I'm someone who just started bowhunting last year on a 30 ac. plot that I also built my house on and am raising a family on. It's about 22 acres wooded. I have 2 big,outdoor dogs that I refuse to keep locked up for the three month bowhunting season. Of coarse, they love to run all over the place, especially during the cool autumn months. I do kennel them at night, but they get out to relieve themselves and stretch thier legs every morning, essentially pushing most, all the deer off the property. I would like to hear from people in similar situations and know what type of a routine they have thier dogs on, for optimal evening hunting. If my wife's home, they'll be out all day until I get home from work. It screws with my hunting, for sure, but the dogs are family too. Any, suggestions?
There's really not a lot of options here... which is more important, your dogs having an entire 22 acres to stretch their legs or making sure your time in the treestand isnt an act of futility? If you want the best of both worlds... build a fence.
My parents own ten acres. Seven of it is woods, and three of it is mowed yard. They have two big dogs and they are trained/know that the yard is theres and the woods are not. They run loose all day and are in the garage at night. I would suggest just taking the time to teach them some boundaries. My parents three acres is plenty of room to have them stretch there legs. You are in a much nicer situation having thirty acres to enjoy. Good luck!!!
Several years back my neighbor got a lab that he trained daily thru our yards. For the most part though the dog never went more than 50-75 yds into the woods. Its a small patch, long & skinny, maybe 12-15 acres. At first the deer all but disappeared, but after a few months, they ignore the dog and he is well trained and has never chased them. Once I was back in the woods just hanging out seeing if any deer were coming thru before the season. A young buck come strolling past and while there the neighbor shot a dummy near the edge of the woods. The dog came into the woods looking for it, got about 25-30 yds from the buck, they glanced at each other for a moment and then completely ignored each other.
Like has been said, I'd limit the area the dogs could roam, one way or the other. I Love dogs and have 3 , but I would Not let them mess with my bowhunting. That's one variable I could control! Dan
Ditto on the invisible fence idea. The only thing you're doing is hurting yourself...and helping your neighboring land owners when the deer move on to their property.
You might remember that if your dogs run loose it is probably a misconception that your dogs will stay on your 30 acres. There are people that do not like dogs and will shoot them if they are caught off your property. You would not only be doing yourself a favor by containing your dogs in some fashion but would also be protecting them at the same time Dan
If It were me I'd refermend them and make them stay In your yard by the house while your out hunting. If not throw them In the kennel. Pretty simple.
I think deer grow accustom to there surroundings very quickly and your dogs should not have that big of an impact on them. As long as they are kenneled when you are out hunting I would think you would be just fine.
Why would the deer be in your woods at all if they are regularly chased out? Like was posted above, you may be ok with sacrificing your hunting for your dogs, but are your neighbors going to be as forgiving when your dogs are ruining there hunting? I own and live on 40 acres that had some decent hunting in the past. In the last couple years two new neighbors came in with a total of 6 dogs. The hunting quality has dropped dramatically. I have talked with both neighbors on several occasions about this. I am done begging them to keep there dogs away from ruining my investment. They are beginning to disappear.
