# Dog chasing deer



## SolarAndWood (Apr 1, 2010)

The pit bull my wife brought home over the winter made quick work of the deer working their way up to the garden this evening.  Any downside to this?


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## JustWood (Apr 1, 2010)

No.
It's in their nature to do so.
Discipline as you see fit.
Keep him well fed and he will  have less  desire to follow through and will think of the deer  as a game,.


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## benjamin (Apr 1, 2010)

For the deer or for the garden?  

A pit bull doesn't seem like the kind of dog to take off and run deer like some dogs would.  I bet he'll be good for everything else that likes the garden also.


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 1, 2010)

She hesitated until I told her to go.  Then she worked all 4 of them out pretty efficiently for a concrete block with short legs.  A come after they were out of sight and she came barreling back out of the woods.  May be wishful thinking, but she might be at least part of the answer to the tick bag in the garden problem.


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## dave11 (Apr 1, 2010)

I hesitate to mention this, but I believe most states have laws, believe it or not, against "wildlife harassment." I have heard of people getting cited in many states for allowing their dogs to chase deer. Not saying I agree with those laws, just saying maybe not to advertise it locally. 

I've read some forums where folks trade hints to keep deer off their property, and this has come up fairly often. Folks get a dog to chase off the deer, and some neighbor reports it, and then the game warden drops by.


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## Adios Pantalones (Apr 1, 2010)

It falls under wildlife harassment in most states.


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## JustWood (Apr 1, 2010)

There are also crop damage laws.


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 1, 2010)

Cornell recommends a dog within an invisible fence to protect the garden/landscaping around the house.  Seems there is a reasonable line between protecting your property/crops and letting your dog run deer.


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## StackedLumber (Apr 1, 2010)

ApproximateLEE said:
			
		

> There are also crop dmamge laws.



crop damage laws usually require some sort of lead flying through the air at a high rate of speed, and dinner ending up on my table  

Although here in Michigan you have to have bought crop damage permits from the ag department to claim anything as crop damage.


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## billb3 (Apr 1, 2010)

There can be varying applications of 'crop damage' in different towns/ counties, too.
Might not cover  victory gardens  and even homesteading 'gardens' in some places.


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## kenny chaos (Apr 1, 2010)

My pit loves to track.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 1, 2010)

Any time a dog starts chasing deer there is danger in the dog enjoy this game too much and then it is too bad for the deer. This also can bring on unwanted things which can be bad for the owner and especially for the dog. Many places have unwritten laws amongst the rural folks and it is called the SSS program. Some day you dog might not come back.


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## JustWood (Apr 1, 2010)

StackedLumber said:
			
		

> ApproximateLEE said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



A friend of mine has a very large garden (has 6 kids). He also has a produce stand in front of his house. Last year he planted about 10 acres of punkins and the deer wiped out half his crop along with a bunch of strawberries and some garden stuff. He called the DEC and they gave him damage permits. I think his freezer is full.


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## webie (Apr 1, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Any time a dog starts chasing deer there is danger in the dog enjoy this game too much and then it is too bad for the deer. This also can bring on unwanted things which can be bad for the owner and especially for the dog. Many places have unwritten laws amongst the rural folks and it is called the SSS program. Some day you dog might not come back.



+1 yep the neighbors dog didnt come back.


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## LLigetfa (Apr 1, 2010)

dave11 said:
			
		

> I hesitate to mention this, but I believe most states have laws, believe it or not, against "wildlife harassment." I have heard of people getting cited in many states for allowing their dogs to chase deer. Not saying I agree with those laws, just saying maybe not to advertise it locally.
> 
> I've read some forums where folks trade hints to keep deer off their property, and this has come up fairly often. Folks get a dog to chase off the deer, and some neighbor reports it, and then the game warden drops by.


Ja, The wife was some worried when our dog dragged home a deer carcass one Winter.  Don't know if the dog killed the deer or found it dead but it was one big mess of hair, hide and bones come Spring.


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## Bobbin (Apr 1, 2010)

We live in a deer infested area.  Worse, it's heavily populated and too many people take a dim view of hunting (only bow hunting is allowed in certain areas locally).  Clearly, predation by "natural" causes is slim to none.  We have always had dogs and we're avid gardeners and landscapers.  We've never suffered the ravages so many in our community have and we firmly believe it's because weve always  had dogs and deer instinctively avoid areas where predation is more than likely.  

I do, however, "get" the whole wildlife harrassment thing.  Which is not to say I haven't opened the door and turned the dog(s) loose on the occasional doe and fawn I've caught browsing in the immediate woods.  I hate the damn things, frankly.  Rats with long legs and pretty eyes that make mighty fine eating... .  You have to be really careful with dogs.  It's in their nature to run prey and they're fully capable of bringing down young or infirm deer.  Our dogs have (over the years) brought back pieces of deer in various states of decay, though nothing "fresh".

With a Pit Bull or other more "aggressive" breed, I'd be very, very careful about allowing it to pursue/indulge its more base instincts (pursue and kill).  those tendancies are much "closer to the surface" than they are in say, a Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever.  And I can see how aiding and abetting the dog's natural behavior could prove dangerous in the long run.  So be warned and be very, very careful.  

(owner of a German Shepherd X Bull Mastiff... maybe Great Dane, or Boxer?  but definitely a "go-getter" and fully capable of doing signicant damage to any prey object unfortunate enough to be overtaken)


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## woodsman23 (Apr 1, 2010)

A pit bull should never be off the leash unless in the house period... Thems some carzy dudes... and what they will do next is anyone's guess.


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## Bobbin (Apr 1, 2010)

I don't necesssarily agree withWoodsman23.  I have a friend who's very involved in Pit rescue and we happen to live next door to a Pit Bull who is nearly 90 lbs. of affection.  He's a great dog... a bear trap with legs, but a really great dog.  

It's more complicated than just "on leash" or "in the house".  It's all wrapped up in how a puppy is socialized and how seriously the owner takes obedience training.  The way I see it ANY dog has the "prey instinct" hard-wired in their pea brains.  It's just a question of how much emphasis the prey instinct is allowed... which is where socialization and obedience work come into the picture.


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 1, 2010)

I've always had strong 'aggressive' dogs and use a training collar with a 1/2 mile range.  I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't need to use it with her last night as I don't have a lot of experience with her yet.  After seeing what the deer have done to the blueberry bushes over the winter, she is looking like a good resource.


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## BrotherBart (Apr 2, 2010)

My wife having been attacked down on our driveway by a pack of neighborhood dogs a few years ago, having been chased into my house and the damned monster dog slamming into the door trying to get at me, twice, having been bitten by one of the neighbor's dogs and having had a neighbor's dog try to kill my cat while she was sitting on my lap in a lawn chair I advise all you guys to keep a tight rein on your beloved dogs.

When the one went after the cat sitting on my lap the .44 mag hollow point in a tree five feet from his head changed his mind. The last time the one that bashed the door showed up emptying a clip into the woodpile got the owner yelling for him to come home pretty fast.

All in the middle of five acres of my land. Keep'em at home folks.


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 2, 2010)

I have less patience for out of control dogs than I do wet wood.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 2, 2010)

Don't hunt deer . . . don't mind deer . . . except for the suicidal ones that insist on leaping in front of my vehicle.  

I did have some problems with deer and my garden . . . went to the local hardware store and bought a deer fence . . . it was cheap insurance . . . just string it up every season . . . works like a charm . . . keeps the deer out and my veggies grow without being hassled by the wildlife . . . except when my cat Teddy slips under the fence and proceeds to lay down on the young seedlings.

Dogs . . . don't mind 'em . . . as long as they're other people's dogs and well behaved. My wife however is terrified of large dogs . . . guess that could be due to the fact that she was severely mauled by a German Shepherd when she was a very young kid . . . she always tenses up now when she sees a large dog off a leash.


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## Bobbin (Apr 2, 2010)

Oh Jake, there is very little that sets me off faster than an untrained, out of control dog!  Every time I hear of someone being mauled or bitten the first thing I want to do is dope slap the owner.  That's where the blame lies.  (how about that attack on the kid up your way recently?)

I have a very large dog and when he came home from the shelter Mum was still living with us (she was about the same weight as the dog).  I don't allow jumping, I don't allow incessant intrustions ("looking for attention"), begging for food, etc..  When a command is given it is to be obeyed within 3-5 seconds, if not, it's enforced.   He's a handful, but he listens and wants to do what he's told.  It's been our goal to have him be the sort of ambassador for large dogs that helps people like your wife realize that not all big guys are dangerous.  In fact, you're more likely to be bitten by the little ones; the pictures at a plastic surgeon's office I visited said it all! nearly all bites were delivered by toy breeds that were the family pet! 

I have two customers who've been attacked and are very fearful of dogs in general.   With time and patience one of them has conquered her fear enough to actually meet our dog.  She will even pat him now, but whenever a customer comes here I always have him on a leash.  Mr. Leash is our best friend.  I always ask a new customer if they're afraid of dogs and tell them that there is a big one living here and exactly how he will be handled upon their arrival.  I've never had a new customer "back out" because there was a dog here.


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## JustWood (Apr 2, 2010)

I agree 100% with everything in your post Bobbin.

I've delivered MANY loads of wood to customers in 22 years and it is the ankle humpin' little bastages that will nail ya . EspeciaLEE when you turn your back on them  to walk away.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 2, 2010)

Bobbin said:
			
		

> Oh Jake, there is very little that sets me off faster than an untrained, out of control _*firefighter*_!  Every time I hear of some _*firefighter ruining a chimney or cutting an unneeded hole in a wall*_ the first thing I want to do is dope slap the _*fire chief*_.  That's where the blame lies.  (how about that attack on the poor,_* hapless mobile home *_up your way recently?)
> 
> I have a very large dog and when he came home from the shelter Mum was still living with us (she was about the same weight as the dog).  I don't allow jumping, I don't allow incessant intrustions ("looking for attention"), begging for food, etc..  When a command is given it is to be obeyed within 3-5 seconds, if not, it's enforced.   He's a handful, but he listens and wants to do what he's told.  It's been our goal to have him be the sort of ambassador for large dogs that helps people like your wife realize that not all big guys are dangerous.  In fact, you're more likely to be bitten by the little ones; the pictures at a plastic surgeon's office I visited said it all! nearly all bites were delivered by toy breeds that were the family pet!
> 
> I have two customers who've been attacked and are very fearful of dogs in general.   With time and patience one of them has conquered her fear enough to actually meet our dog.  She will even pat him now, but whenever a customer comes here I always have him on a leash.  Mr. Leash is our best friend.  I always ask a new customer if they're afraid of dogs and tell them that there is a big one living here and exactly how he will be handled upon their arrival.  I've never had a new customer "back out" because there was a dog here.



HehHeh . . . a day late for April Fool's . . . but I fixed your thread.

On a serious note . . . in fairness the owner and the dog were not to blame in the attack against my wife so very long ago. She was just a young tyke and was playing in the sandbox or with some Tonka toys and some other, older children a few houses away were taunting a police officer's K-9 that was on a leash. The kids were aggravating the dog by throwing rocks at it . . . until the dog got off the tether and started chasing them. The kids scattered, but my wife never saw the dog until it was too late . . . the dog was just running and looking for those kids, saw her and assumed she was part of the problem . . . and ended up mauling her badly enough so that she had to go to the hospital.

Today she still has a fear of large dogs, but knows that it wasn't the German shepherd's fault . . . and in fact she is a bit saddened since the dog had to be put down after that . . . even though it was the other kids who had provoked the dog into attacking.


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## Bobbin (Apr 2, 2010)

Good one, lol.  You're forgiven the day late thing... 

If you and the missus ever decide to venture to the banana belt of Maine and by chance drop by, tell her the resident canid will be leashed for proper introductions.  And isn't allowed to be a PITA. 

(I'm a "cat person" and absolutely loathe "in your face" dogs!  My motto is:  I hate dogs.  Rex is at the bottom of the totem pole here; superceded by 3 cats and two humanoids.)


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## Topshelf (Apr 2, 2010)

Any dog I see chasing deer on my property or attacking anything near me wont come home. I will empty a mag into that mutt faster than Clint Eastwood on Punks in San Fran. Anyone incourging their dog to chase deer has to have a screw loose. WHY on earth would you encourage that type of behavior?


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## LLigetfa (Apr 2, 2010)

Topshelf said:
			
		

> WHY on earth would you encourage that type of behavior?


Umm... to keep the deer away.  The damn deer can roam freely on 16 of my 18 acres.  It's when they come into my yard and ruin my shrubs that I put the dog on them.


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## colebrookman (Apr 2, 2010)

Topshelf said:
			
		

> Any dog I see chasing deer on my property or attacking anything near me wont come home. I will empty a mag into that mutt faster than Clint Eastwood on Punks in San Fran. Anyone incourging their dog to chase deer has to have a screw loose. WHY on earth would you encourage that type of behavior?



Yup the 2cent solution works pretty well in our neck of the woods also.  Keep your dog on your property or it will suffer the consequence because of a dumb owner. not fair to the dog but.  Be safe.
Ed


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## JustWood (Apr 3, 2010)

colebrookman said:
			
		

> Topshelf said:
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> 
> 
> ...



Dogs only doin what it knows especially if hungry.
Better shoot owner first!


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## Mesquite (Apr 3, 2010)

[quote author="BrotherBart" date="1270181893"]

When the one went after the cat sitting on my lap the .44 mag hollow point in a tree five feet from his head changed his mind. The last time the one that bashed the door showed up emptying a clip into the woodpile got the owner yelling for him to come home pretty fast.]


Damn, I believe I would either check or change the sights on that pistola.  ;-)  

Down here in the brush country, many miles from town, some folks take to dumping off dogs.  Then they will turn to killing calves, goats, or whatever they can to survive.  Neighbors, though miles away, generally know each others dogs.  So, if one stray shows up, it's gone.  May sound cruel but there is also the threat of rabies spread by coyotes, dogs etc. which occurs all to frequent in this area.  Better safe than sorry.


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## benjamin (Apr 3, 2010)

Topshelf said:
			
		

> Any dog I see chasing deer on my property or attacking anything near me wont come home. I will empty a mag into that mutt faster than Clint Eastwood on Punks in San Fran. Anyone incourging their dog to chase deer has to have a screw loose. WHY on earth would you encourage that type of behavior?



The WI DNR promotes dogs as an effective deterrent to crop damage for orchards, truck farms etc.  A dog that likes to chase inside of an invisible fence is far cheaper and more effective than anything else out there.  Remember, a damage permit still needs somebody pulling the trigger, in daylight also, plus you won't get a damage permit for a couple of chewed bushes and a some sweet corn.  

This really doesn't sound like a dog that is going to get shot for running deer.  All the pits I've ever seen are extremely people oriented. 

Reminds me of a family I did some work for at one time. They had a pug, jack russel, pit and an argentine adoba.  The three year old boy loved to antagonize all of the dogs, the jack russel would bark and nip, the pug would draw blood, the pit loved the attention and the adoba would completely ignore him.  Everytime I knocked on the door when the father wasn't home the adoba had it's nose out the door and would hold it right within an inch of my fly and growl as one of the little girls tried unsuccessfully to pull it back in and invite me in. Um, no thanks.  When the father was around that same dog would rub her cheek against my hip.  I"ll take that dog or Solar's pit any day.   They're just doing their jobs.


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## webie (Apr 3, 2010)

Yea well the WI DNR count a lot of invisible dear too . years ago they had a big hunt going on here for a pack of  dogs that were running dear down in a big swamp not to far from me .  The problem with letting a dog run a dear is at first its a game till they get a taste for the kill then its all over .


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## benjamin (Apr 3, 2010)

I don't know what the DNR's problem with counting is, maybe it has something to do with an unquestioning faith in global warming?  I remember vividly two or three years ago at this time the dozens or even hundreds of dead deer sticking out of the sides of the melting snowbanks on both sides of HWY 173 south of Babcock, sure didn't see that many this year, though they may still be counting them for all I know.

If they do happen to catch one, you could always use the old chicken trick.  Tie it around the dogs neck until it falls off, they'll never look at a chicken again.


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## spot (Apr 5, 2010)

Dogs and deer can be buddies too.

http://www.wimp.com/oneball/


-don't call the cops , because the dogs will just eat their car...

http://www.wimp.com/bulldogcar/

my 2 cents...lol


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 5, 2010)

I have no interest in a member of my family playing ball with a deer.  She is lucky she didn't get a vet bill out of the video opp.


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## JustWood (Apr 5, 2010)

I would have been pissed too. He had donuts in the car and wouldn't share.


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## begreen (Apr 5, 2010)

spot said:
			
		

> Dogs and deer can be buddies too.
> 
> http://www.wimp.com/oneball/
> 
> ...



Great videos! I love that the cats on the porch were watching the whole game between the dog and the deer. Kids just want to have fun!


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## gregp553 (Apr 6, 2010)

My dog is an Australian Sheperd, a herder.  From inside the house, he can sense (hear, smell, see?) the deer in the woods 50 yards away with all the windows closed.  When I open the door he heads straight to them.  But he stops at the invisible fence.  Like all dogs should do.  I'll keep my dog in my yard if everyone else does the same.  The funniest one was when a big deer wanted to come around the canal and cross through my yard.  The dog stood behind the invisible fence barking at him until the deer couldn't take it any more.  The deer charged the dog and the dog ran past me into the garage as fast as he could run.  The deer didn't turn away until he was 10 feet from me standing in the doorway.  I thought he was coming in.


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## Uper (Apr 8, 2010)

I let the cat take care of the issue:


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## ChillyGator (Apr 22, 2010)

Topshelf said:
			
		

> Anyone incourging their dog to chase deer has to have a screw loose. WHY on earth would you encourage that type of behavior?



Not only do we encourage them to chase deer we TRAIN them to.  I've had walker hounds, redbones, blueticks and beagles (3 currently) that KNEW how to track/trail/chase deer while barking to let us know where they were.  In over 35 years of deer hunting I've NEVER had one of our hounds actually CATCH a live deer that had not been shot.

BTW, its a lot harder to kill a deer using dogs than by sitting in a blind/stand.


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 22, 2010)

It didn't take long for the deer to adjust to the dog and just come back later.  I picked up 4000' of wire from TSC to beef up the fence they around the garden as they put a good dent in the new strawberry growth a few days ago.


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