SQUEAL LIKE A PIG

As an avid hunter, specifically a night time hog-dogger, you better be tough! You better be able to think on your toes. And you better be able to take care of yourself.

I was asked to take a customer of our Hydraulic Company hunting. The customer had 2 young engineer interns, not from the south that were completing their internship. He wanted them to experience the adrenaline of hog dogging before heading back to college, all for doing a great job at work.

It was now my job to share this awesome sport and my Dogo’s with these young professionals and make them feel comfortable. It was a night hunt. None of the men showed up with boots, headlights, flash lights or knife. This was going to be fun for everyone.

I “vested” up the Dogos and set the tracking collars. As the only one with a light, I lead us out across the dark swampy terrain in the pitch black. Within a few minutes the dogs picked up a track. We followed them into the thick, dark, knee-deep swamp. Quickly we ended up on top of the dogs and hog.

I could see the hog running through the brush. The dogs were hot on it. I could see the dogs closing in on the hog. The hog was running directly across the path I was on. In an instant I knew what I had to do. I had to jump on that hog and catch it!

As fast as I had that thought and prepared to jump on that hog, it turned and came straight at me. Faster than the thought of jumping on this hog came to me so I could show the city slickers how I roll, a second thought came to me to get the HELL out of the way!

With only enough time to jump straight up to avoid this hog from rolling me, it went through my legs and I “squealed like a pig”! As I tried to process if anyone saw or heard me, my Dogos had the pig. It was a small boar.  Maybe, just maybe in the chaos no one realized the big tough hog hunter looked like a damn sissy.

I ran back to the dogs and offered my knife to the engineers. I coached them through grabbing the hog and stabbing it to expire him quickly and ethically. The adrenaline was high. The cheers and excitement helped cover me for a short while. But you can bet that after all the celebrating, they remembered my little out burst.

Fun was had by all. We laughed and high five’d. But I still can think on my toes, Even if I squeal like a pig.