Be careful - and help if you can

[JumpMaster Blaster]

These dogs were not "hunting" only training as TN game law allows. If your dogs would have been on a leash you might have been able to have prevented this unfortunate ordeal. Also having unleashed dogs in a "Game Management Area" is illegal, (the same goes for weapons possession) and just not a good idea. Bear hunting is only allowed in a very small number of counties in TN but many hunters also use NC hunting areas also due to the longer season and larger area in which hunting is allowed. I'm sorry you suffered the ordeal you did but some of the bear hunters aren't the friendliest of folks out in the woods. I was out last week and 2 hunting hounds came through my camp at 2am but quickly moved on after I made a little noise. The next day I was at Jerry's Cabin shelter when 2 unleashed dogs came in ahead of their hiker owners. These dogs were so bothersome that I packed up and moved on to a tent site a mile away. Keep your dogs on a leash and be aware of Bear hunting season dates will prevent most problems.

I am a hunter (but I don't hunt with dogs) AND a responsible dog owner. #1 when I hike and my dog is off leash and I see people or other unleashed dog s coming up, she goes on leash immediately. No question. #2- I will defend my dog and won't hesitate to use ANY force necessary to protect her.
I don't give a rat's as if those dogs were "training", hunting, or just out for a stroll in the woods. They attacked her pets, then attacked HER when she tried to protect them.

It seems like you're giving the irresponsible hunters a pass for having unleashed dogs, but heaven forbid, the VICTIM was actually guilty for not having her dogs leashed? Where is the logic in that? If those hunters were indeed in a "Game Management area" where weapons were prohibited, why were they there (hunting is done with weapons, no?). So it seems to me the HUNTERS were 100% wrong, but somehow we blame it on the hiker??? That's like telling a rape victim...no you know what? Maybe it's better that I DON'T say that.

Guarantee- had that been me once they came up to my camp and couldn't be shooed, everything I had would have been thrown at them. Once MY dog was getting attacked and/or the went after me, six dogs would have been pepper sprayed to say the least. Most likely, there would have been six gunshot wounds.

I don't give a DAMN how "unfriendly" those jackass bear hunters may have been.

[runwyld]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

I can't seem to upload a picture with the editor in this thread, but this is a picture of my two dogs that were attacked. They always come with me on hikes and camping trips if they are allowed. Loki, the smaller dog, is 8 years old, the dog in the front just turned 2 and he was born deaf.

Thank you, Jump Master.

[July]

A good moral to this thread is... when taking dogs into the backcountry, keep your eyes open and as the scouts say 'be prepared'. When walking thru the animal house, expect to meet some animals... Example: stopped at Joyce Kilmer a while back on a road trip back from Atlanta, gonna due a short loop with my blk Lab. Just as I put him back on lease, we rounded corner and happened on an adult blk bear. Had my dog not been leashed, he would have pursued. The bear simply climbed the hill bout 30 yards then stood behind a rhoto and observed us. It all happens in seconds...........

[sliderule]

...the dog in the front just turned 2 and he was born deaf.

I'm not going to pretend that I do not hike with my dogs on leash, but my dogs have flawless voice command control. They are border collies/aussies and are beyond obedient.

That's interesting. Does your deaf dog read lips?

[runwyld]

He wears a remote collar and is trained to come when it vibrates. Works like a charm. I could never hike with him off leash without it. And yes, he comes running EVERY time I "call" him.

[Sarcasm the elf]

That's interesting. Does your deaf dog read lips?

I believe she said "voice command" colloquially to to mean voice command, hand signals and body language. I've seen well trained border collies take commands based in a shift in their handlers feet or a turn of their head, they're amazing animals.

[The Cleaner]

I am a hunter (but I don't hunt with dogs) AND a responsible dog owner. #1 when I hike and my dog is off leash and I see people or other unleashed dog s coming up, she goes on leash immediately. No question. #2- I will defend my dog and won't hesitate to use ANY force necessary to protect her.
I don't give a rat's as if those dogs were "training", hunting, or just out for a stroll in the woods. They attacked her pets, then attacked HER when she tried to protect them.

It seems like you're giving the irresponsible hunters a pass for having unleashed dogs, but heaven forbid, the VICTIM was actually guilty for not having her dogs leashed? Where is the logic in that? If those hunters were indeed in a "Game Management area" where weapons were prohibited, why were they there (hunting is done with weapons, no?). So it seems to me the HUNTERS were 100% wrong, but somehow we blame it on the hiker??? That's like telling a rape victim...no you know what? Maybe it's better that I DON'T say that.

Guarantee- had that been me once they came up to my camp and couldn't be shooed, everything I had would have been thrown at them. Once MY dog was getting attacked and/or the went after me, six dogs would have been pepper sprayed to say the least. Most likely, there would have been six gunshot wounds.

I don't give a DAMN how "unfriendly" those jackass bear hunters may have been.

Since you're in NC the game laws may be different. In TN there is a dog training season and I believe the hunters are not allowed to possess any firearms during this time. Also having any dogs in a "Game Management Area" is prohibited at any time of year unless during big game hunts with licensed hunters tracking their dogs. I'd post the TWRA link but it's a PDF file and I can't seem to repost it. Anyway that's no excuse for what happened and how the hunters involved responded. Since the AT in this area pretty much follows the state line, at one time you could find signage stating that "Possession of guns and dogs is prohibited". One reason for this is that unleashed dogs sometimes harass wildlife and could either be injured or cause harm to wildlife. The TWRA rarely enforce this on the AT, but other areas things might be different. I'm not siding with the owners of these dogs who caused this terrible incident, but there are reasons for these game rules and getting help from local LEOs who must live near the offenders is a long shot. I've had problems from leftover hunting dogs and also had problems from hikers unleashed dogs too.....

[The Cleaner]

This may not help the young hiker and her dogs, but FWIW Google TWRA and all the info on dates of hunts and possession of guns and dogs is all there......

[Tipi Walter]

I don't believe this happened in the GSMNP but instead in the Snowbird backcountry, which is no where near the AT. It's in North Carolina and not subject to TWRA rules.

[July]

I don't believe this happened in the GSMNP but instead in the Snowbird backcountry, which is no where near the AT. It's in North Carolina and not subject to TWRA rules.

Concur. TiPi

[lemon b]

Also TiPi made a good point when mentioning the use of a piece of wood as an old school billy club. when ambushed one has to get inventive and seems like you had no time to plan a counter attack.

[JumpMaster Blaster]

I believe she said "voice command" colloquially to to mean voice command, hand signals and body language. I've seen well trained border collies take commands based in a shift in their handlers feet or a turn of their head, they're amazing animals.

My 8 yr old American Bulldog is trained to "sit", "down", "wait", and "stay" with non-verbal signas. Her hearing is fine. Makes it easier sometimes.

[JohnnySnook]

Not much you can do in certain areas. The hunters may even be game wardens. Dog hunting is generally looked down apron but with wild hogs numbers out of control and black bears in many neighborhoods the odds are slime that dogs hunts will go down. If anything it will only increase.

I do feel for your dogs. I live in a nice neighborhood Miami Florida. Dogs are even an issue here. As a ex-smoker and night owl I've seen it first hand. Many nights ' early mornings when I would be having a smoke a pack of dogs would come thru hunting raccoons, dogs, possums, and mostly cats. They love hunting cats. Many have been killed or attacked in my neighborhood. There is a pack of 4 to 8 dogs depending on the night hunt the streets. Just google "miami shores golf coarse" to see the area. Not a bad place to live minus the wild foxes and dogs.

Some I recognize as solo dogs being walked by their owners during the day. These dogs hunt silently. Once my cat sees them he is gone. I've even chased them with a fishing rod and yelled at them and they don't make a sound. The smaller dogs run close to the houses and larger dogs stay closer to the street waiting for the smaller ones to spook the cats into running for the larger dogs to catch. I've even tried to break up the pack and have hit them with fishing rods but they just keep on moving without a bark. Kind of scary. No fear of me at all.

Now back to the story at hand. Hunters in the south have used dogs for ages. It won't stop. A good friend of mine bought a hunting camp and a ton of land in TN. On a recent hunt the area was over run with hunters and teams of dogs driving deer towards waiting hunters. Many huge bucks were killed this day and the hunting trip was ruined as most deer had been chased miles away.

They went to complain and were told not to by locals. This is a yearly deer hunt and the law enforcement knew of it and were patrolling the other side of the county on this particular day. Filing a complaint would mean the cabin may of been burned down the next time they came back and they wouldn't find many deer on their property in the future.

These things are just a fact of life in the south. Dixie rules apply. Break them and there's a price to be paid.

[Tipi Walter]

Also TiPi made a good point when mentioning the use of a piece of wood as an old school billy club. when ambushed one has to get inventive and seems like you had no time to plan a counter attack.

Most hikers carry hiking poles and the sharp end makes a good weapon against the curs if it comes to that.

[Seatbelt]

Yeah-you're right. The $4 is nothing so people shouldn't b*tch when they have to pay it for a permit.

But, you missed my point-I'd rather pay 4 dollars and not worry about dogs attacking me then to have to pay 600 dollars in vet bills for an injured dog that was attacked by hunters dogs.

Then again-those dogs wouldn't have had a chance as I would have filled them full of lead as soon as the attack commenced.

$600 wouldn't begin to cover your "fine" for killing a hunting dog, at least in some areas. A friend of mine had to pay $10k for shotting/killinging a hunting dog who came on his property and was fighting his dog in his back yard.

[runwyld]

$600 wouldn't begin to cover your "fine" for killing a hunting dog, at least in some areas. A friend of mine had to pay $10k for shotting/killinging a hunting dog who came on his property and was fighting his dog in his back yard.

This is accurate. From what I can find online, hunting dogs involved in a lawful hunt are exempt from aggressive/dangerous dog regulations. While at the time I wish I'd had a pistol or could have found my knife, I am thankful I did not end up seriously harming their dogs.

Seems something should change.

[Tipi Walter]

This is accurate. From what I can find online, hunting dogs involved in a lawful hunt are exempt from aggressive/dangerous dog regulations. While at the time I wish I'd had a pistol or could have found my knife, I am thankful I did not end up seriously harming their dogs.

Seems something should change.

What if these dogs are trespassing on private land as Seatbelt mentioned?? Surely these hunting dogs are not then protected?

[runwyld]

What if these dogs are trespassing on private land as Seatbelt mentioned?? Surely these hunting dogs are not then protected?

It depends. It seems if they are only passing through and not harassing their non-target species, they are protected.

https://www.animallaw.info/statute/n...dangerous-dogs

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks for the link. It's something I need to study.

[burger]

You know, even if it turns out that the hunters didn't break any laws, they could still be liable for damages in a civil case (if you sue them for your losses).