My dad found the tracks of a big boar hog last week in and around a milo field. The field is irrigated and we haven't hunted it in a while so the old boar had everything he needed in cover, food and especially water.

We headed out to find him early on Saturday morning. I walked the dogs up a waterway that splits the field roughly into halves. I was going to catch one of the irrigation pivot systems wheel tracks and walk the dogs around the field to try to cross his track or wind him. I only made it half way up the waterway and the dogs all left me into the milo field. It wasn't long before one dog barked a little as if he'd run across some fresh scent. However, I was a little concerned as my best start dog, Pete, was still at my side.

For the next 10-15 minutes several dogs would bark a couple of times and then quit. I finally decided to continue upon my earlier path and make my way to the center of the pivot system. Once I made it to the center, most of the dogs had again rejoined me. I called for the truck to come around to the other side of the field and I would continue to walk the dogs out. While I was standing there waiting I heard Pete barking downwind from me and I knew he was standing there looking at a hog. The other dogs couldn't hear him presumably due to the thick milo field and the fact that he was down wind from us. I had the advantage of standing above the tops of the milo while they were down in the thick of it. I knew that this would be no easy or quick task to make my way to him so I found the first available wheel track and picked up a slight jog.

By the time I made it close to him with the other dogs, he'd been barking for about 10 minutes. The other dogs finally could hear him barking and they went to him. After that, I'm not sure what happened but the barking ceased. After another 10 minutes or so, my dad saw a huge hog exit the milo field and run 1/4 mile across another open field before heading for the brush. He acknowledged over the radio that this was probably the big boar that we had been looking for. I still couldn't figure out what happened until I started to gather the dogs. Pete had several pretty good cuts on his chest and his side but none of the other dogs were cut. The best I could figure is that the hog finally got nervous and charged Pete before the other dogs could get there. Pete decided it would be wise not to follow the hog in his state and the other dogs ran across and got distracted on another hog in the meantime. So we didn't catch the big old boar hog that we were hunting for but we did have some success on some other hogs the next day. Here are a couple of pictures.


We caught these two hogs sort of by accident. We took some of the younger dogs out to work them on some smaller pigs that we knew were in the area. We hadn't seen anything but small tracks so we figured that it would be good work for these "puppies". Imagine our surprise when we walked up saw a couple of boar hogs. We did kill a couple of small ones too.











Here's a picture of the milo field.

Thanks again for sharing and for the pictures. Sounds like you have a bunch of fun with your father, I'm envious.

I'm really lucky to be able to do so much hunting with my father. I think that makes it that much more enjoyable, especially now that he's getting older. We spent one evening just sitting around talking about hunting for hours this past weekend...trying to strategize how to catch this particular hog or what makes the perfect dog, etc.

And I spent the 4th hoping the idiots across the street wouldn't set something in my yard on fire with their roman candles.

Keep up the good work. Cherish the time with your father.

A couple more random pictures from this weekend.

I hate reading your posts...Get green with envy each time I see you huntin' for critters while I'm chained to my desk.

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
I hate reading your posts...Get green with envy each time I see you huntin' for critters while I'm chained to my desk.

Hey, 577NitroExpress--since you enjoy it so much, just sit back and imagine me on the ranch tomorrow while you are at w--- (w--- is a 4-letter word) I'll get back to you with some pics if it isn't too hot to hunt.

Rub it in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU SUCK!

(Just kidding of course...love reading these things as it keeps me sane during the work week.)

good looking dogs. We run hounds out of Brownwood, TX. Where are you located?

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
Rub it in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU SUCK!

(Just kidding of course...love reading these things as it keeps me sane during the work week.)

We had a fun trip but didn't even draw down on a hog--too hot (106 deg). We were fishing in one of our tanks and had 2 boars come for a drink. Ruby (red dog similar to the ones in the pics) saw them and took off after them. She ran them into the cattails and then turned around and smiled-awfully proud of herself. About 10 minutes later she repeated the act with a sow and piglets. She has never been hunted and I wouldn't want her to take on a hog solo--