Any Hunters Out There?

Off Topic
41

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
Dogos at work. Note the protective vests. Looks like there’s a couple Patterdales in there too.[/quote]

Naw, patterdales are too small for hogs. They would try, but would get killed quick. A proper patterale is about 14lbs or so with the most important feature being the circumfrence of its chest - the limiting factor for getting down a hole. There are bigger patts used for above ground hunting but not much more than 20-30 lb range and although they will try to catch, they aren’t the type of dogs you’d typically use to catch and really “anchor” a hog.

They might “flush” a hog to be shot or caught by another dog, but really they are too small to “catch”. The darker dogs you’re seeing in that photo are much larger and almost certainly the cur/hound crossed used to locate and “bay” the hog.

42

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
Dogos at work. Note the protective vests. Looks like there’s a couple Patterdales in there too.[/quote]

I forgot to add, I hate vests. We don’t use them.

43

[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
TheBodyGuard, a question:

Why engaging with a knife?
Our ancestors invented the spear for this. Why not hunt with these?

Are there no hight tech material spears, designed for hoghunting, for “traditional” hunters like you?[/quote]

You can use a spear and some people do. We just use a knife as per the tradition. Makes the kill more personal (I could care less) and more perilous.

EDIT:

I added the following in a later post but will edit here as well. A clean kill is to the heart and that is achieved under the armpit and sometimes requires some maneuvering. I’d imagine this would be pretty difficult with a spear but then again, I’ve never tried or even know anyone that uses it. I’ve heard of it being used, but that’s all. A properly inserted knife will give you a “clean” kill and the hog will bleed out quickly.

44

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
If I had to pick a top two, I’d say raccoon hunting and pheasant hunting are my favorite. The unfortunate thing about raccoon hunting is that it’s a major time suck and it takes place at night, which comes with it’s own brand of hazards and complications. I promise you, though, there is nothing on this earth like a pair of your own Blueticks singing in the night air when they first strike a track.
.[/quote]

Man you need to try coon hunting with the terriers. In the winter, they go to ground or can be found in barns. Barn hunting is very big in the midwest with some barns holding large populations of coon. I have been trying to get one of my terriers on coon for the last year with no luck. Hopefully next winter.

45

AC, you’re in MD. The closest hogs to you are in VA and some in WV if you’re interested in that. If hog hunting became your passion, you’d have the same problem as I - we aren’t in the South. Down south, they are everywhere as mombasa eluded to above and are quite the pest and very destructive. They’ve literally cleared land where machinery could not reach simply by laying out bait for the hogs to come eat and root thru the area. They are amazingly destructive.

Also, want to add to the spear question previously. You can use a spear, but a “clean” kill is unlikely with a spear. You want to get under the armpit and at the heart and that requires a stab and a little adjustment from there until you get it. It’s the quickest kill. I’m not too sure you could accomplish that with a spear which if you could not get the heart, would just fucking annoy the hell out of the boar and maybe make the kill more difficult as he fights even harder. I’m not sure though, never have tried it and don’t know anyone that uses it. Knife is close, but quick.

46

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
As for my take on hunting:

Chicken,
If you’ve never hunted before, I recommend rabbits or squirrels first whether you can afford bigger game or not. Get proficient with your weapon of choice, learn how to move in the woods/fields and be safe, and get an understanding of how each animal lives in it’s environment. Don’t just buy a weapon and go hunting though, get good with it. You’re going to be taking an animals life and the worst thing is to wound something to the point where it suffers immensely before final dispatch. You’ll also owe it to the dogs you’re hunting behind (if that’s what you chose to do) to take the animal they’ve been busting their ass all day to track down and make available for you to take.

.[/quote]

Some very good points. If you’ve never hunted it will be much easier to clean/butcher a Rabbit or squirrel than a deer. Since you can’t use a gun become proficient with a slingshot known as a wrist rocket. Accurate and deadly at 20 yards. Just go sit quietly in a hardwoods, the squirrels will come out. Please don’t kill if your not going to eat it though.

47

[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
AC, you’re in MD. The closest hogs to you are in VA and some in WV if you’re interested in that. If hog hunting became your passion, you’d have the same problem as I - we aren’t in the South. Down south, they are everywhere as mombasa eluded to above and are quite the pest and very destructive. They’ve literally cleared land where machinery could not reach simply by laying out bait for the hogs to come eat and root thru the area. They are amazingly destructive.

Also, want to add to the spear question previously. You can use a spear, but a “clean” kill is unlikely with a spear. You want to get under the armpit and at the heart and that requires a stab and a little adjustment from there until you get it. It’s the quickest kill. I’m not too sure you could accomplish that with a spear which if you could not get the heart, would just fucking annoy the hell out of the boar and maybe make the kill more difficult as he fights even harder. I’m not sure though, never have tried it and don’t know anyone that uses it. Knife is close, but quick.[/quote]

I remember when I wan an electrician, one of my friends talked about hunting wild boar with a knife. I’m going to see if I can look him up and ask him to show me the ropes. I really appreciate the insights you’ve given and I think this is turning into a cool thread. I’m learning a lot about this and I am grateful for the responses.

48

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
As for my take on hunting:

I grew up in rural Michigan hunting. Hunted everything that would come into season. Took my fair share of everything from rabbits to deer to pheasants to raccoons and a lot of animals in between.

For me, I was a lot like BG in that I found myself being more of a dog guy. I love hunting behind dogs, especially dogs that I’ve trained. I raised my own beagles for rabbits and coonhounds for raccoons, and my dad had German Shorthairs for pheasants. Once I got old enough I trained his pointers as well. Over the next year I’m going to get into duck hunting and eventually going to get a retriever for that endeavor as well.

For me, killing an animal was never the thrill, it was more about being with the dogs. Being in charge of a hunt because you have the best dog(s) is a pretty freaking cool thing that has a lot more responsibility than the layman would initially consider.

If I had to pick a top two, I’d say raccoon hunting and pheasant hunting are my favorite. The unfortunate thing about raccoon hunting is that it’s a major time suck and it takes place at night, which comes with it’s own brand of hazards and complications. I promise you, though, there is nothing on this earth like a pair of your own Blueticks singing in the night air when they first strike a track.

Chicken,
If you’ve never hunted before, I recommend rabbits or squirrels first whether you can afford bigger game or not. Get proficient with your weapon of choice, learn how to move in the woods/fields and be safe, and get an understanding of how each animal lives in it’s environment. Don’t just buy a weapon and go hunting though, get good with it. You’re going to be taking an animals life and the worst thing is to wound something to the point where it suffers immensely before final dispatch. You’ll also owe it to the dogs you’re hunting behind (if that’s what you chose to do) to take the animal they’ve been busting their ass all day to track down and make available for you to take.

.[/quote]

That’s the advise that Testy gave as well. So I will propose a learning curve: Get out in the woods every weekend with a wrist rocket and a back pack and hunt some squirrel, take it home, dress it up and eat it.

(QUESTION: do I need a hunting license to hunt squirrel with a wrist rocket?)

In the meantime, I will go to bow shop, get my draw measured (yes I’ve been looking at the other resources some of you have been kind enough to provide!) and buy a bow and some arrows. I have located archery ranges within a half hour of both my office and my home.

(QUESTION: what would a good beginning practice regimen look like? I would assume start with shorter distances of say 15 meters and work up to 50 meters as accuracy improves?)

I will also be inquiring with my old friend about joining him on his next boar hunt, learning about the various dogs and techniques for that.

(QUESTION: Is there a typical Boar hunting season like with deer? or is it more of a year round thing because they are such a nuisance?)

My other goal will to be accurate enough to actually go bow hunting this fall. Is this a realistic goal?

I would like to thank ALL of you for your input and I am grateful for all of the experienced that is being shared here. Please continue - this is becoming quite an information filled thread.

49

AC are you sure you can possess a bow and arrow? Like I said, my neighbor does not bow hunt after his felony conviction and he was an AVID hunter.

50

so bodyguard, is what you do something like this? though thats a mighty small knife. that pigs tusks looks bigger than his damn knife!

51

[quote]angry chicken wrote:

[quote]BradTGIF wrote:
As for my take on hunting:

I grew up in rural Michigan hunting. Hunted everything that would come into season. Took my fair share of everything from rabbits to deer to pheasants to raccoons and a lot of animals in between.

For me, I was a lot like BG in that I found myself being more of a dog guy. I love hunting behind dogs, especially dogs that I’ve trained. I raised my own beagles for rabbits and coonhounds for raccoons, and my dad had German Shorthairs for pheasants. Once I got old enough I trained his pointers as well. Over the next year I’m going to get into duck hunting and eventually going to get a retriever for that endeavor as well.

For me, killing an animal was never the thrill, it was more about being with the dogs. Being in charge of a hunt because you have the best dog(s) is a pretty freaking cool thing that has a lot more responsibility than the layman would initially consider.

If I had to pick a top two, I’d say raccoon hunting and pheasant hunting are my favorite. The unfortunate thing about raccoon hunting is that it’s a major time suck and it takes place at night, which comes with it’s own brand of hazards and complications. I promise you, though, there is nothing on this earth like a pair of your own Blueticks singing in the night air when they first strike a track.

Chicken,
If you’ve never hunted before, I recommend rabbits or squirrels first whether you can afford bigger game or not. Get proficient with your weapon of choice, learn how to move in the woods/fields and be safe, and get an understanding of how each animal lives in it’s environment. Don’t just buy a weapon and go hunting though, get good with it. You’re going to be taking an animals life and the worst thing is to wound something to the point where it suffers immensely before final dispatch. You’ll also owe it to the dogs you’re hunting behind (if that’s what you chose to do) to take the animal they’ve been busting their ass all day to track down and make available for you to take.

.[/quote]

That’s the advise that Testy gave as well. So I will propose a learning curve: Get out in the woods every weekend with a wrist rocket and a back pack and hunt some squirrel, take it home, dress it up and eat it.

(QUESTION: do I need a hunting license to hunt squirrel with a wrist rocket?)

In the meantime, I will go to bow shop, get my draw measured (yes I’ve been looking at the other resources some of you have been kind enough to provide!) and buy a bow and some arrows. I have located archery ranges within a half hour of both my office and my home.

(QUESTION: what would a good beginning practice regimen look like? I would assume start with shorter distances of say 15 meters and work up to 50 meters as accuracy improves?)

I will also be inquiring with my old friend about joining him on his next boar hunt, learning about the various dogs and techniques for that.

(QUESTION: Is there a typical Boar hunting season like with deer? or is it more of a year round thing because they are such a nuisance?)

My other goal will to be accurate enough to actually go bow hunting this fall. Is this a realistic goal?

I would like to thank ALL of you for your input and I am grateful for all of the experienced that is being shared here. Please continue - this is becoming quite an information filled thread.

[/quote]
I actually quoted Brad, not the other way around.

I know in most states there is no set season for Feral hogs, as they are considered a nuisance. If you are not hunting with dogs, I would hunt from a tree stand. You don’t want to tangle with one of them Mano a Mano. My Grandfather had a fist size chunk of his calf missing from a domesticated sow with piglets.

However, if you do hunt from a stand, make sure to use a safety strap. I have two friends that have nearly died falling from tree stands. And please take a hunter safety class if you are serious about this.

Just an FYI, but fifty meters is a very long shot. Effective range is with a bow is really more in the 30 meter range. They can shoot farther, but ethical hunters don’t take low percentage shots.

52

Went squirrel hunting with my grandfather once. He taught me how to have someone go to the other side of the tree and the squirrel will walk around to your side. Then you just aim and shoot. Also you can shake them out of their nests (look like big bird nests) by pulling on vines and kudzo that go up the tree. I’ve been deer hunting with a couple of friends but never saw a deer.

I think most guys use some kind of food plot to attract the deer. We just walked around and looked for rubs on trees and droppings, stuff like that. Unfortunately I never got to kill a deer. Would have been yummy. As for the squirrels, I got 3 of them, took them home and dressed them by myself, battered and fried the carcasses. Taste like chicken. But you have to be VERY careful when you skin them because if the fur touches the meat it will stick.

Also it’s pretty nasty pulling out the guts and smelly too. Try not to puncture any internal organs or it will gross you out. Good luck!

53

[quote]LTKO wrote:

so bodyguard, is what you do something like this? though thats a mighty small knife. that pigs tusks looks bigger than his damn knife![/quote]

that would be it. knife only has to reach the heart its not for defense. if that hogs gets free of the dogs, not much will help you - even a gun, as it will be hard to get a kill shot off.

54

[quote]KyleT wrote:
Went squirrel hunting with my grandfather once. He taught me how to have someone go to the other side of the tree and the squirrel will walk around to your side. Then you just aim and shoot. Also you can shake them out of their nests (look like big bird nests) by pulling on vines and kudzo that go up the tree. I’ve been deer hunting with a couple of friends but never saw a deer.

I think most guys use some kind of food plot to attract the deer. We just walked around and looked for rubs on trees and droppings, stuff like that. Unfortunately I never got to kill a deer. Would have been yummy. As for the squirrels, I got 3 of them, took them home and dressed them by myself, battered and fried the carcasses. Taste like chicken. But you have to be VERY careful when you skin them because if the fur touches the meat it will stick.

Also it’s pretty nasty pulling out the guts and smelly too. Try not to puncture any internal organs or it will gross you out. Good luck![/quote]

If you thought gutting a squirrel was nasty I wouldn’t suggest a deer. I know seasoned hunters who can’t gut their own deer without hurling.

55

[quote]angry chicken wrote:
Hey guys, I was wondering how many of you are hunters. One of the things on my “bucket list” is to learn how to hunt and kill for food (presumably deer, but please expand on that if there are more things to hunt).

Now, I am a felon, so I can’t own a gun, so that leaves me with bow hunting. Anyone have any advice on how to go about learning this particular skill set?

I am a fairly decent outdoors man, for a city boy, did the whole hiking/camping thing (and still do occasionally).

If any of you (and I am referring to hunters) had to learn how to hunt all over again as an adult, how would you go about it?

Are there clubs and associations? Must haves for the library? Internet/other resources? Any advice or “road maps” for learning this skill would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.[/quote]

It really depends on what you want to hunt. If you are looking to hunt big game - deer/elk/bear, I would suggest that you call the DNR in your state and ask about what guns/bows you can own. If you are limited to a muzzleloader, I would encourage you to go that route. Here in IL we cannot hunt with centerfire rifles, so I use a ML. My CVA Optima drives tacks so I do not hesitate to take a long shot with it. I paid about $350 for my ML with a scope. The problem with gun hunting is that you are usually limited to a season that is only a few weeks long (if that) and the woods can get crowded - especially on the eastern seaboard where public ground is relatively scarce.

If you want to spend more time in the woods, you should consider bowhunting. You can bowhunt deer pretty close to four months a year here in IL. Do not go out and drop $6-800 on a new bow until you get some experience. There are guys that get a new bow every year or two, so you should be able to get a good used compound for around $300 from any archery website. You might also consider using a longbow or a recurve. Serviceable bows can be had for about $100 (or less) and they will kill any critter just as dead as a compound. They do require more practice, but they are simple to set up and tend to be more reliable. Check out www.bowsite.com or www.stickbow.com for information on archery. Both of these sites have people that love to help newbies, so just be humble, ask for their help and you will get in in spades.

Regardless of the method you choose, you may have to pass a hunter safety requirement. IL requires you to take it if you were born after 1980. There also may be limited tags available for the critter you want to chase. Turkey and deer tags are frequently allocated by lottery, so you may have to apply for them. Call the DNR and ask them these types of questions. Talk to a biologist about the opportunities that are available and what areas are better than others for what you want to do. Speaking to someone who wears about a few pairs of boots every year tromping around in the woods will put you way ahead of the game. I would also suggest that you try and find a mentor or a buddy that has some experience. You can read all sorts of books, but there is no teacher like experience. Do not get discouraged, as it may take you a while to take your first deer/elk/bear. However, every time you are out in the field, you will learn something that will likely make you a better hunter. That said, go to the library and check out videos/books on hunting. There should be a shit-ton of books on the topic of deer hunting. You might also consider asking for recommendations on the bowsite/leatherwall.

If you cannot own a long gun, you will pretty much be stuck to hunting with a bow. You can hunt small game with bow and you can bowfish too. Not being able to own a gun does not preclude you from getting out and taking advantage of the opportunities around you. Best of luck. PM me if you have any questions or if you would like to discuss this further. I can talk about this topic all day long.

56

I’ll echo Testy1… 50 meters is a really long shot with a bow. I would suggest getting really good at 25 yards and below and get very good at estimating distance (especially from an elevated position if you will hunt from a stand). A good exercise I heard of was: get on top of your garage with your bow and have a friend stand in the garage and toss into the yard some milk jugs partially filled with water so they fly farther and then you shoot them. This requires you to estimate range and shoot at different angles. Just to note the deer I took with a bow was at 15 yards and I don’t even have a sight set on my bow past 30 yards. Happy practicing and hunting!

58

I know a few guys who just cant stomach gutting their own deer. First time I did it I had a hard time keeping my lunch down too, but your right Push, nothing like getting a big warm handful of guts after freezing your ass off all morning.

60

[quote]pushharder wrote:

[quote]BobCat77 wrote:
I know a few guys who just cant stomach gutting their own deer. First time I did it I had a hard time keeping my lunch down too, but your right Push, nothing like getting a big warm handful of guts after freezing your ass off all morning. [/quote]

I do hate doing it in the dark with a mini-maglite in your teeth. In fact, it’s a bit dangerous when you can’t see very well where you’re cutting.

The last elk I gutted was by just the headlight of my snowmobile and even then I had to dig around with my blade by feel much of the time. I was alone too so had to spend a lot of time manhandling the animal, tying off its feet to trees to keep the legs spread, etc.

I have been fortunate in that I have yet to have to pack one out on my back. Have always figured out how to get one out of the mountains by horseback, 4-wheeler or pickup.[/quote]

I forgot about that, one of the drawbacks of hunting in the evening. The cleaning and washing your hands when it is bone numbing cold is what I’ve always hated. Of course, your idea of cold and my idea of cold is completely different.