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.
