Roadtrip from Colorado to buy some cow hay from Tbone...hooked up a hunt with Monty Bennet (M Bennet on this forum)...and if you haven't, you should.

My goodness. I didn't get everyone's names down, but I think that there were 11 of us present. Most were not members of this forum, but a couple different crews showed up with their dogs.

Before I go into the rest of the night (which I'm gonna keep sorta-brief, since Monty kept me up until 8am, and then I only got 4 hours of sleep after that)...let me tell you, I've hog hunted a little. I've hog hunted with dogs zero. I do have two of the best damn German Shorthair pointers you've ever met, and I love to brag about them, just like everyone else likes to brag about their dogs. The uniqueness of this hunt was that here was a whole slew of dogs and hunters who had never hunted with each other before, and with very few hiccups, things came together well. In my experience, that's rare...not everyone's dogs hunt the same, not everyone hunts the same. Regardless, I think we all had a blast.

The first field was a bust. Lots of time spent, zero action. Punkin was bummed. Field #2 got hot fast.

I lost track of time with the adrenaline rush and after I hit the ground 3 or 4 times running, but around 2am, a bunch of dogs were out and about in an area that Monty figured there were some hogs. Monty's dogs were hanging pretty close, I figured they were just lazy. (Haha Monty--that's for calling me old!) Monty's dogs and Greg's dogs kinda just slithered away, hunting the thickets and ugly stuff fairly close to the truck.

All of a sudden, some dogs bay--close. I think it was Monty's dog and Greg's dog, but not sure (somebody else give credit please). We could hear the hog was close, and coming toward us, we were near a stock tank, and the pig was headed for it. All hell broke loose at this point, as I recollect. Greg released his rough dogs (not entirely sure what that SHOULD mean, but they proved their worth)...Monty let go of Max (catch dog) and Ryan was in there and released Boss (catch dog).

That freaking hog swan dived into the tank with dogs right on her tail. They nailed her in the middle of the tank, and she was dragging them along (strong swimmer) to the other side. Somewhere during this point, I fell on my face, butt, and side about 4 times in the briars--not sure who, but thanks to everyone who helped push me back up each time.

As we approached the bank of the tank, the hog started dragging the dogs back into the middle of the tank. I don't know who all, but Monty, Greg, and a few other guys piled into the tank. Cell phones were flying at me, and garmin remotes. I thought I was filming with my phone, but apparently I fat-fingered it and killed the video.

The boys caught and rolled the hog, big-boy Steve was in the water chunking bay dogs out of the way like an NFL player. Somehow in the mix, Ryan's dog confused Ryan's glove for a pig ear, and he locked down on Ryan's hand.

At this point, dogs are howling, Max is barking, Ryan is giving a descriptive and vocal dissertation as to what someone needs to do to his dog that was trying to tear his finger off, I think Monty and Greg were pretty much swimming, and big Steven moved in (I think it was him) and got Ryan's dog off of him.

I still don't fault that dog, I think he was doing his job, he just got confused.

Somehow in the mix, somebody got some hobbles on the pig and drug her out. 150-175lb sow, loaded with piglets.

I'm too tired now to remember the rest, but the rest was a lot of dogs working their butts off, us trying to get to them through some thick, nasty, briar infested timber, and us having a blast.

Thanks Monty, Greg, and everyone else who helped make it happen. This was one heck of a hunt!

scot yur welcome, you can come back anytime. sorry for the way i drove to the bays i just get in a hurry. glad you had a good time. aint no bull chit when you go with me dogging always fun. next time bring the swimming trunks

Monty invited me up and I am looking forward to hunting with him sometime in the future. He is a great guy and his stories of his hunts are epic.

Sounds like a good night of fun.
I sometimes thought the stories were BS until some friends took me.

It's just like Punkin described it, only moreso!

If he is half the fun in person he is on here it would be a good time. Not to mention he is always in the pigs.

Monty is a cool dude! If you ever wanted to go and he puts out an open invitation, you should seriously consider it. All the guys I met, that he hunts with, are good people! He even let me bring my 10yo daughter and he made her feel welcome, she's a trooper though.

Punkin....way to lay it down buddy. Great story!

thanks guys, i try and run a guide service but when im oing dogging any ways its just hard to charge hard working people . im going to hunt my dogs and if theres room any body can come . white,black brown purple it dont matter we all bleed red. good luck hunting this wkend

Great story! Wish I lived closer.

Good job Scot! I hope everyone you met in N. Texas was as courteous to you as you were to us..

Travis, it was great, and your family is awesome. I'll write about my other hunt with DustinWayne when I get in front of a keyboard tomorrow. I can only do so much thumb by thumb...

Good old days

I think back on coon hunting memories and think "THE GOOD OLD DAYS". Them days are long gone. If my kids look back 30 years from now and have to say the good old days this world is gonna be in horrible shape...

When I was new at hunting, I asked everyone on this forum to give me an opportunity to hunt on their land. Montie Bennet was one of the first person to jump in and invite me to go with him. He took me hunting. I met his family and they are wonderful and respectful including his children. I would STRONGLY SUGGEST that if Montie ever offers you to go with him, take that opportunity.

Monty is good peeps. We've gotta get back up to OK soon bud.