Dogs in Hunting Season

[Justin]

I would just like to get everyones thoughts on this, including hunters and non-hunters, that's why I've put this in the "General Discussion."

How do folks feel about hiking with dogs during hunting season?


Earlier in April '07, My girlfriend and I became the proud owners of a gorgeous female blonde lab that we've named "Jenny."
"Jenny, The pretty blonde," my friends like to call her.

Jenny really enjoys hiking and swimming on the numerous trips I've taken her on thus far this year. But she REALLY IS the same color as a deer, and I'm wondering if other folks have a similar dog, and if it would be wise to take her out hiking during the hunting season.


I pretty much stay out of the High Peaks, and really only hike/bushwhack in the lesser known areas. I only put her on the leash when I thinks it's absolutely necessary. She does listen well now, and comes when she's called, but she does have the tendency to walk more further ahead than I'd prefer. When I call her, she will come back. And if I REALLY need her to stick close, I will make her walk behind me, and she WILL stay there. I don't think I'd take her on bushwhacks during the hunting season. If anything, I'd stay on a state trail.

That being said, How do other people handle their dogs during hunting season, and how do you feel when you come across hunters, and how do hunters feel when they come across someone with one or more dogs?


I personally, have never had an issue while hiking with my father and his dogs, and one of them was a blonde lab. We've always took precautions by putting bright colors on the dogs, along with putting bells on their collars. We have used leashes, and other times have not. We have run into hunters, and never had a problem.

So please, Share your thoughts, but please remeber this is just a question, and I do not want to start a war here. I just want some feedback, so I can make the best decision on when, where, and if I should bring Jenny hiking this hunting season. -- Thanks --- Justin

[Adirondack_hunter]

Know the local laws regarding dog being on leashes. If you allow your dog to run free near a hunter he or she can have you ticketed for harassing. It is very serious business since the hunter has essentially paid for a specific state granted right. Encon officers in some areas get hot over this topic.

I personally hunt an area (as urban as you can get) at times in which there are many dogs. "Everyone" has them leashed and several put blaze orange vests on them.<--- That's what I like!
Some people rely on the food they hunt for.
It's all about respect for the way and the love that once was.

[Riosacandaga]

We hike with our three labs all the time including deer hunting season. They all have a blaze orange vest. We do not put a bell on their collar. If we are in an area that obviously has heavy hunting pressure we go some place else. If we come across an area where a group is putting on a drive then we leash the dogs. Otherwise they run, within reason. Our dogs heel, sit and stay.. BUT they are labs and are gregarious... all it takes is for someone to say hello or make friendly talk and the dogs want to be... social.

[Roland]

Why take a chance and leave a dog unleashed during hunting season? and why bushwack during hunting season BTW? you got almost 10 month of free roaming without worries, grazy people out there , Hunters pay $ 70 for a S sportsman license ( myself included) for a small amout of time to be out there
I would use caution. nothing more annoying then a house pet coming around your tree stand...

[1894]

If you must bring your dog durring hunting season ,an orange vest ( not just a collar ) and a flexi-lead should be in order.
It's a beautifull time of year , enjoy it But bear in mind that there still a few older school folks out there enjoying thier last few times in the woods that were raised on the belief that a dog in the woods is running deer and it's perfectly acceptable to shoot on sight. ( Yes a diferant generation but there are still a few left )
Tough call , I love my dogs very much and they love going to camp
But come Sept 15 they stay at home till spring

Phil

[Gray Ghost]

My dogs stay home during hunting season. Hunters have a legal right to shoot a dog if it is "chasing a deer." An absurd law if I ever heard one. I just like to take the extra precaution. Blaze orange would of course be the way to go if you wanted to venture out.

The other unfortunate thing is that, while the majority of hunters play by the rules, some take brush shots and shoot whatever. Again, this is the exception, but it does occur.

For me, lots of tennis ball throwing in the back yard during hunting season.

[dmartenvt]

I'm more careful with hiking with my dogs in hunting season, they always wear blaze orange turtlenecks (made from the cheap $1 hats, just cut a hole in the top and slip it over the neck) and vests (which they rip off sometimes, hence the turtlenecks). I may try to fashion those cheap hats into vests this year because they stay on better than the vests. The three stooges make a game of ripping each others vests off and tearing them to shreds. Because they are...bad seeds from bad families with terrible breeding.

When you get to know an area, you start to know when there are hunters around and generally where they are, and I will definitely avoid hiking any area with the dogs when I know there are deer hunters around. I wouldn't hike with my dogs anywhere I saw a truck parked at all, or where I'd been hearing shots recently.

And I definitely hike a lot less during deer season in general, we stick closer to the trails around the camp and the adjacent neighbor's lands that are posted. But I still take the same precautions as I've come across bird hunters in the posted lands (the three stooges pretty much ended the bird hunting expedition that day, there wasn't a bird in sight after their foray).

[chaser]

If you stay on the trails during big game season you shouldn't have any problem. Of course as 1894 mentioned about a few old schoolers out there but for the most part most of us hunters have dogs of our own. Granted we pay our license fees and all, but we have no more right to the woods than a hiker during hunting season. And as Rio says, they avoid heavy hunting pressured areas.

[Justin]

Thank you very much for everyones feedback.As I figured, common sense and respect is probably the best way to go

[trouthunter]

Justin, I have similar concerns since I have a Golden Retriever that loves to run unleashed. Hes nearly 80 lbs and very long legged so he resembles a deer. As soon as hunting season starts common sense kicks in. I keep him leashed, and he wears a blaze orange vest . I seek out places where hunting is prohibited so he can still get his unleashed running in. Fern park in Inlet is a good example.Although there is supposed to be no hunting there I keep the vest on him as a added precaution.Another good way for him to get his exercise is to take him swimming at places where hunting is unlikely (boat launches,roadside ponds, etc).
Although you and Jenny have the right to share the woods with hunters during hunting season (leashed of course) keep in mind that Deer can get a whiff of your dog and that can spoil the chances of a sucessful hunt. Hunting season is relatively short and a little respect and common sense goes along way. Another thing to keep in mind is even if you dont see a truck parked along side the road dont assume there are no hunters in the woods. Many times when Im hunting in the daks I walk to the area I hunt from my camp (1-2 miles). A couple times Ive had hikers walk right by me without even knowing Im there. Remember we are hunting so being very stealthy is what we do.
Now lets see a pic of that pretty blond!

[redhawk]

I take my dog (pointer/greyhound) during hunting season if I'm going to be on a trail. He has an electronic collar and if he starts to get too far ahead of me I will "beep" (A tone, not a shock) him and he returns to my side immediately. If he does venture across a deer or other animal that he decides he wants to chase, the beep usually "reminds" him to heel. If not, the shock stops him from chasing. It's strictly for his own protection. He normally does not go too far ahead anyway. His size and coloring makes him impossible to mistake for an animal and he wears a pack with reflective tape on him.

Finally, I do not hike in places that are favorites for hunters and I also have a leash attached to him and tucked into the loop on the pack designed for that purpose.

My blue tick hound I would never take in hunting season, she's a brown black mix and not as well behaved as Nipper.

It's all common sense. If in doubt don't. If you do, take precautions. The last thing a hunter wants to do is shoot someones dog accidentally.

[madison]

I'm going to be staying up in the Daks this winter, beginning early in November, in the Old Forge/ Inlet area. I have a dog who I never hike without if I can avoid it, although we're limited to shorter hikes these days. What areas in this region would be safer during hunting season? What areas should I avoid?

[W Canada Creek 30-30]

Dogs In Hunting Season

Being a retired LEO, I have issues with dogs in the woods during hunting season.

It appears there is going to be a change in Trapping Laws this year concerning conniber traps. If I have read correctly, connibers can no longer be set in cubbie pen sets on the ground for fisher. The reason being a dog lover allowed his/her dog to run off leash during the 2006 hunting/trapping season, and the dog was caught in a fisher set and died. Being a retired LEO I believe there is still a law on the books where it is illegal to allow dogs to run off leash during deer season and on through the winter months. Why do the trappers have to pay the price for this because some person broke the law by allowing his/her dog to run free, when it should have been on a leash.Trappers can no longer make cubbie pen sets on the ground using conniber traps because of this. What about the dog owner? Was he or she arrested for letting the dog run at large during deer season.

Hunters and trappers only have a couple of months to enjoy their sports and its not like an overnight surprise to anyone when the season starts and ends.

I have trapped since I was a kid and never once caught a dog. You read about Busters Law why is it a trapper could face charges for catching someones dog, then why are the owners not arrested under Busters Law for allowing the poor dog to run.

I am an animal lover myself, with three horses, three cats, two dogs and three ferrets. Living and camping in the "DACKS" my animals never run free,why do others not obey the laws also.

[trouthunter]

I'm going to be staying up in the Daks this winter, beginning early in November, in the Old Forge/ Inlet area. I have a dog who I never hike without if I can avoid it, although we're limited to shorter hikes these days. What areas in this region would be safer during hunting season? What areas should I avoid?

Fernpark in Inlet= no hunting, lots of nice trails too. A lot of the Town of Webb property is gated and off limits during hunting season because they lease it too a group of hunters.Some places to do short hikes with little or no hunting are: Moss lake, Cascade Lake,Rondaxe Mtn,Rocky Mtn,trail around Brown Tract ponds and Cathedral pines. Some places that you might want to stay clear of: Moose River Plains,area off of Rt 28 between 7th Lake and Raquette Lake and the Mckeever area these areas see a lot of hunters.Be aware Im just listing these from my own experiences and you may still see hunters in some of them. Stick to the trails and use common sense like leash and blaze orange vest and youll be fine. Id be happy to give you directions, send me a pm.

[Adirondack_hunter]

My dogs stay home during hunting season. Hunters have a legal right to shoot a dog if it is "chasing a deer."

Not any more!! Now if you shoot a dog and fess up to it you are in violation of law. ECOs and other law enforcement are the only ones allowed to do such now.

I have had hunts literally ruined by a dog on several occasions chasing deer and amazing antlered deer at that but never once thought about shooting one. If I was a dog owner again I would be literally heart broken if someone shot my dog that escaped from my control. Accidents happen.

For me, lots of tennis ball throwing in the back yard during hunting season.

Thank you!