What to do about Wild Dogs
#21
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 320
As for everyone shooting dogs...I sure hope your pet never gets loose if everyone is that trigger happy out in the woods. Occasionally, my bird dog gets twisted around and I have to double back to retrieve her. If some dumb redneck shoots her, he is going to be out a lot of cash.
Habitual, diseased, wild dogs, I can understand. But if you're shooting someone's pet that just got loose once or twice...you're not the ethical hunter that you claim to be IMO when there are other ethical options out there. I've taken care of numerous stray dogs and have yet had to shoot one.
#22
When I see a stray dog on my land it normally doesn't come back after I've given it a "warning shot" into the ground near it, those that do tend to stick around. I don't sympathize with dipsheits who let their dogs or cats run loose, there are laws about that and if you don't abide by them as I do then you took a risk and lost. Cats are terrors on small game and songbirds, and dogs aren't much better. Control your pet or lose it, it doesn't matter if it's to me or the dogcatcher, it's still youir fault for letting it run loose.
#24
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 320
When I see a stray dog on my land it normally doesn't come back after I've given it a "warning shot" into the ground near it, those that do tend to stick around. I don't sympathize with dipsheits who let their dogs or cats run loose, there are laws about that and if you don't abide by them as I do then you took a risk and lost. Cats are terrors on small game and songbirds, and dogs aren't much better. Control your pet or lose it, it doesn't matter if it's to me or the dogcatcher, it's still youir fault for letting it run loose.
As I've said earlier, I am also against pets running loose. I've trapped several of them and turned them into animal control. Problem solved. The animal is under control of the authorities, away from the negligent owner, and I'm not guilty of shooting someone's pet (a criminal offense in many areas if you're caught). Finally, and probably best of all IMO, I haven't given the antis another reason to brand hunters as being Neanderthal rednecks.
#26
UPHUNTER, I'm with you on not shooting on sight.
However, it is reasonably easy to tell if a dog runs loose a lot, versus one that does not. Your hunting dog will likely not be aggressive towards another person, while a commonly loose dog likely will be.
I shoot cats, if I find them while out hunting as I don't hunt near towns or homes. Dogs, I give a second chance to as long as they are not acting aggressively. I found a springer one weekend while duck hunting with friends that just wanted attention, (no collar and no other people anywhere near us) wound up taking her home with me.
However, it is reasonably easy to tell if a dog runs loose a lot, versus one that does not. Your hunting dog will likely not be aggressive towards another person, while a commonly loose dog likely will be.
I shoot cats, if I find them while out hunting as I don't hunt near towns or homes. Dogs, I give a second chance to as long as they are not acting aggressively. I found a springer one weekend while duck hunting with friends that just wanted attention, (no collar and no other people anywhere near us) wound up taking her home with me.
#27
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 320
UPHUNTER, I'm with you on not shooting on sight.
However, it is reasonably easy to tell if a dog runs loose a lot, versus one that does not. Your hunting dog will likely not be aggressive towards another person, while a commonly loose dog likely will be.
I shoot cats, if I find them while out hunting as I don't hunt near towns or homes. Dogs, I give a second chance to as long as they are not acting aggressively. I found a springer one weekend while duck hunting with friends that just wanted attention, (no collar and no other people anywhere near us) wound up taking her home with me.
However, it is reasonably easy to tell if a dog runs loose a lot, versus one that does not. Your hunting dog will likely not be aggressive towards another person, while a commonly loose dog likely will be.
I shoot cats, if I find them while out hunting as I don't hunt near towns or homes. Dogs, I give a second chance to as long as they are not acting aggressively. I found a springer one weekend while duck hunting with friends that just wanted attention, (no collar and no other people anywhere near us) wound up taking her home with me.
I'm differentiating between actual, wild dogs, and a pet that got loose. What I took exception to was the attitude displayed by some that they'd shoot a dog even if they knew it was someone's pet that got loose. That's just assinine.
#29
I'm not sure what the laws are in Illinois.
I do know that lots of people are confused about their own state laws and think that they can legally shoot a dog for being on their property or chasing deer. Often they are wrong.
As a general rule of thumb, if dogs are on your property and are posing a direct threat to humans or livestock, then there is generally no problem with shooting them. Beyond those scenarios it gets very iffy. Always best to consult the local authorities and find out what you can actually get away with. Thirty acres is not a lot of ground for hiding multiple dog graves and all you need is one local prosecutor who is a member of the Humane Society to make your life interesting. Always best to do your homework before pulling the trigger.
I do know that lots of people are confused about their own state laws and think that they can legally shoot a dog for being on their property or chasing deer. Often they are wrong.
As a general rule of thumb, if dogs are on your property and are posing a direct threat to humans or livestock, then there is generally no problem with shooting them. Beyond those scenarios it gets very iffy. Always best to consult the local authorities and find out what you can actually get away with. Thirty acres is not a lot of ground for hiding multiple dog graves and all you need is one local prosecutor who is a member of the Humane Society to make your life interesting. Always best to do your homework before pulling the trigger.
#30
Yep, I don't disagree that owners should control their pets. However there are better ways to control them than by shooting on sight...especially if it's a one-time event (first time the animal got loose). Even the best owner can have a pet get loose or lost (e.g. while hunting). They're not all 'dipsheits'...however shooting someone's pet the first time it gets loose is a surefire way to turn several more people off against hunting. The anti-hunters already have a lot of propaganda in their arsenal; don't give them yet another reason to lobby against hunting.