Cr0ck,most people don't hunt with pitts,they just catch hogs that are bayed with them. They generally don't let them loose and roam the woods,at least the guys I know.I personally wouldn't own one,and their are way to many irresponsible pitt owners around.
thats on topic. dogball soup. anyways, we have wild dogs running around some of the leases up by mine. had some on my 80 acres. you hate to shoot them cause it would ruin your hunt. but we would shoot the hell out of them, got chased by some as a kid in Michigan. family farm, grandpa heard us yelling and come out the house with his M1 Garand and dusted 3 of them jokers. I know they were wild, and the discussion is about hunting dogs, but i have never been around hog or deer dogs.
I have bred and raised pits since I was a child in the glades. I know this topic well and based on the number of responses in this post, most folks have their views as well. But that being said, I will pony up and offer my 2 cents...
First off please understand when I say "pits", I mean pure bred pits and not curs. Often people get the two confused (because a cur resembles a pit or has pit crossed up in his line). Curs (some people use the generic term "catch dog") are a totally different topic IMO.
Open running "pits" is nothing more than a recipe for disaster (unless your in a grove with no hounds and free ranging). Most (note I say most and not all) pits allowed to be uncontrolled will jump on a hound once he gets green eyed. Remember, pits are catch oriented, not chase oriented, that being said if a hound gets above his rasin' and decides to catch with a pit, the pit will view it as competition and likely jump on the hound, so you end up with a lost pig and a hurt hound....nobody wins. This only compounds itself based on the amount of time it takes you to get to the bay. The more dogs at the bay, the more trouble you will have when you get there.
I believe someone said they keep their "pits" (not catch dogs because this is to generic) on a lead until they reach the bay, I couldn't agree more, because at that point, you can "control" it.
Remember, I am by no means an expert....just my views from my experience.
