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Years ago when I was about 30 years old, I was rabbit hunting with a buddy of mine. We were going through a section of woods going to a nearby field when we heard a pack of dogs in the distance barking and apparently chasing something. My buddy was about 75 yards to my left.
As the sound of the dogs grew louder, I suspected that the dogs were chasing a deer. Sure enough, a minute or so later, the female deer ran across about 25 yards in front of me. About 30 seconds later came a pack of 4 or 5 long haired, black, medium/large size dogs in pursuit. These were not hounds. They were some mixed breed curs and didn't look a bit cute or cuddly to me.
As the dogs got closer to me, they suddenly spotted me and decided that I looked like a better meal than what they were chasing. As the dogs turned toward me, I fired a shot into the ground just in front of the lead dog and yelled at the top of my lungs. That left me with 4 rounds in my gun and I wasn't going to waste another shot.
Thankfully, the tactic worked. The dogs screeched to a halt and apparently decided that I didn't look so tasty after all. After a brief pause, they decided to give up the chase completely and headed back in the direction they came from. That was likely a fortunate decision for them because I'm a good shot and would likely have ended the deer chasing permanently for several of them... not because they were chasing deer, but because they were coming at me.
I don't know which farmer nearby owned this pack of mutts or if anyone actually "owned" them, but the pack came darn close to having a "reduction in force" that day. And I wouldn't have lost a minute of sleep over it!
I would hate to shoot dogs, cats or snakes.
If I had to I would but it would be as a last resort.
We own several acres way out in the boonies.
I don’t care for my neighbors dogs on our property at all.
They even bark at me.
Unless they start eating my chickens (which we don’t have there yet) or threaten me I will tolerate it.
I’m sure one day one of my dogs will go visit them so there is that.
My family used to own cattle.
No dogs were tolerated.
I don’t own any livestock or ever plan to so I’m not the guy that has to deal with that.
If you have to protect your livestock or if you have mean stray dogs you would be foolish not to cull them.
I am somewhat shocked with some of the replies you have received.
I’m sure non of those people had to deal with this in any matter.
Once again I am not the guy that wants to shoot things but I will not tolerate livestock damage or mean dogs on my property threatening me or my family.
If it’s a neighbor dog they get one chance after hurting or threatening my homestead.
The OP called them feral dogs, but from previous experiences I also know they could be dogs owned by neighbors, that get together at times and run in a pack.
When I was a kid, we lived on the 80 acre family farm, located 2 miles from town. Between us and town, it was built up with 1 to 5 acre parcels with homes on them. We adjoined about 100,000 acres of private timber land, that was in it's 80 year regrow stage, and we leased it for $1 per year to run cattle on. Main reason they made us this deal, was we watched for signs of smoke, to call a fire warning.
It seemed that those people living in county not city, felt they did not have to keep their dogs up, and they would get a pack together and come up and chase our cattle. Solution, we kept a .250/3000 rifle with a good scope sight. When the dogs came around in a pack, one of my jobs was to shoot them, call the sheriffs office who would send out an animal control officer who gathered up the dead dogs, check their license for ownership and give the owners a large fine for not keeping their dogs under control. If they damaged any animal the owners had to pay us for the damage. One dog bit the tail off my prize winning purebred heifer when I was 13, and they collected what today would be $1,200 to $1,500 in damages paid to me. From 12 to 18, I shot over 100 dogs. Not one was a feral dog. Everyone was owned by some jerks living on an acre to 5 acres, who just let their dogs run free. I was a good shot, and not one dog ever made it home alive if they came onto our land when I was home. We free ranged our chickens, and lost numerous chickens to those dogs, and the owners had to pay going price for chickens in the grocery store for those the dogs killed.
The odds are, those dogs the OP is talking about are not feral, but locals pets that they let run in packs around the area. The OP needs to contact the county, find out his rights, and then shoot them on sight, then let the county animal control give those jerk owners a big fine, as the county can always use the money.
If the dog doesn't have a collar he is allowed to shoot any chasing deer.
Going back to something Old Trader said. Rural areas across the country which have seen an influx of new residents moving from more urban areas have seen this issue for a couple decades. People moving to a rural setting think the first thing they need is a dog and the second thing is they do is let them run loose because they're "in the country" now.
Where I live in Southern Maryland had a major issue with this for years and no one took it seriously until a pack of loose dogs pulled an 8 year old off his bicycle and killed him. Animal Control got real after that and now the loose dog is a rarity rather than the rule.
All of you tender-hearted folks, if you ever move to a farm or rural area, keep your dogs home, because if you allow them to free range and they harass livestock or terrorize the wildlife, somebody is going to shoot them.
It depends on the state. In VA, just killing feral dogs is illegal, its a felony (penalty was recently made more severe). It might be OK if you are being attacked and thus will come under self defense, but dogs are considered property, maiming and poisoning is illegal. The rule is, and I live in a semi-rural area, is that you have to call animal control.
If it is a coy wolf, as wildlife, that is illegal also. Once convicted, under VA law, that conviction cannot be expunged from the record.
Several months back my game camera recorded a pack of dogs running together on my hunting land. Don't like seeing them running loose as they could be chasing down Wildlife like deer. Also don't like the idea of them coming up on me if I happen to be out roaming about in the woods. Since I usually carry a handgun with me for snakes can anyone think of a reason why I shouldn't dispatch a pack of dogs that's running wild on my property?
Make dang sure you are using something big enough to kill the dog. You don't want a wounded dog to run home, it will get you in trouble.I know no reason why you shouldn't dispatch them. They are supposed to be on a lease or under control.
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