In some cases this is true. But I should be clear, it isn't the same person (or dogs) each time (though I've had repeat offenders).

We have Hog Doggers going door to door asking permission to run their dogs on a persons property. These folks are often from another county. They are always looking for new places to 'hunt'.

I always turn them down and tell them why, but other land owners with similar pig problems don't have the time or the means to control the hogs themselves. So they let the Hog-Doggers come in.

Nothing wrong with that IF the doggers can/will control where the dogs go. Sadly that doesn't happen very often. Hogs cause a LOT of damage to pastures and hay meadows around here and dogs can be an effective way to run hogs out an area (for short periods of time), this at no cost to the land owner.

So its 'good' for some folks, bad for others.

Part of the problem is that catching hogs with dogs does little to reduce the population of the hogs. At the same time it does a LOT to educate them and spread them out. Lets be honest....hog-dogging (while it has its place) is more 'sport' than it is an effective tool to reduce feral hog numbers.

I am not summarily against any method used to kill hogs, the more the better IMO.

if i had dogs running loose i'd be
scared they'd get caught in traps
folks had set out for coyotes and
such or maybe ate poison a landowner
had set out. some of those larger
conibear traps can't be released easy
without some of those tongs to set
them with, and there'd be no way for
the dog owners to release the trap.

With so many people looking for places to hunt hogs (I'll be in that boat also) why don't you go to the neighboring land owners and tell them what you are dealing with, and encourage them to allow hunters in instead of the dog folks? And they could also charge the hunters a nominal amount to hunt which would benefit them, also? I'm certain that there would be hunters lining up waiting to get access. That would help solve the neighbor's hog problems and fix your dog problems.

Or am I missing something?

No more illegal than the hog doggers...Probably less so, the burden of proof is on the govt to show that the animal shot wasn't in compliance with the law. Good luck with that.

Creedmoor wrote:



That might be 'viable' some places, but in my area....it doesn't work for a variety of reasons.

Not the least of which is 'liability' if someone hurts themselves on your property (even IF a waiver has been signed).

But here are some of the objections/issues involved.

1. Most land owners have already had a bad experience (or two, or three) with people/hunters leaving gates open, leaving trash around, driving off of roads, tearing up roads, crossing fences, not observing game laws.

2. Most properties in Deep East Texas are small ranches of less than 1500 acres. It is very easy to over-hunt a small parcel of land. So 'continuous' traffic by hunters puts too much pressure on the hogs and hunter success will drop to nearly zero in short order.

3. If you don't 'Vet' the people you let onto your property, you end up with folks who are 'enthusiastic' about the opportunity to hunt hogs, but aren't really very GOOD at it. The natural results of that are: Disappointed hunters, More educated hogs (now harder to kill than ever), Hogs spread out due to ineffective hunting pressure.

4. Land owners with livestock (primarily cattle) run the risk of having someone mistakenly shoot one.

5. IF you intend to have people (whose abilities you are unsure of) on your property, you darn sure better have a good blanket insurance policy.

Bottom line: No ONE method (save for aerial hunting) is sufficient to significantly reduce an established Feral Hog population.

The Goal is (and must always be) to kill as many as possible every chance you get. That means being 'smart' about it. Not just bring in a 'harassing' force that temporarily moves them off of YOUR property.

The purpose here isn't to "Swap Hogs With Your Neighbor", but to KILL as many hogs as is humanly possible.

Each time you have an encounter with a hog or a group of hogs and you fail to kill it/them, they learn from it. No...they aren't Super Animals but they aren't stupid either. The point being...the Land Owner or other persons known to be experienced, knowledgeable, successful hunters are the best persons for the job.

I don't know of anyone near me that is interested in making any money off of hog hunts, what we ARE interested in...is reducing the damage done to crops, pastures, hay meadows and ponds. Also reducing the spread of diseases that cause cattle to abort or to otherwise suffer poor health.

Feral Hogs in my area are universally viewed as a scourge by Land Owners and Ranchers. Only certain hunters and Hog Doggers seem to want them around.

It is a complicated problem with no easy solutions.

Bunch of Internet tuff guys on this thread!

what makes you think these internet tough guys wouldn't follow through with what they are saying?

Not saying they won't, but don't think for a second it's as simple as killing a dog and it's over with! Even removing the tracking collar from a hunting dog is illegal. I hunt big places and have land owner permission around me to retrieve my dogs. That's not to say that it's impossible my dogs can't end up on property where I have never been. If that were to happen I'm not just gonna come looking for my dog without trying to seek out the land owner first. I can guarantee if my dogs end up on your place they ain't chasing anything but pork. These BS stories about pit bulls just running wild or hog dogs chasing deer are majority of the time just that, BS!! The problem is when guys know they do not have permission and continue to hunt there knowing where they're going to end up. Don't throw all of us under the bus based on the stupidity of others. Shoot one of my dogs some time and we'll see how it plays out. The shoot shovel and shut up ain't gonna work when I can walk to the exact spot that collar gets turned off. May turn out to be the most expensive animal you've ever killed one way or another!

Do you think that if someone shot your dog they would be stupid enough to turn the collar off where they kill and bury the dog? It would be simple to shoot the dog. Bury it. Move the collar to a different place and turn it off, then destroy it in a different place again.

If it were my property and you ask me permission as you stated and it never happens again it's water under the bridge. But I would be very clear if it happens again and I see your dog it would be SSS for your dog.

Flintknapper it seems to me the simple solution for the problem is find some reputable trappers and send them to your neighbors.

From there its deciding what your willing to put up with.

Flint, I don't see hog doggers as any more close knit than any other community of hunters. Probably the only times they do any policing is when somebody steps on their toes, just like with any other hunters. They don't care if some other hog dog team is trespassing somewhere they don't hunt. That just isn't any of their business and so they don't bother with it. They may not like it much, but they aren't going to do anything about it.

You obviously do not have much experience with tracking dogs and how these collars work. If you shoot my dog and take the collar off you better run around like a dog hunting as you leave that area. Will be pretty obvious when the track goes from running around tracking like a dog to a straight line driving in a vehicle. Yes I can still follow the track right back every step of that dog. It leaves a map everywhere they go. I had a shock collar fall off one time and could follow that dogs back track close enough that I was able to follow the dogs trail and find where that collar came off. Basically what I am saying is even doing what you said I can still follow my dogs trail to a T! I can tell you real quick if something ain't right and I can get there pretty damn quick as well. As I said I highly recommend not shooting anyone's hunting dog. Not worth the trouble!

All this talk about "internet tough guys"...

just curious what you would do when I told you "no, you can't enter my property to get your dogs"? As a property owner, I have that right.

I also have the right to put out traps and poison for varmint control. Your dog gets in one of my traps or finds a cyanide bomb, then what?

The attitude of the hog doggers is their worst enemy.

I don't advocate shooting anyone's dog unless it is a threat to a person or livestock. Stray dog roaming the land won't get shot. Cows start running, horses start running, sheep scatter, etc...whether the dog is actually chasing them or not, is justification under Texas Law. Hiding behind one section of the law as justification for not controlling your dogs, not protecting the life of an animal that doesn't understand boundaries and not having to trespass is irresponsible.

Sounds like you have it all figured out. I highly recommend you not test out your theory on me or someone like me if you want to see your dog live another day. I have a track record of having no qualms shooting animals I don't consider pets and your dog would be viewed as such. I consider it worth the trouble to protect my property and I am not intimidated by the trouble you might bring.

Simple call to the game warden will allow me to retrieve my dogs. Dog owners have more rights then what you guys think. I have dealt with some very pissed off land owners even though I handle the situation as respectfully as I can. Their attitudes change when game warden shows up.

No I don't have it all figured out. I'm just sick of people wanting to shoot dogs for simply being on their property. What threat to your property does a dog baying a pig pose? Now if a dog is chasing livestock shoot it or I'll shoot it myself! As I said before I know if my dogs are chasing anything it's a hog and if I end up on your property I'll do all I can to find you and explain what happened get my dogs and move on. If I can't find you then I'll call local game warden. The guys the just keep causing problems on your property just don't care and I Would hate for something to happen to any of your property over a stupid decision to shoot someone's dog as well. It gets awfully dry and hot in Texas and I know many of these people that have the don't care attitude that would just as soon burn you down over killing their dog. Would hate to see you homeless over a decision like that. As I said it may very well end up being the most expensive animal you ever shot. I'm not gonna lose any sleep over this because I've running dogs a while and I just simply don't hunt like these guys y'all are talking about. Just hope our paths never cross and you decide to kill my dogs simply because you had problems with someone else's dogs in the past.

Yep, GW or Sherriff can enter with you but you can't just go get your dogs like most do. Take a gun or weapon and it gets serious quick.

Don't blame you for ignoring the rest of the post

It will always be a problem because of the attitude of the doggers and their "right" to not control their dogs or "right" to enter into other people's property. If they were respectful and ethical hunters that took action to limit the mistakes, and then handled the mistakes with respect to the property owner where the infraction occurred...things would be much simpler and better for all.

Unfortunately, I don't see anything changing unless it just gets worse.

I see no reason to hide the collar or anything else. IMO the dog is dangerous and a threat to my life bc it is trained to bat hogs . If you can't protect yourself against these dangers on your own property then I guess the consequences will be worth the trouble.

Doesn't have to be a "threat".....that attitude is your problem.....I'll make it very, very simple for you.....it's my property and I don't want them or you on it period.....you guys have this cavalier attitude that because you are just chasing pigs its no big deal if you trespass every once in a while....to some people like me....it is a very big deal.....

....as for our paths crossing....I couldn't agree with you more....

Flint I think we may have found your incompetent hog dogger.

Agreed

I ll make it so expensive that you ll never want to be on/ near my property again

I can play that money game , too

And threats will be dealt with with deadlier consequences

The sheriff in my county is landowner friendly

I also liked the veiled threat about burning your place down if you shoot his dog.....

seems lke the game wardens could help with the trespassing

I miss the guy that used to be here that always argued he had the right to go anywhere to get his dogs, kill the pig, take the pig and collect his dogs...

Yup....sigh here, press hard, five copies......