I see 'hog dogs' on my cameras about once a month, sometimes more. Yeah, I know all about Hog Doggin' and know that sometimes dogs will stray farther than anticipated, but last nights event...really turned into something that I'm just fed up with.

I've been working really hard to get a particular Boar to either go into my pen trap, or show up at one of the bait sites where I could just shoot him. Very unpredictable hog, no set pattern. Just spent 7 hours on stand two nights ago (one of many attempts) and he was a no-show.

Have tons of video of him at one bait site and lots of video of him 'stalling' at the trap door. Finally last night about 9:00 p.m. he went into the pen trap, tripped the door and was caught. After his initial crash into the panels he was going around the trap looking for any place to get out...like they normally do. Video captures it every one minute.

About 1:30 a.m. he starts running back and forth the entire length of the trap, pulls at the door then makes two attempts to climb the 5' panels. Makes it out the second attempt. At 1:35 a.m. two hog dogs (a cur and some blue and white looking hound) appear on the camera, circle the trap and then take off.

I didn't know any of that until I got back to the house with the Game Cam card this morning. When I went to go check the cameras and put out corn, I saw the trap doors closed but no hog inside. Ground is all rooted up and I can see dirt on the panel and hair on the top where it climbed out. Knew right away it had to be the boar I was after. So I'm putting a new card in the camera when the two dogs come walking up to me. Tracking collars on, and name tag collars.

I caught one of them, removed both collars and went back to the house to call the owner. Thought I'd look at the video first. Apparently, the Boar had settled down and was just milling around until he heard the dogs (or dogs and people). I believe that is what caused him to try harder to escape.

Anyway, I'm still sitting at my computer going through the last of the videos when a truck drives up in my front yard. Two guys get out, one has a receiver in hand. I go out the door and ask the first one "are you Bl___e", he says no, asked the other one, same thing...no. They had homed in on the collar I had in truck.

I told them where I found the dogs this morning (dogs belong to one of their Son's as it turns out) and where to go look for them. They said they were running the dogs about a mile from here last night. I asked them what time, they looked at each other and said about 1:00 a.m.

Told them they needed to take measures to be sure the dogs didn't go onto other peoples property. They just said "that's kinda hard to do". I told them what happened with the boar and that other dogs (not theirs) also come through the property and ruin my efforts to trap, shoot and snare hogs. They seemed to not care in the least, just wanted to know if the dogs were "O.K."

I told them if they haven't gotten into any of the snares I have out, they should still be back there and be fine, go and get them and keep them off the property in the future.

No apologies, no other comments, just got in their vehicle and left. I don't blame the dogs, they are just doing what dogs do. The Hog Doggers on the other hand know damn good and well the dogs are ranging off of the property they have permission to hunt.

Yeah, I know these two Bubbas don't represent ALL Hog Doggers, but for the Dogger's reading this...you'd be well advised to start policing your own. Too many people out there just going where ever the hell they want to, some with dogs that couldn't catch a pig if it was tied to their neck.

I hope Hog Doggers in other places are not like the ones I know here in Deep East Texas.

Really tired of this crap!

SSS.

Courtesy and respect seem to be out the window these days. Maybe a call to the local GW might help them be more mindful on property lines and respect.

No, I wouldn't shoot collared dogs or any dog that I thought wasn't feral/wild (if not attacking livestock).

I don't fault the dogs. They are just doing what dogs do.

Or maybe you were referring to the hunters? Can't do that either.

Sooner or later someones dog is going to end up in one of my snares. I set snares such that other animals (deer especially) are not likely to get into one, but a dog could easily follow a hog trail and be caught in the same fence crossing site.

Hate for that to happen, but Doggers run that risk.

I feel for you

You had a talk w them
Now talk to the sheriff
Stop drama from becoming chaos

I would have told them that you saw the dogs being chased by a couple coyotes last night but all you found this morning was a collar.

Depending upon the locale, I am not sure Courtesy and Respect EVER existed.

Game Warden would not be able to do much in this case, since no 'trespass' occurred (that I can prove).

I can't show that the hunters were on the property, just the dogs.

Dogs entering a property (in Texas) is not trespass and no other 'criminal' offense is applicable that I am aware of (that relates solely to the presence of the animal).

A Landowner/Agents only recourse is to run the animals off or capture them and call the owner or animal control (if in the city). IF the dogs have not attacked, are attacking or about to attack, livestock, people, pets, etc...then you can't shoot them (legally), which is your only other solution.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.822.htm


And that isn't my intent anyway. I would never 'punish' a thoughtless human by killing or harming an innocent dog.

Hunting hogs with dogs has it's place. I have participated in such hunts more than once in the past.

But in areas where farms/ranches tend to be small (under a section/640 acres many times), hog doggers risk having their dogs stray onto neighboring property. They are constantly looking for new places to run their dogs...because around here...they wear out their welcome pretty quickly.

That and there seems to be a disdain for anyone using different methods to kill hogs I.E. (Trapping, shooting, snaring). You would think we were killing THEIR hogs!

Apparently, they WANT as many hogs around as possible...so they can continue their 'sport'. On my property and my FIL's property...we are committed to killing as many hogs as we can. It isn't SPORT for us. Hogs do terrible damage to the pastures.

I see no reason why all who pursue Feral Hogs can't get along, IF each person acts responsibly.

If you ever need to build new fence maybe net wire would be a wise choice.

I always thought dogs crossing the fence still constituted trespassing

No, it doesn't...and shouldn't.

Dogs are not aware of property lines and can not be held accountable...as their human owners can.

The mere presence of a dog on your property is not a criminal offense (with few exceptions).

I also understand, that even really GOOD dogs and RESPONSIBLE hog hunters can have something go wrong. I wouldn't be bent out of shape about that.

But we get pics of hog dogs (sometimes the same ones) at least twice a month on both properties. It is the habitual lack of control (intentional or not) that has finally pushed me over the edge.

Also, (every experience so far)...the total dismissal of accountability by the dog owners. You would think it was their 'right' to follow their dogs where ever they go and to retrieve the animals without asking permission.

Most know full well...that the dogs are going to cross property lines and make no attempt to call them back (or can't). That is why they start their hunts at midnight or later, knowing that people are either asleep or will not be willing to go out and investigate.

ONLY if the dogs run so far that they can't track them with GPS or just give up the chase and come back the next day, does anyone know about it.

This is becoming common practice in my part of Deep East Texas and I suspect other places as well.

you ever heard of leash law ?

you should do something about it,
defending dogs crossing property lines are ok equates to wasting time

Flintknapper,

Couple of years back I posted that East Texas is a different planet when it comes to hogs and privileges, that people feel born with and continue to practice. You might as well go to Africa and tell the natives to quit drinking cow's blood. Dogs crossing property lines can pose many problems but in East Texas it is a different phenom. Much worse than the Civil War, Cattle rancher and open range, whalers and Green Peace, HF vs LF.

Hope you manage to find an answer. Maybe your own pack of bigger, meaner, hungrier dogs? Might tie that GPS collar on the bottom of a UPS van, at least keep them busy for a day...

Yes, I am literate and have heard of such. No leash laws in my county.



A leash law (as applied to hunting circumstances) where dogs are expected to pursue their quarry doesn't make a lot of sense now...does it. Have you ever heard of 'practical'?

The answer (of course) is simply for dog owners to make every effort to control their animals and to have proper respect and consideration for others...when things don't work out as planned.

No need for more laws...if folks will just do the proper thing. I am not defending dogs crossing property lines or suggesting it is "OK", I am simply stating...I can see where it might happen innocently enough and that I don't fault the dog.

Flintnapper is nicer than I am, and his approach isn't going to solve his problem. My approach, however, might make the problem worse. So, other than running my mouth, I don't know what the answer is. But I have questions:

- If, for the sake of discussion only, a dog AND his GPS locator were "deactivated", would the last known position of the GPS locator be shown on the dog owner's locator unit - your back yard, for instance?

Hmmm, where I hunt there are quite a few signs posted along the county roads to the effect of:

Dogs running loose
$500 Fine

I never looked at them too closely but I assume it's a county ordinance. If I consistently had your troubles (I have had that experience on occasion) I'd sure figure out how to turn in the offending dogs so that the owners paid the fine.

Yes, on the better tracking receivers...you can actually see the exact trail a dog took their entire time out. Miles of criss-cross trails normally.

Sometimes dogs will 'strike' quickly and the path is fairly straight if the hogs bay up in a short distance. But yes, that is exactly how they found my house...the collars were in the floorboard of my truck. I was just finishing up looking at the game cam videos and getting ready to call the number on the collar.

They were driving the Farm to Market Rd. I live on looking for the dogs or a signal. Some of the transmitters are good for 10-12 miles (line of sight). In this terrain...probably 2-3 miles.

First off the hunters are responsible for the dogs if they cross onto your property again you can catch and hold the dogs for the game warden he will file on them for treaspassing.

Two years ago I had a couple of run in with hog dogs one time they chased off a buck from my feeder, the second time they surrounded me while hunting. That was the straw that broke the camels back. I went to a friend that hunts with dogs told him to spread the word, from now on any dog on my property will be shot. Any tracking collars will be removed and held by me, any trespassing poacher that comes for the collar will be prosecuted.

Funny now almost three years later and I have yet to see or shoot a dog.
There are a lot of nice respectful hog doggers, but man there seem to be a high percentage of disrespectful ones.

The owner of the dogs (possibly the persons hunting the dogs also) are indeed responsible for any illegal actions of the dogs (harming livestock, etc..). But I'm pretty sure you can not claim 'trespassing' on the animal.

There is some argument (yet unresolved) about the legality of shooting a dog that is running or has caught a hog..for the following reason: In recent years Feral Hogs have been classified as 'Exotic Livestock' (free ranging).

It is the States way of avoiding ownership. Thus... any Feral Hog on a particular property...is essentially 'owned' by the land owner. This literally changes as soon a property line is crossed. The same hog that was MINE 30 seconds ago (even though I might not want it),now belongs to my neighbor by virtue of having crossed the fence.

Anyway, it is defense to prosecution to shoot a dog attacking livestock, but that doesn't mean you would prevail in a civil suit.



There are Hunter Harassment laws you could pursue IF you could prove the dogs were being sent in for the express purpose of ruining your hunt (but that would be a stretch), other than that... I don't think you'd have any 'legal' recourse. Shooting the dogs (except under certain circumstances) is actually an offense and IMO punishes the dog for the transgressions of the owner. I am sympathetic to your situation..since it is mine as well...and I can offer no ready or reasonable solution.



Sounds as if the word got out. What a shame you were forced to threaten the death of their dogs in order to get compliance. I am going to try a less punitive manner of persuasion, but might try your method if it doesn't work.



Yes Sir!

Seems to be a cultural thing going on. I'm not into it...

I've had hog dogs on my place in daylight just one time. They chased down and caught a hog in sight of my front porch, about 80 yards out. One had an ear and one had hold of the tail or leg. I grabbed the 223 and while the wife was screaming "don't hurt the dogs" into my left ear, I shot the hog from between the dogs. He dropped and the dogs gave me a disgusted look and walked off. They were wearing red kerchiefs around their necks and GPS trackers. I couldn't make myself shoot them.

But, if they were here more often, I'd have to take sterner measures.

Yeah, my wife would have taken food and water out to them.

For starters, I would have dis-abled the tracking collar(s). No way would they be getting those back.
We had our share as well, except we caught them. Not the dogs, but the "Doggers"!! One guy ended up going to jail and his dog impounded at the vet when it bit my brother on his arm. Kept the dog at the vet for 21 days since he couldn't show proof of rabies shot, had to pay my brother's doctor bill, and with fines and court cost, that cost that guy a pretty penny.
If you hit them in the pocket book, the less trouble you will have.

There's not really a whole lot you can do. You can't ethically shoot a dog for being a dog. Most owners, though, will back off if you sternly tell them that you have traps and the dogs might get hurt, and you can't guarantee the safety of the dog. Most, not all. But if they continue to be jerks, the most you could really do is get their names and addresses and get a lawyer to send a threatening letter. I would pull the collars each time I had the opportunity, though.

There's your problem.

Tell them you have been having a yote problem and the government trapper has M-44's set around the property.