Quick hunt in the soon to be Sahara

I worry about dogs overheating every time I turn them loose this time of year. Watching these dogs work is just amazing sometimes. I told the guys once this morning when we over trying to catch Ava and Timber’s hogs to listen to the brush. The hog ran within a few yards of us and we could here it of course breaking brush and really trying to leave. He was probably 15-20 yards ahead of the dogs but they were breaking brush harder and faster than the hog. I said listen to that. Those dogs aren’t tip toeing though there. They are driving that track hard and putting some pressure on that hog to either turn and fight or run harder. Either way, 9-10 times neither choice ends in the hogs favor. If he stops he gets caught and if he runs harder we get his wind and he makes a mistake. Today was that 1 out of ten for the hog. Temperature and location saved it but there will be another day for sure. When caught those two dogs up we were literally brushing and pulling briar thorns out of their eye lids and the rest of their head. I LOVE THAT KIND OF WANT TO!

Y’all are right about dumping and getting it done early or going to the house. That’s my same thought. Not going at all has been the box I’ve checked a couple times lately too.

Cajun I hope you dogs get healed up and over the overheating. Sometimes it takes a while and sometimes they don’t ever.

I don’t know what precautions anyone else is taking but one thing I’ve started doing is feeding soaked feed. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to feeding dry kibble. Once in a while maybe but not often. I feed half of the amount I was feeding by soaking it. The dogs love it. They look good. They have less stool. They get more water. And I buy less feed. I feed at dark or after because of the temperature outside. So the feeding before a hunt I feed it just a little soupier and I give them a tad bit more. It seems to be working well so I’m not gonna fix something that isn’t broke. I knew an old pit bull man that told me once that dogs NEVER drink enough water. He carried 2 buckets when he fed. Each dog got a cup of feed and a cup of water in the same bowl and when we came back by them, every drop of both was gone out of every bowl. I feed out of a 3 gal bucket. For 7 grown dogs it takes three scoops from my red paint cup soaked to feed all 7. The scoop is about equivalent to a pound coffee can. Those 7 dogs include 2 big catch dogs. So if those 3 scoops fill the bucket 1/3 of the way full, then I fill it to the 2/3 - 3/4 full mark with hot water. It only takes a couple hours to soak up completely. I like to soak it in the morning and leave it inside though so that it is cool when they eat it. When it gets cold next week I’ll feed it to them warm.

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