EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

So me an' Lee got the itch and took a rare wkday off to make a hunt... Had a little cool snap slide through so it was around fifty when we rolled in the gate this mornin... but it's as dry here as we've seen in a long, long time.  So dry their ain't even any morning dew to work off of, can't make a track out for the dusty sugar sand  :P...

It's been almost 2wks since I burned my Shiner dog up and she's been acting much better, but still looks like hell... low on weight, and just kinda dehydrated looking... (been stressin' about hunting her again after hearing all the stories about it...), but she seemed game, so we put her and her daughter Spinner up on the box as we came into the property... wasn't a half mile and ol' Shine went ta spinning and whining and before I could jump out the truck to unclip them a decent hog shot across the grade headed to some bad palmettos... cut the two loose and it wasn't a minute and heard the squealing a few hundred yds into the palmettos! 


Good, quick hog to gain my confidence back she wasn't gonna stroke out on me her first hunt back  ;D  Tied the hog up and took a few of the younger dogs back to work it at the end of the day!

Sawfish, Tiger, and Mako(yes I finally got him back.... long story  ;D) puttin' in some reps at the end of the day!!!
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/aprilcmetzger/020-1.jpg)

Content with Shine makin' one good run... I decided that was enuff for her for the day  ;D (not wanting to push my luck... her skin is so thin right now you could see every single blood vessel in her... strange...)...

Next on deck was Lee's Camo dog and Shiner's son Sawfish... they rolled out and Sawfish really impressed me... he's always been real drive-y since he was born, but he sure works the way I like... just stays busy... literally busting through every thick ass palmetto patch and briar thicket he can find... wasn't long and he jumped a big boar... we watched as the boar jumped from palmetto head to palmetto head, finally breaking and rolling out hard... they stayed with him for about 30 minutes before fallin' off... but was real good training none the less!   They just not old enough to handle a hog that fast and rank yet, but it was good for 'em  ;)

SO... Pulled the Chub out(can't believe I'm actually using her to train pups now....  rolleyes ;D ... but she's somehow, suddenly decided to become a hog dog!!! lol) and finally put my Whaler pup out.... I been holding him back because he's the one I got high hopes for and as big and strong as he looks... he still got a lot of puppy clumbsiness in him for a bad hog... but the hell with it!!!!  ;D

Sent them on and Chub and him went and caught a sow, sent the Bucho in for reps and got a couple pics after stickin' the hog.
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/aprilcmetzger/012-2.jpg)

Startin' to get hot by now... we were tryin' to get to the truck to switch out dogs and Chub and Whaler dissappear into a bad thick palmetto bedding area we've caught some good boar hogs in... heard grunting and sent the Bucho for backup!!!  Got in, or should I say "waded in", as this area is REAL thick and most of the time you cant see what's beneath you... which can get REAL interesting with dogs and hogs thrashing between your legs!!!  :o ;D
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/aprilcmetzger/014.jpg)


Another boar, just a meat hog, but still good for young Whaler!!!  Chub and Whaler takin' a breather once they see ol' Bucho got it under control... he sure saves my dogs from wasting energy holding a hog!!!!
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/aprilcmetzger/89.jpg)

Whaler still havin' a bit of a hard time rollin' off a hog once it's dead... but he's slowly gettin' the idea!
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/aprilcmetzger/017.jpg)

First time I've got to actually hunt all 5 of Shiner's pups that I have kept in the same day.... Runnin' one older dog with one pup and seein' what happens... so far so good... I just enjoy watching these young dogs develope so much... it's almost like christmas morning every time I get to hunt them  ;D

Looks like it's working.  Love a short succeful hunt. 

Real nice man, your pups look great and it sounds like they are making the grade

Thanks, yall... every time I think I get somethin' figgered out in this thing.... the dogs show me somethin' else and completely change my view...

Of these pups, one(Spinner) is currently showing what it was I was hoping for in the breeding... an extremely fast, drive-y dog, with a natural desire to ham string a hog... but not catch an ear.... right now she is all of that and more...

... as for the rest of them... they all are 300% game, just all over the place of developement however... the males are notably slower maturing than the females... much bigger in frame, still quite awkward at 11mnths...

Really interesting watching the differences...

You gotta ove it when pups are getting it done like that. We go through alot of dogs and very few come out just the way we want, I'm glad Spinner is progressing on the right track. Its hard finding that "hamstringin', nut-grabbing pirrahna's" we all look for. The boys an their 300% drive will still produce more pork than you can handle.. Next Year is gonna be a FUN year for you Mr. Noah

Good Hunt for the young dogs Noah.. How old are they now?

Good story and pics! Seeing pups you bred making the cut has got to be rewarding.

Had to search it on here to be sure  ;D

They were born July 16th of last yr, so they'll be 10 mnths old in just over a week...  maybe I'm pushing them too hard....  ;D

 I let their maturity level guage how hard I push a pup and at what age. They are definitely not all the same.. Those that start early will get you excited.

Good hunt Noah and good luck with your pups...


X 2 That way seems to work the best for me. I have to admit though that the old saying of "early to start, early to quit" stays in the back of my head though..

I feel the same way. I've seen too many of these year old super stars burn out by the the time they're 3 or 4. The slower maturing dogs always seem to make better dogs in the long run.

I judge a pup between 1 and 2 years old.

man its funny at the different opinions you get on pups? on one thread i read how people wouldnt waste time on slow maturing dogs then its dogs that mature to fast some times burn out? ou oh noah if your pups become culls to you i will take them thanks in advance, by the way good hunt glad chub has steped up for you must be nice to have so many tools in the box?

Glad to see the pups coming on Noah! It always nice ( even a relief for me sometimes ) to see the young pups develop. Watching what was bred in too start shining through.

 
100% agreed. Different lines of dogs develop differently ( if they develop at all ). For me, it seems like the 2 year mark is when they usually have it all put together and making me happy.

Noah, thanks for sharing the good, bad, and ugly as you raise your pups. I have kept up with it sence you talked about making this cross.

Noah,

Sounds like your pups are doing great...That Bucho is a nice catch dog...

Seems like the bigger dogs mature a little slower.

Noah, thanks for sharing the good, bad, and ugly as you raise your pups. I have kept up with it sence you talked about making this cross.
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Thankyou Ninja, I'm real hard on mine and try and describe it as I see it... good or bad...  I ain't been doin' this as long as I'd like to have been, so by my description, I hope to have that random person... that has been through what I'm experiencing, be able to relate and offer any constructive advice.... or smart a$$ comments... both of which are appreciated....  ;D

As I disagreed with Mike yrs ago on the subject of early starting vs. late starting... Mike was right... you never know...  but I sure know I'm willing to wait a lil' longer now as long as they've shown adequate interest along the way...
 

Good hunt fellas

Glad to hear a good report on the pups. 

 Awesome pictures and good hunt. Good looking pups!

Good pics and story, Noah. Glad to hear you got Mako back

Nice pics Noah, looks like you got them pups headed in the right direction........

Now that's good to hear my friend,.....I'm happy for you, seems that your pups may just turn out to be what you wanted, sure seems like they're headed in the right direction for sure. Almost.......I said ALMOST makes me want to get a pup and go through all that again. Truth is, we just don't have enough hogs here where I live to warrant getting a pup, or that's the way I see it. I will admit that I do miss all this that you've just described here.....watching pups mature and learn the ropes is a fun but often very frustrating thing to do. I must admit that I do enjoy hunting my 2 girls and knowing just what to expect out of them. They do just what I like and that makes hunting them a pleasure for me. Good luck buddy......I think you're on the right track and doing just what you should here.