Thicket Hunt

I've been hitting the hogs on this place hard for awhile.Its one of those places when its good its real good.But the thing about this place the hogs have a big advantage.Its as thick a place as this country has.I posted awhile back about the thicket place on the creek,this is the place.Went sunday with Ruff,Tracks,Thumper.Put them out in the road,let them clean out good then they went hunting.We went a little ways then Ruff,Tracks were off the road and getting deep fast.They went off my Garmin,and I headed to where I thought they might be going.Thumper my Plott pup still with me.I went south a good ways,and picked them up again.Garmin said they was treed.Now my Plott pup is getting deep in a hurry.I drove till I heard a pig squelling.I knew they had one caught,and drove right up to them.Got lucky it was a young boar with small tusks,on the edge of the brush.Killed him and got dogs put back in the pickup.Made it home to watch the Cowboy game...................................Monday same place new dogs.This time I took Tiggs,Annie,and Raider my other Plott pup.Put them out about the same spot I turned out the day before.Roaded the tar out of them,and they never left the road.So I went and walked out three good canyons,and saw lots of sign but never jumped any hogs.Did some deer training,but no Hogs.Walked back to the pickup for more roading.Roaded them to the honey hole thicket on the creek.By this time its 2 in the afternoon,been hunting since 9 in the Am,my mistake.We roaded along the out side edge of this creek thicket for awhile,till I was about ready to put them up and head to the casa.Made the last corner,and Tiggs threw her head up and went in the brush.Annie and Raider followed on her tail.Raider opened,then all hell broke loose.Pigs went to breaking brush,dogs went to bellering,hogs were grunting,dogs was squalling.So I started in to them with the gun.I would hear a single dog set up bayed,then break.I followed that mess around for about an hour.Never got anything stopped long enough to get a shot.About 3:30 pm the older dogs showed back up in the road where I was.Called them in and went to the pickup.Raider was still in the thicket 3oo yards out trying to line out a track,and wouldnt come in.So I went in after her,and finally got her caught up and put in the box.So I went home with my tail between my legs monday................................This morning I got up feeling like some payback. Went out to get the A team in the truck.Scratch that idea.Three gyps in heat so Ruff has to stay home.So I loaded up the A- team,Tracks,Tiggs,Annie,Thumper.Headed out to the thicket.Learned a good lesson the day before. I already knew,but aint the sharpest knife there ever was.Keep dogs fresh till ya get to the creek bottom.Drove up on the hill looking down on the creek bottom and let two dogs at a time out to clean out.I knew they were gonna need to be empty once we dropped off into that mess.Drove down off the hill and let the dogs out.And started roading around the thicket.Wind was out of the south,and we were on the south/east side driveing north.Roaded about a 1/4 mile around and Tracks goes in,followed by the other three.I kept easeing on down the road and could tell it was fixing to get Western by the way the dogs were acting.Annie opens,Tiggs opens,Tracker bays.Bay breaks heading north,I am out of the truck trying to find a way into that mess.Thumper lets out a bawl,then in a sec starts hammering bayed.Then all hell breaks loose and dogs are trying to catch something I can tell.So in I go,and its very hard going.I can still hear the fight.And from the sounds of the brush breaking earlier,I knew we has a goodun.I get into the brush a good ways,and hear a pig squelling.I am worried about Tracker getting cut up,so I pickup the pace.I get to where I can see them caught on a big hog,got in there to them and its a big ole piggy sow.Got her killed,hated to kill her,but I wasnt gonna be able to call off my dogs.Went back to the pickup and got the camera.Took some pictures loaded up,and headed to the casa.Thought I'd better quit while I was ahead.