Thread: Wild dogs - Discussion

Originally Posted by RUMPY

Pretty random stuff there man. Although these dogs were alone and wondering they weren't what you would consider wild... Yet.
Also, do you always fully load your rifle at the start of a hunt? What's your carry status, especially when in a group?

Haha I've had a couple people ask me about loading the rifle in that video, 16 year-old me thought it would be an awesome camera shot to add into the video even though we unloaded it again straight after... Talk about young and dumb When we're walking in a group nobody has one up the spout and usually only the person in front has their gun in their hands not over their shoulder

Originally Posted by I_does_english

I bumped into a group of stray dogs near Onepu hut in Te Urewera a few years back... they ended up bailing a deer right in front of me, it actually ended up being my first ever Red I'd shot haha. Real nice group of dogs, hadn't been in the bush long, probably a week or so as their GPS collars were flat and they weren't too skinny. We'd bumped into a few deer carcasses earlier that trip in the creek which was probably them. They ran away again as we were heading back to the hut to tie them up... We told the chopper pilot on the flight out and he reckoned he knew the owner. I actually recorded that hunt too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lROOqqgruTU

Onepu must be the spot for leaving your dogs. We were based at a biv in the upper Onepu watershed in the eighties. A couple of dogs showed up. No collars but friendly enough. Tied them up and fed them some venison. Waited for a day for owners. Nothing. Had to walk out back to the Waimana and weren't going to let them free and go wild, so I shot them. Was a bloody hard thing to do.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

You tied them up so they couldn't go back to their owners, like they do every other time they chase a pig and don't stop it, then you shot them?
People like you make my blood boil.

Good point 7mmwsm. That didn't occur to me at the time. I had shot a few wild dogs in that area before and that was my focus. The locals had very little control over their dogs and didn't care when they lost one or two. In retrospect I probably wouldn't do the same thing. Sorry my actions 30 years ago made your blood boil...

I've been thinking a bit on the above and where my headspace was with respect to unaccompanied dogs in Te Urewera. An example was in the summer of 1988, which saw me heading up the Te Wehiwehi Stream towards Otane Hut. A couple of guys on horseback with dogs came up behind me so I stopped for a yarn with them. Seemed to be good blokes with interesting stories. The dogs were tearing around close by and next thing I know, one returns with an adult kiwi in its mouth. I was amazed when these guys just joked about it as the dog tore the poor thing apart. I took my leave soon after. If 'controlled' dogs can do this sort of thing, just imagine what happens when they turn wild out of hunger. Thankfully attitudes have now changed and Te Urewera Board now hosts regular Kiwi Aversion Training.

Wild dogs in Te Urewera are an issue that's more widespread than I thought. They were around where I go at Easter. Dead deer in stream with guts ripped open. One of the hunters who stayed in the hut for 2 weeks got bailed up by them and shot one.
Dangerous buggers.

Few years back, staying at Lang Cove, Waipu, mid-winter, cold and raining hard. Driving the Cove road after mid-night and there was a dog in the headlights looking footsore and buggered. Stopped and opened the passenger door, handsome young dog with an electronic collar of some sort, tracker I think. It climbed in and hunkered in the footwell. Took it home and parked it on the back doormat inside with a bowl of water. Friendly as. Told it to stay and it never moved. Checked the collar in the morning, found a number and called it. Guy's missus answered and said he was out pig hunting in the hills. Gave me an address about 20km away. She had no vehicle and he was not due back for a couple of days. So I dropped it off and she just said it would get a hiding when he came home. Never heard any more. certainly no thank you call. Spose it would have found its own way home, if it hadn't got run over. Should have just left it and maybe someone else would have given it a better home.

Why am I not suprised I am hearing stories about the ureweras.

Originally Posted by Jhon

Few years back, staying at Lang Cove, Waipu, mid-winter, cold and raining hard. Driving the Cove road after mid-night and there was a dog in the headlights looking footsore and buggered. Stopped and opened the passenger door, handsome young dog with an electronic collar of some sort, tracker I think. It climbed in and hunkered in the footwell. Took it home and parked it on the back doormat inside with a bowl of water. Friendly as. Told it to stay and it never moved. Checked the collar in the morning, found a number and called it. Guy's missus answered and said he was out pig hunting in the hills. Gave me an address about 20km away. She had no vehicle and he was not due back for a couple of days. So I dropped it off and she just said it would get a hiding when he came home. Never heard any more. certainly no thank you call. Spose it would have found its own way home, if it hadn't got run over. Should have just left it and maybe someone else would have given it a better home.

As an ex pig hunter I do understand how annoying it can be when people pick up your dogs. You can be very close and someone, who means we'll, stops as they're worried about your pig dog. I had one grabbed when I was about to pick it up then had to pay to get it back from the council.
It's a tricky one. Aunty off the old forum has a great yarn of he got his best dog after someone lost it I kaiangaroa. Duse had lost his hole pack in one day. Two killed on edge of farm but a trigger happy and one by the boar they were chasing. Aunty picked this one up cowering in the middle of sh1. He stuck a deal with them to add him to his pack as he was a great dog.
One time my bitch got picked up here on a busy stretch of road(which I was fine with as she'd gone out of range of the GPS). When I managed to figure who had her, the nice lady had been letting her wander around her pet pigs. Thank goodness she seemed to understand that they were off limits. Could have been very stressful as she was a pretty hard dog(luckily bright and friendly).

Why can't I edit. Stupid auto correct left a bunch of spelling and grammar mistakes.

Originally Posted by Cowboy

Why can't I edit. Stupid auto correct left a bunch of spelling and grammar mistakes.

The ability to produce a blank entry screens for editing, is an intermittent, non optional feature of this site.

Used to bump into them quite often around that general area, never shot one but in hindsight I should have as they are easily distinguished from their hunting counterparts. They are nasty bloody things once they are left to their own devices in the bush.

Originally Posted by RUMPY

This statement needs confirming by pig hunters

DEAR ALL PIG HUNTERS

Do any of your dogs show aggression towards humans when out in the bush? I'm not talking about looking after the front yard when at home. Just be nice to hear from actual dog owners about when they would "accept" that their dog was acting outside the general acceptable level towards humans for a public place and being shot was justified by the shooter.
I never want to shoot a dog then encounter the owner a few minutes later. Don't think it would be a handshake and "yeah fair call mate" from the owner

well Mate I hope like heck I never have to shoot Meg.....normally placid but dont really want to find out how she would act around agro stranger,WHY she isnt allowed out of my sight and direct control when out of section....hell I wont even tie her to deer carcass and go and get truck for that reason.

Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper

Reassuring @gonebush.............or it would be if you can reassure us that all pig dogs are correctly and fully trained and not abused.

Can you?

I hope you can reassure me you are a safe driver as your car is a very deadly thing.

There are dead deer in the above named river atm. No good, in fact it’s terrible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

years back a neighbour put up a sign "dogs shot on sight" on his boundary gate......red rag to bull,the amount of hate it caused was unreal...pig guts n skins got carted from all over and dumped at his gate.
if you shot someones dog without VERY good cause,the amount of shit that COULD flow in your direction is ...well think about it for just 2 seconds....gut shot cattle at $100-1500 each...that prised hereford bull down back paddock,or indeed the road front house paddock $20,000 .
water tanks.....silage pits..... yeah nah FAR FAR BETTER to try and resolve things peacefully.
one of the hunting books I have on shelf,chapter from each personality has whole chapter on shooting stray dogs on farm who were worrying stock...its sobering reading.

When teenagers, mates older sisters boyfriend had a German shepherd Troy. Best dog I've known. We'd walk and play/fight play with Troy often. If no one was home, he was on guard and didn't know you. Razor.

Troy got off and killed sheep and mauled others. Farmer shot him. Was very sad and Troys owner would never say much about it. Random tale, but damn he was a good dog