New Yorkers...need your input!

MDManiac · 12-04-2006, 06:21 PM

I hunt in a rural setting, however the piece of land i hunt has some nieghbors fairly close to our stands (200yds or so through woods).

Anyway, story starts Last year, I shot a doe, only to have a large black unidentified dog give her chase and then break off from it, she later died (shotgun season).

Tonight, Im walking through the fresh snow, and come upon some k-9 tracks, figuring its the yotes we have been seeing, i give chase, well you know the rest, followed the single deer print and the k-9 print past a ladder stand where the deer doubled back and the dog track continued. I jumped in the stand and not 2 minutes later a rather large Rottweiler comes trotting through towards where the deer went and the closest nieghboring house...

Whats the law here? I'm not about to open fire, but am i correct in thinking that the dog should be chained up at all times during hunting season? Help me out here!

ElmerFud · 12-04-2006, 06:43 PM

As far as I know NY has a statewide law that dogs must be leashed when walked and restrained while outside by either dog run,electric fence, or fenced in...dont know if there is much you can do other than call the local dog warden and make a complaint....maybe they will come out to the dog owners house and get the point across.hope this helps

doughboysigep · 12-04-2006, 06:49 PM

It is against the law to shoot a domestic dog now in NY. As a dog owner I would never shoot one (I would also not let my dog run free either - but "accidents" sometime happen), but I know it can be frustrating. Need to talk with the owners (if you know who they are). Try and reason with them (not always easy - because the ones that let their dogs run during hunting season, are generally not the most reasonable people). Good luck.

BigJohn H · 12-04-2006, 06:53 PM

The laws on shooting dogs are it is against the law to shoot a dog for chasing deer, however self-defence is a different story. Here is where my rule Number2 comes in, Rule no.2 if it growls or shows it's teeth it dies.

ABarOfSoap · 12-04-2006, 07:54 PM

if it dont have a collar on you can shoot it.

BuckAlley · 12-04-2006, 10:54 PM

I own a very friendly Black Lab. Sometimes she'll wander just off the edge of our lawn to do her business in the woods. I have a neighbor that lives below me downhill at thebottom edge of the woods. 1 day he opened fire on her, trying to shoot her for being on his property. She was only maybe 10yds onto his property. But still on his property. Worst part my son was in the back yard up in his ladder stand shooting his bow, and the shots were going just over his head. I called NYSP on him. Here's what I was told on laws for dogs.
Nobody can legally shoot a dog unless they are in fear of being harmed by the dog, or the dog is threatening the safety and health of their own pet or animals they own.
Leash laws depend on your township. In my town you don't have to maintain a dog on a leash while on your own property, but must have control of the dog on your property. Anytime outside of your property the dog must be leashed.
My outcome was the neighbor was let off with a warning by NYSP. If he actually hit my dog, they could've charged him. I asked what about endangerment or shooting within 500ft of my house. They said the ft was questionable, and the shots were up in the air(neighbor claimed he was shooting directly upto the sky). So I let it go at that. I was given a warning the next day by the local dog warden, which I expected.
So my advice is to first either try to resolve it yourself by speaking to the neighbors, and letting them know you've witnessedtheir dog tracking deer. Or contact the localdog warden.

GR8RALLY · 12-05-2006, 03:59 PM

You know this just happened last weekend while I was up in a stand. I have an atv trail about 20 yards in front of me and while sitting there, a Beagle comes walking by with no collar at about 4:10 pm, about the time the deer start to move in my area. Well I didn't shoot since I have two labs myself that roam my property with me (with collars on mine you). So I waited, thinking I would see some person wondering along the trail after the dog. Nope nothing. Was told by a neighbor you could shoot the dog if it had no collar during hunting season. Seemeda little harsh, but if it was a "continually" thing, well I guess I would soon start a pet cemetary on the corner of the property if you get my drift.

shedhead · 12-05-2006, 05:10 PM

All of you that are saying it is ok to shoot any dog without a collar are totally wrong. The law has changed and only a conservation officer can shoot a dog harassing deer. I know it is frustrating but sending a dog home with your arrow or bullet holein it will hurt all of us. Use your heads and try to talk to the owners.You think it is frustrating having this done in your backyard, try going to Illinois and pay good money for the trip and have the same thing happen to you. That is frustrating

djgj200 · 12-05-2006, 05:25 PM

I would talk with the owner. If it doesn't get through to them, then if I saw it in the woods screwing up my hunts, the third time I see itI would cap it, collar or not. After a day or so they'll we wondering where their dog is. That will teach them to let their dog run like that. Like they say, third times a charm. Whatever you do, don't go running your mouth about it afterwards because that's all you need....

Not exactly the nicest way of handling it but sometimes you need to grab the bull by the horns when enough is enough. Granted I have dogs and I am a bit of a dog lover, but that doesn't mean I won't shoot one (someone else's) if their owner is dumb enough to let roam after being warned twice.

MDManiac · 12-06-2006, 05:10 AM

I figured it was best just to talk to the owner, I had no intension of shooting it, it looked like a beautiful rottwieler, and it seemed almost like a game to it, running deer.

But to be honest, and the same thing happened last year, saw really good numbers bowhunting 10-12 deer per day and now during shotgun, we're lucky to see 2. I realize the numbers go down with the deer being pushed but something aint right, and i think its that dog pushing the deer off the property!

thanks for the input guys