Deer and Dogs

[Winchey]

After steadily being bludgeoned over the past couple days on my provincial hunting site by deer hunters I am wondering about some bird hunter’s thoughts on deer and dogs. As it stands only conservation officer has the legal right to shoot a dog found running at large in my province. Most of the people on the hunting site seem to have a pretty narrow definition of running at large and feel justified to shoot any dog they consider running at large or chasing deer. What do you guys think? Cut the dog some slack, trash break as a pup? I find it very easy to control my dogs on a walk, can heal them around deer or whatever but when you are pushing them out it becomes a lot harder if they do come across one, anyways…

[DougB]

In MN, it is not legal to shoot a running dog during hunting season. If it is a hunting dog, there is a chance rule #3 comes into play.
A warden has the right to shoot a dog in some conditions, and is required to shoot the dogs he sees attacking deer. Of course, in MN, dogs are not allowed to be used for deer hunting.
Also, it is a felony to deliberately interfere with a hunt. Killing my dog would interfere with my hunt.

Rule #1 Don't shoot the dog.
Rule #2 Don't shoot the guide.
Rule #3 If you break rule #1, be prepared to break rule #2

I have had deer hunters post around a swamp as my dog and I work through the muck and weeds.

[catchrcall]

In Texas there's a ton of dog shooters out there, legal or not. The law says they can shoot it only if it's harming or just got done harming livestock or humans but some people will shoot a dog just for being loose and it's getting worse all the time. A year or so ago somebody shot a Grand Nite Champion and State Champion coonhound while she was treed three feet across the wrong fence during a competition hunt. The shooter said she was chasing horses but the game warden and deputy sheriff couldn't find horses or horse tracks anywhere in the pasture. The case is still in court.

[Buckeye_V]

I trash break my dogs on deer, but that being said they are not robots. They may chase a deer for the fun of it but would not know what to do with it if they caught it. I've talked to some pretty narrow minded deer hunters. I basically have told myself that if it ever happens to me - is there going to be a second more devastating hunting accident? When we are hunting it's pretty darned obvious my dogs are hunting and belong to a person. I do NOT go bird hunting during deer gun season and my dogs DO NOT get let off lead during that time either. Period.

[Mountaineer]

It is a growing problem...as is the practice of setting coyote snares, limiters included or not, by deerhunters to help protect their resource...the whitetail deer.

Deer gun season is, of course, not the entire issue as some sick bowhunters, with a season of many months, will readily arrow a dog, no matter what the circumstance finds the dog near a deerhunter...lost, hunting or simple bad luck.

SS&S or TS&S attitudes are too often found today.
Best to be aware.
All hunters are not of the same cut of cloth.

[Vonzeppelinkennels]

I remember hunting at Deer Creek WLA yrs back probably 15 yrs or more,a Game Warden pulled into the parking lot where a few hunters were parked.He had a deer laying across his trunk with blood running & dripping off the back of his car,another hunter had called him about what he said were a couple Britts had this deer down tearing at it's haunches.The hunter said he ran the dogs off but the deer was now crippled & needed to be put out of it's misery so the Game Warden responded & killed the deer.He was riding around checking to see if he could find the Britts or owners but hadn't had any luck.One of the hunters asked if you saw that happening could you shoot the dogs,his reply was there is nothing that says you can but there is nothing that says you can't.

[birddogger]

I trash break my dogs on deer, but that being said they are not robots. They may chase a deer for the fun of it but would not know what to do with it if they caught it. I've talked to some pretty narrow minded deer hunters. I basically have told myself that if it ever happens to me - is there going to be a second more devastating hunting accident? When we are hunting it's pretty darned obvious my dogs are hunting and belong to a person. I do NOT go bird hunting during deer gun season and my dogs DO NOT get let off lead during that time either. Period.

+1

Charlie

[BoJack]

Seems you got some Common Sense anwers on the Cover Dog board.
http://members3.boardhost.com/coverdog/ ... 97419.html
To me anyone who doesn't trash break a dog from deer doesn't have any Common Sense,or any safety regards for their dogs.

[birddogger]

Seems you got some Common Sense anwers on the Cover Dog board.
http://members3.boardhost.com/coverdog/ ... 97419.html
To me anyone who doesn't trash break a dog from deer doesn't have any Common Sense,or any safety regards for their dogs.

Thank you!

Charlie

[Mountaineer]

...
To me anyone who doesn't trash break a dog from deer doesn't have any Common Sense,or any safety regards for their dogs.

I would agree...course, that does not allow for a dog that is lost absent a hunter or a dog that takes the wind one step too far where the hunter does not immediately see....all of which can happen apart from a perfect world and over a long bow season.
If anyone thinks that only dogs that are in the active act of chasing a deer are the ones in danger from deerhunters or snares then those folks are sadly naive.

*In truth, most hunters will never experience a loss from this situation but to neglect the growing problem from a changed hunter attitude as more and more hunting grounds become smaller and smaller, as competition becomes greater and greater down at the barbershop and, as the sense of ownership of deer from purchase, feeding or adding nutrional grow-juice becomes common...dogs can be more in the crosshairs or bow sights.