Feral dogs

[Tradbowhunter]

I'm over at potholes this weekend and have been hearing about packs of feral dogs out at night, apparently they're killing livestock and attacked a child a little while ago too. Someone told me there's a bounty and open bag limit on them but I haven't been able to find any information confirming this. Anyone know if ita legal to hunt these?

[KFhunter]

hell yes it's legal to kill - wack em and stack em!


No dog would be safe if I were there,  the responsible dog owners will know there is packs of feral dogs running around and will keep their dogs leashed or indoors.



I been down this road, they gotta die.


OH and for the bounty I'd skip that unless it's a lot of money or something?   Who's doing the bounty?   I'd make sure that you stay anonymous....last thing you want is some irresponsible POS dog owner down there threatening you for shooting his at large dog.

[HawkCreek]

I'm not sure about a bounty but if it chases livestock it rates a bullet.

[Tradbowhunter]

Drive around some back roads ny the Hampton lake area yesterday, heard a bunch howling around early evening and saw a small pack of em a little ways down a ravine, they look like dog/yote hybrids or something. I never did find out anything about a bounty, but I'm always up for puttin the hunt on invasive/nuisance species, so might just have to make another trip out here soon. As for dog owners, they can criticize all they want, hunters and local law enforcement killing off the herds of these things are what keeps their livestock and pets a little safer.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Coyotes and dogs will interbreed.  That's why the Eastern "Coydogs" are so much bigger and more aggressive than our little coyotes.  I agree with the "just shoot'em and be quiet" people. 

[Bofire]

  How does one know a 'feral' dog from a 'ranch' dog? If chasing stock OK, did you see that? There have been coydogs found, interbred. In the East the coyotes and gray wolves interbred, thus the 90 pound  coyote/wolves, proven by DNA.
I also hate stock chasing wild dogs, you better be certain what you are shooting.
Carl

[Heredoggydoggy]

I wouldn't shoot a dog unless I saw it chasing a deer or other game animal.  That would be the only qualifier to kill a domestic animal!

[Bill W]

Read the regs carefully before shooting a coyote on the Columbia Wildlife Refuge.   I believe coyotes are not shootable on the refuge.

[BiggLuke]

All Feral animals are legal to kill or capture.
Unless it's in a posted "Open Range" area.
Besides, even if it were in a range area, you'd be doing the cows a favor.
And if anybody ever gives you $hit for killing a "pet" just say it attacked you, so you had no choice but to put it down.

[jackelope]

All Feral animals are legal to kill or capture.

Source?

[h20hunter]

Remember big luke....kill it you gotta eat it!!!

[BiggLuke]

Don't rememeber all my sources.... but unless it's marked, I.E. collared or Tagged, it is considered a danger to wildlife, as in how pigs have destroyed countless millions of acres of land. Feral animals are treated as terrorists now by all forms of animal control.
In fact, I think you can still wrangle up unbranded cattle that are on state land.

I was qietly told about cats, by a Humane Society rep, that unless it has a collar, it's better to just dispatch on site. We used to get a lot of cats in our traps when we were younger.

[BiggLuke]

LOL...   exactly, which is why I would love to go chase some feral hogs....  not dogs so much.

[floatinghat]

All Feral animals are legal to kill or capture.
Unless it's in a posted "Open Range" area.
Besides, even if it were in a range area, you'd be doing the cows a favor.
And if anybody ever gives you $hit for killing a "pet" just say it attacked you, so you had no choice but to put it down.

How do you gauge feral?  Every year we have HW members who "lose" there dogs hunting.  Do you call them feral, would you shoot one in "open range"  a few have been founds weeks later.   

Have to ask the questions

[Houndhunter]

Don't shoot a hound

[jackelope]

I don't think you're even close to correct quoting your laws, BiggLuke. You might want to double check.

[jackelope]

Check this thread out for clarification.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=153772

[washelkhunter]

I'm over at potholes this weekend and have been hearing about packs of feral dogs out at night, apparently they're killing livestock and attacked a child a little while ago too. Someone told me there's a bounty and open bag limit on them but I haven't been able to find any information confirming this. Anyone know if ita legal to hunt these?

Feral dogs are no joke. They're animals accustomed to humans that have been abandoned by their owners. For the most part they have no fear of humans and will take you down if they can. Its vey common for misguided people to drive their unwanted animals out to the country and drop them rationalizing that they can easily fend for themselves. They pack up then start picking off the easy wildlife then the livestock. Its bad news. I have personally been stalked by a pack as an adolescent and only avoided harm because of intervention by my father. Myself I have shot over 60+ dogs left out in the country to fend for themselves. Not cool. The local farmers and cattle, sheep ranchers loved us for it. We had carte blanche in the entire valley when it came to hunting access. You don't want your pet anymore that's fine, but don't leave the dirty business to someone else to handle.

[floatinghat]

How are you determining the dogs are feral? I get a pack of dogs running wildly, but an individual dog (maybe pet) lost and trying to eat?    I know I wouldn't shoot a dog unless it was attacking me/family/ my bird dog.  I have rescued about a half dozen lost dogs, some have been pretty freaked out but were not aggressive.


My lab will pull off anything verbally so far, deer or coyote busting from CRP hasn't been a issue (yet).  A low flying pheasant or chukar after a miss is about my only challenge.  She thinks she can still bring it home.

Could be the ideas polarize around is the dog a working dog or a family member first?

[Tradbowhunter]

"A free-ranging dog is any dog that is not contained. The term encompasses various loose categories relating to the ownership, behavior, and descent of such dogs, including wild dogs, feral dogs, stray dogs, street dogs, and village dogs, as well as dogs allowed to come and go freely by their owners. It sometimes overlaps with the polysemic term pariah dog. The term is used when distinctions of ownership are irrelevant."

In the case of the area around Moses Lake, they're extremely aggressive, and game wardens have warned people fishing the area near the Columbia wildlife refuge to watch out for them, as they will attack people and livestock. From what I've heard from people in the area its not usually just one dog here and there, they run in packs and are pretty easily distinguished from a lost dog.

[deltaops]

When I was deployed we had a lot of feral dogs running around in packs. We were told to kill on site with no hesitation. They feared nothing and attacked everything.

[Curly]

Remember big luke....kill it you gotta eat it!!!

 

[jasnt]

I'm over at potholes this weekend and have been hearing about packs of feral dogs out at night, apparently they're killing livestock and attacked a child a little while ago too. Someone told me there's a bounty and open bag limit on them but I haven't been able to find any information confirming this. Anyone know if ita legal to hunt these?

Feral dogs are no joke. They're animals accustomed to humans that have been abandoned by their owners. For the most part they have no fear of humans and will take you down if they can. Its vey common for misguided people to drive their unwanted animals out to the country and drop them rationalizing that they can easily fend for themselves. They pack up then start picking off the easy wildlife then the livestock. Its bad news. I have personally been stalked by a pack as an adolescent and only avoided harm because of intervention by my father. Myself I have shot over 60+ dogs left out in the country to fend for themselves. Not cool. The local farmers and cattle, sheep ranchers loved us for it. We had carte blanche in the entire valley when it came to hunting access. You don't want your pet anymore that's fine, but don't leave the dirty business to someone else to handle.

+1!!!
My family owns a trailer park north of deer park. We see alot of drop offs/ ferrals. Both cats and dogs. We dont ask questions when it comes to kids or live stock! Most are easy to see they harm less and spokanimal gets called unless it chases livestock.  Many have been wild and end up with lead poisoning. Its sad but we won't accept and hurt child or livestock loss!

If those dogs are indeed ferral they will probably be easy to call in

[Landowner]

Some guys in the area of my farm would wack and stack the first a-hole that decided a farm dog was a "feral" dog. 

I've had a number of lost dogs show up at my house at their wit's end and looking pretty raggedy.  100 percent success  in being able to hook them back up with their owners. 

[Windwalker]

 No one should get their panty's in a bunch if a pack of feral dogs is shot-

We had fields next to the house leased out over the winter to sheep owners -  Local LEOs and every farmer for miles around would show up once the call went out that dogs were in the sheep and we would whack and stack em. Owner is liable for damages if any are identified. Dogs would run through and rip off ears and noses then tear some apart. Leave them wandering with their guts trailing. Walked up on one that I still remember vividly (snow on the ground) had its entire back end torn off and was still alive.  Didn't help that there was snow on the ground- blood was spread all over 2 40 acre fields. Was not pretty.

The instances I was involved in no one was attacked. Every size of dog was seen chasing sheep. Short dogs, tall dogs, German shepherds, majority were mixed breed. Grandfather was attacked by some when he went out on two separate occasions that I remember. Took one out mid leap with a 12 gauge. Was shaken up when he came home. Scart' the hell outa him. Said it was dam close, he came at him fast and was jumping at his throat or face when he connected. The other occasion he said it was fast- very fast and almost caught him off guard- one minute it was after the sheep and the next it turned, bared its teeth and ran at him. No barking.

Most people can distinguish a pack of dogs by their intentions / posturing and tell if they are feral, farm dogs or just out of their yard poking around. In my experience some are mangy dirty or scrawny looking -  its not the..appearance so much as their behavior.

BUT be aware, if it/they mean harm you may have very little time to chew on. Looking at getting clipped by a feral mutt isn't my idea of a good day. The ones I have seen eyeball you as a group- be a big *censored* in the bunch that is the grand poobaa who makes up the rules and they follow his lead. Then they split  (maybe to circle) or they have been shot at and are wise to humans with fire sticks and you won't see them again.

  No one is going to shoot any old dog that wanders up to them tail wagging looking for a biscuit. And they better not shoot a huntin' hound.

Also had an occasion with a wolf in the sheep but that's another story.

Sheep are pitifully stupid creatures but I won't abide dogs that attack em and tear them apart mainly for sport.

Read an article as a kid about hunting them and the preparation I thought was interesting - early 70's there were packs in places that needed special attention- the guy writing it advised to place box's of cantaloupes up hill, (amount depends on the size of the pack)  attach a string and dump the boxs- situate it so they all come tumbling down a steep hill bouncing at you. Once you can take them all out before they get to you - your ready. This was in a area of heavy vegetation - imagine the difference between the open desert and the coast. Desert its no biggie, but if the brush is thick the only warning you'll get is the brush boiling.   
Pump shotgun is the preferred tool or have a buddy you trust at your back if going in the brush after them.
Think it would be a fun exercise & good way to off some cantaloupes anyway.   

[WAcoyotehunter]

This sounds really bad.  I hope you can get a shot at these vicious killers before they eat you, then eat your vehicle, then burn your farm. 

Some guys in the area of my farm would wack and stack the first a-hole that decided a farm dog was a "feral" dog. 

I've had a number of lost dogs show up at my house at their wit's end and looking pretty raggedy.  100 percent success  in being able to hook them back up with their owners. 

Thanks Landowner. Too many d-bags come out to the country and think everything they see is a "problem animal".... Farm dogs run sometimes; that doesn't make them feral. 

[madcow41]

 No one should get their panty's in a bunch if a pack of feral dogs is shot-

We had fields next to the house leased out over the winter to sheep owners -  Local LEOs and every farmer for miles around would show up once the call went out that dogs were in the sheep and we would whack and stack em. Owner is liable for damages if any are identified. Dogs would run through and rip off ears and noses then tear some apart. Leave them wandering with their guts trailing. Walked up on one that I still remember vividly (snow on the ground) had its entire back end torn off and was still alive.  Didn't help that there was snow on the ground- blood was spread all over 2 40 acre fields. Was not pretty.

The instances I was involved in no one was attacked. Every size of dog was seen chasing sheep. Short dogs, tall dogs, German shepherds, majority were mixed breed. Grandfather was attacked by some when he went out on two separate occasions that I remember. Took one out mid leap with a 12 gauge. Was shaken up when he came home. Scart' the hell outa him. Said it was dam close, he came at him fast and was jumping at his throat or face when he connected. The other occasion he said it was fast- very fast and almost caught him off guard- one minute it was after the sheep and the next it turned, bared its teeth and ran at him. No barking.

Most people can distinguish a pack of dogs by their intentions / posturing and tell if they are feral, farm dogs or just out of their yard poking around. In my experience some are mangy dirty or scrawny looking -  its not the..appearance so much as their behavior.

BUT be aware, if it/they mean harm you may have very little time to chew on. Looking at getting clipped by a feral mutt isn't my idea of a good day. The ones I have seen eyeball you as a group- be a big *censored* in the bunch that is the grand poobaa who makes up the rules and they follow his lead. Then they split  (maybe to circle) or they have been shot at and are wise to humans with fire sticks and you won't see them again.

  No one is going to shoot any old dog that wanders up to them tail wagging looking for a biscuit. And they better not shoot a huntin' hound.

Also had an occasion with a wolf in the sheep but that's another story.

Sheep are pitifully stupid creatures but I won't abide dogs that attack em and tear them apart mainly for sport.

Read an article as a kid about hunting them and the preparation I thought was interesting - early 70's there were packs in places that needed special attention- the guy writing it advised to place box's of cantaloupes up hill, (amount depends on the size of the pack)  attach a string and dump the boxs- situate it so they all come tumbling down a steep hill bouncing at you. Once you can take them all out before they get to you - your ready. This was in a area of heavy vegetation - imagine the difference between the open desert and the coast. Desert its no biggie, but if the brush is thick the only warning you'll get is the brush boiling.   
Pump shotgun is the preferred tool or have a buddy you trust at your back if going in the brush after them.
Think it would be a fun exercise & good way to off some cantaloupes anyway.

Sounds like a waste of good melons

[WAcoyotehunter]

Sounds like a ridiculous training idea for an animal thats really not that big of a management problem

[madcow41]

Sounds like a ridiculous training idea for an animal thats really not that big of a management problem

X2

[idaho guy]

Don't shoot a hound

 thats exactly what I was thinking. Makes me nervouse with all the shoot shovel shut up stuff- hounds can be out for days not because the owners not looking sometimes you just cant find em for a while. I agree with shooting wild game chasing dogs just make sure that youre not shooting someones hunting dogs   

[pianoman9701]

The OP was specifically talking about packs of feral dogs, not a single or a hound. I think it would be pretty obvious to anyone not to shoot if there were 3 or 4 hounds working together as opposed to a pack of feral dogs. 

[Heredoggydoggy]

Don't shoot a hound

 thats exactly what I was thinking. Makes me nervouse with all the shoot shovel shut up stuff- hounds can be out for days not because the owners not looking sometimes you just cant find em for a while. I agree with shooting wild game chasing dogs just make sure that youre not shooting someones hunting dogs   

  I would have to actually see a dog or a pack of dogs chasing game before I'd shoot.... Hounds chase game, but the game can usually stay ahead of the dogs unless treed.  Different case. 

[washelkhunter]

The OP was specifically talking about packs of feral dogs, not a single or a hound. I think it would be pretty obvious to anyone not to shoot if there were 3 or 4 hounds working together as opposed to a pack of feral dogs. 

 

You'll know feral dogs when you see them, there will be no doubt, there's usually a strong pucker factor associated with an encounter, esp if you're afoot.

[Gringo31]

I think folks need to for the most part leave feral dogs alone unless they know the area very well.  I've shot a lot of feral dogs in my life....I think my record was 16 in one month.  It was usually worst when harvest was over and migrant workers were headed back to Mexico and decided to turn their pets loose.

The locals know who's dog is who's.  Imagine how horrible it would be to shoot a feral dog and have the owner come running over the hill calling it because they were on a hike or something.

Most dogs I've killed I was doing a favor.  They were thin, unhealthy and getting into trouble because they were starving.