Inconsiderate Dog owners who do not care about Deer and Deer Hunting
Well after being two steps behind the deer and having a run in with those two dogs that were following the deer tracks I decided on a afternoon spot along the edge of the swamp where I found a very well used trail.
I got there about 2 o’clock and settled in at the highest point of this knoll. It couldn’t have been no more than ten minutes when all of a sudden I had two deer running toward me, the problem was the two deer running toward me were running because they were being chased by the same two dogs that I had a run in with that morning.
I brought up my muzzleloader and put the biggest one in the scope and bleated to try and get them to stop but, all they wanted to do was get away from the dogs. All I could do was stand there and watch as the dogs chased those two deer around the mouth of the swamp and up and over a hill on the other side. After they went out of site I put down my gun and being disgusted I said “I’m not going to see anything now” and as soon as I said that a third deer that must have broken away from the other two had come running back in the direction that they originally came from so I didn’t get a shot at that one either.
By that time I was ready to pack it up and go home so I grabbed my stuff and then I heard a gun shot in the direction that the deer being chased had gone. Right after that I heard a lady yelling for the dogs again. Then another gun shot and and she started yelling louder. I told myself that I’m done and I’m going home. As I turned to go this lady popped her head up over a knoll like a jack-in-the-box and ask me if i seen two dogs.
As nicely as I could I said yes I saw them chasing deer to the other side of the !@#$%^& swamp then gun shots and only saw one dog come back so you figure it out and walked away. I went and found another area to sit for the last two hours of day light but it wasn’t the same after that.
I can only assume that one of the dogs was shot because I only saw one come back. If that is what happened then there is nobody to blame but the dog owners. I certainly would not hold it against someone for shooting the dog for chasing deer. Don’t get me wrong I am as much a dog lover as the next person but, there is a leash law in Connecticut and I am sure there is some law that pertains to domestic dogs chasing deer.
As far as I am concerned this borders on the edge of “Hunter Harrassement” either that or these people are that stupid where they let their dogs roam free to chase deer when they live on the border of state forest land that is open to hunting and they think nothing of it. People like this need a wake up call. Maybe I will have the CT. DEP go knock on their door.
I am such a dog lover, and love my dog like crazy, but deer running dogs is just wrong! I totally understand a person shooting a dog that is constantly running deer. They will run them to their death.
I dont I could physically shoot a dog myself that was running deer, but I can completely understand.
I hold the owners 100% responsible.
December 9th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I have to agree. I love dogs and would be heartbroken if anything happened to any of the dogs in our family, but I can see how letting dogs run wild annoys hunters and terrifies deer.
If you love your dogs, have them on a leash, and keep them out of areas where people are hunting.
December 10th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Arthur & Kristine
I am glad to see you feel the same as I do. I love my dog and dogs in general but, there is a law at least in Connecticut that says you can not let them run loose. For those dogs to chase deer till they can’t run away anymore is so wrong that it is despicable and for the owners to let them do that just shows the type of people they are.
I personally would not be able to shoot a dog unless he was going to attack me but, I sure would not hold it against another hunter who shot one of them which is what I think might have happened.
December 10th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I HATE dogs running deer too! We deal with it since one of our properties sits next to a small rural neighborhood, so I know what it is like to have a hunt ruined by them.
I can’t bring myself to shoot the ones that I know are pets, but since we also have tons of feral dogs and coyotes, we hammer anything that doesn’t have a collar and/or looks mangy.
And I am with everyone else, the lady with the dogs got what she deserved.
December 13th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Jeff, thanks for your honesty. I could not bring myself to shoot someone’s pet either but as I have stated before I will not hold it against anyone else who could.
December 13th, 2007 at 11:51 am