Feral Dogs Killing For Fun in Washington State

[alismith]

I've been treed twice by feral dogs when I was a kid and it's not a good feeling. Every time I go out in the woods, I make sure I'm carrying some sort of firearm, just in case. So far, I haven't seen any.

A while back (in the 60's IIRC), in Sports Afield Magazine, they ran an article about the feral dog problem in SC. I don't think we've had a serious dog problem in MD that I can remember making the news.

Nothing like this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43350744/ns/us_news?gt1=43001

People just don't realize how serious of a threat feral dogs can be when they run in packs.

[O.S.O.K.]

I strongly suggest that you carry a 45 with extra mags. Or even a 44 Mag with extra rounds... dogs are tough to put down.

I know what I'm talking about as I have experience in doing it.

Our county extension agency used to put out flyers instructing ranchers to shoot ferel dogs. They are a real problem in ranch country - they will run cattle and wear them out - causing them to get sick. They can also be dangerous to people as you mention.

[davepool]

About 40 years ago me and some friends drove out to one of the indian reservations near here to go dove hunting. The plan was to get there a few hours before day break and hunt at first light. We got chased by a pack of about 20 feral dogs while scouting around in the dark and just made it into the campershell before they got to us. Unfortunately the shotguns were in the cab and we couldn't get to them. I had an old colt saa with me but i didn't want to start shooting cause we knew there were other hunters around and houses not to far from us

The indians we talked to the next day told us that pack had been roaming the res for about 6 months and had killed some calves and sheep and nobody went out at night without their shotguns.

There were some pretty big dogs in that pack