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Fl hog hunt

I went to look at a new hunting club. My buddy Jody had recently joined it. I went with him and Tye (Jody's son) to look at the club. We brought a few dogs just in case.

Jody put his walker down on a great track. I told him I thought it was from a 200 pound plus boar hog searching for some sows. Buford trailed through 2 blocks. When he crossed the dirt road we were on, we packed his plott Ben and his Bluetick Dempsey in about 35 yards behind Buford. At 130 yards of the road, they bayed. I walked the catchdog Gator in to the bay. When we got within 30 yards, the bay ceased. Jody said Buford had to be in medical danger. They went to look at him. I followed my Garmin 320 to where the dogs had bayed. Gator perked his ears up, and got real tense on his lead. It was then I began hearing the hog pop his teeth over and over again sharpening them with each popping noise. I stayed right there within 10' for 8 minutes. Finally, I called Jody's phone. No answer. Next, I called Tye's cell phone. When he answered, I told him to turn Beulah or something else loose, as I wanted to catch this grown assassin. Tye said he would tell Jody to call me. Jody called, and told me Buford was in bad shape. I told him I could be back to the truck in a minute. He said "NO!". Catch that hog.

Water break. I'll be back in a few.

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Cutter Bay Kennels

Ok, so back to the hunt.

So here I am with Gator (my catchdog), who has only seen one hog in his life. He caught it back in February. If memory serves me correctly, I believe the boar was 215 pounds on the scale. I'm standing in the palmettos thinking great, Tye has the sticking knife, my hobbles, and the dogs back at the truck. Jody is back at the truck tending to his #1 soldier, and I'm in a bad place basically on my own with a dog wrecker standing only feet from me. Seeing as they wouldn't turn Beulah in to the block to help me, I decided to yip a couple of times to get Dempsey back in to me. Instantly, I heard her coming. I told her to get back to that bay. She made a half circle around the wad of palmettos the hog was in, and started singing the blues to him. Dempsey has a nice loud bawl that carries very well. Being only yards away from her, it was very loud to say the least. As she rattled off her bawls, Gator was giving me the look like "let's do this". Ben came in from behind me. He looked shaken. When I instructed him to get in there, he just froze. I started towards the hog, and Ben ran to the left and began baying from about 15 yards away. Knowing he likes to be in there, I surmised he knew what was lurking in those bushes. Figuring it was now or never, I reved Gator up with a "CATCH HIM BOY!". With that, I unsnapped him. Away he shot full speed. I followed right on his tail.

The hog was facing Dempsey. Gator hit his ear with authority. The exchange between the two was brutal. Both the hog and Gator had no desire to leave the skirmish. I heard the hog grunt, and I shot in snatching his tail hoping to get him off the ground. I reached down and grabbed his left rear leg. Then, fluidly I grasped his rear right leg with my right hand. I now had this monster like a wheel barrow. I tried several times to "throw" him on his side. It wasn't happening. Out of desperation, I finally decided my only hope was to straddle him, and go for the ride of my life. Gator was cinched on the boar's left ear. Using my right hand, I gripped the beast's right ear with everything I had. With my left hand, I grabbed his left front leg. I pulled towards his rear as hard as I could. Once I got it up along his side, I threw my body forward as hard as I could. During the whole process all I could see was his bottom teeth protruding out past his satanic grin. Luckily, my momentum made the whole pile nose-dive onto the forest floor. As the boar immediately began to get his footing, I slid all my body weight towards his front end. At this point I was basically laying on him, while he was on his belly. It looked a lot like what Steve Irwin used to do on crocs. I was leaning so far down, that my eyes were looking directly into Gator's. Both of us were in a battle for our life, yet we were both smiling.

Dempsey, working very similar to her dam Ramsey was latched on to the boar's manhood. I was very nervous about her being behind me, so I told her to let go. She immediately came to his head, and began helping Gator. It was them, I reached for my new Benchmade Barrage folding knife. As I pulled it from my pocket, I hit the spring-assisted opening lever, and instantly it was there to do battle on my behalf. Because his front legs were folded back along his side, it extended his "plates" over his vitals. I finally was able to get the stick, and I felt his power starting to weaken. Soon, I was able to ease my grip. As I layed on my adversary, I began to think just how blessed I was. By the grace of God, I was spared. Knowing the boar had expired, I proudly stood to my feet. Within moments, my dog released his grip. Dempsey decided to hold on for a while just in case. Ben began to relax as well.

I saved the spot as a waypoint. Leashing Gator, I began the trek back to the truck. When I arrived, I looked at Buford. I told Jody we could come back for the trophy, but we needed to find a vet soon. With that we loaded the dogs. Away we went. Tye used his IPhone to line up a vet who was opened on a Saturday. Jody took him in the surgery room, while I gave the receptionist Jody's info. After 5 minutes, the vet came out to let Jody know what her plans were. She said he could leave at noon. After Jody spoke to Buford, we began our trip back to retrieve the boar.

When we arrived, Jody could not believe his size and girth. He was amazed at his teeth. We drug him to the road. Once we arrived, we paused to take some pics. I must be honest though, I was too whipped to properly pose him. The pics don't do him justice. We measured his teeth with a tape. 2 5/8" on one side, and 1 3/4" on the other. We stopped to get Buford ( who is projected to have a full recovery). The vet came out to take pics of Jody's trophy. She was very interested in him. The vet took pics of him too. She kept commenting on how good a hog he was. After we arrived home, Jody borrowed my scales to weigh him. 225#'s on the money. Well, that's my story. Hope you enjoyed it.

Jody and the boar



Me

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Cutter Bay Kennels

You are crazy!!!

Loved the story!!
Just glad we don't have to wrestle mountain lions!

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Big Sky Blue Blueticks
Clint & Darlene Pearce
406-567-3064

Love our Blues!!!!!!!!!!!!

hog

You southern boys aint all there are ya LOL.

Great story and great photos Josh, just wish I could have been there to help........

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Living the Dream, making it happen and taking photos to share with others along the way!