I’ve recently been contacted by someone who is looking for video footage of hog charges or attacks for a documentary-type show.  If you have some of this kind of video, let me know and I’ll put you in contact with the individuals.

Here’s the thing though.  I had to think long and hard before I put this request online.  Why?

Hog attacks are pretty danged rare.  Sure, they happen, as several of my personal friends and acquaintances can attest.  I’ve seen the scars.  But they don’t happen often and they sure as heck don’t follow any kind of a script.  An attack is most often a case of a wounded or cornered animal responding to a hunter’s presence, and that’s no time to be fooling around with a video camera.  It’s a time to move fast to put an end to the animal before it does you or your companions harm, and to humanely end the suffering of a wounded creature. 

What concerns me is that someone might, for the sake of a little video celebrity, incite a hog to charge or attack, or prolong a bad situation in the hope of getting a few seconds of footage.  PLEASE don’t do that.  If you’ve got footage of an authentic charge, share it.  But don’t go out trying to do this on purpose.  Someone’s gonna get hurt, and I can promise you, the resulting video isn’t gonna be worth it.

The other thing that worries me is the appearance of cruelty that some of this kind of video might present.  Consider the image of hunting and the impact of the video on non-hunters.  If your video includes badly wounded animals, bloodied dogs, or intentional tormenting of the hog, don’t show it.  I’m not suggesting we hide the realities of our sport, but at the same time, there’s no point adding fuel to the anti-hunters’ fire.  Just think first, then act. 

So with that caveat, if you’ve got video of an event like this, let me know and I’ll get you together with the right people. 

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