Joined
·
993 Posts
Dog Bait
1 - 20 of 34 Posts
Used to be a law in Michigan that if you saw a dog or cat in the woods while hunting, you were required to shoot it, regardless of whether it was a domestic or wild animal. If more folks understood the damage done to native birds and mammals by their precious pets, they would not let them run free.
Joined
·
410 Posts
I often hunt the Pearl near Honey Island swamp. I have a 7 year old that I bring there on occassion. I have never even thought about wild dogs or coyotes attacking until I read this. Thanks for the info..
We too used to shoot stray and wild dogs on site in the woods of Minnesota. I would probably do the same thing here in Louisiana.
We too used to shoot stray and wild dogs on site in the woods of Minnesota. I would probably do the same thing here in Louisiana.
Joined
·
605 Posts
Broom is right. Dogs were "shoot on sight". It's why I ALWAYS carry when I go into the woods. I've had too many close calls.
My uncle and I were out walking the swamp, down in front of his place, over in Boyne City, MI, as we often did. It's a Cedar Swamp, not like the swamps down South at all. I was carrying my .45 Gov't and my Uncle was carrying his .38 Combat Masterpiece. A doe ran by us, almost running over us. She never saw us. She was all lathered up like she'd been running awhile. Wasn't 5 minutes later a pack of dogs were coming thru, hot on her trail. Six dogs running, six dogs died. I got 4, my Uncle got the other two. Takes longer to tell it than it took to do it. I had just gotten out of the NAVY three months prior. I used to shoot on the Ship's pistol team. 6 shots, 4 dogs. Yeah, things were happening kinda fast. I actually missed twice. LOVE a 1911.
I NEVER go in the woods without a piece.
My uncle and I were out walking the swamp, down in front of his place, over in Boyne City, MI, as we often did. It's a Cedar Swamp, not like the swamps down South at all. I was carrying my .45 Gov't and my Uncle was carrying his .38 Combat Masterpiece. A doe ran by us, almost running over us. She never saw us. She was all lathered up like she'd been running awhile. Wasn't 5 minutes later a pack of dogs were coming thru, hot on her trail. Six dogs running, six dogs died. I got 4, my Uncle got the other two. Takes longer to tell it than it took to do it. I had just gotten out of the NAVY three months prior. I used to shoot on the Ship's pistol team. 6 shots, 4 dogs. Yeah, things were happening kinda fast. I actually missed twice. LOVE a 1911.
I NEVER go in the woods without a piece.
Joined
·
36,683 Posts
We have a policy on the lease to shoot any dog on sight. That is, except Dugee. The place is big enough that there's no chance that someone's pet is there by mistake.
I've never see any dogs running loose on the place, but my bowhunting spot, that's another story.....
I've never see any dogs running loose on the place, but my bowhunting spot, that's another story.....
I had permission to hunt some private land in CA for a few years and the only thing the landowner asked in return was that we shoot all wild cats we saw, in addition to the normal skunks, opossums and raccoons. He was a die-hard quail hunter and he just hated what those critters did to the clutches of eggs and young birds, each spring. I gotta tell ya, though...it's not easy pulling the trigger on a house cat, even though I did take one out, one year.
In my old age, I have become a softy when it comes to animals. I hunt in a heavily populated area. The dogs that run our place help move deer which is usually a good thing. Also dog hunting for deer is legal and we get the benefit of having the dogs run on our place sometimes. You should see us head for openings when we hear them coming. The strays are there because of people. The people deserve to be shot, not the dogs. I suspect our area is also an area where some dog fighting goes on and the by- product of this industry, culled dogs and runaways, could be a factor. I am wary of these rascals but at the same time they are entertaining. 4 came through camp a couple weeks ago while I was on the one-holer. They finally spotted me and made off quickly. The STI 1911 was at my side as usual so they posed no threat.
Joined
·
1,862 Posts
I see numerous cats killed every year around our duck blinds. They must get a ton of food because they are like little pumas with huge heads and well filled out bodies.
I agree with you that negligent owners are the problem and I am not shy about letting my neighbors know if their dogs are roaming the woods behind my house. If nothing else, letting them run loose is an invitation for them to be hit by a car.
Several years ago I was in a treestand when I heard a beagle "tonguing". Shortly thereafter, I heard crashing through the woods and saw a doe run the length of the ridge across from me, clearly exhausted as she stumbled a couple of times. A few minutes later, the beagle, with 2 bigger dogs in tow, went right down that trail. Knowing what I know about how persistent a beagle is when he's on a scent, I have little doubt concerning the fate of that deer.
Something to consider about dogs moving deer around is that they don't limit this activity to the hunting season. They chase deer in winter, chase fawns in spring and contribute to a higher mortality rate, overall. In South Carolina, you don't have the brutal winters, but up here where it snows, a deer that burns calories running from domestic dogs is one that might not have the fat reserves to survive until spring. The notion of deer starving to death, or young fawns being killed and eaten by a pack of domestic dogs, is far less palatable to me than keeping Rover in a fenced yard or chained up.
So, while I understand your concern for all God's creatures, you might consider that domestic animals should not be given preference over wild animals. If anything, it should be the other way around.
Joined
·
6,280 Posts
I've quit hunting deer to go after Coyotes around here, and if I ever see one of the Giant Coyotes around here, you can bet its gonna be dead. Good to hear your grandson did not get attacked due to your quick action and marksmanship.
Joined
·
1,510 Posts
This thread has really opened my eyes. I have seen 3 giant coyotes in the last year, and can recall seeing several wild dogs, escaped dogs packed up. I am now sure there must have been cross breeding.. this winter will yeild interesting results.
Joined
·
93 Posts
1963 Scotland
I would never argue an Americans right to carry firearms, and I don't want to kill anything unless its got teeth and claws and is intent on doing me harm, but let me say a drug addict with a gun is a very dangerous animal. So I am glad (in my country) law abiding citizens have difficulty getting guns and finding places to shoot them..
The Days I needed a gun
Owners of dogs in my village used to go to work and let there dogs run free during the day This resulted in several packs of pedigree and mongrel dogs. You had to watch where you put your feet. Because they sense/smell fear they must have smelt it on me for I was surrounded by a pack of them on my way home from school. Swinging my school bag by its strap like a medieval mace managed to secure my escape. Thankfully dogs are much more controlled these days especially in England where I live now.
The same village about 20 years later my young daughters arrived home on roller skates pursued by a big dog. Obviously this was someones pet chasing them because they ran. I ran into the street with my carving knife intending to kill the dog. It ran, it couldn't catch it, I got ear ache from my wife for if I had caught and wounded/killed the dog I would have been charged and probably fined very heavily for defending whats mine. My only regret is the dog escaped.
The only Illegal dog breed I know of is the ban Dog a cross between a pitbull and something like a mastiff to produce a bid nasty fighting dog. Breeding coyotes with any type of dog is crazy.
I would never argue an Americans right to carry firearms, and I don't want to kill anything unless its got teeth and claws and is intent on doing me harm, but let me say a drug addict with a gun is a very dangerous animal. So I am glad (in my country) law abiding citizens have difficulty getting guns and finding places to shoot them..
The Days I needed a gun
Owners of dogs in my village used to go to work and let there dogs run free during the day This resulted in several packs of pedigree and mongrel dogs. You had to watch where you put your feet. Because they sense/smell fear they must have smelt it on me for I was surrounded by a pack of them on my way home from school. Swinging my school bag by its strap like a medieval mace managed to secure my escape. Thankfully dogs are much more controlled these days especially in England where I live now.
The same village about 20 years later my young daughters arrived home on roller skates pursued by a big dog. Obviously this was someones pet chasing them because they ran. I ran into the street with my carving knife intending to kill the dog. It ran, it couldn't catch it, I got ear ache from my wife for if I had caught and wounded/killed the dog I would have been charged and probably fined very heavily for defending whats mine. My only regret is the dog escaped.
The only Illegal dog breed I know of is the ban Dog a cross between a pitbull and something like a mastiff to produce a bid nasty fighting dog. Breeding coyotes with any type of dog is crazy.
Joined
·
93 Posts
You live in a different world Mike, well different country, anyway. . I have a hard time even getting my mind around your mindset. Everybody just hang on. Things change so fast and we can't slow them down. Your government does a good job of keeping you safe but an American that can't shoot a gun on his own property in a safe manner for practice or fun is a little less of an American. I would be very sad.
. I have a hard time even getting my mind around your mindset. Everybody just hang on. Things change so fast and we can't slow them down. Your government does a good job of keeping you safe but an American that can't shoot a gun on his own property in a safe manner for practice or fun is a little less of an American. I would be very sad.I sure hope I did not say something to stop this thread. It was going great guns until my last post and it just seemed to stop. It got me a little concerned. Threads that discuss dogs usually get controversial but do have a life of their own. I think it is because all of us have had encounters while hunting where dogs have determined the outcome of our times afield. I like sharing the woods with lots of animals. Dogs have the misfortune in a lot of cases of being the reason a lot of animals may not want to live on your hunting lease. This causes lots of problems in areas where dog owners and hunters have to co-exist. Hunters have to remember that dogs can't read signs. Dog owners can read signs, well some of them can, but can't or won't control their animals responsibly. In these areas where we must co-exist, I would hate to shoot a dog that is a responsible owners friend or expensive dog. If you know the intent of the dog or owner, you have a leg up but knowing these things are difficult. You have to have a lot of first hand knowledge and that is difficult if you don't live in the areas you hunt. If you hunt in an area where only wild dogs exist, I say SSS.
To me, it's a simple matter of choosing between native fauna and domestic animals with irresponsible owners. If I see a deer being chased by a dog, or pack of dogs, I'm squeezing a trigger. I don't care if it's a $1,500 champion beagle or some mutt from the pound. Politics and ordinances be ******, I'm doing the right thing for the animals that belong on the land.
Joined
·
6,280 Posts
I've never seen any other dogs chasing deer. I know it happens around here, mostly to our civilized deer that live in the cities and towns. Most of the dogs in the city limits are fenced up and the animal control officer gets the strays pretty quickly.
Joined
·
1,510 Posts
I am still trying to figure out how the **** a beagle could possibly run a deer. get serious. Maybe a whole entire pack of dogs could possibly give a weak doe a run for her life. At least around here, no matter the dog, it aint gonna be catching any full sized deer.
I'm not saying dogs dont chase deer, im just saying, unless theres snow on the ground a dog shouldnt even come close to catching a deer. i think in most instances a hunter should not be pulling the trigger on a dog, unless he knows for a fact that the dog is wild.
Example, where i live there is a large amount of private property, that has about simular hunting pressure to public land, pretty large tracks of land. Now it is not too uncommon to see somones dog out in the woods once in a while, for whatever reason. Maybe the owner is 20 yards behind the dog, in the woods, and the dog just started running right before you saw it, wouldnt be too smart to put a bullet in it. Maybe the dog saw a coyote in his field, and is giving chase? I honestly agree that wild dogs should be shot on sight, a domestic dog, whom has an owner is a different story, now if you have a lot of background knowledge on the dog and owner, and its been a persistant problem, and all other options have been exhausted maybe in that particular situation it may be appropriette to shoot the dog.
I'm not saying dogs dont chase deer, im just saying, unless theres snow on the ground a dog shouldnt even come close to catching a deer. i think in most instances a hunter should not be pulling the trigger on a dog, unless he knows for a fact that the dog is wild.
Example, where i live there is a large amount of private property, that has about simular hunting pressure to public land, pretty large tracks of land. Now it is not too uncommon to see somones dog out in the woods once in a while, for whatever reason. Maybe the owner is 20 yards behind the dog, in the woods, and the dog just started running right before you saw it, wouldnt be too smart to put a bullet in it. Maybe the dog saw a coyote in his field, and is giving chase? I honestly agree that wild dogs should be shot on sight, a domestic dog, whom has an owner is a different story, now if you have a lot of background knowledge on the dog and owner, and its been a persistant problem, and all other options have been exhausted maybe in that particular situation it may be appropriette to shoot the dog.
1 - 20 of 34 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!