Putting a dent in the wild hog population with a pack of dogs
With a population around 900,000 and growing, chances are all hunters in the Bayou State have feral hogs where they hunt, or will soon. Found statewide, these pests tear up food plots, inhale acorns and feed, and also cost farmers tens of millions in losses per year. With a high reproductive rate, adaptability and weariness, they’re here to stay.
Until a “magic bullet” such as a toxin can be put to wide use, hunting and trapping are the only methods to try to keep the numbers in check. The problem is feral hogs are very smart, wising up quickly to traps and hunting pressure. This leaves another option, pursuing them with dogs.
In February, I was invited to tag along on a hunt with Joey Kent and Casey Kimble in the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish. We hunted land owned by Kent as well as adjacent club and private landowner tracts totaling about 23,000 acres.
“We take around 400-500 hogs a year between shooting them during deer season and hunting them with dogs,” Kent said.
We took seven the day I went and both Kent and Kimble called it a slow day.
“We’ve got 20 or more plenty of times,” Kimble said. “A lot depends on if they’re bunched up in one area, how quickly the dogs get them bayed and how quickly we can get to them.”
Bay dogs and catch dogs
The dogs consist of two teams, bay dogs and catch dogs. Bay dogs run the hogs until they stop or “bay,” then the catch dogs are released to pin the hog down by latching onto an ear or cheek. Kimble’s bay dogs are hounds or feists, with his catch dogs being either pit bulls or dogo Argentinos. Kent bays with registered fox hounds and July hounds but doesn’t use catch dogs.
We hunted both the hosts’ packs. The bay dogs were turned out where there was an abundance of fresh sign. All bay dogs wore GPS collars. We split up in two UTVs with each man tracking his dogs in real time via a cell phone or tablet. Watching the tracks, we’d get in the best position to get to the hog once bayed or cut it off. With a hog bayed, the catch dogs took over, the hog was dispatched and the hunt continued.
Serious injuries from the tusks are common despite the catch dogs wearing Kevlar collars and vests. First aid packs including suture kits, staple guns, bandages and antiseptics are carried. When it happens, wounds are cleaned and disinfected thoroughly before being closed and treated regularly. The injured dog receives a 7-10 day antibiotics course as well.
Training
When it comes to training the bay dogs, most of it is bred into them. Kimble starts puppies at 6-8 months running with older dogs. Kent tends to do the same but also has a pen to give the rookies a good start.
“The collars have track and train capability that we’ll use to break chasing other game, call off a chase or recall the dogs,” Kent said. “They catch on quickly.”
To train catch dogs, Kimble has a veteran dog pin a small hog then turns the novice loose.
“It’ll learn where to latch on and stay clear until it can get a hold,” he said.
When sent, they’re like rockets, and once they have latch on, they don’t let go, even when the hog is dead. After they do release, the catch dogs go back in the dog box and the bay dogs start the next chase.
One thing that really impressed me is the stamina of the dogs, which covered about 16 miles that day.
“We start running after deer season so they’re kind of out of shape,” Kimble said. “They’ll easily cover 25 miles once in shape.”
If this sounds like a good time, and it is, many hog hunting groups can be found on social media. Make some new friends, put a dent in the numbers on your place and put some pork chops in the freezer. Kent and Kimble were kind enough to invite me back so I plan to fill up an ice chest next time.
