I know this is a sore subject with a lot of us. But it's even more sore when you know more. The law USED to be (and I used it and quoted the RCW to the responding officer when a do gooder neighbor called me in). It used to be any dog caught chasing deer or elk could be shot on sight by ANYONE. And that's what I did. 3 dogs as a pack chasing game in my area, I wasn't quick enough the first 2 times they came through but the 3rd time I got one, and the gun shots ticked off the local nosy neighbor. Over 10 years ago the animal people (talk about irony) got the law changed so that only a LEO could shoot a dog that was chasing game animals. Shows they aren't about protecting animals they are about stopping hunters. And that's why some people have been told both. It was the law for DECADES that anyone could shoot them on sight if they where in the act, and I don't think it was ever a problem. But do gooders got it changed. What's the odds that a LEO is going to see it go down... shoot it was on my own land and I was to slow the first 2 times it happened, only got them the 3rd time because I was keeping a loaded riffle by the door in case I saw it again. And shock of shocks.... one of the 3 gone... the other 2 never came back.
