gutshot

I was in your shoes, sort of, one time quite a few years ago. I was hunting alone when I pack of dogs came through. I fired a warning shot in the air that scared them away. Wella few hourd later they came back through and I came face-to-face with the lead dog, he growled and Isent a 30-30 lead head through his chest. To me I'm a human and it was a dog, I'm higher on the food chain. If you had been charged chances are you would've missed with your arrow and had to take your chances that he wouldn't get you by the throat. I always side with caution. I would've taken the shot when he growled.

jimmy the foot

thats a tough one. I've had dogs walk buy me but thank god none have spotted me and carried on like that. if i was in a situation were i thought i was going to get bit I'd probably shoot too.

Lefty26

At 7 yards I would have shot first asked questions later. I had a large dog follow me almost a half mile last year on public land. It was like he was hunting me, he would follow and when I would stop and turn he would try to hide, everytime I turned he had closed some distance. I was small game hunting and had my .22, I just made my way back to my truck keeping an eye on him. Luckily I made it to the truck without confrontation. But if he had growled or ran towards me I would have started shooting in a heartbeat.

Greg / MO

Man, that is a tough one. I absolutely abhor the thought of shooting someone's pet with an arrow (I've seen too many videos and photos on the local news and know what an incredibly bad rep that gives us bowhunters)... but -- what you're talking about is a bit different. I would have probably done the same as you and came to full draw and held off until he charged. I know at seven yards I wouldn't have done much good as far as aiming, but on a collared dog, I'd like to wait until the last instant. If I didn't get a lucky shot in, then I could have used the bow to fend the canine off like Rob said.

fshafly, in no uncertain terms am I calling you out on this one... but... I have NEVER heard of a beagle attacking anyone in my whole life. We raised a bunch of beagles growing up, and never gave any of them distemper shots or anything of the sort... just wasn't necessary. I can't imagine that that beagle would have done anything like thatunless it DID have rabies!! I'm glad your situation sounds like it turned out ok, even though it sounds like you went through a bit of pain... just hard for me to fathom a beagle biting a human.

_Dan

Pretty easy to say things like this while sitting in front of a computer. Apparently you didn't have anything intelligent to say, instead called names. Either contribute intelligently or just shut up.
Now on the topic,if I was in that exact situationI think I would have shot, being at only 7 yards. If the dog had decieded to attack you would have been S.O.L. and fighting for your life.

RTA47

I don`t no ether? I guess it would all depend on thedog? I mean somedogs even though there pets can still be dangerous.
I here all to often ofsome yahoo`spitbull dogs getting out of there pens and attacking folks andhurting them very bad or even killing them! (IMO)I don`t think I would wait around to find out if he was going to chargeme or not?
On the other hand

fshafly2

Well, hard for me to imagine it too, except to say it did happen - my wife can attest to it. The dog did not do all that much damage- just puncture wounds, but it got awfully close to the 'nads...[]
-fsh

saltflat

Do you think shooting it would have maybe ticked him off worse. My grand father said stick your broadhead out and let him bite that. I will not ever hunt that place without my tree stand ever again. I heard his owner in there cattle field not to far but that is besides the point. I also was unsure of the consequenses that may have followed either him coming over and tryin to beat the crap out of me or chasin me with his shot gun HaHa but I was most worried about what could have been done legally to me. I don't wan't to lose my hunting privleges because of a technicality.

BowHuntingFool

I agree with you on this 110%. I also like your grand fathers style! If the dog in "Really" going to go for it and sink his teeth into you, let him do the damage to himself! At least you know you didn't jump the gun on shooting somebody's pet!

davidmil

I never found it necessary to shoot someones dog. I have on the other hand taken out some wild ones that I knew were wild. I view any dog, especially with a collar, as some little girls pet. Or, if you're not a softee, consider it the property owners dog, or his friends dog or something like that. AS long as I have a big foot or am carrying something I can swing(like a deer stand or bow) I let the critter be. As far as barking..... I can out bark any of them and it usually sends them scampering for cover.[8D][8D]