adams

I was amazed yesterday when I read just how many of us on this board felt it was ok to kill a domestic dog. I have had dogs ruin hunts, had heated arguments with the animals owners and even called animal control to resolve the situation. My efforts payed off this summer when the neighbors (prime offenders) installed an electric dog fence.

Long story short, I got home last night and on the cover of the new paper is a story about a hunter shooting someone pet dog in the owners back yard.
http://www.fosters.com/november_2004...mn_b_1111a.asp
In Maine we were able to defeat a ballot initative to ban bear hunting over bait, with the use of hounds and trapping for bears. We defeated the antis by only a 9% margin. Shooting domestic dogs and like activities fule the anti's movement. Had this occured 2 weeks ago the vote could have turned out much different and the people of Maine and those that hunt bears in Maine might just be playing by a diffrent set of rules next season.
I'm not attempting to preach to you all. I just ask that you think before you act and keep in mind your actions reflect on hunters as a whole.
In Maine it is illegal to kill a domestic animal
It wouldn't be offended one bit if this guy gets caught and has the book thrown at him.

NY Bowhunter

I am amazed myself the last couple days reading the dog threads!![:'(] I guess I was under the wrong assumption that everyone here being hunters would have more compassion and respect for all kinds of animals (wild, domestic, deer, dogs, llamas, kangaroos, rabbits, whatever) Just really can't understand how you can hold your sights on a dog and pull the trigger. Mindboggling to me. Not only am I in disbelief with the # of people that replied that would shoot dogs, but the way that they replied. Some actually sound like they get off on it and don't even give it a second thought. How can you classify yourself as a hunter/outdoorsman with such a reckless attitude towards another animal? Just plain STINKS in my opinion.

BarnesX.308

I agree. There's no reason to kill a dog. Chasing deer? Who cares. Get over it. There's something wrong with killing a dog. Do you then find the owner and let them know or do you leave it rot in the woods? I think people would be worried sick, very upset and looking for their lost dog. And YES - the antis could really use this against us. Most non-hunters don't mind us hunting and even like the fact that we control the deer population. If they find out that hunters shoot dogs, the opinion would certainly change.

trophyhuntr

I think the big differnece here is that there is in my mind a diffence in shooting someones pet that has a collar and got on the neighbors property than some old mangy dog that has been dropped out and just runs around and chases peoples livestock or deer, IMO, call the animal control and see what they say heck you are a tax payer what does your Gov. animal control say, around where i deer hunt they wont even come out there on a stray dog call, so what do you do then

BarnesX.308

How do you make the call on whether it is truly a stray or somebody’s beloved pet? Would you kill a hawk because it was chasing a pheasant? How about a gray wolf chasing a deer? A bear running down a fawn in the Spring? Show some restraint. You don't really have to kill that dog. You're not going to eat it.

bigcountry

Fact about it is, these poeple that would kill a dog for no reason other than it ruined thier hunt, is bad for our sport. Bad for our image.

trophyhuntr

would you shoot a dog if it attacked one of your kids?

registernow

Yup, in terms of the general public, there is no positive "spin" that can be made on the subject of shooting a dog. Even when a dog attacks or bites a person, public attitudes are generally mixed between keeping the dog versus putting it down. So shooting a dog because the dog ruined the hunt or chased a deer (which are both lesser events than the dog attacking) isn't going to help perpetuate hunting. This will only cause folks to post land and revoke permission in order to protect their extended families which includes pets.

BarnesX.308

We're talking about dogs chasing deer - not attacking children. Of course I'm going to put my child's well being before a dog's. However, chasing a deer is not even close to being a good reason to kill a dog.

slugman

Exactly ...som1 shoots my dog & I find out who it was , I'm taking enough bail money with me when I go see them. How could you shoot a dog or any other "pet" and not feel like an animal yourself ?