"Sheep dogs"

fullthrottle

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I was out doing alittle mule deer hunting last week and watched two big white sheep dogs hunt, chase down, and kill a fawn. I was fairly surprised and have never seen this type of behavior from sheep dogs. The next day in the same area I witnessed the same behavior but the fawn got away. If it weren't for the buck that I didn't want to spook, there is a good chance there would have been 2 less dogs around. As if deer especially fawns don't have enough to worry about. Thoughts?
 
Those dogs need to be kept in check a lot better than they are. They are wild. I had 2 of them chase me while I was on my horse. I have no doubt that they would take a deer down.
 
You should've got some photos and turned them over the game & fish folks. I believe in Wyoming the G&F will put down dogs that harass wildlife.
 
Not sure what state this was in, but in Utah it is legal to kill any dog that is harassing wildlife. I have shot a couple dogs while they were chasing deer/elk. Never once had a problem when cops/DNR have been called.
 
Full - I think I was in the same unit as you.... and on Tuesday night, we saw 5 sheep dogs track down and take down a small buck. We got out of the car and got the dogs off the deer, but the damage was done. We called G&F and the officer asked us to put down the deer, which we did.

Was like watching a pack of wolves.... they knew exactly what they were doing.
 
Damnit, that's horrible. What did the G&F have to say about the dogs. Deer already have the odds stacked against them with natural predators, let alone unatuaral ones. I was planning on getting ahold of the G&F on Monday to let know when and where, see what they have to say.
 
That's old news.

Sheep dogs been killing deer, ever since there were sheep dogs.

Once in awhile the sheep herder will kill a lamb for them to eat. And they have some dog food available, but for the most part, sheep dogs eat deer. And whatever else they can catch and kill.

I'm surprised anybody thought differently.
 
Huh, that's too bad. Spent a lot of time out and about and usually try to avoid sheep just cause everything else does. These dogs sure had hunting figured out they would run the deer till it was spent then another one would be there waiting to take it down. Don't you think if this is the case we should do something about it? Or maybe we should just say piss on it, and let this unatuaral, underfed predator wreck havoc on the deer. And we'll keep throwing money and donate time to organizations to improve habitat, control natural predators, build fences, overpasses, ect and continue to watch deer struggle. Sounds about right. Yes I was and am surprised, saw this go on 2 days in a row. I have told and discussed this with many hunters, outdoorsman and they all seem surprised. So to hear you say this has been going on for years like it's no big deal is a joke. Sheep dogs should be there to protect the sheep not to hunt deer. And sheep herders should be there to feed the dogs.
 
I'm not surprised that sheep dogs will go after and kill what they can, I am just surprised at the way they strategically hunted these deer. Felt like I was watching a pack of wolfs.
 
Smitty is spot on. Guy out here a few years back pulled his sheep and left the dogs. They are basically wild even when watching the sheep.
He could not catch them so he left them.

If they are not with sheep, they need to be shot on sight. If they are chasing game you have an obligation to kill them.
 
some of those dogs are trained to barely like humans so they don't get any feed and have to find food on there own.. They can be very agressive
 
I guess it would depend on the temperament of the dog that you bred the sheep to. I am sure if you crossed a lab and a sheep they would not be very aggressive. A pit bull and sheep would be a very mean sheep dog.
 
These MUTTS actually eat their Own animals in the Herd they are watching for Dinner once in a while!

If that's all they were eating it wouldn't be a Bad thing!

When the Herder teaches them not to Kill a Sheep for Dinner they resort to other Meals!

You can Report them but the USFS will do Nothing!

So Once again it's your Duty to Take Care of the Problem!








[font color="red"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5NmLZ39iDg
 
They are often aggressive to people as well and they do eat a lot of deer. I've never seen an under fed great Pyrenees. I saw one two falls ago, long after the sheep were moved off the mountain. He and I saw each other at the same time and as I pulled up to shoot he shifted into some thick stuff very quickly. We don't tolerate dogs roaming our yards and pastures in the valley floor and we don't tolerate them on the mountain. If they are with the sheep, most will leave them well enough alone.
 
>
>Once in awhile the sheep herder
>will kill a lamb for
>them to eat.
>
>I'm surprised anybody thought differently.


??? I've been around a lot of sheep and herders in my life and never once heard of a sheep herder feeding their dogs lamb. Every sheep herder i've ever met will shoot a sheep dog if it's caught eating a sheep even if it died from other causes. Once they have the taste for it they'd kill all the lambs.
 
I heard in Eastern Idaho a few years ago that a Pyrenees sheep dog mated with a wolf and formed a pack. Talk about sleeping with the enemy.

Supposedly the F&G were planning on killing these animals along with the pups. I never heard the outcome but a hybrid wolf/Pyrenees would be scary!
 
Why doesn't someone take this to the mainstream media, the NEWS? Aren't these sheep feeding on public land? If whoever wants to run sheep on public land, the least they should be held accountable to have properly fed their dogs so the dogs don't need to kill public resources to survive.

I get it, no dog food, less to pack and more profit. Times have changed though, maybe the sheepherders out there need to change how they do things as well. Be accountable for you animals or get them off the mountain!

Maybe it's not that easy. What am i missing here?

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
I hate 'em. I get chased every year and I know they'd bite me if they could (when I'm on my quad).

Two of them attacked my brother's truck while we were driving and only one ran off. Not my bro's fault at all. I wish he'd have got them both!

I too have heard that they don't get fed by the herder. The dang things just live off deer and sheep!

Zeke
 
Dang I'm not surprised by this as I've been chased by a few sheep dogs and they often appear to be very aggressive. I would say that if they have a taste for deer and have figured out how to take them down, we need to treat them like any other predator. And by that I mean BOOM.
 

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