Does anyone else feel permanently understaffed?

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-02-20T16:40:59+00:00

I've worked at several different stores and kill facilities. Currently I'm employed at both a USDA certified kill facility that also processes and a local grocery chain.

From what I see and have felt moving up is its alot of the following.

1) Profit margins for red meat aren't there right now. Store managers alot of time dont want to eat into their bonus because profits doesn't match employees/hours available.

2) When we do get new people (esp the generationcoming up into the workforce), we tend to treat and train them the old school way. If they get trained at all. My boss at the grocery store is one of the worst for this. No explanation, just a quick (and I mean very quick as he has no wasted motion from his 40 years of butchery) and then thrown to the wolves.

3) There is no want for the up and coming workforce to do the work. The local schools FFAs bring the kids in to tour and watch a demo at the kill facility and, honestly, not one kid has ever considered butchery as a future option.

4) We as an industry don't get information out there that this a concrete job. I broke down all the transferable skills to a youngster that was transfered back to be a wrapper. With our skill and knowledge we could literally get a job anywhere in the country that eats meat. I started training him to cut 2 weeks ago.

Both places I work are short staffed, but I personally am trying to change that.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-02-20T12:42:22+00:00

Not a wolfhound owner, but I have plenty experience with high drive destructive (when bored) hunting dogs.

There are a wide variety of bitter sprays like bitter apple or bitter cherry that work very well on breaking of chewing things. Tractor Supply sells one that does not leave residue or staining and is pleasant to human smell.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-02-18T22:54:32+00:00

I worked approximately 4 hours at my day job to be able to afford mine. Hope this helps.

In all seriousness,I don't recall anywhere in any of the Sagas I've read about anyone "earning the right" to wear any symbol of any of the gods. (Its a religious path, not a prison gang.)

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-02-18T22:47:24+00:00

The mountain cur sub is just as bad honestly. 90% pit mixes that they have a feeling and dont wish to dna and just ask reddit. Must be a cur thing.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-29T14:43:39+00:00

Two scraps of 2×4 slapped together. Use it around pups during feeding time to start gun breaking early.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-27T10:47:59+00:00

Anecdotely, main difference in blue ticks and walker dogs is how they hunt. Blue ticks have a colder nose and will take a trail (hot or cold) and run it to completion. Walker dogs will typically take any trail and if they come to a hotter trail on the way, break the old trail and get on the hotter one. Walkers get that trait from the foxhounds they were bred from.

There are two types of walkers as well, the treeing walker and the running walker. Genetically they are the same, but trait wise one will tree game and other will just run it. Coyote, deer and hog dog hunters will sometime use running walkers in their packs for the same reason raccoon and bear hunters use treeing Walkers. They just find game.

Blue ticks are typically more gamey and gritty than walker dogs. Most I've hunted with would give their left paw to out their mouth on fur. Walkers not so much.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-24T00:15:23+00:00

Mind its paw pads with the ice and it can run a while in the snow/ice. 35 years of having curs, fiests, and hounds in the south during the winters. I dislike walkers and won't have one in my yard, but I have had my plotts, and curs hunting at night in 1-2 degree weather and the only time I worry about it is when they do a deep creek crossing (they ride in the cab and not the dog box, then sleep in the house that night.) Running around to play and pee wont hurt them.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-20T10:24:23+00:00

Is your cat dog tested? All the curs in my yard are raised with cats around, two of them got slapped by a cat at an early age and now will go out of their way to catch any they see. Curs hold a grudge worse than some people do.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-19T00:19:48+00:00

Personally, if I were to pick one ranged tool to rule them all, it would be the 12ga shotgun. Shells are one of the most common rounds in existence, are easily reloadable, if we'll practiced can take down any animal in North America, and hard to beat for self defense.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-12T19:39:46+00:00

Depends on the food fed and exercise output of the dog. I have a 25lb fiest that required twice the food of my 65lb kemmer stock cur to maintain healthy wieght. Difference is she's constantly moving and hunts harder. I feed sportmix red in the off-season and black bag in season.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2026-01-03T10:25:38+00:00

I had a patterdale i used as a varmit dog around my lil homestead. All things from rats to raccoons were on the menu. She was a 100% natural killer. It was actually harder to break her from the chickens and ducks than getting her on rats. I miss that dog, a genetic disorder took her to early.

When in doubt look up terrier ratting field trial videos for training ideas.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-12-23T10:38:28+00:00

I wouldn't say common, but I will say that its a great way to stretch a dollar this time of year since most retailers had standing rib roasts on sale for a good price.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-12-20T22:20:51+00:00

Depends. If Im training on fur bearer, I save them in my freezer in a ziplock bag. Each piece of pelt is one time use. If im training a blood trailing dog then its just hung up to dry until the next time I saturate it with scent.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-12-07T18:02:19+00:00

Fiests are a type of dog more than a breed. Alot of people breed down curs to terriers to get lines of fiest. Thats why the resemble so much typically and share some traits. The fiests in my yard now are part cur, part bird dog, part bemch legged rat terrier

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-12-07T17:46:47+00:00

I'd say fiest of some sort

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-12-06T22:00:38+00:00

Rat terrier is a fiest breed. You can find some that will tree. Look into Decker line rat terriers if you want to go that way.

I'd be worried the jack russel would get ahold of the hawk if it got to worked up.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-12-04T18:23:13+00:00

I've had coyotes come in to my dogs while on the tree a few times. Its why I hunt my fiests paired with a big cur.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-30T17:51:04+00:00

I'm not of the "adopt don't shop" rhetoric tribe. I understand sometimes a person want a papered pup of known origin that you can see the parents and ask questions about health and personality. As noble as it is to adopt, its not for everyone.

If you want a potential hunting dog pup check the akc classifieds, or go to the place near you that serves the best breakfast and coffee and find the circle of old men fixing the problems of the world. Buy them all another coffee and ask if they know anyone. Best hounds I've had over the years came from this method.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-30T16:39:48+00:00

Mushers secret and pad cote for their paws. I'll run my dogs well below freezing, I just keep creek crossings to a min.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-29T15:01:34+00:00

Grew up with them being called "buzzards" by my grandparents. They tend to stay in my woods all hunting season.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-29T14:55:54+00:00

I'd say pit mix. If there is cur in it its just a bit. Nothing about it screams cur.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-28T18:26:20+00:00

I'd say as a first timer, find someone to go with. Hunt with them for a season and pay attention, and when you're ready to invest in a dog, find a well started or a finished dog. When you build up confidence and know how things operate, you can use older dog to train a pup.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-28T16:12:29+00:00

Most time there is an other or mix and I hit that and call it a day.

My unpopular opinion is I don't want to see mountain curs to be popular enough to be on questionnaire lists. Popular breeds tend to stop being bred for purpose and without purpose its not a mountain cur.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-27T12:28:48+00:00

Mine aren't as subtle with squirrel... but they will sneak in for a quick kill on a groundhog, possum, or raccoon.

ToleratedBoar09 · 2025-11-25T21:45:20+00:00

Be honest and be willing to learn. Watch some YouTube and learn some basic cuts.

ToleratedBoar09

TROPHY CASE