Dogging deer under lockdown

I just watched this all unfold. We have a smallish population of wild fallow deer in our local area. I choose not to shoot them as they are nice to have around, and most of our neighbours have the same approach, but clearly not one of them. They live below us so if we choose to, we can see what goes on on their 15ha property. We've just watched them dog a fallow buck (we think the same one we were watching on our place yesterday) out of some trees and across the mudflats in front of their property, then into the sea. The dog then harassed the buck while the neighbour was trudging across the mudflats with a rifle, I assume hoping for a shot.

Thankfully the buck took to the sea and swam a big arc of about 2km and we saw it get back to land safely. All the while the neighbours are clambering along the shoreline with the rifle, I assume still hoping for a shot.

It might also explain the dead deer lying on the mudflats a week ago if their dog had a go at that one too (although not sure about that). I acknowledge that people have the right to safely shoot wild deer on their own property (although probably not under level four) but what we just witnessed was pretty disgusting. Thankfully the buck survived it's ordeal.

Yes thankfully the Buck won the day
Goes to show what braindead morons are out there though they don’t give a rats about cruelty

I dont like the idea of dogging deer either but how is it different to pig hunting with Dogs?

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Originally Posted by Chur Bay

I dont like the idea of dogging deer either but how is it different to pig hunting with Dogs?

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Fair point. Maybe it was the fact that we'd spent 15 minutes the day before watching a buck (possibly the same one) wandering through our bush in peace, to then see this one treated like that.

Was a bit stunned by the header of this post as urban language of dogging....especially so soon after the disappearance of the funnies thread so fresh in our minds.
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However, now I understand your concern. If the neighbours have the same view as yours on live and let live, perhaps a general message from them all? Sadly, some never get the message and hopefully this was just the result of a "stir crazy" from stay at home. Or is that too much to hope for?i

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Originally Posted by A-Bolt

Fair point. Maybe it was the fact that we'd spent 15 minutes the day before watching a buck (possibly the same one) wandering through our bush in peace, to then see this one treated like that.

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Not unusual for different people to have different ideals over deer...more so on a hunting forum.

I’d be pissed off too , chasing deer with dogs is almost pointless & just fucks the area for a week or to , I ran pig dogs for years and found dogs chasing deer a bloody curse ..mostly a young dogs .

I too hate the thought of putting a dog onto a deer like that. Being this time of year @Kiwi Sapper and the fallow croak is basically in full swing, you could be out there "dogging" as much as you'd like.
I was hoping to hear a different ending to the story though, like the buck scrapped the dog and gave it a good dusting up with it set of spectacular paddles.

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Originally Posted by Chur Bay

I dont like the idea of dogging deer either but how is it different to pig hunting with Dogs?

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Its not I guess. It just seems morally worse on deer when you think about it but same diff eh . I guess its because its the most effective method for hunting pigs its become "the norm"

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Originally Posted by Projects

I too hate the thought of putting a dog onto a deer like that. Being this time of year @Kiwi Sapper and the fallow croak is basically in full swing, you could be out there "dogging" as much as you'd like.
I was hoping to hear a different ending to the story though, like the buck scrapped the dog and gave it a good dusting up with it set of spectacular paddles.

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The croaking went quiet about a week ago around here. The buck did stand his ground once he got into deeper water but soon swam for it once he saw the "hunter" coming across the mudflats. And the heads are pretty average around here, I've seen a few and got a lot on game cameras on my farm, but only seen one good (not great) rack.

Nice the buck won out, you and your neighbours might need to visit the asshole and set him straight, remind him if his dog strays it may not return. Nothing worse than dogs chasing deer I think.

In my area the local forest here was relentlessly dogged for several years, deer numbers were slashed and the only sign you would see was close to the native or rough hard to access areas. This happened many years back and numbers have come back which is good.i did go on a few hunts with these guys but soon found out there is no sport in it and all it is is killing, never again.

Pretty common in some areas up north, I see no difference between that and pig hunting. I wouldn't personally do it and I have done a fair bit of pig hunting in the past. I think where people have a problem is that they think of deer as graceful animals and people like having them as opposed to pigs which are seen as a massive menace and not a very graceful creature. Each to their own how they choose to hunt.

In the highlands of Victoria and New South Wales, hunting deer with dogs is normal. It’s a lot more controlled by regulations than our pig hunting. Dogs are not allowed to bite or hold deer, only bail them up. The Aussies are also only allowed to hunt with certain breeds.

I’ve come across dog teams in the Vic High Country a few times. Men, women and kids on horseback, a couple of dogs with high vis vests, big bore single shot rifles etc etc. The people involved are straight up, ordinary folk.

In autumn of 2015 I was stalking a large sambar stag on the edge of the Alpine NP near Benambra - would have been my biggest ever deer by some margin - when two spaniels of some variety came hooning though the bush and wrecked the hunt. Never saw the hunters. Shit happens.

I’ve no idea what the guy chasing deer into the sea is all about, but some strange and highly questionable stuff happens here for sure, especially on the farms with spotlights and .223s... the cockies can get pretty farkin’ ruthless when it comes to deer eating their cattle or sheep feed and wrecking fences in the process.

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper

Was a bit stunned by the header of this post as urban language of dogging....especially so soon after the disappearance of the funnies thread so fresh in our minds.
Attachment 137278

However, now I understand your concern. If the neighbours have the same view as yours on live and let live, perhaps a general message from them all? Sadly, some never get the message and hopefully this was just the result of a "stir crazy" from stay at home. Or is that too much to hope for?i

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Not as bad as the duck shooters and "pegging day"

Hound hunting is only permitted for sambar. It is illegal to hunt fallow, red or other deer with scent trailing hounds

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Originally Posted by Ackley

Hound hunting is only permitted for sambar. It is illegal to hunt fallow, red or other deer with scent trailing hounds

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I don’t know about NSW @Ackely, but that’s not true of Victoria any more for gun & deer dogs. You can hunt all species other than hog deer. They’re quite specific about their breeds eh.

https://www.gma.vic.gov.au/hunting/d...gs-in-victoria

Deer species and hunting areas

Under the previous regulations, gundogs could only be used to hunt Sambar Deer in a particular part of the state. However, the new regulations permit all game deer species, except for Hog Deer, to be hunted with the aid of both gundogs and deer hunting dogs. This applies throughout the state, wherever hunting with dogs is permitted. However, this does not apply to hounds and hounds must only be used in the areas where previously allowed.
The extension of permitted areas for hunting deer with the aid of gundogs and deer hunting dogs reflects the changing distribution of deer in Victoria.