hogs
- Thread starter St. Gunner
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Lonestar.45
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- Sep 3, 2004
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Nice hogs! I"ve always wanted to go after them with dogs, but so far I've just taken them with bow and rifle. When dog hunting, what do you carry, rifle or pistol? (or knife, although I don't think Devine is in East Texas, where the half Cajun folk live 
)
)Old NFO
Member
Nice pics St. Gunner- they do look a tad on the small side. Isn't Devine SW of San Antone? If so that would explain the small size. You want the large economy size, try SE Texas around Nacogdoches or Hemphill (Toledo Bend area).
St. Gunner
Member
Most of those are between 100-160lbs on the hoof. Which is pretty much standard size for most of them anywhere. Lots of talk of monsters and yes they do exist, but they are few and far between. Dogs don't discriminate, they catch whatever is there. Our largest wild was 395lb live weight killed back in October and that is a hunk of pig meat. I've seen one certified 450+ lb hog and he came through a hog processing plant near here. We catch or shoot roughly 300 head a year and of those maybe 20 will break 250lbs live weight of those 1 to 2 will break 300lbs.
Lonestar,
Most of the time it is pitbulls and a knife to dispatch them or on occasion we take them alive. But I do carry a gun for the just in cases and for when the catch dogs grab and more hogs are around. I used to carry a 4" Taurus .357 mag and 158gr PMC SP's, but since I broke a spring and Taurus can't seem to find the time to ship me a new one I have been packing an 870 with an 18.5" barrel and some 1 oz slugger loads, if I feel lazy I pack a Ruger P95 and some 147grXTP +p handloads.
Lonestar,
Most of the time it is pitbulls and a knife to dispatch them or on occasion we take them alive. But I do carry a gun for the just in cases and for when the catch dogs grab and more hogs are around. I used to carry a 4" Taurus .357 mag and 158gr PMC SP's, but since I broke a spring and Taurus can't seem to find the time to ship me a new one I have been packing an 870 with an 18.5" barrel and some 1 oz slugger loads, if I feel lazy I pack a Ruger P95 and some 147grXTP +p handloads.
Old NFO
Member
Understood St. Gunner, we've got family property down below Many, LA (on Toledo Bend) and I've shot a number of 250+ ones down there. Also shot a couple of 300+ ones down in the Atchafalaya Basin at my cousin's place (and yes Lonestar, I'm part Cajun
). I also got treed down there and had an old boar mangle the heck out of an M-1 for me... 
St. Gunner
Member
I've been using a big bladed Buck to stick with and like it ok. I'm not crazy about the handle. I need to sit down with somebody like you one time and design one the way I want it. I have a case fixed blade I gut with most of the time and used to stick and gut with it, but the blade isn't really big enough for sticking with.
What I think I need is a leather wrapped handle or some other non-slip material for the handle. An 8.5" tear drop shaped blade about 2.5" wide near the point tapering down over the last couple inches, with both sides sharpened, but the rest of the blade being about 1 1/4" wide. What happes is when you jab it in with the Buck you need to almost remove the knife to make sure you hit the heart, if the blade narrowed near the grib, the blood could flow through the hole easier. Then put deep blood grooves in it, maybe actually cut a hole in it to lighten it up alot. Maybe a series of drilled holes to lighten the knife up alot, or just a big slot. A few serrations near the back so if you get ahold of a monster and can't reach the heart you can slice a bigger hole easier to reach inside and hit the heart. It needs to have a slight handguard to keep you from slipping on the blade. The handle needs to be rounded so you can grip it blade up or down. Because to administer the stick we turn the blade facing up and go in from low behind the front shoulder and twist up, most knives aren't made to do that with. Yet, you sometimes need to use it the other way so you need to be able to do both.
So there you go, you can make a million bucks on my design features, just send me one free when you do...
If you want to try to make some along those lines figure out what it would cost and get back to me, I hang out on a BB of nothing but Hog Doggers and most of them are simply using the best they can find because nobody makes the perfect blade.
What I think I need is a leather wrapped handle or some other non-slip material for the handle. An 8.5" tear drop shaped blade about 2.5" wide near the point tapering down over the last couple inches, with both sides sharpened, but the rest of the blade being about 1 1/4" wide. What happes is when you jab it in with the Buck you need to almost remove the knife to make sure you hit the heart, if the blade narrowed near the grib, the blood could flow through the hole easier. Then put deep blood grooves in it, maybe actually cut a hole in it to lighten it up alot. Maybe a series of drilled holes to lighten the knife up alot, or just a big slot. A few serrations near the back so if you get ahold of a monster and can't reach the heart you can slice a bigger hole easier to reach inside and hit the heart. It needs to have a slight handguard to keep you from slipping on the blade. The handle needs to be rounded so you can grip it blade up or down. Because to administer the stick we turn the blade facing up and go in from low behind the front shoulder and twist up, most knives aren't made to do that with. Yet, you sometimes need to use it the other way so you need to be able to do both.
So there you go, you can make a million bucks on my design features, just send me one free
when you do...If you want to try to make some along those lines figure out what it would cost and get back to me, I hang out on a BB of nothing but Hog Doggers and most of them are simply using the best they can find because nobody makes the perfect blade.
Wow theres a lot more to it than I thought.I bet I could make one though. Might have to give it a try sometime, sounds like it would be a fun change of pace.
I think I have a handle idea down already. Its good for different grips but still has enough purchase that it won't twist in your hand. I'll try to attach a picture. Its a knife I made for www.adoptasniper.org .This picture is from before it was done. I rust browned the blade and pinned the handle together afterwards. The knife was so dark after that that the handle shape is hard to make out though. For scale, this knife has a 6" blade and is 11" OAL
Obviously the blade isn't what your looking for, but I think the double lugged gaurd and basic handle shape would be pretty good.
I think I have a handle idea down already. Its good for different grips but still has enough purchase that it won't twist in your hand. I'll try to attach a picture. Its a knife I made for www.adoptasniper.org .This picture is from before it was done. I rust browned the blade and pinned the handle together afterwards. The knife was so dark after that that the handle shape is hard to make out though. For scale, this knife has a 6" blade and is 11" OAL
Obviously the blade isn't what your looking for, but I think the double lugged gaurd and basic handle shape would be pretty good.
- Joined
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My dog is starting to come on with the hogs. And last week I got my first hog stick on a little ole 70 pounder. But all I had with me was my Spyder co wagner. Not really the best choice. I think next week I'm going to try out a good old surplus K-Bar. I can't see why that knife shouldn't be just about perfect for hog sticking?
Of course this comes from a guy who's only ever knifed one hog so it's more a question than an opinon.
I've killed about 10 hog so far this year mostly with a .308. My brother popped two last week with his .416 Rem in a ruger #1. What a sweet rig!!
Of course this comes from a guy who's only ever knifed one hog so it's more a question than an opinon.
I've killed about 10 hog so far this year mostly with a .308. My brother popped two last week with his .416 Rem in a ruger #1. What a sweet rig!!
St. Gunner
Member
Attached is a pic of one I killed last summer. It turned into a near death experience because the knife I had wasn't exactly up to the task. I ended up at this bay with one pitbull, a catahoula , and a gunsite Folder. Just for the record it is way undergunned.... If you look at the pic you'll see that one side of the neck is laid open, the other side matched, it didn't kill him. I couldn't reach the heart with the 5" blade on that knife, couldn't even nick it.
The Kabar is a heck of a knife and for most applications it works great. But when you find a hog like that one and are having to deal with him, you want him to die quickly. That hog came close to costing me a catch dog, even after I cut a hole in him to get to his heart, the blade simply wasn't big enough to get the job done quickly. I needed something to skewer the whole heart and make him die right now. The Kabar will do it on 90% of the hogs you stick, but the other 10% are the ones who cost you dogs, hogs that know they are going to die really start fighting and when that happens dogs get mangled. When you go to leg and stick all the dogs get pumped and move in for the kill. So you want that portion of the hunt to be over in a matter of seconds, less time to be exposed to the cutters. Hence a big nasty blade to pop a massive hole and get it over with.
The hog above had just shy of 3" and they where sharp and he knew how to use them, he'd been mauling and killing subdivision dogs for a few months.
The knife handle looks pretty close to what you need, the one I picture is the handle on the M16 bayonet, with less of a guard, and a slightly bigger grip.
Steve
If you look at the pic you'll see that one side of the neck is laid open, the other side matched, it didn't kill him. I couldn't reach the heart with the 5" blade on that knife, couldn't even nick it. The Kabar is a heck of a knife and for most applications it works great. But when you find a hog like that one and are having to deal with him, you want him to die quickly. That hog came close to costing me a catch dog, even after I cut a hole in him to get to his heart, the blade simply wasn't big enough to get the job done quickly. I needed something to skewer the whole heart and make him die right now. The Kabar will do it on 90% of the hogs you stick, but the other 10% are the ones who cost you dogs, hogs that know they are going to die really start fighting and when that happens dogs get mangled. When you go to leg and stick all the dogs get pumped and move in for the kill. So you want that portion of the hunt to be over in a matter of seconds, less time to be exposed to the cutters. Hence a big nasty blade to pop a massive hole and get it over with.
The hog above had just shy of 3" and they where sharp and he knew how to use them, he'd been mauling and killing subdivision dogs for a few months.
The knife handle looks pretty close to what you need, the one I picture is the handle on the M16 bayonet, with less of a guard, and a slightly bigger grip.
Steve
Attachments
If I can get ahead on orders I'm gonna have to try an make a pigsticker
I've never felt quite right guys who wound hogs with an arrow and then try to jump them,why not just shoot it right to begin with? But running and wrastling like your talking about doing is about as fair chase as you can get from what I've read. And it'd be a whole new style of knife, which is always fun to make
I've never felt quite right guys who wound hogs with an arrow and then try to jump them,why not just shoot it right to begin with? But running and wrastling like your talking about doing is about as fair chase as you can get from what I've read. And it'd be a whole new style of knife, which is always fun to make
St. Gunner
Member
Redneck,
Yep with the dogs we never use a bow, to much chance of bad stuff happening. What we do is turn out what we call strike dogs to bay the hog up, the go find it and nip its butt to make it fight. When they are baying it we slip in with the pitbulls and dogos and turn loose when we are looking at the hog. They latch the ears, we grab the hind legs, and somebody runs a knife in it.
Tell you what, make me a pigsticker like I was talking about and deliver it to Texas and i'll take you out with the dogs. Guys around here charge $600 per hog for those hunts. I'll even let you make the first stick with it.
Steve
Yep with the dogs we never use a bow, to much chance of bad stuff happening. What we do is turn out what we call strike dogs to bay the hog up, the go find it and nip its butt to make it fight. When they are baying it we slip in with the pitbulls and dogos and turn loose when we are looking at the hog. They latch the ears, we grab the hind legs, and somebody runs a knife in it.
Tell you what, make me a pigsticker like I was talking about and deliver it to Texas and i'll take you out with the dogs. Guys around here charge $600 per hog for those hunts. I'll even let you make the first stick with it.
Steve
Maybe I'll go with a viking broadsword instead LOL....talk about confidence in your work haha
If I ever find myself making another trip to texas and have some spare time I'll be sure I've got a blade for the trip. Might bring my bow/pistol/muzzle loader with it though
pendentive
Member
hope to be doing a little bit of this myself soon...
got a pigsticker design laid out...just got to finish it.
sounds like a fun time!
Dan K
got a pigsticker design laid out...just got to finish it.
sounds like a fun time!
Dan K
pendentive
Member
just gonna stick it...no need to behead it.....
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Re knifemaking: A "leftover" from my wife's retirement from woodwork is a bunch of black walnut cutoffs. 14" long and 1" thick. Widths from one to three inches.
Anybody want any of this, sorta cheap? Or know anybody who would? There's a total of around 200 pounds--I haven't cataloged how many pieces of what width...
Art
Anybody want any of this, sorta cheap? Or know anybody who would? There's a total of around 200 pounds--I haven't cataloged how many pieces of what width...
Art
Hi There Art
I'm pretty strapped right now after buying a new belt grinder, and stocking up on steel and stuff. I am interested in some walnut though. When I get caught up on things I'll get in touch with you about either buying some or maybe trading a knife for some? It'd be pretty cool to get one of my knives to a hunter with your experience.
I'm pretty strapped right now after buying a new belt grinder, and stocking up on steel and stuff. I am interested in some walnut though. When I get caught up on things I'll get in touch with you about either buying some or maybe trading a knife for some? It'd be pretty cool to get one of my knives to a hunter with your experience.
rexelbion
Member
Nice hogs!
Looks like a nice bunch of hogs!
Looks like a nice bunch of hogs!
haynhogdogger
Member
I use a Cold Steel Trailmaster here in Hawaii for sticking pigs and its been the best ive used so far. Also has a non-slip grip so it doesnt slip out of your hand when the blood starts shooting.
Redneck- Good luck with your Knifemaking.
Redneck- Good luck with your Knifemaking.
the deadest one I ever killed was a fairly small sow hit with a broadhead. Cutting works.
This one took a lot of killing. First shot was through one shoulder blade and out the other shoulder muscle at 35 yards. He was going about ten miles per hour and developed a hitch in his get-along at the shot. I shot him four more times- solid hits in the liver, lungs and heart and he still crossed a fence and ran down a draw.
I walked up to within 30 feet and he was still standing just looking at me. The last shot dropped him like a rock. Severed spine just behind the neck and we found the 1000 fps 262 gr keith under the skin on the back leg.
This one took a lot of killing. First shot was through one shoulder blade and out the other shoulder muscle at 35 yards. He was going about ten miles per hour and developed a hitch in his get-along at the shot. I shot him four more times- solid hits in the liver, lungs and heart and he still crossed a fence and ran down a draw.
I walked up to within 30 feet and he was still standing just looking at me. The last shot dropped him like a rock. Severed spine just behind the neck and we found the 1000 fps 262 gr keith under the skin on the back leg.
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seeker_two
Member
St Gunner, would this be similar to what you're looking for?...
Boker - Applegate Fairbairn Smatchet
El Tejon
Member
Smatchet! Excellent knife.
Good job, sir. Good to see those critters killed. Were they tasty?
Good job, sir. Good to see those critters killed. Were they tasty?
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