Dadgum Dogs ( NOW IM PISSED!! )

[Doc Nock]

OUCH! Livestock losses and family mauling casts an entirely different light on simply messed up hunting... Yikes!   :eek:

[ChuckC]

Friends had a family farm, around 500 acres, most of it wooded.  We hunted there, and my friend trapped there, and when the kids were big enough they carried BB guns there.  There was always a problem with strays being dumped off, sometimes forming small packs.  My buddy was checking traps one morning and a large dog, part of a pack of six that were there, growled, snarled and "attacked" him.  Didn't make contact but charged and scared him enough to need to use his shovel later.

We discussed it and felt that if it were one of the kids instead of him it would have been a bad thing.  That changed the way things were handled after that.  

I love dogs and have had them all my life.  Strays, especially large ones in packs, can be a hidden danger, to livestock, to deer and to us.

That said,  on public land in the south half of Wisconsin, we have pheasant hunting.  I theorize that deer that smell human scent and dog scent know they are not the ones being hunted and it doesn't affect their activities later in the day.
ChuckC

[Crittergetter]

Yep, now I'm officially pissed off!!!  Between work and having  to care for my wife and take over her daily duties for a little while ( she had a 4 wheeler accident and crushed her right hand) I've had very little time to hunt in the last several weeks.
Yesterday evening her grandmother and a friend came over to visit and I got a few hrs to hit the woods. So I went back to the only stand that's good for a south west wind. About half way to my stand I see the same group of 5 dogs coming my way. So I froze hoping they would just pass on by. When they get to about 20 yrds they spot me and the 2 lead dogs, a pit bull and a mastiff looking dog, begin growling and barking and charge at me. So I yell and they stop at about 10 yrds but keep barking and growling. I'm yelling the whole time and I eventually manage to get an arrow knocked since that was my only defense. But they turn to run before I can get off a shot. I wasn't really scared because  I was freakin mad!!  My wife and kids hunt this property as well. My wife sometimes goes by herself. Now I'm afraid to let her go alone and not sure if I should take my kids back untill I get the problem resolved! Needless to say I didn't see any deer or any thing else! I WILL be caring my pistol from now on because NOW IM PISSED!!!

[David Brent]

Arrows kill deer don't they? Would not have hesitated this time. In fact when I first saw them I would have gone into tactical mode to get a shot. I've been in this situation before and was passive before but not anymore. Especially with packs. SSS!

[Ray Lyon]

Wow, I'm surprised the sherriff is not involved by now.  I'm not a lawyer, but I'd certainly want a police report or two on file to back up your concern.  You've got pictures to boot. Be firm with the police and demand action.  we had a next door neighbor who let their dogs bark constantly. They have a fenced in back yard and would let the dogs run free in it while they were away and they would bark day and night.  Called the Sherriff and they gave a warning.  Called them back the next night when it started again. $125 ticket each time with threat of taking dogs away.  No more dog problem.  
Call the authorities asap.

[Ray Lyon]

By the way, shooting any dog other than in self defense is absolutely wrong. Dogs are not the problem, people are and if you shoot a dog wandering on your property for no other reason than that, you should be prosecuted.

[Crittergetter]

Originally posted by Ray Lyon:
By the way, shooting any dog other than in self defense is absolutely wrong. Dogs are not the problem, people are and if you shoot a dog wandering on your property for no other reason than that, you should be prosecuted.

I agree. And that is why I didn't want to shoot them on site. My problem now is that they have shown aggression and I can't risk them attacking me or my family. I called the Sherrif's office and they said without knowing who they belong to there is nothing they can do. It's a small tract of land and There are a lot of houses around. So I guess I'll be doing some driving around and try to locate the owners. We'll see what happens!

[ChuckC]

When a pack of dogs acts aggressively the game changes.  If that was a smaller person or child the results could have been far different.  I would try to do it all legally and thoughtfully, but it would get done one way or another.

Dogs fault or owners fault doesn't matter at that point (to me).
ChuckC

[D. Key]

Crittergetter:

I don't know what county you are in East Texas but I live in Jasper, County and in speaking with our Sherriff:

1. There is no leash law in our county so the owners have the "right" to let their dogs run loose.
2. You can take "defensive action" if:
     a. You are in "fear" of your life
     b. The dogs are chasing/endangering livestock.

He said the above like "wink, wink, nudge, nudge".

Thank being said, I did have a couple of the neighbors pits chasing my cows about a month ago and 2 of the 3 didn't make it home that night.  Now only about 5-6 more to go.

Best of luck to you.  I know how frustrated you are and the only resolution is to defend yourself from this pack.  SSS is the best answer "wink, wink, nudge, nudge".

[J-dog]

HaHa! yall need to come to eastern NC where in gun season running dogs for deer is a way of life! cannot sit public land without a pack being close by. I actually got a doe with my curve that was being pushed by the hounds. They circle like rabbits. I had seen this deer go by three times that morning already. Each time I would get up and get ready but she'd be too far. Well on the fourth lap she was close! appeared quickly and I yelled she stopped and I drew and shot her.

I was able to get the deer out and the dogs up for the houndsmen, they thought it was cool I got the deer with my bow. Offered them meat but they declined just happy I got their dogs out to the road.

What is funny after hunting amongst dogs all my life is that a pack will push a deer or two by your stand but 5 minutes you can still hear the race of hounds and a deer will walk out undisturbed? feeding.

It is not the big hunt killer folks think it is. Let the dogs move on and the deer wont be bothered unless the dog is actually targeting THAT deer.

J

[McDave]

For years I have carried a small container of pepper spray in my pocket.  I started carrying it when I got my puppie in case a larger dog attacked her, but rather than have to remember to put it in my pocket when I walk the dog, now it just goes in there with my keys and pocket knife every time I load up my pockets.

It has been the law in California, maybe forever, that a farmer may shoot any dog roaming loose on his farm, and many farms are posted to that effect.  I don't know if that would apply to a farmer who only has crops, but most farmers have some livestock around too, if only barnyard chickens.  I love dogs more than anyone I know, except maybe my ex-wife, who usually has 12-15 of them around, but if I were a farmer, I would enforce that law.  True, it isn't the dogs' fault, but neither is it the deers' fault that they happen to taste good.

[Sam McMichael]

If these dogs show aggression towards you, who else do they also threaten? I agree with contacting the police and demanding action against the owner. Due to multiple aggressive acts, I also believe in the Glock. I have twice been bitten by dogs and know first hand how scary and dangerous it can be. This is far more than an annoyance! What if the next aggression is directed at a small child? There is a practical limit to the humanitarian concerns, and these dogs (and their owner)have passed it.

[ChuckC]

McDave, how about if I just put some Tabasco sauce on a broadhead ?
     
ChuckC

[McDave]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
McDave, how about if I just put some Tabasco sauce on a broadhead ?
       
ChuckC

There's probably more than one way to skin a dog    

[Possum Head]

I feel your pain and hope you can solve your problem.  

[7 Lakes]

8 years ago I took my newly trained German Shorthair Pointer out to the gamelands to see if we couldn't find a quail.  I got there and every dirt road had people stationed 75-100 yards from each other and in the background you could hear the dogs running a deer.  Now this is perfectly legal in my part of NC but my dog never left the truck and I feel lucky to this day a deer did not dash across the road between me and a hunter.  I'll never go back until after deer season is over.

[bucknut]

Believe it or not, the biggest buck I ever shot at came in 5 minutes after a dog came thru. They both pissed in the same scrape.  I thought the same thought as you when it happened. (hunt was over). Imagine how surprised I was when a booner walked in. I blew the shot.  Not what you wanted to hear but I had to tell my dog/deer story.

[tomsm44]

I understand both sides of this argument.  I've always made a strong effort to keep my dogs in my yard.  I don't have any now, but when I did, I used an invisible fence system.  Some dogs, once trained to it, will not leave the yard even if you take the collar off.  Others are gone the first time the collar battery dies.  Most of my neighbors knew this and would call if they spotted my dog out, or maybe even load him up and bring him to me.  A new battery and he was good to go, but I can understand a dog occasionally getting out.  I also let my neighbors know that if he ever growled at them they could shoot him, or let me know and I would.  I have young kids and I will not accept a dog being aggressive toward people.  On the other side, there are some people around that let their dogs run loose.  Haven't had one show aggression yet, but they have emptied trash cans and torn up stuff in the yard.  I'm in the country, so when they start showing up regularly, my wife puts a 22 pistol in the kitchen window loaded with ratshot.  A couple shots to the rump and they're gone for several months.  We also have a deer season here for running dogs.  My experience is similar to what was mentioned above.  It does seem to push them a little more nocturnal overall, but I've watched dogs run a deer across a bottom about 150 yards away while a doe and little one were feeding beside me.  They looked up but never left.  We do seem to get more pictures of bucks after dog season opens though.  I think the added pressure pushes them onto our lease where we don't run dogs.  Won't matter this year though.  The timber company that owns the majority of the lease land around my parts stopped allowing hunting with dogs after last season.

[mark Willoughby]

I don't know about other states but in Kentucky if you kill a dog or cat " I'm sure self defense is a exception for a dog anyways" but it is a class D felony under Romeos law now I don't know about you guys but a dog just ain't worth taking a felony charge for in my eyes

[elkken]

Originally posted by fujimo:
a nice rubber blunt to the posterior might do the job- the dogs posterior that is    :D  

good dog medicine