Oct-Lull
Well-Known Member
Coming from a non hunting farm family I learned much of what I now know from my own experiences. I am not old or bitter, but I have seen a tremendous amount of change since I was a kid when it comes to whitetail hunting. The popularity and the attention that comes with it as far as I am concerned hasn't made things better. What I am really writing about is a different topic, one I feel strongly about. I don't know exactly what the laws are or what it would take to change them but I am seeing more and more confrontation and articles telling stories about what I consider a big problem. DOGS. Now I am a dog guy, had many over the years, labs mostly and some mutts as a kid. Always loved my dogs. Had one that was shot chasing sheep at a neighbors farm. I was sad but I understood, at 13, my dog Kent (named after Kent Herbek) was gone. I see more and more about dogs being shot, people fighting over them, videos of dogs ruining hunts, chasing deer. I see and hear dog owners complaining about things happening to dogs running on private property. Saying things like, my dogs are my kids, they are family. Now I don't let my kids run free un supervised causing trouble. If I did, I would be held responsible, not to mention I would be constantly worried. So I don't buy that bs. Where does it say you can let your dog run free over the county doing whatever he wants? Or several dogs? Crossing private ground, jumping farm to farm? You cannot always control a dog and I realize that. But once you turn him out you are accepting the possibility of a bad outcome. Now I am not advocating blowing away a pack of dogs on first sight. All the stories I read and hear about are multi offenders. I think unless property damage is in progress a warning and benefit of the doubt is the right course of action. How is it different sending out dogs to push coyotes out of a block of private you don't have permission on, or parking on the road and sending a shed dog onto private? Or even flying a drone over someone land. Even as a kid I understood if my dog ran free there was a chance he wouldn't be home tomorrow. I always keep very close tabs on my dogs at home or in the woods. I do it out of respect for them and others. They are trained to stay home, and are monitored. Out in the woods they stay in sight. "To far" is a command they learn early. I also take a complaint from a neighbor very seriously and correct, apologize and repay any damage asap. Dog owners need to take and be held responsible for the actions the animals take. We are in fact responsible for their health, well being and safety.
