SOUTH TEXAS HOG HUNTER'S LINGO
Before I go any further, I feel that it is necessary to explain a few of the terms commonly used by hunters in our area. Understanding this terminology will make the hunting articles easier to understand.
Description of terms
wind: When a dog smells the hog. The dog will hold his head up In the air and test, or smell for the scent of a hog carried in the breeze. winded, winding
hot trailing: When the dog follows a trail that a hog has crossed fairly recently.
cold trail: An older trail the dog finds that a hog has crossed many hours before.
start or jump: When the dog finds the hog. As the dog smells the hog he moves in the direction of the scent, when the scent becomes strong or hot enough the dog will "start" or open by barking.
race: The chase accompanied by intermitting barking after the hog has been located.
start dog: The hound that will go find the hogs. The dog that starts or opens the race.
bay: The continual barking action taken by the dogs when face to face, or very close to the hog. When the hog stops running, the intermitting barking of the race changes to a more solid constant barking. A beacon to the other dogs and hunters. bayed, baying
catch dog: The dog used to attack, fight and hold the hog.
all-around dog: A dog that is capable of the pre forming the en tire job from start to catch.
tank (stock tank): Water hole, small lake, fishing pond.
thicket: Extremely dense brushy area, could be anywhere from .5 - 50+ acres. Virtually impenetrable wooded area. The types of place hogs prefer to bed down during the hot daylight hours, and/or retreat to when pursued.
clearing: A break in the thicket An open area in the woods.
Example: The start dog winded the hog from the back of the truck. He jumped out and started the race while the old all around dog was trying to cold trail a different hog. The catch dogs got there when he bayed up in that thicket on the other side of that clearing by the tank.
Hog Signs
crossing: A heavily used path over a road or through a clearing containing hog tracks. A game trail or normal route to and from bedding ground areas, water and food source & natures hi-ways.
rooting: A plowed up area in the soil where hogs have dug for worms and roots. Trench like holes up to three feet deep, typically covering a large area.
rub: A noticeable muddy blemish on fixed objects such as trees, fence posts, telephone poles and rocks. These are places where the hogs scratch or rub themselves.
wallow: A crater type depression made by hogs In the mud, usually found along the edge of a tank. They do this to cool off and the mud protects their skin from insects and the sun.
Example: We followed the crossing to the tank where we found several fresh wallows. There were also fresh rubs on the trees and lots of rooting under them.
