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Feral dog "hunting" questions
- Thread starter rickdavis81
- Start date
rickdavis81
New member
Here you don't go to jail for shooting them. And catching them in a live trap, for one you risk being bit. And I'm not a fan of rabies shots, I hate needles. And releasing elsewhere just turns the problem over to someone else. WHile I shoot .22's alot I'm not a fan of using them on bigger stuff if I don't have too. And I'm not sport shooting them. I'm eradicating a problem that's been hurting other house dogs and livestock. The whippett is back home after a few nights at the vet. Looks like he should pull thru but he's not out of the woods yet.
Get caught doing this in Tx-straight to jail you go.With all the coyotes in the world-why shoot dogs.If its a matter of dogs roaming your property-then catch them in live traps and release them elsewhere.JMO
My mom's suffering from a similar issue with dogs. They aren't feral, but instead belong to a neighbor. They've attacked her livestock, yet trying to prove that is pretty tough.
They've also shown aggression towards my mother and her husband.
We've contacted animal control...twice; two days between the two calls. We were also told by them that one of the best ways to deal with it was to just shoot the offending dog(s).
Trapping a dog and then releasing it elsewhere only puts the problem elsewhere for someone else to deal with. That is, if it doesn't come back. Leaving a dog to survive in the wild isn't a good option, no matter how "warm and fuzzy" it may make one feel about not shooting it. One of these dogs is a pit bull, so where should we turn it loose? Want it near YOUR house, so it can come play with your kids?
No? I didn't think so.
I don't know about tx, but Arizona's laws on such things are pretty unambiguous. If the dog is loose and causing damage to livestock, or threatening people, then you can and should "end the threat" by doing away with the dog.
And bear in mind that I love dogs. I have 5 of my own, and each one of them is, right now at this moment (without me having to look) in their kennel minding their own business and not causing problems for my neighbors.
I have little tollerance for dogs that run loose, chase livestock, and threaten young children and older ladies, while their owners do nothing to stop the problem. I don't have to wait for the dog to kill someone or their pet; I just end the threat it poses in the area.
If it stays home then there is no issue. I'll not call or bait if from it's own property. If it crosses the fenceline of it's own accord, then I end the threat. Again, there is no need to wait 'till the thing kills my mother or her animals.
Daryl
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Unless the Texas legislature has changed the laws in recent years, feral dogs in Texas are fair game. In any rural area, any stray dog on one's land has no protection beyond the opinion and judgement of the landowner.
One dog with a collar, just traipsing through, is likely no problem. Any group of dogs, with or without collars, is a problem looking for an opportunity.
People will drive right past an animal shelter/dog pound to throw away the unwanted bow-wow. That generally leads to a dead dog, whether by starvation or a bullet. A house cat can generally survive in the wild--until I shoot him--but a house dog generally won't.
We had a wild pack of feral dogs; about a dozen of them. They'd been seen pulling down a deer, and had been driven away from a colt. I popped a couple of big long-legged hound-types. Looking them over, they were pretty much gaunted. But, in a desert, a pack has to cover a lot of ground for not much available prey...
One dog with a collar, just traipsing through, is likely no problem. Any group of dogs, with or without collars, is a problem looking for an opportunity.
People will drive right past an animal shelter/dog pound to throw away the unwanted bow-wow. That generally leads to a dead dog, whether by starvation or a bullet. A house cat can generally survive in the wild--until I shoot him--but a house dog generally won't.
We had a wild pack of feral dogs; about a dozen of them. They'd been seen pulling down a deer, and had been driven away from a colt. I popped a couple of big long-legged hound-types. Looking them over, they were pretty much gaunted. But, in a desert, a pack has to cover a lot of ground for not much available prey...
In any state I have ever lived in, including CA, that right there would be enough reason to shoot them. My brother shot a neighbor's dog that was harassing livestock, then called animal control to pick up the carcass. They did, then charged the owner for the privilege. Too bad my brother doesn't shoot very fast, he could have had two of them.They've attacked her livestock, yet trying to prove that is pretty tough.
They've also shown aggression towards my mother and her husband.
I'm going to go along with Art on this one. Not trying to start an argument, but in every state I have ever lived in (7 Western states so far), shooting an animal to prevent damage to livestock or domestic animals will not get you arrested, fined, cited, or even noticed. LiveRanchers, farmers, and their lobbyists would have none of that, and up until very recently they pretty much set the rules.Get caught doing this in Tx-straight to jail you go
sc928porsche
New member
Trap them in a live trap. Then deliver them to the pound. That takes care of all the legalities.
People that think dogs don't break bad in a group need to spend a bit of time around a feral dog pack . They will make a coyote pack seem tame by all other comparisons. Also coyotes if there packs get same will mate dogs and bring them into the pac and the offspring can look like anything but a normal dog or coyote. Much more like a mutt. Anyone that hunts around al or ge knows what i mean about the mutt look. Blond, black any color but the typical coyote picture. So you see a pack of mutts running loose contact your fish and game or sherrif let them know about them and start kill'n. In areas the ranchers carry rifles year round just for them. And like said before a 22 will work or shotgun does just fine if near homes.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
"Trap them in a live trap."
You live in town?
Have you ever checked the price of the largest "Hav-A-Hart"? They're only raccoon sized. They don't give them away, either.
If you're gonna trap, setting three or four #4 Victors under some bait hanging from a tree limb works real good.
You live in town?
Have you ever checked the price of the largest "Hav-A-Hart"? They're only raccoon sized. They don't give them away, either.
If you're gonna trap, setting three or four #4 Victors under some bait hanging from a tree limb works real good.
W. C. Quantrill
New member
The big problem any more is that people dont know how to keep their mouth shut. Shoot, shovel, shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. End of problem.
In florida, A dog is a dog.... A yote is a yote.... A coy dog could be claimed a property of a person. While they may face a 250 dollar fine, You risk buying all the unborn offspring. Sure, if said dog is attacking than fine but if no evidence exists, 10 years at $1,000 per puppy twice per year and 8 per litter is a bunch of money if you lose.....
Brent
Brent
Yep-Same here.Aint got nothing to do with no legistlature.Its done by county.Or it is here anyways.You get caught shooting one and you better have some money to pay the tree huggers cause they will be after you.Happen to a friend and his chickens and I aint talkin no egg chickens-I am talkin Livestock Show chickens,he shot two of them so called feral dogs,cost him right at 1500.00.End of story.
On coy-dogs...
I've hunted coyotes for over 30 years (actually, closer to 33 years), and I've yet to see a coyote that looked like anything but a coyote. I see a domestic dog loose often enough, but they're obviously used to humans and are domesticated pooches.
Feral dogs around here hang out in areas at the edge of town, and beg scraps from those who'll share. Some get adopted by tender hearted folks, but I suspect that most eventually starve. The desert is a harsh environment to dump your pet into.
Now, having shot well over 1000 coyotes in my years of hunting/calling them, I can honestly say that I've NEVER seen a coy-dog. Coyotes look like coyotes, and exhibit the characteristics of coyotes (walk with tail down rather than up, and so forth). Dogs exhibit the characteristics of dogs (tail up, friendly towards people, and so forth).
I know that it's biologically possible for them to interbreed, but I suspect that because of their natural activities, habits, and characteristically suspicious nature towards dogs, that it's almighty rare for a coyote to breed a dog, or for a dog to breed a coyote. In fact, I've some SERIOUS doubts about a bitch coyote letting a dog breed her. To understand my doubts, you'd have to study up on coyote habits though; they aren't typical dogs by any stretch of the wildest imagination. They don't have the same breeding habits, nor do they raise their young the same way a dog does.
Not saying it can't happen, but that it's almighty rare. I've shot an awful lot of coyotes in areas inhabited by both coyotes AND dogs, and I've yet to ever see a coy-dog...ever.
Daryl
I've hunted coyotes for over 30 years (actually, closer to 33 years), and I've yet to see a coyote that looked like anything but a coyote. I see a domestic dog loose often enough, but they're obviously used to humans and are domesticated pooches.
Feral dogs around here hang out in areas at the edge of town, and beg scraps from those who'll share. Some get adopted by tender hearted folks, but I suspect that most eventually starve. The desert is a harsh environment to dump your pet into.
Now, having shot well over 1000 coyotes in my years of hunting/calling them, I can honestly say that I've NEVER seen a coy-dog. Coyotes look like coyotes, and exhibit the characteristics of coyotes (walk with tail down rather than up, and so forth). Dogs exhibit the characteristics of dogs (tail up, friendly towards people, and so forth).
I know that it's biologically possible for them to interbreed, but I suspect that because of their natural activities, habits, and characteristically suspicious nature towards dogs, that it's almighty rare for a coyote to breed a dog, or for a dog to breed a coyote. In fact, I've some SERIOUS doubts about a bitch coyote letting a dog breed her. To understand my doubts, you'd have to study up on coyote habits though; they aren't typical dogs by any stretch of the wildest imagination. They don't have the same breeding habits, nor do they raise their young the same way a dog does.
Not saying it can't happen, but that it's almighty rare. I've shot an awful lot of coyotes in areas inhabited by both coyotes AND dogs, and I've yet to ever see a coy-dog...ever.
Daryl
Suwannee Tim
New member
I'm astonished by hogdog. He vehemently claims that it is illegal to shoot trespassing dogs, it is not. He makes reference to making a trap out of a 12 gauge shotgun which is a second degree felony in Florida, you can get life in prison for making or possessing. Some people make it up as they go, hogdog is one and he ain't very good at it. My guess is he lets his dogs run the neighborhood.
I have lost count of the dogs I have killed and I have gone to court once, the civil lawsuit was dismissed, I whacked two very expensive afghan hounds to earn that. I killed a dog as a Jacksonville Sheriff's officer watched. I have killed several dogs as the owners watched, dont' do this unless it is really necessary. I killed a champion AKC registered doberman worth thousands of dollars, the owner of the dog called the Sheriff's office, the Sheriff of Clay County himself, Jennings Muhree responded (he rode patrol one day a week), told the owner all he could do was sue me. He didn't sue me. Two days later I watch one of Sheriff Murhee's officers kill three dogs serving a warrant. No big deal.
You have to know the local law, both state, county and municipal ordinance as the case may be, and you might be sued which is rare. It can cost you some money which is rare.
Do what you need to do and keep your mouth shut.
You can chum up any feral dog with dog food, makes it easy.
223 will do the job just fine. I use a handgun or 22, a lot of times a 22 to the back of the head as they are in a live trap. If the dog has an owner, a 22 short will force the owner to pay a big vet bill, he may learn something. It's only illegal if you get caught.
By far the best way to deal with dogs is to trap them, turn them over to the local dog catcher, or not as the case may be. Most animal control agencies will loan you a trap.
Heart of the Earth Products makes good traps, I have a 48D, it gets used regularly.
http://www.animal-traps.com/animal-trap-folding-dog-tc.html
A couple of these are handy:
http://www.animal-traps.com/animal-trap-covers-dividers.html#dividers
I have lost count of the dogs I have killed and I have gone to court once, the civil lawsuit was dismissed, I whacked two very expensive afghan hounds to earn that. I killed a dog as a Jacksonville Sheriff's officer watched. I have killed several dogs as the owners watched, dont' do this unless it is really necessary. I killed a champion AKC registered doberman worth thousands of dollars, the owner of the dog called the Sheriff's office, the Sheriff of Clay County himself, Jennings Muhree responded (he rode patrol one day a week), told the owner all he could do was sue me. He didn't sue me. Two days later I watch one of Sheriff Murhee's officers kill three dogs serving a warrant. No big deal.
You have to know the local law, both state, county and municipal ordinance as the case may be, and you might be sued which is rare. It can cost you some money which is rare.
Do what you need to do and keep your mouth shut.
You can chum up any feral dog with dog food, makes it easy.
223 will do the job just fine. I use a handgun or 22, a lot of times a 22 to the back of the head as they are in a live trap. If the dog has an owner, a 22 short will force the owner to pay a big vet bill, he may learn something. It's only illegal if you get caught.
By far the best way to deal with dogs is to trap them, turn them over to the local dog catcher, or not as the case may be. Most animal control agencies will loan you a trap.
Heart of the Earth Products makes good traps, I have a 48D, it gets used regularly.
http://www.animal-traps.com/animal-trap-folding-dog-tc.html
A couple of these are handy:
http://www.animal-traps.com/animal-trap-covers-dividers.html#dividers
Last edited:
guntotin_fool
New member
start raising hogs, feral Dogs LOVE the harrowing barn, I must have shot 25 over the years trying to sneak in to the barn and snatch a squealing piglet.
Killing a pet and killing a feral dog is two different things, one is threat, one is a pest. I tried hard to never shoot a collared dog, it happened, but only after they broke the rules and tried or succeeded in grabbing what they should have left alone.
I Have never met a tree hugger who freaked out less by seeing a feral dog shot, than being attacked by a dog pack when they were hiking.
Killing a pet and killing a feral dog is two different things, one is threat, one is a pest. I tried hard to never shoot a collared dog, it happened, but only after they broke the rules and tried or succeeded in grabbing what they should have left alone.
I Have never met a tree hugger who freaked out less by seeing a feral dog shot, than being attacked by a dog pack when they were hiking.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
A round trip to my nearest "local" dog-catcher is eight gallons of gasoline. IOW, there's no "one size fits all" in this deal.
As far as generalizing about "feral" dogs: Don't get carried away. A friend of mine living just outside of Georgetown, Texas, lost sheep to feral dogs. He managed to shoot a couple of them. Both had collars, and one of the dogs--a Collie mix--had been at home in town just that morning.
As far as generalizing about "feral" dogs: Don't get carried away. A friend of mine living just outside of Georgetown, Texas, lost sheep to feral dogs. He managed to shoot a couple of them. Both had collars, and one of the dogs--a Collie mix--had been at home in town just that morning.
Suwannee Tim
New member
I don't make any distinction between feral and domestic. I have never seen a feral dog that I considered very dangerous but I have seen dozens of very dangerous domestic dogs. Neither tree huggers or animal rights wackos get upset over the humane killing of feral dogs, the owners can get really upset when you whack their "puppy." Keep your dogs off my property and off public property and I won't kill your dog.