What do you do when your neighbor's dogs are allowed to run freely on your property? We have about 65 acres with a cross fence bisecting the property. On one side, we have a donkey and he's done a good job of keeping the dogs out. But the other side is our wildlife side and we don't let the donkey back there due to feeders, etc. There are dog tracks everywhere and while hunting last year we witnessed dogs chasing deer.

Would talking to the dog owners about not letting their dogs range free, posting warning signs detailing what will happen if the dogs are allowed to run unchecked, or would just picking off the dogs with a rifle and hiding the bodies be a better approach. I know it sounds mean and I don't relish shooting dogs...I shot two a long time ago and it made me feel rotten but it had to be done due to new calves on the ground.


Is there an easier way?

Three Ss been working for me. havent seen a dog running deer in almost a month.
guess thats 2 Ss for me.

I'd bet the neighbor doesn't care about his dogs running deer.

Shoot the dogs.

Or the neighbor..J/K..place you comments back in the rear pocket..for those who were offended by the first part about the neighbor, The correct thing to do here is schedule a meeting between you, the dogs, and a third party to discuss everybody's rights here.

Would that third party consist of my little black friend from Austria and his black friend from Cleveland, Ohio?

My first thought is talk to the owner. If he said He couldnt or wouldnt control the dogs then I would exhaust everything I could think of.

My neighbor dogs use to chase my cows and calves. I explained to him that my donkey would kill him if he could. Unfortunately he didn't catch the dog. Eventually the dog came to the house and was agressive toward my family. I gave him a warning shot of rabbit load out of a 410 at 50 yards as I chased him off. He kept it up and I was about to take care of it when the other neighbor shot him square in the middle of the road. I was lucky. I know I would feel terrible if I did it. Meanwhile, I put out my hog trap with dog food in it. If I caught him, he would have gone to the humane society in the next city.

In my opinion:
1. Talk to the neighbor.
2. Try to trap it.
3. Shoot it.

In that order.

I HAVE 3 MUTTS ON 65 ACRES BUT IF THEY RUN DEER THEIR HISTORY. BUT I WOULD STILL LIKE MY NEIGHBOR TO COME SEE ME IF THEY WERE A PROBLEM. FIXING THE PROBLEM TOGETHER MAKES BETTER NEIGHBORS THAN SHOOT FIRST METHOD!

I'll attempt to talk to them first. Our relationship is already strained due to their hot cows mysteriously getting in to be bred by our bull. They, of course, deny it but it's hard to hide when you admittingly don't have a bull of your own and the cow's start calving...what is it immaculate conception or deception?

A side story: I was talking to our neighbor one day by our fence and his pit bull just walked onto our property then ran up to my lab for a confrontation. My neighbor said "looks like your dog is fixin' to get his a$$ kicked." I said, "no he's not", while I motioned towards my Glock G45 on my hip. After all my lab just stood his ground, they sniffed each other's butt, then the pit left.

BTW, I had to put my lab to sleep on January 25 due to complications of old age. He was 14 years old. I'm currently dogless.

It is a long standing idea that around my dads place, when my dog comes down he gets chained up. We know, just like our neighbors know, if a dog is running loose on your property with the cows and calves aorund, he is going to get shot.

Being an old farm boy, there is no breaking an egg sucking dog, and their owners are the same, you just can't shoot the owners.

If you know who owns the dogs, try and talk to them. If that doesnt work, call the Sheriffs Dept. Your county may have a run at large ordinance, pertaining to dog's.

This may apply. S.822.012 State of TX.

(a) The owner, keeper, or person in control of a dog or coyote that the owner, keeper, or person knows is accustomed to run, worry, or kill livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may not permit the dog or coyote to run at large.

(b) A person who violates this section commits an offense. An offense under this subsection is punishable by a fine of not more than $100.

(c) Each time a dog or coyote runs at large in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense.

Few years back we had a husband/wife team at the lease. Last weekend of season she came back to camp and we asked he what she saw and she said just some dogs. Then her stupid [censored] husband said she should have shoot the dogs! Well this got some of us in camp rather rilled up also the land owner. We had NO clue if there are neighbors dogs or what so not one of us liked the thought of explaining how we shoot some kids dog. We are all dogs folks anyway! Well come Sunday morning we hear shoots in the area she was. I got out of my stand an hour later to see if I could lend a hand. Well I see her and he husband back at camp and they see me and start to look like they are doing something. I asked what she shot at and she said missed a deer. Well I recall hearing like 5 shoots. So I get my gear and start to pack to head home. Well I had to go by my stand to get some stuff I left so I drove by the stand she was hunting. As I turn the corner I see blood all over the place. So I get off my ATV and look around. Some 10 yards away I see three dead dogs!! Went back to camp and told land owner and we asked her and she came clean! We all come unglued and we told her she was a class A bitch! Well landowner tell her and her husband they will not be invited back next year! I am was glad to cause I really do not like women at deer camp! No offense to you ladies but I don't!!

I agree completely, and once they tasted blood, you can't stop them. One side note about the Hot Cows being bred, by your bull. Don't be so quick to say their cows came to your bull, most of the time it is the other way around. My son and my dad had a great hunt ruined by dogs last Sat. morning. We are in a Antler restricted county and my dad said they had a really nice buck coming in, when the dogs got after him. That'll tick anybody off, especially when that was probably the best buck in the area and he may not be seen again. Once we get into the season a little more, I'll dispactch of the dogs. I don't think talking to the owner will get me the satisfaction. The dogs took a memory away from my boy and my dad, so I'll take away all their memory. I have read posts in the past about dogs chasing deer and how upset people got about it. This is my first encounter with it and I can see why it gets people so fired up.

Quote:

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Don't be so quick to say their cows came to your bull, most of the time it is the other way around.

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More than once i had angry calls from neighboring ranchers complaining about Ole Waylon going on walk about. He could clear a 5 ft fence no problem.

That's your opinion, TexasHeat, but it's not a cure-all by any means. Since you didn't know who the dogs belonged to, why would it be wrong to dispose of them? Let me say that I do understand your point and respect your opinion, but at the same time wild dogs and yard dogs are very hard to tell apart. How did y'all know?

Some shoot fist and ask questions later. Well IMHO that is not the right thing to do. We have dogs that over run our place and yes it is an issue but when it comes time to deal with it, there are much better ways than blasting Rover. Trapping seems the best option. Dogs have to eat too and if it was not for jack [censored] folks dumping dogs out in the sticks it would not be an issue. I would rather shoot the ones that dumb the animals than the animal itself.

Unless our landowner tells us to not shoot something like a wild dog or cat, we are going to do it. If the landowner in that situation told them not to shoot them, then they were wrong, if nothing was said, I dont see how they did anything wrong. A wild dog is the same as a coyote, and in a pack can be even more dangerous sometimes.

( I use the term wild loosely, it can be a domesticated dog, but out running around with or without other dogs, I consider that wild, as you never know what it will do. )

The rule on our place is shoot any dog that is in the pasture. The owner has expresly told us that we are to,(not allowed to, but supposed to), shoot any dog on sight, weather it is his his son's, or anyones. THey do not belong there, and will just make trouble. I would have no problems with trapping them, but I dont have the time, and animal shelter already put down many animals every day, because there are too many. JMO

matt

Yes, the problem sits squarely on the shoulders of the folks that abandon dogs on the side of some backroad, but lesees pay to hunt an area. If an unwanted predator of any kind interferes with their rights the animal should be taken care of immediately. Whether or not the animal is a pet makes no difference, imo.

On the other hand, as was stated, if the landowner tells you up front, before you lease the property, that you'll have to share your hunting area with predators, then it's your burden.

This topic could go on and on, but what it boils down to is what was agreed upon at the onset. If there was no agreement, if nothing was in writing or otherwise, then it becomes apparent, at least to me, that the problem is solved even before it develops.

No, the bull did not cross the fence. I went out one day and our herd had increased by three large cows. No broken fences and we had to help the neighbors get their cattle out of our place by using our loading facilities. Our bull was content where he was at. He got fed concentrate every other day and had enough cows with varied cycles to keep him busy. I think the neighbors knew he was a registered black angus and wanted a piece of the action.

BTW, I talked with my brother in law who's the primary owner of the acreage today. He informed me that all dogs are to be killed but to make sure I deliver a instant death shot...I guess that would be a head/neck shot. He said he'd be gunning for them too.

I hate shooting dogs. I don't find that the dogs on my place have been dumped or abandoned and I have never seen a country dog that wouldn't run off deer. I have 205 acres that represent a huge investment, or at least it is huge to me. I own it to hunt and fish and to leave the concrete behind. I have no cows and manage strictly for deer and bass. People who let their dogs run know what they are doing. The neighbors who hunt keep their dogs penned or tied. The non hunters don't. They just don't care whether I can enjoy my land. Unfortunately, the dogs pay the price for the rude owners. Almost every dog I see pays the price. If not by me, then by others.

Of course, there is an occasional dog that comes up to me wagging it's tail and showing that it is glad to see me. I just can't do that. They get hauled to the Fort Worth SPCA.

these dogs I have on my place bark at me and snarl as they get closer. they sure run like hell when they see a gun though. I'll get 'em, they won't see the gun or hear the shot. Snipers up.

If they bark or snarlled at me, they'd do it only once.
We all know if the dog in question is ole Luke owned by the neighbors, or some mut not recieving proper care and out for himself. One look at any dog will tell you if anyone cares about it. While the mutt got a bad break in life, it is still more humane to me to kill it instantly than lock it up for a few weeks, only to be killed later.
I was confronted by a pack of dogs on family land in Fairfield years. Upon seeing me, one of them wheeled around and came at me. I raised my rifle and he stopped. I told myself "if he comes any closer, he's dead". He moved...I don't know if it was away or toward me. But he died anyway. And so did two others in the pack, before they reached the treeline. And I'll do it again.
On the other hand, I was down there coyote calling a few years later. I called in the neighbors Blue Heeler. If this dog hadn't come out in the sun, it might have taken a bullet too, but one good look told me NO! This is not acceptable. Someone cares about this dog. And I turned the safety back on.

But definately, If you shoot one, drop it right there. DO NOT let a wounded dog run up on the porch balling. That will definately get the Sheriff out there.

I decided to weigh in here for my first post. I think you should fix your fence and keep the cow seperated and while your doing that shoot the dogs. Someone from your family will be out for a walk sometime and get mauled by those Pit Bulls. You might even be able to sell that hunt here on THF!