Kicked it off this year with the boys around my house(pretty well do every year). Hogs been bad all deer season. I have bounced them around and killed a few, with a dog here and there through season to try and protect our winter grass, but they just kept on coming.
Got started late, had a pair of young dogs a piece from Rhett and Tim, Tim’s being my spoon dogs 2 brothers pilgrim and Bob. And 2 older dogs we’ve kept around last couple years because our young dog numbers were down and we needed warm bodies. Pearl and Curtis.
First cast was made in the wrong spot due to me and Rhett not being on same page. I was horse back running around looking for sign and sent them to a “corner” of the ranch, and they went to the next one down. No big deal, we can hunt it all but wasn’t any hogs to be had over there.
Got everything back after 45 mins or so and we’re losing light fast. Told em let’s roll, we got to get north. That’s where the hogs been coming from. So we jump in the buggies and hit the black top. Go about 3 miles around to a little place some older folks live that for whatever reason is 50 acres of hog heaven.
Spoon started rigging pulling in and I knew I had made the right call. Put em down and we were jumped in 10 seconds. They must have put a few on their feet but they all took one finally and lined him out, took him about 600 yards across a county road in to a place we call the corner of hell, before they slammed the brakes.
About the time we get around, the 3 brothers I guess heard us pull up or ran out of patience and they caught him. Got in there with Rhett and we flipped him(thinking back now, Rhett beat me to the bay. I don’t get beat to bays in years past. Is this what getting old feels like?)
Good boar about 2-215. Holler at Tim and my brother to bring a tie rope, we gonna bring him out and make a man out of him. We throw him and get him tied, dogs roll over and bay another.
We figured let the dogs bay, and we’ll drag this hog out and go catch that one in a few. Long story short we never got to see that 2nd hog, he broke while we were dicking off and they never stopped him back. Caught everything up about an hour later poor pearl took a pretty bad flank shot and was herniated, so to the vet we went.
Punctured her diaphragm and broke 2 ribs but some how didn’t appear to actually damage any of her gut or stomach. All the brothers were cut decent either under the chin or in the chest, figure it must have been a pretty good hog again and they tried him and he was meaner than they had him picked for.
Ended the night at the vet clinic with our vet and one of his techs who we are all buddies. Back in the day between me and Kate, and Tim and his Weezy bulldog. We used to keep this man’s light bill paid. We had a few beers after surgery(pearls got a chance, if we can keep infection away) told some “reride” stories and remembered some old dogs. Finally about 9:30 went and got us some dinner and barred and turned that hog loose. Got dogs put up finally about 11pm.
Not the start we would have picked for ‘25, but a start none the less and it wasn’t all bad. Ready for another one.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
