Pig Hunting

[Coondog]

I have noticed that most of you on here use more of the spot and stalk type methods when pig hunting. I also notice that almost everyone on here is in California... Just wondering if pig hunting with dogs is illegal in CA, or just not your preferred method???

My cousin runs his own outfitting service down here in Texas and hunts strictly with dogs.. It is one of the most intense feelings in the world and we have a great time running those pigs... We do not use firearms (although we do carry one on us) but use knives... Just curious if anyone else has hunted them this way... The only problem I encounter when doing this is not being in very good shape... Those dogs will run you to death....

 

[Greenleaf]

Oh yeah? Well we use parakeets and spoons!

 

[bigtusker]

There are a lot of guys that dog hunt in Ca. But it's illegal here to use a knife.

 

[Coondog]

Seems to me that it would be even more dangerous with a dog if someone istrying to shoot into them...

I personally think that the knife works just as well as any other means if used properly... It will drop them like a rock...

 

[Shot]

I would think that using a knife would be much more difficult. Never tried it (illegal), but I wouldn't want to either. I don't think I am comfortable enought using a knife. I am not knocking it, but I would guess a very well experience person will do the job right while a novice (even though experienced hunter) might have pork chops before the pig is dead.

 

[Coondog]

Shot... You are correct in that it is a little harder probably... but we have people come out all the time and never really experienced any problems... We just tell them exactly how to do it and it goes really smooth... I am assuming you guys in Cali that use dogs must train them differently to be able to shoot the pig...

 

[bigtusker]

Most of the guys I know that allow people to shoot over their dogs only use bay dogs, no catch dogs.

 

[EvBouret]

Killing hogs with a knife is just as lethal, if not more than any other weapon. A 9" bowie blade straight through the heart will kill a pig in just a few seconds. With 5 or more dogs latched onto the pigs head its pretty safe to reach into the armpit with your blade (as long as you trust your dogs). I dont understand why this is illegal. Its a lot easier to make an error shooting a hog with a bow or a gun than knifing one up close and personal. Its pretty hard to miss, if you're going to miss, you just dont jab the knife.

Evan

 

[Live2hunt]

According to my experience hunting hog with dogs, most of the time the dogs will all latched their jaw on the hog. The hunter then sit on the hog, put the gun barrel behind the hog's ear, and pull the trigger. Unless the hog is a big mean old boar with tusks, then the dogs does not dare to go near the hog's head. Dogs only bay him up and nibble the hogs from behind. The hunter then look for a clear shot from about ten yards and shoot.


L2H

 

[Coondog]

L2H... That is pretty much the way we do it, except with the knife instead.. There have been a few instances where we had to use the pistol, but really do not like to unless absolutley necessary for the dogs sake... I guess your dogs are trained better than ours, they will grab everything no matter how big the tusks are.. There have been a few that wished they didn't though....

 

[hicntry]

I guess what it really boils down to is how comfortable you are with a pistol. I have been shooting between dogs for years and never hit one yet...knock on wood. Didn't want to reply to this for the very same reason. Soon as you say never it happens. I'm funny that way. Listened to to many dogmen tell me that their dogs "never" chase deer and usually, within 30 min., they would be chasing a deer and we spent the rest of the day trying to get them. If they are hanging on the head of a bad boar I shoot them in the hips to break them down and at that point the dogs back off a step or two and I kill them. I have been shooting a SBH Hunter for so long that it is like pointing a finger. Bought a RRH stainless. 7 1/2 " about 4 years ago that has about ten shots through it. Just enough to get it close to sighted in. Has a lighter spring kit in it and Pach Presentation grips. Still in the case because a double action just doesn't feel the same.

 

[Live2hunt]

I've seen the dogs that grabbed every hog regardless of how big the hog is and how long the tusks are. It's not a very pretty scene when involved with a big boar with tusks.



L2H

 

[hunt hard]

I thought pigs hung around donut shops

 

[RIFLEMAN]

Ev,

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I dont understand why this is illegal[/b]

There is no explicit code or regulation that specifically prohibits the use of a knife to take hogs, but rather, taking hogs with a knife is implicitly illegal due to the fact that the feral hog is erroneously managed and classified in California as a big game animal; deer, elk, bear, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep cannot be taken with a knife.

All,

The type of dog that is used will dramatically affect their interaction with the hog. I prefer to use hounds which typically do not have nearly as much of the inborn desire to grab and hold onto the hog as some of the cur, livestock and catchdog breeds do.

However, much to my chagrin, my current crop of dogs have become less "respectful" of the hogs and have caught a few instead of baying them as I prefer. This has caused me several thousand dollars in vet bills in the last few years and has forced me to hunt my dogs in cut vests and collars. I don't blame the hogs at all, but rather, wish my dogs would just stand there and bark and let me handle the hogs.

 

[hicntry]

Rifleman, it's the pits when you have to have $1000.00 of disposable cash in your pocket to go hunting isn't it? What kind of hounds are you running? I would like to find a good hard hunting female B+T to cross one of my males to. Clorong is very similar. Also, What part of Calif. are you in?

 

[Speckmisser]

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There is no explicit code or regulation that specifically prohibits the use of a knife to take hogs, but rather, taking hogs with a knife is implicitly illegal due to the fact that the feral hog is erroneously managed and classified in California as a big game animal; deer, elk, bear, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep cannot be taken with a knife.[/b]

Just to clarify, regardless of whether you "feel" that hogs are erroneously classified as big game, they are so classified in section 350 of the Fish and Game Code Mammal Regulations. And since they are so defined, section 353 specifically describes the weapons permitted to take big game.

Sorry to contradict you, Josh, but there is no grey area here. It's clear. You don't have to agree with the regs or the designation of the feral hog as "big game", but the law doesn't care if you agree or not.

Read for yourself.

 

[Coondog]

Hicntry... <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I have been shooting between dogs for years and never hit one yet...knock on wood.[/b]

I am fairly comfortable shooting amongst the hounds too. But, when we take clients out, I am not comfortable letting them shoot around them..

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Listened to to many dogmen tell me that their dogs "never" chase deer and usually, within 30 min., they would be chasing a deer and we spent the rest of the day trying to get them[/b]

This is probably what takes the longest when training our pups.. We have to make sure they dont chase deer or cows or anything else... We would definitly lose our hunting privileges on a lot of the ranches around here if they did!!

Rifleman... most of our dogs are curs(or crossbred curs) and they always grab and hold on for dear life... Over the past 4 or 5 years we have only lost a couple of dogs though... We have had to stitch a few up, but not really that many.. We do most of the vet work ourselves....

 

[Greenleaf]

Originally posted by RIFLEMAN@Mar 11 2004, 06:56 PM
This has caused me several thousand dollars in vet bills in the last few years and has forced me to hunt my dogs in cut vests and collars.

You have a picture of what these vests look like? Where do you get them? Just curious.

 

[RIFLEMAN]

Phillip,

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Just to clarify, regardless of whether you "feel" that hogs are erroneously classified as big game, they are so classified in section 350 of the Fish and Game Code Mammal Regulations. And since they are so defined, section 353 specifically describes the weapons permitted to take big game.

Sorry to contradict you, Josh, but there is no grey area here. It's clear.[/b]

You may certainly be clarifying what I said, but you are not contradicting anything that I said. I did not state or imply any "gray area" or room to legally dispute the regulation. I assure you, I am quite familiar with the regulations. I stated the very thing you did, but in an admittedly less concise manner. You may be reading into something that I did not say...go back and re-read what was written and I believe you will find that I said the same thing as you.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

You don't have to agree with the regs or the designation of the feral hog as "big game", but the law doesn't care if you agree or not.[/b]

Do you charge a fee for this stellar legal advice or am I just lucky to get it pro bono?

 

[RIFLEMAN]

hicntry,

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What kind of hounds are you running?[/b]

I run Walkers. My bloodlines are heavy with Woodscreek Loose Bruce. I have been linebreeding my stud dog who is a son of Loose Bruce. I also have a 1/4 Plott, 1/4 Blackmouth Cur, 1/4 Catahoula Cur and 1/4 Blue Lacey that I got in Texas when he was six months old. Boy, I wish he was a Walker; he'd be just about my ideal dog.

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Clorong is very similar.[/b]

Say what?

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What part of Calif. are you in?[/b]

I am currently living in Woodland. I was raised in Wilton which is about 25 miles southeast of Sacramento towards the foothills a bit.


Coondog,

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most of our dogs are curs(or crossbred curs) and they always grab and hold on for dear life...[/b]

It doesn't suprise me; curs are definitely the popular choice of dog in Texas.

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Over the past 4 or 5 years we have only lost a couple of dogs though...[/b]

You must use vests and collars, right? Otherwise, count yourself as extremely fortunate.

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We have had to stitch a few up, but not really that many.. We do most of the vet work ourselves....[/b]

I know what you mean; I have an entire tackle box full of supplies that I carry with me as a medical kit. I have had to staple and stich up my dogs more times than I care to count. It has definitely provided me with some significant hands-on trauma training...so much so that a friend's dad-who is the dean of the local vet school-said that my skillset is on par with third-year vet students.