shooting threats to your livelyhood.....

[DarryH]

a few thread down a gent shot a mountain lion with a .22 rimfire.
Who else has had to shoot something they would rather not have???

Here is my experience.
I grew up on a small family farm in Iowa.
We raised hogs and crops.
A disease called "Bloody Scours" hit our area. It mainly attacks hogs.
It causes severe "runs" (trying to be nice here), and the hogs can die from this, especially the young ones.
The vet had a meeting with farmers from the area. He discussed ways to help prevent the disease from spreading. Yes, vaccination does work, but it is also expensive and some folk could not afford it.
The disease can spread from farm to farm in many ways.
Farmers should not walk in another person's hog lot as it can be spread by contaminated foot wear. Animals can spread it also.
At the end of the meeting, several of us agreed to shoot just about anything that might spread the disease. Stray cats and dogs were
the tough call, as farm cats and dogs often traveled up to a mile away. We also included pigeons, crows, sparrows, starlings,
and pretty much any small varmit.
I shot critters every day. I shot a LOT of critters every day.
I spotted two of our neighbor's dogs crossing the fields towards our
building sight. All I had at the time was a Harrington & Richardson (H&R) 649 revolver. It was a .22 rimfire with a six shot cylinder and fixed sights. They were factory sighted at 12 yards!
I really did not want to kill thesedogs, as the neighbors son was
"special", and the thought of hurting him was not fun. These were also good sized farm dogs. Both easily weighed more than 50 pounds.
I decided to empty my gun at them when they were about 50 yards away. I let fly, the dogs jumped around, and boy did they hightail it towards their home!!! I did call the neighbor and teold him what happened. He neededto see if any of my shots connected.
I was glad that for once, I was a bad shot.
At the end of two months, we were the only farm in about a five mile radius that did NOT get the disease. I attribute it to my shooting so many critters that came to our farm.
Guns do have a purpose.

[O.S.O.K.]

Dogs yes. I lived in the country outside the town that we live in right now. People would always drop off their unwanted dogs (and cats) on our gravel road. These would tend to pack up and run cattle and generally cause problems.

There were also dogs that were owned by neighbors and allowed to run. Some of these would get mean and have to be dispatched as well.

Never enjoyed shooting them - they are tough and tenatious. I used an SKS on most. Did the job.

[Kansas Ed]

Unfortunately many states now have made it a felony to shoot stray dogs and cats. MO and KS are included in that list. We did it all the time growing up. Especially the packs of wild dogs that were 3 or more generations wild. I doubt if any of the states have a solution to this problem, just expect people to obey their stupid laws. Dad used to kill any dogs which were running his sheep. Kill first, then call the owners for compensation for livestock killed. But now, it's illegal to do so, so any livestock owners will have to get pictures of dogs in the act I suppose and file criminal complaints and lawsuits to get justice. Meanwhile the dogs continue killing livestock. Back to 3S again, or SBS (shoot, burn, shutup)

Ed

[76/444]

Thankfully, my home state Az. is a Rancher's state,... owners of loose dogs are liable for TRIPLE the damages they cause. Lost a little over $5,000 of my ladies grand champion goats about 15 years, or so, ago. The first attack, couldn't figure who, or where from. Second attack got the pics, and got to the neighbors house before the blood was dry on the dogs. Owner agreed to over $16,000 in payment, over 6 months, without batting an eyelash,... to prevent the dogs from being put down.There are still a few good states in dealing with this type of problem.

[Doc Hudson]

We used to have "Wild Dog Round-Ups" every year or two.

Dog owners would be warned to confine their dogs on a certain date and notice was posted that all loose roaming dogs were subject to being shot on that date.

i really like dogs. I like most dogs better than I do most people, and I really hate to kill dogs. But the packs of feral dogs and just flat out mean dogs would expand to the point that they were dangeerous, not only to livestock and pet dogs, but to people as well. On an average round-up we'd kill 50 or more dogs over a weekend. Once, before I was old enough to take part, over 150 wild dogs were killed in one weekend. It took several years for the population to grow to dangerous levels again.

[Gun Runner]

When I was stationed at a transmitter site in hawaii, we had a pack of wild dogs on the base. A little girl in base housing got attacked and chewed up perty bad. Chief master arms asked me and 2 other guys to come in on the weekend (we lived off base) and take care of the problem. We set up in 3 diffrent spots and kept in coms. with 2way radios. In 2 days 23 dogs got dispatched, there were several packs on the base. The base was located out in the boonies and people would drop the unwanted dogs off. Couple of the dogs had collars and belonged to people on the base. Base C.O. told them if they coundent take care of their dogs at night and they started running with the packs they were fair game.

Gun Runner

[76/444]

Yah, I live on a rural dirt road 25 mile outside of town in the high desert. All the city folk think it is the "wilderness" and drop off their unwanted dogs.

I am at five dogs right now,... and have been up as high as a dozen or so, years ago. I always try and give a dog a chance with a meal rather than a bullet. Some didn't work out, most do.

I agree, I like dogs a whole heck of a lot more than most people. Very honest critters.

[madman4570]

I like dogs a whole heck of a lot more than most people. Very honest critters.

+1

Never had to shoot a Dog! Dont seem to really have that problem here.Thank god(I love Dogs)the only thing I have shot that I really did not want to shoot was a cow my uncle had for butchering.He had wrenched his back a couple days prior and was laid up and asked me to shoot it(with a single shot .22)I was 13 years old.My two girl cousins were like 7-10 years older and knew how to take care of most of the rest but could not shoot it.I remember them leading it up beside the barn,its big eyes friendly looking at me.That was tough. I shot it in the forehead and that did the trick.1 shot.

[O.S.O.K.]

The county where I live sent out letters to all landowners instructing them to shoot feral dogs on sight. Yes, ranch country.

Anybody that prohibits this doesn't know squat about feral dogs and the damage that they do.

[kimwcook]

Feral dogs are a serious problem and should be treated as such. And, I like dogs. Unfortunately they revert fairly quick to what they evolved from.

[Travis Morgan]

Unfortunately many states now have made it a felony to shoot stray dogs and cats. MO and KS are included in that list. We did it all the time growing up. Especially the packs of wild dogs that were 3 or more generations wild. I doubt if any of the states have a solution to this problem, just expect people to obey their stupid laws. Dad used to kill any dogs which were running his sheep. Kill first, then call the owners for compensation for livestock killed. But now, it's illegal to do so, so any livestock owners will have to get pictures of dogs in the act I suppose and file criminal complaints and lawsuits to get justice. Meanwhile the dogs continue killing livestock. Back to 3S again, or SBS (shoot, burn, shutup)

Ed

When did THIS BS law pass? Another thing that city folks voted on, that country folks will have to deal with.

[Hobie]

SSS

[336A]

Quite a few years ago my granfather had a problem with a neighbors german shepard running his sheep. After the first incident he contacted the owner and had some words with him. To ensure that he was abiding with the law he then talked to the local town constable. The constable said that if the dog was causing property damage that he would not get into trouble if he were to dispatch the offending dog. Two days later the german shepard showed up at dinner time and was running the sheep as he did before. Grandpa introduced the german shepard to his 30-40 Krag and that was that no more problems.
I like dogs as much as next person but if one was causing a problem I would have no problems putting it down. I haven't had to do that yet and hope that I never do as most around here are bound to be someones beloved pet.

[Kansas Ed]

When did THIS BS law pass? Another thing that city folks voted on, that country folks will have to deal with.

Not sure Travis, but I had to go to Eldorado last fall for jury selection on a woman who was charged with shooting a dog which was running her livestock. I read later that she was convicted and sentenced with jail time.

Ed

[Travis Morgan]

Where the HELL was the public outcry on this? I need to find out who wrote the bill, who sponsored it, and what butt signed it! I'd be willing to bet Sebelius did it. She's NOT the health and human services secretary we need.
"Welcome to the machine"