Research doesn’t lie – hunting with a hunting dog can provide up to a 96% higher success rate! It’s no wonder that hunting with dogs is an age-old tradition in the US, dating back to the times when dogs were once considered working animals instead of pets.
Why Hunt Wild Pigs?
Over the years, dogs have quickly become man’s best friend, especially for avid hunters looking for both companionship and support during a hunt. This couldn’tring truer than when hunting game like wild pigs, where the use of hunting dogs is encouraged to manage feral pigs known to cause destruction in areas like the Cleveland National Forest.
In the Cleveland National Forest, domestic Russian pigs were released roughly 6 years ago by a Native American Tribe to facilitate a hunting program. As the pigs quickly multiplied, the population soon grew out of control and threatened destruction to the forest’s natural habitat.
The pigs caused contamination to the local water supply and contributed to an estimated $1.5 billion in annual nationwide damage, according to the US Forest Service.
How to Successfully Hunt Wild Pigs
Hunters hoping to hunt native feral pigs often work with two sets of dogs in a team. With the bay dog and the catch dog, the hunter can use the dog team to pick up a scent, track, and locate apig. The bay dog is used to alert the hunter of a pig’s location; the larger catch dog is used to hold down a hog until the hunter arrives.
For a successful catch, not just any hunting dog will do. Some of the recommended wild hog hunting breeds include:
- Pitbull
- Catahoula cur
- Mountain cur
- American bulldog
- Rhodesian ridgeback
For a fruitful wild hog hunt, it’s important to have a team of the right dog breeds to begin. Experts also recommend equipping both dogs with dog training collars that can be used to encourage basic obedience and keep a dog focused throughout the hunt.
In a wild boar hunt, bark collars can be initially used to prevent nuisance barking at other hunters, dogs, and animals. This type of training collar will keep a dog quiet and attentive, available at varying levels of intensity that can be set with the touch of a button.
Since wild boar hunting can be dangerous for both a hunter and his dogs, the proper use of a dog training collar before and during a hunt is of the utmost importance. Dogs should wear both training collars and vests to protect their neck and vitals from hog bites as feral pigs are likely to attack when cornered.
The post Hunting Update: Dog Training Collars Best Used When Hunting Wild Pigs appeared first on chrissie-wildwood.com.
