Dogs on Big game hunting

[John Bear]

Do you use dogs on big game hunting. I mean for like moose or bear. F. ex. dogs that stop the moose by barking so you can sneak closer before you shoot.

[Colorado Bob]

Here in Colorado---- you can not use dogs to hunt big game (elk, deer. moose)--- it's illegal ---- except it is legal for the hunting of cougars. You use to be able to use dogs to hunt bear but it was outlaw about 10 years ago. I know some southern states, you can use dogs to hunt deer with. Also you can hunt boar with dogs, again this is mostly in the southern states. Also there are several states where you can hunt bear with dogs.

[John Bear]

Is there any reason why that is illegal?

[Colorado Bob]

John----I know the bear hunting with hounds was made illegal by a vote of the people here in Colorado in 92---I believe. The anti's got enough signatures to admend the State's Constitution-----It was put on the election ballot & passed about 75% to 25%.

As far as elk, moose, deer------It's always been illegal, here in Colorado. There was never the need to use dogs to get game. It's big country here & the method used is to glass & stalk. Dogs are primary used in the south where there is thick, dense swamps & the only way to get the game out is by the use of dogs.

Hope this explaination helps.

[andy_o]

Up here in maine the only big game you can hunt with hounds is bears. Although it dont look good for next year. That referandum is really causing problems.

[Coastie]

John Bear, a lot has to do with the hunting traditions in various areas. Couple that with the antis and you may begin to understand how these things come about. Hunting with dogs has been a tradition in certain areas of the U.S. for certain species and not for others. Go figure.

[Mr. BOARMAN]

Mate ,my grandad used to hunt lions with a rodesian ridgeback in zambia in the 50s,so i see nothing wrong whith your intended use.

[Red Hawk]

I personaly wouldn't use dogs for deer and such. If i did it would be for cougars and that's about it. Maybe bears as well. Good question thought because i never really thought about it. Here is a quick story on the time i used my dog unoffically. I used to have a German Shorthaired Pointer and he was less then a year old. I took him down to an river bank (dry) to run around and be silly. He spotted a Lynx and chased after it; It got away by jumping over a 6 foot fence. I am glad it didnt decide to fight Traz because it would have torn him up to shreds.

[Nic Barca]

I think almost anyone who hunts by stillhunting, stalking or stand hunting are gonna get ticked off if someone came in with dogs and chased game around in a way other than how they do it. Deer and elk and moose are not the type of game that you should use dogs on. The exception is deer hunting with dogs in the south. The dogs don't actually catch a deer and pin it down. They just keep it moving so that hunters have a better chance of stopping them on excape trails. Another exception might be hunting large deer in Europe with packs of hounds. I see nothing wrong with that.

But for moose, elk, pronghorn, mountain goat, sheep, etc. even bay dogs are looked down upon by hunters who spot and shoot the same types of game.

Wild pigs, nobody really cares. Heck we even use packs of pit bulls down here in hawaii. They sometimes catch goats too if there are goats in the area. But most places that have game other than pigs, hunting with dogs is illigal because you wouldn't wan't the dogs grabbing a deer. A deer could probably kill a dog too with it's antlers. Goats and deer and sheep are rather flimsy animals compared to wild boar so I'm sure the general public really would be against such things as well as alot of non dog hunters. A pack could rip a goat to pieces in under 10 minutes. Although people do catch axis deer on a couple of the other islands with dogs and nobody cares. Mainly because they are considered pests but also because it's on private land so they don't have to worry about P-ing off any still hunters.

It's probably illigal to use dogs for hunting anything other than pigs, couger and bear anyway. Check the rule books.

[John Bear]

It doesn't work for elk or deer. In here we hunt mostly moose and bear with stopping dogs. They don't catch the animal just make it stop running by barking. We use only one dog at the time. For moose or bear if dog goes too close they get warning by the hoof or the claws extremily rarely by the teeth or antlers.

In pic. you can see the moose doesn't mind much about the bog that keeps enough distance. When dog barks hunter sneaks usually 30-50 from moose and take clean accurate shot peacefully with out distractions. Same method we use for birds, squirrels, bob-cat etc. Dog search the animal and draw its attention so that hunter can get close enough to shoot clearly.