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Meet the Hog Dawgs

dawgsRay and Jackie co-founded Hog Dawgs after both retiring. Ray, 35 years in the heavy construction industry and Jackie from her corporate life as a CEO for 30 years. Jackie dealt with feral hogs rooting up fields and destroying woody ornamental and tree crops at her agricultural wholesale plant growing farm operations. She knows the damage these feral hogs can do to pasture grasses, sod farms and agriculture crops throughout the State of Florida. One of the many animals Ray dealt with during the development stages of construction jobs in Florida was nuisance alligators.

Don’t let the name fool you. Hog Dawgs, LLC, services the ranch and farm industry targeting nuisance and predator animals. These females have grown up on ranches and farms taking down notorious predator animals and enjoying every day country girl living. Hunting, fishing, shooting and mud bogging just to name a few of the many outdoor activities this team take part in for fun together. You can find these gals at any time covered in mud, in camouflage apparel in the swamp and woods or dressing for the Cattleman’s Ball. Jackie says Hog Dawgs women are smart, witty, and versatile; they love the tradition of hunting, fishing and shooting and do it with great pride and poise.

Follow the daily adventures through their television show, HOG DAWGS.

DSCN4862What’s one rookie mistake you’ve made hunting?

Jessica: My rookie hunting dog training mistake; When I first started training one of my hunting puppies, the pup chased a small hog into the swamp, I followed and before I knew it the pup, the hog and I were so deep in the swamp up to my chest I did not know who would be saving who. No time to worry about alligators or snakes, just adrenaline pumping. Luckily my cell phone still worked, I called my dad and his friend, Ray to come rescue all of us with the airboat. One by one the hog, the pup and I were rescued.

Ali: My rookie hog hunting mistake; I was stalking a herd of wild hogs for several hours, finally was close enough for a shot and put the biggest one in my crosshairs, clicked my safety off and squeezed the trigger, and in haste, forgot to cycle a round into the chamber. In doing so, I scared off the entire herd.

Casey: My rookie mistake happened when I went to a large property on a hunt and was
dropped at the tree stand and forgot my compass. I knew the camp was South, but every
direction looked the same. Eventually I recognized several trails and made it back to camp.
I’ll never go out again without my compass.

Ali and her rifleWhat’s the hardest lesson you have learned while hunting?
Hog Dawgs Gals: We are all enthusiastic individuals and full of ambition during work and
play, however, patience seems to be the hardest lesson we all agree we had to learn growing up
while waiting for a capture, trapping or kill shot.

What one hunting skill that you most want to improve?
Jessica and Mallory both want to improve their Bow hunting skills  Ali, Crystal, and Cheyenne want to improve their Rifle hunting skills
Dallas, Chandler and Morgan want to improve on their hand gun skills Casey wants to improve on her directional skills in the woods. Margarita: Wants to improve on all her hunting skills; she just wants to get out of the office more often.

CaseyHow were you introduced to hunting?
Hog Dawgs Gals: Excluding our secretary Margarita, who was raised in Columbia South
America, we were all raised as country girls hunting and fishing. We were introduced by our
parents and family members to follow the tradition and sport of whitetail hunting, hog
hunting, alligator hunting and fishing fresh and salt waters, for us it’s a way of life.

Who were the influencers in your life that helped you get into hunting?
Hog Dawgs Gals: Being raised in hunting families as females does not mean you will enjoy
and participate in the sport. We were not only introduced by family members but have also
been influenced by boyfriends, husbands and friends that have the same passion for the woods
and we continue our passion as being a part of Hog Dawgs.

Tell us about your first hunt?

Jessica: My first hunt was a whitetail hunt in Alabama with my father, I was 14 years old.
There were 5 other grown men at camp and dad took me to his tree stand, told me I could not
come down until I shot a buck. I shot a 6 point, the only buck shot at camp that day. My dad
was so proud of his daughter!

Margarita: My first hunt was a licensed alligator hunt for Jackie’s birthday, a present from
Ray. After the hunt, and we got the gator, Jackie asked me how I liked the hunt, I said “I like
the power and the excitement of the capture. I am a city girl from Columbia, South America
and had never experienced a hunt before.”

What advice would you give someone just getting into hunting?
Hog Dawgs Gals: We agree take multiple safety courses for firearms and hunter safety. Find
a suitable hunting buddy that has the patience and stamina you do.
For hog hunting with dogs, it is necessary to have experienced hunting partners with you at
all times in the woods. It is dangerous and strenuous. What we do is not for everyone, we
have been taught from an early age this type of hunting and it’s not staged for television, it’s
real and dangerous.

What gear do you carry that you could not live without?
Hog Dawgs Gals: On a hog hunt dog tracking devices are a must, but all of us agree, insect
repellant whether it’s spray, lotion or some of the newest technologies, don’t leave home
without it in the South!

What is your perfect big game rifle and bullet set up?
Hog Dawgs Gals: There is no one product or brand that we use. For hog hunting we use
different firearms depending on the job and distance. When we are recreational hunting we
use a sporting gun, appropriate for the hunt. On an individual basis, every Hog Dawgs gal
has their personal firearm and preference.

What is your favorite archery and arrow set?
Hog Dawgs Gals: There is no one product yet, that we all agree on.

What five pieces of gear do you carry with you on every hunt that you could not live
without?
Hog Dawgs Gals: dog tracking device, insect repellant, fire arm, snake boots, knife What conservation organizations do you support with your time and money?
Hog Dawgs: National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation

When youngsters and their parents come up to meet you for a quick photo or autograph,
what message do you hope to convey?
Hog Dawgs Gals: Be polite and greet people with respect. Listen to what they have to say
and answer with enthusiasm and honesty. We always encourage parents to enroll their
children into a State sponsored hunter safety course including any conservation courses that
are offered. Have children hunt and fish under the parents supervision or with an
experienced person the parent approves of. Always know your State’s fish and wildlife laws.

Specifically for women Hunters:

Do you feel any need to overcompensate or overachieve in the hunting/shooting industry
because you are a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field?
Hog Dawgs Gals: We all agree, while growing up our fathers, uncles and cousins who
influenced us always treated us like their hunting buddies. We never felt we had to outperform
because we were girls, so as female adult hunters, this doesn’t seem to be an issue.

What would you like other hunters and non-hunters to know about you as a hunter/
huntress?

Hog Dawgs Gals: We are serious when we set out on a hunt. We believe in our Christian and
family values, hunting is not a party sport. When we hunt wild hogs with dogs, it is dangerous
and requires you to be alert, protect yourself and your dogs. We love what we do and are
teaching our children to be good stewards of the woods and water.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Where and when can folks tune in to catch your show?
Hog Dawgs airs on Hunt Channel Thursday nights 9pm ET and Friday 9:30am ET.
Hunt Channel on Dish channel 266 part of the Angel Two network; Roku TV; Amazon Fire
TV; and via the internet LIVE www.HuntChannel.tv   Also, previously aired episodes Video On Demand http://www.huntchannel.tv/#!hog-dawgs/c6ro

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