Dogs Chasing Livestock

[CSACANNONEER]

Those points were NOT referenced in those posts. Nor was livestock at any time mentioned...re-read them.

Feral dogs running in packs are not an issue with me. I too live in a rural area. But those posts do NOT address those issues either...

Again, some Keyboard commandos here tend to act a little casual about shooting someones pet that may have got out, is lost and may not be doing anything at all...couple with the earlier gut-shot comments, lets just say it does not paint a postive picture of us to the non-shooting public...

First, the points may not have been clearly stated but, I'm sure that most here can read between the lines.

Secondly, I'm sure that anyone who has shot a pet will attest to the fact that it is not done lite heartedly, casually or for fun. I happen to dislike cats yet, I was so extremely depressed after having to dispatch a dying kitten (a wolf hybred had just crushed it's ribcage) once that I spent the next three nights crying myself to sleep. That's not an easy thing for a full grown man to admit to. The gut shot comment was plain wrong and I can only hope that it was a failed attempt at humor. Of course, I'm all for gut shooting anyone who intentionally makes or allows an animal to suffer.

[cudakidd]

Good to hear you have the right sentiments at heart.

I'm always aware here of the unfriendly eyes reading our posts to use against us. If just some of the posters would think of that we would all be better off...

[tankerman]

Isn't it illegal to hunt deer with dogs? Maybe that's what he thought they were doing?

No it's not illegal to hunt deer with a dog. I't's illegal to hunt deer with dogs.

[AJAX22]

My buddies dad had a pet deer that lived at his property, it Had been raised by hand when it was found after a hunting season. My buddies dad loved that dear, it was a wild animal on theory, but it lived in the back yard and slept near the garage even though it was free to leave.

Te neighbor down the way had a bunch of big dogs which he would let run wild, and they would go all over rhe place wreaking havoc even though people complained about it often.

One day the pack came into my buddies yard and killed the pet deer.

My buddies dad, broke down and cried, then went inside, loaded up his shotgun with buckshot (I think it was some sort of high capacity autoloader like a benelli) walled outside and shot every last one of those dogs.. Then grabbed the carcasses, put them in the back of the pickup truck, drove down the road to the neighbors house and threw the carcasses in a pile on his doormat.

All in all a rather emotional event.

Not the dogs fault, but you can't shoot the owner...

[cudakidd]

Responsible owners aren't the problem. It's sad that this story had to happen at all.

I know that I keep my dogs secured, walk them on lead only, and have them tagged and microchipped. Having said that I continuously run into others dogs running loose. I try to educate the owners if they are there, and have already punted many a dog to keep them from getting to my dog and committing suicide by Bull Terrier!

Once a family was sitting outside after dark, their Dogs were there with them, off lead. One, a Dobie charged me out of the dark trying to get to my Bully. I proceeded to kick it in the head at which point the Dobie decided he had better business elsewhere. The Owner then tried to complain to me at which point I pointed out I had the right to shoot it and they got off light.

The next time I walked by they STILL had their dogs off lead, the dobie started to charge me again, recognized me, skidded to a halt and again decided it had better business elsewhere.

The dogs pay the price for the owners stupidity.

[basalt]

Like I said in the other thread... My dog chases just about anything for fun. Attacking and chasing are a different story and chasing can be easily solved. You said there were two rottweilers meaning they were probably someones pets and they did not oppose a threat. I'm pretty sure I know more farmers/ranchers than a lot of people on this damn forum. I worked at a farming industrial hardware store that specialized in tillage and fabrication building heavy equipment. Thats how I got access to all the property I am able to hunt and most the farmers I know have dogs and they mean a lot to them. Now if a dog is opposing a threat then deal with it. If it's simple chasing theres other ways to deal with it. Like I said if someone shot my dog because he got out while I was at work and chased one of his cattles around the yard for a few minutes well he better hide...

You are an irresponsible dog owner. YOU need to keep you dog under control. Who cares if YOU know it is only chasing something. Who cares if it IS ONLY chasing something. When should the owner of the livestock shoot? When the dog is 50 ft? 20ft? 10ft? When its ripped a gaping whole in the animal? When it has broken its leg? Might as well let the dog eat it then.

[Chaparral]

Michigan and Wisconsin its the same thing: shoot the dog(s) because no one will compensate you for your dead livestock. It's hell-hard making a living as a farmer or a rancher and most city-dwellers don't understand the damage their foo-foo pet can cause to a big, fat clumsy dairy cow in a pasture full of gopher holes. Last I checked, no one sells "Cow insurance" for when the neighbor's dogs accidentally cause one to break it's leg either so no, its not like a fender bender where all the farmer has to do is file a claim and get compensated. Any antigun bleeding-heart lurking on this forum should educate themselves to the nuts and bolts of farming/ranching before throwing a hissy-fit over the majority opinion this forum.

[Super Spy]

I spent a good chunk of my childhood living in Eastern Washington, many of our neighbors ranched cattle. If a dog chased cattle it was shot. It's very easy to run weight off a cow, and cows are sold by the pound. 200 head of cattle in a herd was common. It's easy for a dog(s) to stampede a herd and cost the rancher substantially on market day. Ground squirrels are very prevalent as well meaning the fields are full of holes. It's very easy to twist your ankle in one of those holes. It's even easier for a cow to stick it's foot in one and break it's leg running from some dumb dog.....then you have to shoot the cow. How can you blame a rancher for protecting his business interests?

[cudakidd]

I don't think many people here would complain about taking necessary measures to protect livestock from feral dogs.

The problem I had was the follow up comments about shooting dogs for reasons other then protecting livestock and the casual nature expressed in those threads. Then the extreme responses like gut-shooting dogs, etc.

Dogs are our domestic partners. Mine are my family. I take every precaution to keep them secure and in return I would expect a rancher/farmer to only take the minimum steps necessary towards protecting his livelihood and exercise good judgement when deciding to shoot what could be someones lost pet...

nuff said and I think this thread has more then run it's course...

[Barabas]

Any antigun bleeding-heart lurking on this forum should educate themselves to the nuts and bolts of farming/ranching before throwing a hissy-fit over the majority opinion this forum.

Pardner, if they did that, they wouldn't be antigun bleeding hearts throwing hissy fits. They voted for Prop 2 for crying out loud. Wonder why chicken is more expensive than pork now? You voted for it, morons.

Then the extreme responses like gut-shooting dogs, etc.

Dogs are our domestic partners. Mine are my family. I take every precaution to keep them secure and in return I would expect a rancher/farmer to only take the minimum steps necessary towards protecting his livelihood and exercise good judgement when deciding to shoot what could be someones lost pet...

nuff said and I think this thread has more then run it's course...

It's clearly not enough said. If you have a problem with a specific person, then address that, don't paint everyone with the same brush. It's been shown over and over again how agonizing the decision to shoot can be, but the bottom line is if they get loose and end up running around, you aren't being a responsible owner and the consequences can be deadly for your dog.

[jtv3062]

A friend of who grew up on Bethel island had a dog that would get get out at night and pack up with other neighbor dogs that would chase and kill farm animal from nearby ranches pets are just as dangerous.

[orangeusa]

I grew up on a farm in Iowa.

Our entire sheep herd was attacked by a pack of dogs. Surprisingly, most of the dogs were neighbors dogs that were led by a feral dog. And one of the dogs was OURS! A stubby non-event type of dog - ended up getting shot by a neighbor weeks later.

I will never forget the mess they made of those sheep, and very few were dead, just maimed. It was bad, a lot were hamstrung and suffering. I was about 15 years old and it made an impression on me.

So, given those circumstances, shooting ANY animal which would do that, would't make me think twice. Just wish we'd been able to be there to stop the attack instead of having to put the sheep out of their misery.

So, yes it does happen.

.

[CSACANNONEER]

Like I said in the other thread... My dog chases just about anything for fun. Attacking and chasing are a different story and chasing can be easily solved. You said there were two rottweilers meaning they were probably someones pets and they did not oppose a threat. I'm pretty sure I know more farmers/ranchers than a lot of people on this damn forum. I worked at a farming industrial hardware store that specialized in tillage and fabrication building heavy equipment. Thats how I got access to all the property I am able to hunt and most the farmers I know have dogs and they mean a lot to them. Now if a dog is opposing a threat then deal with it. If it's simple chasing theres other ways to deal with it. Like I said if someone shot my dog because he got out while I was at work and chased one of his cattles around the yard for a few minutes well he better hide...

I think you need to talk to some of the ranchers who you think you know. All of them will tell you that "simple chasing", as you put it, causes many animals to run into fences, trip in holes or, in the case of cattle, just loose weight (think selling by the pound). Many animals are cripled or mamed every year because they were "simply being chase". These animals can no longer be sold for human consumption and become a finacial burden to the owner. The way to correct dog's behavior is for the dog's owner to be responsible and train their dog not to chase period! If a dog is in the act of "simply chasing", the responsible way to deal with it is to stop the dog ASAP! This is often done with a firearm. It can be the only way to protect the innocent livestock from being injured or killed.

No it's not illegal to hunt deer with a dog. I't's illegal to hunt deer with dogs.

OK, I understand that but, is it legal to hunt dogs with a deer? How about using a whole herd of deer?

[Moto_Joe]

Gutshoot them so they die on their owners porch.

WRONG wrong wrong. Clean, quick kill no matter what you're shooting at. Unless it's a democrat.

[CenterX]

I do!
It is money lost and food to boot.
There are leash laws that need to be followed for good reason.
I'd like the owners of such dogs to lose the freedom to ever own another, and maybe the right to have children too.
Some sorry sap moves to the country and then lets their dog(s) run wild should be sent to Watts for life.