adams

Hornbow, You were actually from Maine. I Grew up in York co and a lot has changed. Today it is a suburb of boston and there is little land left in my town. If I were in the northern or western part of the state where it isn't so populated I can see your point but to shoot a dog in southern york county I'd be asking to get the book thrown at me. I hunt in Hancock co as well and dogs in the woods there are fair game. There isn't a house within 15 miles of my hunting camp.

TREEDOG

Do you guys who shoot dogs care if they are wearing collars or not? All my hunting dogs wear dayglo orange collars.

PMantle

This is the most shocking thread I have ever read on a hunting forum. That any hunter would shoot a dog because if wandered on his land or chased a deer is beyond my comprehension. Of course, many feral dogs are likely better off put down anyway, but you guys would shoot someone's pet?

A guy did this to a rabbit dog(may have been a deer dog) in a lease I was in. he made a poor shot. The owner reverse tracked the blood. The guy was not only removed from our club, but he was forced to pay restitution for the treatment of the dog that he wounded.

TimberCreek

I own my own land and spent alot of money to do so. Trespassing is trespassing wheather by a dog, human or a farmers cattle. The bottom line is the owner of the dog, cattle etc. is responsible for their control, and my state is specific on landowners rights when it comes to animal trespass but my property is just that: MY PROPERTY! My eye sight is not what it used to be, tresspassers whether human or dog, you better be running!

BOWFANATIC

Thats exactly why he started this thread in the bowhunting forum!!![:@]

SWOSUMike

I have a joke I plan to tell people who hunt with me or near me..."You shoot my dog, I shoot you!" Of course I wouldn't, but if someone shoots my dog in unfair play, he better be ready for me to lose my tempor. It's the attitude of some hunters that says, "these are "my" woods" when it's public land. My granddad probably wouldn't hesitate to shoot a dog on his property...I'd be more likely to befriend a hunting dog I found in the woods. I know that private property is a different story, and landowners have their rights, but if I were a landowner and I knew my neighbor hunted dogs on the adjacent place, I wouldn't shoot one for following game into my property...Hunting dogs don't know what a fence means, they are just doing what their genes are telling them to do...get the game!

Paul L Mohr

I think there is a difference here. You are talking about Public land. I don't know any one that has shot a dog on public land during deer season. However private land is a different story. On public land, it is just that PUBLIC, any one can be there if they wish. Could just be some guy walking his dog, not even hunting. Stupid time to do it, but none the less unless there is a specific regulations saying he can't be there at that time, it's his right as well as yours. Sucks, but that's how it is. Of course there may be some type of leash law you would have to follow, depends on where you are. Lot's of government land it is illegal to let your pet run free without being on a leash. Not only for other's protection, but for the pets as well.

Now if your on private land and you have exclusive permision to hunt it that may be a different story. You would have to check your state and local laws. Some states it's perfectly legal to shoot a dog, others it very illegal unless it's a threatening situation. And that would be hard to prove. It's the same way with home protection, it's not always legal to shoot someone just because they are stealing your TV, they have to be a threat. Not all states, but some. I can't just shoot my neighbor's dog if it wanders into my yard one day.

Me personally, I don't think I would shoot a loose dog when hunting. Even if it were on private land. Now if it wouldn't let me out of the tree or something and was being very aggressive I might do it. Didn't we have a post like that a year or so ago? Maybe it was Eders?

I have hunted dogs in CA however. And I don't mean shoot one when out hunting something else. We intentionally went out looking for them at night. I lived up in mountain valley (3500 ft) and we had bad problems with wild and stray dogs. People would dump them off in the middle of no where and they would make their way to a housing devolopment or something and start reaking hovac. Getting into trash, killing cats, that sort of thing. I don't know if it was legal for sure or not, but no one minded, that much I know.

Paul

hornbow

It is beyond your comprehension because you live in the south where there is no deep snow and perhaps running deer with dogs is legal. In Maine, it is not legal to run deer with dogs and in the deep snow, a Chijuajua can bring down a deer. The deer's hooves cut through the snow and it flounders while a dog can run on top of the snow (especially if there is a crust). They will eat at the hamstrings until the deer can't run and then they will simply eat it alive. Additionally, as I said, there is a leash law in Maine. Your "pet" must be on a leash at all times. There is no legal justification for allowing your dog to roam the woods. If your dog gets shot in the woods, odds are it is your fault for not obeying the law in the first place.

Shooting dogs in the woods of northern and central Maine is not only tolerated; it is advocated. There is a bounty on yotes too. If everyone just let their dogs chase deer, the effects on the deer population would be catastrophic. That is the reason people shoot free roaming dogs. And no, it doesn't matter if it has a collar or not. Keep your pet on the leash as is the law and it won't get shot.

kodiak41226

A couple of years ago I was sitting in my stand listening a couple dogs come my way from a long way out. After a couple of hours they had made it to my stand and proceeded to bark every couple of seconds at the rabbit hole at the base of my tree. I think they there were just a couple house dogs out taking themselves for a walk; rather than hunting dogs. I have to admit it was pretty annoying situation (I wish I would have had the bright idea to wiz on them like the other guy.) When I got back to camp I told some of the other guys what had happened and they quickly responded "you should have shot them." There is no way I would shoot a dog for ruining a hunt. I can only image how it would feel if someone arrowed my dog. I think that anyone that would shoot a dog in that situation needs to re-examine their life and perhaps consult a psychologist because their just not right.

SWOSUMike

I never said landowners didn't have their rights...I covered both private and public land...I said that on public land nobody has the right to shoot a legal hunting dog, and then I said that landowners have their rights, yes, but that I personally still wouldn't shoot someone's hunting dog on my land. I don't think I implied not to shoot wild dogs...of course those dangerous animals should be controlled...but my post was about hunting dogs, that is, dogs that are loud and obnoxious to deer hunters but music to another hunter's ears...I also wasn't talking about states where it's illegal to have a dog running lose...I just wanted to give a simple reminder for hunters to be mindful of another guys hunting pleasures, for some, that's a slobber mouth tree dog or a sure-nuff birddog. Good luck this season.