Dogs Running Deer?

[Birch Haven]

Question: Can anyone tell me the regs on dogs chasing deer in Beltrami County? I'm out in my bow stand this morning, all set up, and about 6:30am the neighbors down the road 2 dogs start barking. This went on for an hour and a half. Right about 8:00 here comes a big doe barreling through the woods with a border collie on her heels. He came back through and seemed to head home a few minutes later. The next thing I know I hear crashing through the thicket and here comes that big buck I've been laying in wait for with the border collie and a big poodle chasing him like wolves. I have a good relationship with my neighbors and will call them here in a while but I just wanted to see where I stand with any regulations. This was the first time this has happened, by the way. Any help would be appreciated.

[Mark Christianson]

Sadly, if it was late winter, and we had some deep snow that was crusted over, those dogs would be causing some major problems with the deer. As you probably know.

This is a touchy subject with some. It has definitely been talked about in great length out here in the past.

Here is some text out of the regulations:

Dogs Pursuing Big Game

No persons may allow their dog to chase or kill big game.

Between January 1 and July 14 a dog that is observed wounding,

killing, or pursuing in a way that endangers big game may be killed

by any person. A peace officer or conservation officer may kill a dog

that endangers big game at any time of the year. The officer or person

is not liable for damages for killing the dog.

Important: Other hunting seasons are open before, during, and

after the deer season. Many hunters use dogs to hunt upland game,

waterfowl, rabbits, raccoons, foxes, and coyotes. Dogs may not be

shot during fall hunting seasons, even if seen pursuing big game,

except by a conservation or peace officer.

[The_Duckslayer]

Another one of those goofy rules. ANy one out hunting with their dog had better be able to control them better than that. Do not agree with the no shoot rule but I guess we have to live with it. At a minimum I would go let the neighbor know that you are P O'd because the dogs ruined your hunt. They may not be aware that the dogs are doing that so you may be actually helping yourself by letting them know. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[fivebucks]

I agree 100% with the no shooting rule in the fall. My last dog chased a couple of deer each season while pheasant hunting for a season or two until I was able to break her of that. I admit that I'm not proud that she wasn't a perfect dog right off the bat but I bet a fair share of people of had their dog chase a deer at least once while hunting. It would have been a very ugly situation if someone had shot my dog then.

[bigbucks]

I would agree with that & I'm sure you were chasing behind your dog trying to get it to come back, which is a totally different thing. In the same token if you know there are dogs that the owners are just letting run free to chase deer whenever they choose & they're doing it. I don't see any problem with them being "taken care of." I haven't been in that situation myself, but I know of others who have been & I don't have any problem with that.

I had my dog disappear last February. I kept him tied when we weren't home & a lot when we were, as he didn't want to stay home. I let him run around while I was outside & all of a sudden he was gone, never to be seen again. I don't know if somebody stole him or shot him chasing deer, or what. I called around & put a notice on the radio, but never found or heard of him again. I was very frustrated with the dog, but I'd still like to know what happened to him. I would have had no problem if one of my neighbors told me they saw him chasing deer & shot him. I can understand that & at least I would know what became of him.

[fivebucks]

Yea, I don't like dogs running deer but at least during this time of year the deer will win the footrace. I'm glad that I haven't had to make the decision in the winter to shoot a dog chasing a deer. Those are 2 of the animals that I love the most.

[bigbucks]

I've only eaten deer, what does the other taste like?

[Birch Haven]

You know, it was tough to get all set up, scent etc. just to have it all for nothing, and I get in the stand at least an hour or more before daylight. Another bummer was that for days I have been tracking and scouting this big swamp buck's movements, which isn't easy right after rifle season. I had him pegged this morning but when I heard the dogs barking I just figured they were tied up and that the deer were moving through their property. Like I said this went on for an hour and a half. I figured they might even push the deer my direction so I dealt with the yapping but when I saw that doe flying through and then the buck, well, I didn't know whether to try to aim at the deer or dawg, although when I recognized the poodle I knew whos it was and they are good neighbors and friends. Oh well, another time.

[HOGEYE]

I have been bowhunting the bemidji area lately. On 3 seperate occasions I have have 2 dogs mess up my hunt. The dogs were a choc and a black lab. When the dogs wind me they are gone. The choc lab has a red collar. On all occasions I had deer coming my way and they were ran off by these dogs. I may have to contact the conservation officer.

[metrojoe]

In the case of a neighbor that lets their dogs run loose and are continuously running deer, I’d definitely report it to the authorities, but I’d let them handle it. I would not want to be responsible for shooting somebody’s pet.

I have a hard time believing that anyone can say that they have 100% control of their dog at all times. Especially when they jump a couple deer while pheasant or grouse hunting. I think responsible hunters strive for that kind of perfection, but to hold them accountable by shooting their dog just seems ridiculous.

[The Grebe]

Blasting someones dog, even if it was chasing deer, can get you in some deep guano, depending on who that dog belongs to!

A number of years bag, someone shoot a dog that was purportedly chasing deer...the dog belonged to Malcomb Moos, the biggie at the U of M.! Lots of legal stuff over that one, as I remember.

The local fuzz might not look lovingly upon you either, if you drill his dog in the process of chasing deer!

Lots of ramifications involved in dusting someone elses dog! Personal and otherwise.

[abens1078]

I know this doesn't help you in your deerstand but we used to shoot the neighbor's dogs with birdshot if they got close to the cattle. Get the dog running and then pepper him when he gets out 60-70 yrds. The dog hopefully learns a lesson and is still alive. A high power BB-gun works in closer and doesn't make near the noise of a shotgun. If stopped by the CO during bow season it's real hard to call a BB-gun a firearm. Good luck

[Birch Haven]

As I said, this was an isolated case and, unless I truly believed that the dogs were wild or a stray pack, I really never would shoot them. I talked to the neighbors and it turns out one of the kids let the dogs out over night. It's all cool now and all's well.

[The_Duckslayer]

Quote:

---

I've only eaten deer, what does the other taste like?

---

Chicken... I was stationed in the far east where it is eaten a lot. There is a lot of truth to that Harry Chapin spoof "Cat's in the ladel at the Silver Spoon" N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[tripper]

Maybe it's the differnce in where people live but other then during bird season we use to shoot any thing saw chaseing deer after giving the owners fair warning of what their dog was doing.It is a shame that a dog has to pay the price for what it owners will not correct or beleif is happening until their dog doesn't come home.

[Eric_Sieve]

In all honesty, I would shoot the dog. I would then proceed to NOT tell anyone I shot it and bury it someplace far away. Or else just run it over with my car and lay it on the side of the road somewhere far away.

[2dalake]

When I was a kid the dogs that ran deer also ran livestock, and we shot every one of them, including our own. I never shot a hunting breed, they were always some kind of mutt.

I love dogs, but sometimes you have to be practical. Dogs can kill lambs and calves, and horses can panic right into wire fences. We used to find dead chickens when one had gone through. Our closest neighbors were a half mile in any direction, and they did the same thing.

It's different there now, the outskirts of the Twin Cities and more densely populated. My folks use the BB gun trick on strays (they feed deer in the front yard now), but that does damage too. If you want to make a good bird dog gun shy just pop it with a BB gun and that will do the trick.

Chasing game is a nuisance, but chasing livestock messes with a guy's income. Of course, this was all over twenty years ago.

[Big G]

There are different factors to look at.

And obviously, you don't want to make enemies with neighbors over a mistake of them not knowing their dogs are running deer.

HOWEVER,

the law states you cannot shoot a dog that is running big game from July 15th to Jan 1st.

It doesn't say that you cannot shoot a dog on your property or a dog that you feel is threatening you, or your personal property at any time. If you are on private property and a dog enters, the dog is free game.

To all;

If you have a "wild" dog on your property, I highly recommend that you put it down. About once every 5 years or so, we will get a "pack" of dogs that wreak havoc. And yes, sometimes our neighbors dogs get "sucked" into the pack. And yes, we shoot them.

The other problem is people on the "urban sprawl" think that it is ok to dump their unwanted dog off at the "farm". These dogs either get shot, or go wild and do harm, then get shot.

The only thing worse than a bad dog is a bad owner that lets the dog go bad. Unfortunately, the dog always suffer the consequences.........

[The Grebe]

Big G...Talking of the "Pack" mentality, back when I was trapping and Brooklyn Park, above 85th was not developed, it was part of mine and another fellas trapline.

Not all that long ago, that area was all fields, corn, soybean, potatoes and other veggies. That and alot of woods and wet areas.

One day the other trapper, who is a retired taxidermist, pulls into a field where I was remaking a set and he is all scratched up and his cloths are tattered, head to foot.

I asked him what hell had happened and he told me that the farm dogs from around that area had packed up for whatever reason and attacked him when he went to make a set out in the field?

We knew these dogs, had petted these dogs on occassion? Some of them where big, some where small, all different breeds, mostly mutts, but they all bit!

My friend fought and struggled his way to a tree and crawled up into it, taking punishment all the way and nearly being dragged down.

Once into the tree, with the dogs circling below, he was able to get the little 2 shot, .22 Derringer out of his pocket and he killed 3 or 4 dogs before the rest scattered.

He loaded the dead dogs into the pick up and drove right over to the owners houses. Knowing him, his good reputation in the community and his years of trapping out there, plus what he looked like after they were done, not much was said and he never brought any charges against anyone.

Pack mentality is a funny thing? It happens with humanes also, not only in 3rd world countries, but here to!

[Gissert]

Grebe -

Wow, deja-vu...

I nearly had a similar experience four years ago. My neighbors had been complaining about this shepard and golden retriever that had been running free. These dogs had no collars, and were wilder than a cob.

We tried to find out who they belonged to, but no one in a two mile radius seemd to know.

A couple weeks after these dogs started running, I was setting a rat feed bed below a bank when I had this feeling like something was watching me. I looked up, and here was this shepard about 15 feet from me with his lips curled back. I had my .45 in a belt holster, and was just drawing down on him when he caught my wind and was off like a shot. That scared the heck out of me, he was ready to pounce.

I put in a special set for them with a couple #3 newhouses. The shepard got in it a couple nights later. My neighbor lady herd the ruckus, so I ran right over, just in time to see him pull out and take off. He left behind a toe. They never came back after that, but still caused trouble down the road. Finally, I did not hear about them any more, so someone must have taken care of the problem.

Frightening stuff when dogs go feral like that. I shudder to think of what that shepard could have done to some kid waiting for the bus.

[The Grebe]

Gissert...Hi, how ya doin? I have had run ins with dogs 3 times during my trapping career...once while out checking fox traps, my truck stalled and I took to walking down a dirt road toward the main highway. It was colder then hell out and I really was'nt dressed for the long haul.

Two big White German Shepards and a Schnouzer (?) came barreling out after me...barking, growling, lips back, circling and making false charges. I was standing as still as I could, trying to figure out what I was going to do?

A truck came by and kept on going and there I stood!

I figured to hell with it, I was'nt going to freeze to death waiting, so I figured I was going to have to somehow kill at least one and maybe all 3 if they attacked when I started to move.

I figured I would probably get bit up some, but....! I slipped my Mora hunting knife out of the sheath, made some mental calculations, was just getting ready to make my first step, when the truck that had passed me by earlier, reappeared and manuvered between me and the dogs...man was I glad to see him! He said he did'nt realize what was going on until he had driven a ways and made a uturn and came back!

I'm sure I would have made it out of the mess, but hey, alot of negative things could have happened!

I've got 2 others that I'll tell about later....gotta go upstairs for a minute!

[2dalake]

gissert,

When dogs are quiet like that they are really spooky. When I was single one of my roomates had a doby that wouldn't bark at people, she would stay real quiet until they were close enough. He had to post signs, we had a high fence, but he finally sent her to live with his ex wife because he was afraid she'd take some kid's fingers off through the fence. We had my golden for a watch dog anyway. The quiet ones are the ones to look out for.

[The Grebe]

Here is the second dog incident....my wife and I were out checking my fox sets one morning, I pulled into the field, broke out the binocs and seen I had a nice Red Fox in my set.

I grab my reset stuff and we start to walk out toward the trapped fox, over a plowed, clumpy field. We were about 50 yards from the truck and I noticed 2 Wrotwiellers (Sp) trot out of the timber about 150 yards to our north.

I told my wife she had better go back to the truck, because those dogs were bad, I'd wait em out and manuver my way around them...I figured they were heading home after being out chasing deer.

I turned to look and all I could see was clods and dirt flying! My wife covered the first 20 yards in about 1 second, over rough ground! Her hands were chop, chopping away and her feet were moving like the end of an electric egg beater! Her long hair was straight back, looked like she had a flag attached to her head!

I continued on toward the fox and about 25 yards from him, I kicked out a Jack Rabbit...the ball of ears, legs and feet, hauled right toward the Wrots! I seen him kick up dirt and dust and make a uturn and come right back for me with the dogs hot on his heels! Things were happening real fast!

I was sure they had seen me, so I ducked in the woods and crawled up a skinny poplar, the biggest tree I could find on short notice.

The dogs came back after the rabbit gave them the slip and started casting around in the area where I had been standing, trying to pick up my scent and they did! Noses to the ground, they both came right to the tree, looked around for a bit and then looked up! The way a trapper smells, it's kind of hard to hide from a dog!

Growling, jumping up on the tree, wind blowing, tree moving back and forth, my nose running, teeth chattering, and those dogs pacing, looking and bedding down, just waiting for me to make a slip.

I was hoping that my wife would go get someone when I did'nt come back, or come back with the rifle and start blasting, but in realality, I guess that was expecting a little much!

I got down from the tree, hoofed it back to the truck, my wife was all locked in, scared to death, I got the rifle and went and collected the fox.

I don't know how long I was up in that tree, before the dogs heard, or smelled something more interesting and went crashing off into the woods?

Those dogs were known deer killers, but none of the farmers in the area wanted to make any waves with the guy that owned them? I was'nt going to find out up close and personal what they would do to a trapper that they caught in the open!

Had heard of them before that and had seen them on occassion up in the yard, but I never seen them after that?

[2dalake]

I wonder how they managaed to miss your fox? I'd a thought they'd rip it to shreds.

[The Grebe]

You know, I was going to put that into the piece, but it got to long. The fox laid flat, and I mean flat to the ground, even it's ears were laid flat.

I could see him from the tree I was in and he never moved a muscle, those dogs came by him at about 10 feet, hot on that jacks tail and they never winded him.

He stayed that that way, right up to the point when I came up on him with the .22 rifle. Had those dogs had a hint of the fox, they certainly would have torn him to pieces.

I thought the same thing, that the hounds would see him, or locate him by smell and that would be that, but it did'nt happen.