In Pursuit of Hog Dogs

“In Pursuit of Hog Dogs” is the account of Ed Barne’s personal journey of learning hunting dogs, and hunting hogs with dogs in Oklahoma. Along the way lessons were learned, chiseled into memory with pain, and other lessons were more easily passed down by old dogmen. Many of those lessons are relayed to the reader of “In Pursuit of Hog Dogs.” Ed takes the reader through the changing landscape of wild and feral hogs in America, spanning Hernando De Soto introducing domesticated hogs to America in 1539, to the importation of Eurasian and Russian hogs in the late 19th and 20th centuries, to the closing of the range and finally the fast evolving sport of today. The pages are scattered with accounts of memorable hunts, told as if spoken with a friend, but each hunting story having insight tucked into the light heartedness. Ed Barnes gives us his often rebellious thoughts on picking pups, training, trash-breaking, bulldogs and even hunting manners. As the editor of Tuskers Magazine, Ed brings the reader a well-rounded view of hunting hogs with dogs. (Blurb by Pat Lewing) From the founding editor of Tuskers Magazine, Ed Barnes, comes "In Pursuit of Hog Dogs." As a fellow hog and big game dog enthusiast I was informed and very entertained as the author eased me through the history of the feral hog and directly into his meager beginnings as a dog hunter, then on to becoming the editor of the most successful hog dog magazine in print today. Each story contains priceless information on lessons learned the hard way and ideas based from the authors perspective of what a true hound should be. If you hunt with hounds or just own a hound this book is a must for you.(Excerpt from In Pursuit of Hog Dogs) We froze, with heads cocked in that weird sideways angle that makes no sense I guess, but is a deep ingrained habit. My lips were held welded together from the hot air but if they had broken free they would have naturally fell into a smile, pulled at the corners from the barks that lit up the dusky sky. Slim made a few gentle steps my direction and held his hand flat to earth about mid-thigh. I nodded my head in approval though I wasn’t concerned with size as I ate the sounds out of the air. The barking fell faint into the distance and I knew they had went into the holler to the south, the big one of course. We both dropped our silence and stillness as we went for Garmins and talked. They were bayed at 600 yards. We agreed to drive to 300 yards. Once there we gave everything a good listen then grabbed Slim’s bulldog, Buffalo Hump, and headed into the holler. Read more