Table of contents for October - November - December 2018 in Bacon Busters

Quite possibly, one of the greatest sounds anyone can hear is the almost rhythmic calming sound of two bailing dogs keeping a full-grown wild boar at bail. Sure some like the sound of the hit-up when a holder first hits up on a goody, but that deep husky bark bark bark, signals things have just gone to another level. I am fortunate enough to have a very good bailer and even more fortunate to have another two just as good if not better. They never let me down in any country regardless of the size of the boar. Two of them will get the job done with minimal effort on their behalf (almost like a game of cat and mouse). One overcast afternoon, I was bouncing along the edge of…

Desexing is a common procedure recommended by veterinarians in order to control dog population growth and some medical conditions. Although most people do desex their animals, there are many myths out there regarding desexing and many hunters choose not to desex their dogs for a variety of reasons. Knowing the pros and cons of desexing is important, in order to make an informed decision about desexing. Desexing involves the surgical removal of the testicles, uterus and ovaries in male and female dogs. It is commonly performed in dogs from 6 months of age. In larger breed dogs, there is some evidence that later stage desexing should be performed at around 12-24months of age. The reasons for this are because it allows the dogs bones and joints to develop completely under…

I went for another walk the other day by myself around a big billabong and caught five smallish pigs. I then walked back to the Ute, gave the dogs some water and set off for another little walk around the other side of the billabong. I was only 200metres from the Ute and the dogs all ran straight up the side of the water about 800metres ahead, then out to the right another six hundred. I could just make out a little bark in the distance, so I picked up the pace and ran in there and found the three dogs getting smashed by a big cranky boar. He ripped my big fella pretty bad, so I went in cautiously and ended the saga. A couple of days later, my…

After a short walk looking for a deer with my Dad, I saw this boar and was keen to shoot my first pig with the 6.5 Creedmoor. We stalked into a reasonable range on the hillside where the boar was nosing around the grass nearby the blackberries. After checking the range at 213metres, I was told to aim at the butt of his ear. Taking my time, as the boar didn’t move regularly, I squeezed the trigger after peering through the scope quickly. The boar rolled over and I was one very happy pig hunter!…

It was a late Saturday arvo and I’d just finished work. I gave my mate Darien a buzz to see if he was keen for a hunt. We loaded the buggy and dogs up and set off to a local spot. It was 8pm and we were already unloading the buggy and plating the dogs. As we were driving around, my Kelpie X and my Arab X along with my mates Arab were working the buggy hard. There were a few hints of them getting keen and we had two jumps, but nothing. At this point, it was midnight and we pushed on, keen for a boar. This new section had just been burnt and creeks still held water, which was a good sign. Before we knew it, the dogs…

We were up early Friday morning to start the long weekend. Heading to a station a few hours from home, we were keen to get stuck into a few pigs. Arriving about an hour into daylight, we plated the dogs up and decided to start with the river. As soon as we got there, a good lone boar trotted off and after a quick chase and scuffle, we put an end to the grunting. A few quiet hours later, we stumbled across a little sow, but the main bitch after catching one, took off over a kilometre on some scent and ended up overheating. It was the middle of the day. She survived as we got her to water quickly. Deciding to run the younger dog solo for the rest…

On the far side of a narrow tract of wetlands, a large black boar worked the well-trodden edges with head down and unaware of our presence. Making no noise or sudden movements, Bill cautiously slid out of the passenger seat of the Honda side-by-side and into the streaked, shadows of the tree line. The obliging slight breeze in our faces worked to Bill's advantage as he moved slowly closer to his intended target. For a few agonising seconds, the big porker was lost from sight behind a small clump of high grass only to reappear moments later out the other side. As it walked the watermark without a care in the world, Bill worked the bolt of his .35, shouldered the rifle, aimed and fired. Boom! The big brute absorbed…

NICKNAME: Just boring old Jess LIVES: Charleville, QLD JOB: Bar attendant at the moment LOVES: Spending quality time with my 5yr old son Bryce HATES: I don’t really hate anything. There’s no point in hating something you can’t change BIGGEST BOAR: 104kg HOBBIES: Hunting, shooting, fishing and having a few cold ones with mates IDEAL DATE: It would have to be a few dogs loaded up and an esky full of beers out in the bush somewhere, anywhere, doesn’t really matter! WHAT I’D DO WITH $1MILLION: I’d make sure my family is looked after and the rest would go to our farmers in need! WINNER! 'STICK'EM IN STYLE!' PRIZE PACK WWW.STICKEMINSTYLE.COM.AU…

1. My dog was operated on a couple of months ago after a mango seed got stuck in his guts. Will he be okay to go hunting now? How do I reduce the risk of this happening again? A: Typically a dog will recover quite quickly following any major surgery. Given the time since the operation, it should be okay for your dog to resume hunting as long as the previous incision is normal. If you are at all concerned you should check with your vet. As far as reducing your risk of this happening again, controlling what they get into at home is the only solution. Mango seeds are very difficult as often the seeds that get stuck are not fresh seeds, but those that have been rotting in…

Keep sending in your best pig photos for publication in the next issue. Mail them to: Pig Pix, Bacon Busters Magazine, GPO Box 606, Sydney, NSW 2001. All pics returned after use.…

This story is not just about being in the right place at the right time, but to respect your fellow hunters as it can repay you in the future! A few years ago, Dad and I were at a cane fire and there was another hunter there that was keen to catch a pig. He was standing back a bit, so Dad and I went over and introduced ourselves. After a bit of a yarn about what we knew about this block of cane, we put him in the place most likely where the pigs would run out. We then sat back and watched the fire, while the hunter caught a couple of good boars. We went over and had a look at them and congratulated him on the good…

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Piggin’ has always been one of my favourite things to do, but what has now made it even more exciting is the night I found an engagement ring on a boars hooks. It’s not the ideal way for most girls to be asked to get married, but for me it was honestly perfect. I would not have rathered any other way. I have left the good news to start my column, however the bad news is the state of our ongoing drought. It’s been a bit harder to find pigs of late and not only find pigs, but catching any decent boars. It actually makes you work more for them, but when you do find a good one, it’s definitely worth it. Lately, we have been finding pigs coming in…

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The sun slowly sank low and the shadows lengthened. The little Ford Escort quietly purred along the dusty track through the wild black soil river country. All eyes in the small car scanned the ever-darkening lignum scrub and elephant grass for any movement. I wound my window up halfway as to slow the cool night air that heralded another cold night of frost to come. I was on another wild boar hunt with my best mate and mentor my Dad ‘Old Sid’. So far, we had not seen any wild pigs and after walking the river for miles, we were looking forward to our camp and a nice hot feed. Suddenly they were there; a dozen black shapes trotting off into the long grass. Old Sid slammed on the brakes…

Well in the second part to looking after your hounds, I wanted to explore the topic of stock proofing, which is possibly the most important rule when training your dog to hunt without faults. This type of a technical article is brief, but can be elaborated extensively. It’s more so an introduction for beginners and new pig hunters starting out! Now, we need to really have a good look at what breed of dog we are training to start with and take note of the genetic traits that your hound possesses. This will give a true indication of what you are dealing with and how to best put into practice the disciplinary methods to control them at all times. Okay, dogs have a brain and want to do their own…

Finally getting a day off work while the temperature up here at night is getting down to single figures, its hard to believe its the subtropics of Oz. Dragging my worn-out body out of bed, I decided to put in a full day and night if need be, to bag a few swine close to home. Twenty-one minutes in and the first young boar is taken. After being pretty happy so far, I moved further up the creek, came down a slight hilly area and noticed some Egrets fly out of a waterhole that is usually dry by this time of year. I headed up and to my surprise; there was fresh pig sign everywhere, but no pigs. The dogs suddenly picked up a whiff and took off straight back…