Fire Hydrant of Freedom

i almost started another thread on 'hunting' but since this also relates to dogs i decided to do it here, and some of this is not directly related to dogs.

so forthe first time i went on a hunt for wild pigs with a local guy in northern california coast using 4 dogs. the dogs were pit, australian shepard, mcnab, and other mixes. dogs that are fierce enough to fight, good hunting instincts, good runners without tiring, etc.

one of my friends grew up in the hills several miles inland of the ocean where local people have been living mostly by logging up until recently with lots of free time. a past time and way to put meat on the table was huntingthe hogs. mainly male boars in the summer with more fat, and female sows in the fall winter more fat then. and the sows are nursing in the summer.

4 nights ago we went out, 4 of us, 4 dogs. 1 female dog which was her first time and learning from the others. she seemed to show interest but was real hesitant and the other 3 did most of the hunting. they would run ahead and sniff and hunt and run back tous repeatedly. we walked at first on an old road overgrown at dusk. within minutes the fastest dog barked a mountain away, in the coastal mountains and these were not tall ones. we started running and trying to figure out where he was as he was unusually quiet, barely any baying. soon we heard more barking as the oldest most experienced and alpha male ran to catch up and number 3 named rasscal and beta dog who was staying back, why i am not sure followed only until we were right on the fight. so we we hustled down the valley and up a mountian or huge hill and the sow started squealing super loud. they had caught her in a small pool of water 3 feet deep at the most. 3 dogs on her head, 2 on the ears dragging her deeper. the guy taking us out grabbed her by the rear leg and dragged her back and i stabbed her in the lungs. the female new dog watched and barely took part. the dogs were vicious, she was about 130 lbs. roughly. we were hoping for a boar, and i was quite nervous at first hunting for boars at night when they routinely stand and fight and can gut a dog or a human by swinging their head.
 
   we gutted her and tied front legs to back ones and packed her out like a backpack. we hunted for a few more hours with no hogs chased. the guy we went with was real in tune with his dog pack, explaining and talking about what he saw and such the whole night. i felt quite a bond with the dogs after the kill as we all took part in it. it was great to see dogs live something real and use their bodies closely  to what they were designed to do, more than trot around parks. and they knew we hunted with them, even back at the house when we started to get ready, they knew it was time to hunt. and zack the guy wh took us out was choosing which dogs to take and he mostly let them decide. when it was time to go the oldest and most experienced was injured and seemed not interested but jumped in the truck at the last minute, and one refused to go being recently ground into the dirt and ripped up by a boar, not ready to face another. i hope we go again, there is nothing like the chase.   tim