dogs in the deer woods
 

i had just got sit in and comfortable in my blind last night and i be darned if my neighbors dog didnt come through sniffing the ground where the deer pass through and pissed on the corn/apple/molasses block i had layed out for the deer.i was just wandering how this will effect the deer.i had a cpl. of does come in and sniff at the block and stomp and tried to figure it out.they even blew at it a few times.they did a circle around the block and wouldnt dare lick it or taste it.i was just wandering how this will effect any future hunts.however i did have a nice buck come through the top edge of the open spot in the woods in the last 5 minutes before complete darkness.never had the shot i wanted so it let him walk and hope for a better shot another day.oh yea and one more question,a cpl of the does bedded down close to my blind and i had to spook them when i left,im not sure where the buck was because i lost him in the brush but i know the does saw me because they all blew and tokk off.i saw tails everywhere.just curious if they will avoid that spot tonight?

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Deer are used to dogs in the woods, at least where I hunt. Not saying they will hang around if they see a dog, but I don't think the scent will be a big deal. Dogs run by me often where I hunt. I don't shoot them.......although the thought has crossed my mind......but these are someones pet. They have collars and are not "wild dogs". That would be a whole different story.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Eddie sounds like maybe you set up to close to their bedding area. Maybe you should try to move back some. Did you wait till it was dark to leave? Did the does smell you or see you?

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I hunt around alot of homes .I see Llamas,dogs,cats,chickens,geese and the deer just ignore most of them.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Anymore llama sightings , cardeer?:)

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I have found that when dog/s come through the deer will take off and my hunting that spot for that day is shot so I started shooting just behind the dogs which scares the hell out of em and they usually dont come back but the ones that do I shoot em, I have seen so many dogs running fawns until they collapse from exhaustion then they attack it kill it then leave so I have no problem shooting them some bodys pet or not. If this statement up sets anyone I am sorry but I have seen to much abuse to the deer by dogs that something has to be done. At least a Coyote will eat its kill.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I'm not crazy about shooting them ,
but if I see them chasing game , pet or not , they go down .

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

i know the feeling, have had a few bow hunts ruined by dogs in the woods. anymore i just chalk it up as a bad day. i will not shoot them unless they make a move towards me. most of the time they are pets from some local family, not a good way to build up hunting relationships with the neighbors if you shoot their dogs. here in virginia, using dogs to hunt is legal so i try to avoid any problems.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

1dahunter,
I would have to somewhat agree with you on this situation. If I saw a dog in the woods I wouldn't shoot it unless I saw it chasing deer, I'd see no problem with it pet or not. I don't think all deer are completely afraid of dogs though, I think they know what dogs are threats and which ones are not. I once was hunting and my own dog followed me out, there were deer out on the field and she walked out onto it and the deer just looked at her. They wern't spooked, they just remained consious her. I just have to say if you're going to shoot a dog, make sure you kill it. I know a family who had their dog shot by a bowhunter and he shot it in the back hams and he crawled back into their yard and their kids had to see that. That's wrong.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I usually throw them cookie or something if they come by my stand. You're going to kill a little kids pet over a deer? You gonna go look the kid in the eye and tell him about it too? Chalk it up as a unfortunate hunt and move on. Don't kill a domestic animal for Christs sake.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I agree with you NY. Why shoot anything if your not gonna eat it. And to shoot a dog just because it happens to be in the woods is wrong. Yell at it or throw something at it. The dog isnt gonna stop the deer from coming back. To me there is never a reason to shoot a dog. [:@]

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I can understand how a dog can 'ruin' your hunt, thats why I never let my dogs out before dark during hunting season. My problem is that my dogs will decide to not come home til the next day once in a while, and that concernes me....knowing that there are people (especially the idiots around here) that will shoot my dogs. So far I have been lucky, and my dogs have decided to stick around the house and come back after they do their business...but just the thought of someone shooting them kinda concernes me, they are family to me, I raised them since they were pups and if someone kills them, god knows what I might do [:-]

Some will probably flame at me and say: If you like them so much then keep'em fenced, but oh well! I don't shoot people's dogs when they coon hunt at night because they 'ruined' my good nights sleep...

That reminds me I need to make my dogs a couple of orange jackets :)

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

being that I'm in VA people seem to like to hunt with dogs, although I hate it I can't blame the dog for being in the woods, they are the ones paraded around in a wooden or metal box and then dumped into the woods. Usually if one comes near me or wont leave me alone, I break a limb (like a switch) off of the tree and give it one quick whip on the behind and it will take off. I don't think I would have the heart to shoot a dog if it wasn't aggresive

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I wasn't trying to start a pi$$ing match about shooting dogs. I stand by my comment that I don't think dogs will affect your hunting from a scent aspect.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

And just to make some feel bad...

My dogs then....and now...

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Funny this topic comes up. I was in the woods Sunday morning in my stand. I see three does hopping across an open field where I never seen deer before. Then a couple minutes later another one hops across the field, in total 8 does came across the field running. Not flag up running but getting away from something in the woods there were coming out of. Just after the last doe I hear a BOOM gun shot. After the hunt we meet at camp and I ask the guy that hunts in the area the shot comes from, which happens to be the area the does are running out of, what he shot. Hes saids " I shot at the biggest damm coyote i've ever seen". Hes seen deer every time out but this time and only sees a coyote.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

As for shooting another mans dogs, I would be livid if someone shot my dog! So I would use common human sense and let the dog do what dogs do, and hope for a better hunt the next time. A mans money, wife and dogs are the three things that if messed with can turn a mans mind bad quick.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

SHOOT the Damn dogs. . . .a pet owner that loves his pets will act responsibly and keep his animal where it belongs, on his land. I love mine but I would have no sorrow if I was acting like an idiot and letting my dog run amuck.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

What do you gain from shooting the dog? A 200 class buck gonna come out and dance a jig as the dog hits the ground? You lost your hunt if you shoot it or not.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

You naysayers are entitled to your opinions too ,
but until you've been treed by a pack of feral dogs you don't have a clue how bad dogs can get . Until you've seen a fawn or calf ripped apart by them for fun you don't realize the damage they can do . Feral dogs are a huge problem in rural areas , they've been known to menace or even attack solitary people . They are considered vermin here and a threat to safety , and are routinely shot on sight . If you don't want your dog to get shot start following the leash laws that every single state has . You are responsible for your dog , any damage it causes , and it's death if you let it roam free here . In other words , you have nobody to blame but yourselves .

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I agree NY Bowhunter. Big tough man to shoot a dog. What a POS. Over a deer. I about shot a man over this issue. Somebody shoots my dog, they better worry about themselves when they climb into a stand 5AM.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Kevin, I don't think these tough guys are talking about feral dogs or wild dog packs. They are talking about peoples pet in my opinion.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I think we lost track of the beginning topic

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I agree with shooting a random, free ranging dog. People dump puppies out at the dumpsters here all the time. I do not agree with shooting with someones pet, especially if it has tags and a collar on.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I believe that in NY it is a law to shoot any dog chasing a deer before you shoot the deer.As far as being able to look the owner in the face after I didit,it would be no problem.A dog is a domesticated animal and should be taken care of as such.This does not mean being left alone to run wild.The dog is just doing what comes natural to it.I probably wouldn't shoot a dog not chasing a deer,but one that was is dead.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Wow, some of you need to get a grip. I am an avid hunter myself and found this site today. After reading through the threads I decided to sign up thinking this a good bunch of sensible people chatting about what they love. Low and behold the next thread I come to is a bunch of moronic people shooting pets because they'll mess up their hunt. Get a grip there will always be another day to hunt. How about politely suggesting to the owners of the dogs that it is risky to let them run around during hunting season?

I always believed that hunters were a bunch of respectful outdoorsman. The sacred hunting tradition has been passed from my father to me and I intend to do the same for my childredn. Is this what hunters have come to? Are these the kind of people I'm letting hunt my land?

Remember, it only takes one to screw it up for the rest. Lets let peta know hunters are a bunch of pet killers.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Where do you think feral dogs come from ?

I don't shoot a collared dog either , especially one I recognize , but I do make them feel very unwelcome . I control my pets and expect my neighbors to do the same according to law .

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

WOW!!! we went from a neighbors dog taking a wizz on a deer block during a hunt, to a neighbors dog forming a pack of wild feral dogs and running down and tearing deer and livestock apart. Good thing this story wasn't about a man in the woods. This thing would be flipped so that bigfoot attacks hunters and chases kids home from school.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Feral

\Fe"ral\, a. [L. ferus. See Fierce.] (Bot. & Zo["o]l.) Wild; untamed; ferine; not domesticated; -- said of beasts, birds, and plants.


Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.


Feral

adj : wild and menacing; "a ferocious dog" [syn: ferine, savage]


Kevin that is Websters definition. A domesticated dog is not by definition feral simply because it is in the woods next to its house. And unless the dog is acting like CUJO I don't think they can be called "ferocious". Now if the dog is left in the woods for a year and is ferociously attacking game VOILA it is FERAL. Shoot away, but don't shoot OL Blue for Petes sake. Hate to know a "man" shot my dog over a deer. Course if it happened and I knew it, hate to be that "man". BTW my dogs are kenneled unless I'm with them.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Roost ,
I was already aware of what the term "feral" means , and I knew that it didn't mean "Rover just got out for the first time" , but thanks for defining it for the rest .

What I'm thinking you're all failing to understand is the magnitude of the problem . I'm not sure how many of the "don't shoot the poor doggy" crowd live in the city or the 'burbs , but you don't seem to grasp that once Rover is on his on for awhile he invaribly reverts to pack mentality and seeks out a pack to join . Cute , fluffy Rover then becomes a problem animal with little control measures other than getting shot to alleviate the problem . Cities and suburban areas have dog catchers to keep the problem under control , rural areas rarely do .

Once again , I don't shoot an obvious pet , but if it isn't collared and/or is chasing game it gets shot here . Make of that what you want , but if you don't live with the problem you don't have to deal with it , we do . If you don't want your pet shot out here you keep it in your own yard .

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Man, their dogs, not wolfs. Come on. I grew up in Eastern Ky mountains and mountains. Dog packs everywhere. big Deal. If you know how to deal with dogs, its not. Belittleing people by saying Poor doggy crowd won't help anything. I got attacked by a dog at 5AM in 1997. I hit the dog with my gun a few times, and it was over. I sure wasn't going to shoot it cause I was walking thru a farm that I just got permission too. And it was the farmers dog. I dealt with it, explained what happened to the farmer, and moved on, killed a nice 8 pt that evening.

These guys are basically saying shoot a dog period. This sounds like jeffery dahmers of the world. And gives hunters a bad name. He got off on killing things for no reason too. Some are on here saying people should be responcible and keep thier dogs put up. people make mistakes. Accidents happen. Have the decency to find out who's dog it is. Ask them if they could control thier dogs, and explain to them the possibilitys of mixups and accidents. Maybe he don't know. Not everyone is aware of hunting seasons or nor should they have too. If it happens a time or two again, then they get what they get. And besides its illegal in alot of the country to shoot a dog for the reasons mentioned except self protection.

I shoot Coyotes on one farm without thinking. I don't want them to get their feet dug in there where I turkey and duck hunt. Its legal, and I know for a fact they don't belong to someone. But malicously shooting a dog cause your mad cause you think it ruined your hunt. Come on, I mean if you need a deer that bad, I can get ya a deer.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

ya know as the old saying goes "We Have Already Beat This Dead Horse To Death".
I know in the area where I hunt it is legal to run deer with dogs,so if you see a "Deer Dog" it is best you hold your fire.if not the next shot might be in your direction.
A wild dog and you can tell if it is wild , is another story.

Let's Not Give The Peta People Any More Ammo Than They Already Have" JMHO.[&:]

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I don't get it, the threats to shoot at or kill a human if a dog is shot? Explain to your family why your in prison or to the other hunters kids why they don't have a daddy!

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Have the owner of the dog keep his dog on his property! If dogs are chasing deer that's an invitation to shoot the dog.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

I dont shoot dogs because they ruined my hunt I only shoot them if I see them on the heels of a deer especially a fawn, at least a coyote will eat its kill. We are not allowed to hunt deer with dogs as its considered unfair and harassment to the deer. Then the statement ive read a few times on this post ( shoot a dog over a deer?) If thats how you truly feel then why are you even in the woods hunting them? What makes a dog more valuable than a deer? Because its some bodys pet? If they really love their dog they wouldnt let it out to run knowing that it might get shot. Then you got the dog owner who says he will shoot you if you shot his dog (shoot a person over a dog?)We all have different values and different views. This subject has been beat to death and we come to the conclusion that there are people that will shoot a dog and there are people that wont so what did this subject do? Nothing!

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Remember Guys, if you shoot it you have to eat it, and dog doesn't taste bad!

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Well i for one have no problem killing a dog . i have shot many in different situations. as a police officer we would put them down if they were running wild and could not be caught.

I live in the country and don't have a county animal control. i have to assume that job and have. i shot a guy down the roads dog after i told him the dog better stay off my place and out of my trash barrel. the dog didnt and well hasn't been it again . and yep i told him.

I have another a part pit bull running around . one of my sons is terrified of dogs and this dog is aggressive and has given him a scare a few times . my nieghbor knows his dogs days are numbered when i catch him here. and i will.

now i don't just go around shooting dogs for a thrill cause it really isnt a thrill. i look at it the same as catching a mouse in a trap. sometimes you have to remove the problem.

now for hunting nah i can't say i have shot a dog for ruining a hunt . i have come close . i had a guy running his dogs about 4 miles away and they ended up on our leases . i met the guy and even helped him find his dog. but i explained to him next time he might not be so lucky to get his dog.

do i hate dogs ? NO! i just don't and never will place the value of thier lives as equal to a humans. and IMO the person that sees them equal really needs help.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

Well, Timber, maybe its not your job to "get it". Maybe everyone doesn't have to think like you to be right. Maybe you drive some rediculous F350 but don't pull the first thing. Its not my job to get you, just repect your opinion. A good ole dog gives more to society than some slob yuppie hunter. I get along with dogs better than I do with most people. Are they worth more than some people. You bet ya. I seen some people that arn't worth trying for.

I guess you got to ask yourself is it worth it. Is it worth all the possible conflicts. Some people treat them as children as I do. I train them everyday. Every situation is different. Are you on your own property? How remote are you. Do you know the owner. Has this become a problem animal? Is this public property? Did the dog have a collar? Are you doing this cause your sick SOB, that just gets off for killing things. Or does hunting have a deeper meaning for you. Common sense can go a long way. I have had to put dogs/cats down for numerous reasons. None of them gave me any joy and took something from me. But it had to be done in most cases.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

well said bigcountry.

RE: dogs in the deer woods
 

When it comes to a coyote or a dog if they are running a fawn and finally run it to exhaustion and then they kill it the dog will walk away not a coyote it will eat its kill. Case in point a coyote chases and kills for a reason Hunger. A dog because its what dogs do. In this situation a dog is worse than a coyote and I wouldnt hesitate to shoot either.