do I think that was a very successful hunt, I think a lot of people can relate to your stories and a lot of lessons can be learned.  Lots of posts about bulldog or no bulldog.  Gun or no gun.  Cary phone no phone.

I am interested in your answers based on this hunt.

Will you always carry a pistol on future hunts?
Will you make a new rule that you dont hunt by yourself?
Will you now always carry a bulldog?

Thanks again guys for all the posts. Monkey IS getting up there in age and I DO need to retire him. I just don't have anything else to hunt. I had bred him to my JJ female a couple years ago and kept two pups out of that but they just never did what I wanted them to do and they were mean as could be. They would bite anyone, so I culled them.  This past summer I THOUGHT JJ was out of heat and put her back on the cable runner. Well, Monkey proved she wasn't and 63 days later she had one pup! So I will mess with this one and see what it will do. She is now 7 months old and I have never messed with her...yet.

I had bred my Red female a couple years ago to a different male and those dogs didn't suit me either, so they went away. Seems I am having a hard time finding a young dog that will do what Monkey will do. Maybe I am too picky, but I know what I want, and like, and I am not willing to settle just so I can buy more dog food.

What I like in a dog:
Hunts out decent. I can't stand a dog that stays at your feet!
100% silent
Not trashy. I believe some families of dogs are just trashier than others.
Dog must hunt ALONE. If he needs help to go find, stop and bay a hog, he will never be a top dog in my book.
Gritty enough to stop a hog, but not suicidal. If its a big hog with teeth, bay it. If its a 100 lb hog or less catch it!
I don't like a dog that goes around the woods killing baby pigs. I have baby pigs in my yard that get out of the pen and neither Monkey (who runs loose 24/7) or Spur will even mess with them.
And I like a smart dog. Intelligence is a big factor in my liking a dog. Monkey has more sense that most of the people I meet... :)

As far as the three questions:

I will always carry a handgun. Better to have it and not need it than need it and NOT have it.
I will still hunt alone a lot.
And I won't be leading a bulldog. I could not have handled this hog, a CD and two cur dogs by myself anyway.

But I DO need to carry my phone.

I love hearing your stories. I can really relate, I only run a couple cur dogs too. Makes it a little more interesting ;) Haven't gotten into carrying a gun yet. I like talking my dogs into catching those better ones! Great hog and great story! If you ever need a hand i'm here in central Fl

Great write up on a hair raising adventure. You made me feel like I was there with you.

Good story ,nice teeth on that dude!

Heck of a story mark.  Good to see you an monkey are still getting after them.

Nice cutters on that Barr. Was that hog from Chass property? Lot of bears on that property!
Mark your dogs are getting up there in age. Time to go out and get some new dogs. Since your breedings did not produce what you like/want, then go get some dogs from one of your friends! Sometimes your best dog does not reproduce itself. You need to find your next Dixie and Rock!!

Great story and great dog work and you also LOL .  I believe I would trade that 44 in on a 12 gauge with 1oz solid slugs are 1 oz Defender slugs .  Get you a short 12 with about a 18 to 20 barrel put you a strap on it and throw it around your shoulder he  wont get up at  least I have never had one get up yet and its been manya

Nice hog


Sonny

Great story and a nice hog! Glad you made it out unharmed.

great story, thanks for taking the time to type it in

Hell of a story, i enjoy reading posts that you can learn from, nice cutters too

Thanks for sharing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for all the posts guys. It was an interesting hunt, no doubt!

I went back to the same place last Friday. Was late leaving due to ....uhh...overnight company.....so didn't get to the woods until about lunch time.  I got there, loaded Monkey and an 8 month old pup on the 4 wheeler and went to check out a feeder the bears had messed with a while back. Once I got off the road I let Monkey out. It was about 12:30 PM at this time. He trotted off ahead of me and I drove to the feeder which is out in an overgrown clearcut.

I got to the feeder, the bears hadn't tore it up...again...so I started filling it. I put a couple bags of corn in it and thought I better check on Monkey. There was corn on the ground from when the feeder went off that morning and it didn't look like anything had been there since the night before.  Anyway when I looked at the Garmin Monkey was over 800 yards away just beating the clearcut  down like a bird dog. Making circles  loops and just covering ground looking.  He was getting farther away so I drove back out to the main road (in the club) and drove to a crossroads, turned left and drove down towards where he should have been. I turned the scooter off and ..what's that?? Monkey bayed at about 712 yards from me.

I drove down the road until I was about even with him and stopped. I could hear him baying off in a thick clearcut planted in young pines about 15 feet high. This block is thick as hair on a dogs back! Briar patches, vines, dog fennels, pines, it's got it all.  I left the pup on the 4 wheeler and started in to Monkey. He was baying like it was a big hog. It was about 1:15 at this time and starting to get warm.  I tried to hurry to Monkey but it was so thick it was slow going. And nayurally, I was by myself! I got closer and could hear hogs rallied up and talking. I like hearing that! I eased in and could see Monkey some but couldn't see the hogs in a thick patch of waist high briars. But I could hear them talking and heard teeth popping!

I tried to get closer without getting me or Monkey in a wreck. There were no trees big enough to climb as the pines were not very big around! He started crowding the hogs and a couple ran out at him. A couple big sows and another toothy barr hog! Then the hogs ran back into the briar patch. There were still a couple hogs that didn't come out so I would guess there were 5-6 hogs in that bunch, maybe more. All good big hogs.

I had my pistol but it was thick and I didn't want a repeat of the above hunt, so I got my hands on Monkey and left them standing in the briars. They were still talking as I led Monkey out, much to his dislike. He didn't want to leave those hogs there. Got back out to the 4 wheeler and Monkey was hot so I loaded him up and went to check another feeder. Got on a dim woods road and let him out to get a drink and just eased along headed to another feeder.  He pulled out and bayed about 300 yards from me. I drove close as I could and hurried to him. He had three sows and some pigs bayed in a swamp. Two of the sows had pigs but one was a fat young sow without pigs. A guy I know had asked me to get hima  good eating hog for Christmas and she fit the bill. One shot and she was down for the count. Now why didn't that work for the other barr!!

I could get the 4 wheeler close so I drove in and loaded her on the front of the scooter. She was probably 100 lbs or so and fat.  Was a good hunt. Glad I didn't have the young dog out on the first hogs as they were big & aggressive. Wished I had her out on the second bay! She is only 8 months so I am taking it slow. She will get her chance!

Here is a pic of the sow and the dogs on the scooter.
(http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/MarkFreddy/20141212_172117_resized_zpscff02b01.jpg) (http://s621.photobucket.com/user/MarkFreddy/media/20141212_172117_resized_zpscff02b01.jpg.html)

Here is Monkey getting in a last bite after I gutted the hog and put it on the truck. He is starting to look old!
(http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/MarkFreddy/20141212_174213_resized_zps78ca3683.jpg) (http://s621.photobucket.com/user/MarkFreddy/media/20141212_174213_resized_zps78ca3683.jpg.html)

Heck of a hunt there, nice boar to