Preacher Making a Corner?

Hooked up with Peel and his boys last nite. They brought Flash, Cowboy, lil' Girl (I think) and a CD. I brought Jasper and Preacher.

Started off on the small property first...hogs had been in there early last couple weeks. Dogs were hunting well but never struck. We loaded up and drove over to the hay pen. There were only a couple or three hogs there this time. Wind was NOT in our favor. Had a red spotted boar cross in front of us heading west....told the boys to empty the box and the dogs went to work. This was new to Jason's dogs but Jasper and Preacher were on top of it. Jasper hit the Boars track and I was waiting...checked the garmin and he's still pretty close but Preacher was already like 250 to the south...I never even saw that/those pigs. He was MOVING out....280,340,450,580 and got a Bawl. This stopped Jasper in his tracks and turned him.

Preacher was steady Bawling now and still moving....Jasper was on his way and I believe Jason's dogs started heading that way at that point. First time these dogs have hunted together so the slow start was understandable. Preacher was out to around 950 or so before help got there and we heard everyone singing.

I think it was probably a couple or three pigs and it was pretty much a walking bay. We'd get within 300 or so and next time if check the garmin they'd be at 320. This went on for about another half mile or so before it seemed they had settled and we were actually closing on them. Got within about 150 and all silent....then the coyotes started singing...2 packs...1 to each side of the dogs, both within 200 yards. I don't know exactly what happened but we waited and waited. The dogs continued working and got out to about 450 to the west and we started heading to them.

Walked about 100 yards and Jasper opens up....not his normal chop at first but he settled into it and the other dogs honored. We kept walking...had a solid bay going and cut the CD from 100. Heard the squeal and it was a caught pig. Problem was...it was caught before we caught it....yep....trapped pig. Youngsters got there first and said CD was caught through the trap, lol. Anyway....a bit disappointing. LONG walk for a trapped pig. We leashed up and trudged back to the truck. Still....I wasn't to terribly disappointed. Preacher at 14 months had put in some GOOD work.

We spent some time roading the big spot with no luck. Headed back to the small spot for one more go at it. Dogs still working well and at the spot we've had some luck they all got piggy. Wasn't long till Jasper opened up but I think he was baying a ghost, lol. Shortly after Flash opened but it didn't last long either. The dogs were spread out a bit...hunting all different directions. I believe... Looking back on it now, I know why. It's about 4a.m. at this point and I was pretty sleepy so my recollection could be a little foggy...but I'll give it a shot.

Jasper and Preacher were relatively close to each other working and I didn't have Jason's dogs on my handheld but I think Flash was around 150 or so South East. They were all working and every once in a while we'd hear a bark...I think we even got a short bay but then silence again. Preacher at one point went 950 due North but came back. At one point Jasper and Preacher together lit out to the S.E. and went like 750. Flash at that point was pretty close and opened into a steady bay. This pulled lil' girl to her and Jasper turned and beelined to her leaving Preacher hunting down south by himself. We ended up with a solid bay. Jason and his Boys went to them with the CD and the rest of us jumped in the truck and drove around to the gate and down to the corner. Unfortunately...Jason...not being familiar with the property cut his CD at a point where the banks were really steep. When he got to the bank he saw the hog on the other side but by the time the bulldog got down into the water it broke again. At one point we thought we heard squealing but we weren't sure. We had to go to a better spot to cross...finally get to area where dogs were all at and I'm pretty sure I saw a little piglet running past in the light. It was near 5 a.m. And the deer hunters were sure to be showing up. We gathered the dogs up and called it quits.

Over all it was a frustrating nite but I can't complain to much. Preacher performed really well and we did get into pork. Just couldn't close. That's the way it goes I guess.