View From The Cheap Seats -- From An Outside Observer

[pblenis]

This will be longwinded.  TLDR on the bottom 

As I've posted once or twice.  I'm brand new to hog dogging, and will offer no opinions on the sport itself.  There are to many extremely qualified individuals on this site for that.  I came upon the sport while reading some internet articles/pages two years ago.  Then watched some videos, and said "that's hunting I would be interested in".  I believe it to be a true form of hunting, and at it's roots an ultimate relationship between man and animal (dog). 

I found ETHD about a year ago and have been 'stalking' online for a while, finally getting a userid and such a little while back.  However, until recently I haven't done to much reading as I'm still getting my feet wet and waiting to take the plunge.  I did purchase a Dogo Argentino, who is now 11 months old, whom I want to hunt, but is a family dog first.  I'm hoping to take him out to a training area soon. 

I've spent the last day or two, probably reading for 8 hours or so, on the site.  The amount of information is staggering.  Opinions abound and any logical person can tell, for the most part, that hog doggers are great people.   Helpful, knowledgeable, salt of the earth Americans who love the sport.

I spent a good deal of time reading and trying to understand the push by animal rights activists to perhaps outlaw the sport.  I get paid pretty good money to analyze data and I am concerned on a few points regarding the future of the sport.  This is an outside observers opinion and we all know what opinions are like  .

About me: I am 31 years old.  Father of two.  College educated.  White collar job.  Son of two retired Army NCO's. I've lived in TX since I was 12.  I've never hunted but have wanted to go hog dogging since I first learned.  I'm an avid fisherman and wished I could win the lottery and spend 240 days a year fishing (and now hunting).  I consider myself an American first (not English, Irish, Swedish), as my dad's side of the family can trace their history well back to pre Revolution times back to the late 1640's.  I am a TRUE independent in my political views.  I take sides based on what I feel is right for the country and not what's right for me personally.  My general feeling on most issues is if your not causing physical harm to someone, not abusing children, and not torturing animals I could care less what your doing.  That's between you and whatever God you believe in. 

So here are my concerns for the future of the sport:

Dog Fighting and links to Hog Dogging --- I have read to many 'positive' position statements on this site with regards to dog fighting.  Now as I stated as long as someone is not torturing an animal (say drowning a losing pit dog instead of buying a $1 bullet, or using bait dogs) what you do with your dogs is your business.  I don't agree with it at all, but that's an opinion and should not be forced on someone else.  My concern for Hog Dogging is once the animal rights people really come after the sport they will try to tie it to dog fighting as well.  Is that fair, NO, is it accurate, NO....but that is what they will do.  They will come to sites like this, print out page after page of 'dog fighting' support/culture references and use it as a TOOL to convince legislatures to outlaw hog dogging because it is "LINKED" to dog fighting.

The term CULLING -- The general public will view the use of 'culling' among hog doggers as nothing more than the wholesale killing of any dog that doesn't perform.  Just as they do with dog fighting.  Again, as I've read this site I have been educated to learn that's not always what it means.  Could be making a dog a yard dog, selling it to someone as a pet, et...  But again, the animal rights activists will twist and turn the phrase to only mean killing.  They will again take page after page of comments and use it against the sport.  The phrase perhaps needs to changed to 'I only hunt the best dogs 'or 'taking the pick of the liter' instead of 'I cull hard'.

Political Nonsense -- As much as it might suck.  There are democrats who hunt.  There might even be some who hunt hogs with dogs.  In this day and age, even in Texas, to win a battle against the animal rights people, hog doggers will need every hunter they can find to fight for their rights to hunt with dogs.  Alienating half the population is not going to help.  This is a hunter vs animal rights issue, not REP VS DEM issue.

Racist BS --  For those who it applies, whatever you personal views don't post that horsepoop on sites like this.  This is by far the most visited hog dogging site I can find on the internet and will be ground zero for any 'evidence' the ASPCA/HSUS wants to gather.  Nothing will turn the legislature against hog dogging faster than those organizations painting the entire Hog Dogging community as racists.  The topic of hunters constitutional rights won't even be discussed.  It will be check mate if a legislature is forced to say 'I can't support racists', when they should be able to say 'I support a persons right to hunt with dogs'. 

I have just found this sport and want to do it for a long time.  Maybe get my son into it.  Turn friends onto it.  What I don't want is it to be outlawed.

I'm done rambling.  This is what happens on a bad weather day

TLDR; This site is 'the' hog dogging site on the internet.  Watch what you say here as it will be ground zero for evidence gathering when the animal rights people come after hog dogging for real.  Watch the references to dog/cock fighting, culling, political attacks, and racist BS.  ETHD needs to show it is 100% about supporting and growing the sport of hunting hogs with dogs, welcoming anyone and everyone and adhering to the general American ethos.

[hoghunter71409]

You are right on many points.  Unfortunately, what seems right and okay to some, does not apply to all.  To some, the internet is the start of one thing, but will be the end to the next thing.  If I could do anything, I would go back in time and take everything about hog hunting off the internet.  This site, face book pages, you tube videos, and a lot of other sites while helpful in some aspects, may be the demise of this sport, hobby, or way of life one day.  Many of the old timers that grew up with the internet would probably shake their head in disgust if they knew about all the different internet posts, pictures, and videos out there.  It doesn't take many people to object to something to make it a large issue.  One day we hog hunters will have our backs against the wall over various issues and we will have to defend ourselves and fight to save what we have.

[halfbreed]

   well said pblenis unfortunately it will fall on deaf ears as does most common sense these days .

[hoghunter1983]

   well said pblenis unfortunately it will fall on deaf ears as does most common sense these days .

X2

[Scott]

Is this post, in and of itself, not calling attention to items that the AR could try and use as well?

Just sayin'...

[reatj81]

You may not be a hog hunter yet, but you do see our future, with eyes open wide.   I wish others would take good note of what you said. 


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[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

Over all, there will ALWAYS be idiot (misinformed in nicer terms) "anti's" out there pulling whatever from wherever to try and prove their agenda. So many people even cringe at just the THOUGHT of actually using a dog in a manner of what it was created for (besides couch warmers) it's depressing. These people will ALWAYS exist.
Short concept we can all live by. Think before you speak. Sometimes we do need to bite our tongue in certain specific scenarios, especially when posting anything on the www. Don't plaster pics of injured dogs is a big one. If I had a dollar for every idiot that was plastering pics all over Facebook on public pages of their dogs that got injured somehow I'd be wealthy. It's quite simple. Does it happen? Yes. Does it need to be plastered all over the net? No. I for one have nothing to hide. I'm proud to be a southerner that still embraces tradition, and always will continue to hunt beside my dogs who are a huge part of my life. Far as the dog fighting/cock fighting deal, I haven't seen anyone speak of such things in a current time frame, but in the past as part of history. Remember, both were indeed LEGAL at one point. Do people make ignorant comments at times in regards to bulldogs? Yes unfortunately, quite often. That's a WHOLE 'nother discussion. Linking dog fighting to hog hunting with dogs.....not sure I can follow that one. Don't recall seeing that insinuation here? I know back in the day when there were LEGAL CD competitions, they eventually were shut down all together because of people who didn't understand the concept and next thing ya know, the anti's are calling them "Hog Dog Fighting" events. WTF?

 

[Reuben]

the only way that we can prolong what we do is to have all sportsman/women who fish and hunt including the NRA to consolidate as one and fight those lunatics...when I talk about hunting I mean bow hunters, deer, hunters, bird hunters...all hunters in general...because they are after all of who I mentioned...UNITED WE STAND...

[devildawg86]

I too am new to the sport and have yet to make a hunt. We r not at a point where we can agree to disagree as we all have different views experiences and backgrounds. What may be right for me may not be right for others. I can be wrong/am wrong at times without taking it personal. Politics and religion r sticky topics by themselves. I judge people as individuals not by race or gender. I enjoy talking to and dealing with people that straightforward regardless of time or place. Politicians and preachers have a bad habit of talking from more than one hole.

[Hog_Hunter_57]

Very well said. Lots of great points thank you.

[charles]

 naw mrs la, u had is correct, aint no sence in sugar coating.  idiots is the correct terminology for them. they are not misinformed, well 99% are not misinformed, just the new unlucky recruits they dredge up.

I really hope this sport/way of life is around long enough for u to get ur kids and grand kids involed in it, or really any kind hunting/fishing activity, instead of being couch warmer with a video game controller in their hands.

I will agree like the others, spot on. except for the racist thing. every single 1 of us on this forum and in any other parts of life is racist in some form or fashion. they may not be a die hard klansman, or an al Sharpton, cezar chavez, but a racist none the less. even those politicians that will speak from 1 of the 2 faces they got and like you said " I/we will not condone or recognize any group, hunting o rnot that is involved with racism. im an equal opportunity racist, im white and have no resect for some white folks, but I guess im modern times, that aint racism, its only racist if I don't like some black folks, or Mexicans, Asians, ragheads and so forth.

[devildawg86]

We don't have prayer in school because people didn't speak up to be heard, now it seems anything goes. The sqeeky wheel gets the oil, but does the sqeeky wheel speak for all. Speak in a timely fashion or get ripped n silence

[rdjustham]

im an equal opportunity racist, im white and have no resect for some white folks, but I guess im modern times, that aint racism, its only racist if I don't like some black folks, or Mexicans, Asians, ragheads and so forth.

Charles I don't think youre racist I think your prejudice.  you don't like stupid people. 

[charles]

im an equal opportunity racist, im white and have no resect for some white folks, but I guess im modern times, that aint racism, its only racist if I don't like some black folks, or Mexicans, Asians, ragheads and so forth.

Charles I don't think youre racist I think your prejudice.  you don't like stupid people. 

Naw, i hate ragheads. Who the h€!! walks around with bath towel wrapped around their head n lives in the sand?
Ok, plus i dont like stupid people. There is a special mini-gun that the stupid folks need suck start.