I have seen a few dog smart hogs that seem to make a quick circle of a quarter mile or so and then roll out and run hard for a good while...I saw him cross the pipeline almost a mile further up running all out and a while later the dogs crossed the pipeline right where the hog crossed...we caught him later but it took more than a few tries...
Here is a scenario that happens...let’s say a pack of 9 hogs moved in to a hardwood area that had a good mast of acorns...the hogs hung out and fed on the acorns most of the night and laid tracks on about ten acres of land pretty much scattered out in those ten acres...the hogs leave to the watering hole about 4 in the morning which is 3/4 mile away...
Joe figures the hogs would be feeding in that area so he comes in as best he can from the downwind side at about 6 am...he casts Smoke and Yeller about quarter mile from there and the dogs roll out hard because they smell hog in the air...these two dogs are top of the line strike dogs and look good in any company...but there is a small difference in these two dogs...Smoke is a decent dog when it comes to drifting and lining out a feeder track...takes him a few minutes but he will get it lined out pretty quick... he’s got experience and has great instincts...
Yeller is a little different in that he was born to be a great dog...he hits the feeding area from the downwind side and he already knows the hogs are not there...no fresh hog scent in the air...he immediately makes a good loop and barks 2 or 3 times when he locates the feeding exit tracks...in less than five minutes Yeller is bayed not too far from the watering hole...Smoke will be there shortly...
So drifting is just finding the short end of a track? Any dog with half a walnut in his head and a little want to bay, ought to be able to do this... no?
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