Taro's first (real) Pig hunt

edited January 2010 in Hunting & Working
Ok so I ended up with a day off of work today so I decided to hit my wild hog honey hole with Taro on his first real pig hunt. We got to the parking lot of the trail head at about 0600 hours ad after a 1300 feet decent into the river valley we sat on a ridge top and just waited for the sun to rise over the hills so that we could warm up (26 degrees out this morning)

After glassing for about a hour, I took Taro down into the river bed to put him on some pig tracks. We approach a thick part of the river bed when all of a sudden a fat sow (180lbs +) and three piglets come running out. Taro was about 30 yards in front of me when he runs toward me with all his hair sticking up. The sow is just sitting there looking at me and Taro at about 50 yars or so and all of a sudden Taro takes off after the small pack of pigs. He gets super close to oneof the piglets and then the sow turns to confront him. Taro immediately lunges back and barks furiously toward the sow. The sow makes a grunt and lunges toward Taro and Taro runs away but then stop and attempt to confront the sow again!

I walk toward Taro and praise him and he goes running back toward the direction of the pigs but then comes bursting out of the brush happy as a kid on Christmas morning. I was giddy all over and praised him for a good half hour, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I just wish I took the other dogs out but I really dont want to shoot a sow with piglets so it worked out well.

So we continued through the river bed and Taro got his first swimming lessons in moderate moving current in the river. We hiked out of the river bed and as I huff and puff up the hill I see Taro sniffing the ground and rubbing him self in dirt. I catch up to him and I see that he found a large size rooting area probably made a few days back.

We hung out for a few hours more and made the tiring hike back up the mountain side and telling my self how lucky I am that I did'nt have to carry a hog out of the valley.

All in all it was a awsome experience and a great training day for Taro (he got a hamburger on the way home). I'll post picks as soon as I can figure out how to send them from my crackberry.

Comments

  • edited November -1
    Haha sounds like Taro did great. I would have loved to see that going on.
  • edited November -1
    That is awesome!! I really wonder how koda would do. I think he would dig on chasing after a pig. I'm jealous of the two of you, minus the weather. He he. I can't wait to see Taro's first kill.
  • edited November -1
    Awesome!
    Nice work, Taro. Good luck to both of you; keep it up!
  • edited November -1
    It will be awhile before we really get into it but he's not doing bad at all so I'm happy with that. Shoot bring Koda out! The weather is good now although its supposed to rain tomorrow.

    Still cant figure out the crapberry.Wifes working on it, Stand by for pics.
  • edited November -1
    Taro's "dady, I'm still sleepy" look at 0530 in the morning pumping gas.
  • edited November -1
    Where do you live/hunt?
  • edited November -1
    San Diego Ca
  • edited November -1
    Taro sniffing on a massive pig rooting area.
  • edited November -1
    That is so cool:) I love all these "hunting with the dog" stories, makes me wish I had the guts for hunting, or a way to participate without having to kill something.
  • edited November -1
    .....and another section uprooted with Taro curiously sniffing.
  • edited November -1
    That's great! I love the play-by-play. Sounds like Taro is going to be a great hunting dog. Unfortunately Merlin(my Lab) is no use for hunting. He hears gun fire and gets mad at whomever is making all the racket and starts huffing and barking like a lunatic.
  • edited November -1
    That's great Gen! I'd say that's a fantastic first experience for him. I don't blame you for being super psyched. Hell, I'm psyched for you!
  • edited November -1
    Go Taro!!! :) ~
  • edited November -1
    Since this weekend is my last chance for duck hunting, Taro's going to have to stay home while Hana goes out for the end of the season but the following weekend I will be at it again with Taro so more pics and stories to come.

    Thanks every one for the kind words and support!
  • edited November -1
    Sounds like Taro's a natural, Gen. Congrats! Some really good blood in these pups eh?
  • edited November -1
    Wow! What a fantastically AWESOME day for training. Good boy Taro-kun!
  • edited November -1
    Congrats on such a good day! I love the play by play and the pictures also Taro's dad is such a handsome dog. =)
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