What ammo for feral dogs from .357 mag?

[Clipper]

I simply dug a 6X6 behind the barn, and dogs (we had lots of drop-offs and strays, even some dummy's pair of shorthairs attacking one of my goats) harrassing my livestock were simply shot and dumped in, a few shovels of dirt, problem solved. And there was room for lots of dogs (and feral cats, woodchucks, skunks, etc.) in there before a fresh hole was needed...

BTW, I generally used 145gr Winchester silvertip HP's in my blackhawk, but a head shot from my BL-22 with stingers worked fine, too.

 

[jeepmor]

Live trapping a vicious dog . . . then what?

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What does one do with a vicious mongrel once captured? Can't release it, don't want to kill it, give it to a "HUMANE SOCIETY!" I'm sure they'll thank you. cliffy

I'm sure they'll thank you....and kill it for you. but you won't get fined.

 

[MCgunner]

What does one do with a vicious mongrel once captured? Can't release it, don't want to kill it, give it to a "HUMANE SOCIETY!" I'm sure they'll thank you. cliffy

W have lots of Chinese and Vietnamese families living around here. I won't go to dinner with 'em for stir fry. Got a friend who was stationed in Korea that ate dog, though, said it was good.

 

[buck460XVR]

again, I recommend contacting a warden or local animal shelter first. Even if there is no designated animal control officer, whoever has jurisdiction will have a policy....it may very well be that it is S-S-S(as Wisconsin's has been on feral cats for years). Most all state DNR web sites have a link to ask questions.......takes no more effort than posting here. I have used Wisconsin's several times and have gotten accurate and courteous replies generally within 24 hours......no need to give a name, just an e-mail address.

Shooting one or two feral dogs will probably not eliminate your problem. I've had two experiences with feral dogs and both times to took finding the den and the breeding bitches. It took killing these females and all of their pups. It also took waiting by the dens to shoot or trap the remaining dogs that were out hunting. In both cases the number of animals involved was more than ten.

True feral dogs in rural areas are rare. Domestic dogs, unlike cats and hogs, do not readily have the tools to survive in the wild. Like homeless people they generally need dumps/dumpsters or other places to scrounge for food, someplace to steal food from, or handouts from folk who feel sorry for them. In my cases, one food source was a local city dump and the other was a large commercial hog operation that threw dead pigs/piglets in a deep ravine behind the barn. Even those that turn truly wild need some sort of food source during their transition.....and even these are generally second or third generation. True feral dogs generally have a hard time surviving even under the best of conditions.....their coats if long, are dull and matted and if shorthaired, one can count all of their ribs and vertebrae. A dog with a silky long coat or with enough meat on him to cover his bones is more than likely someones pet....running loose. True feral dogs are also not species specific....if you see a Lab, a Setter and a Shorthair running together chasing deer odds are they aren't feral. A good friend of mine works at the local vet clinic and they see an average of 6-10 dogs a year that have been shot with bullets and/or arrows. In most cases the person responsible is caught, and ends up paying for the vet bills, restitution and a hefty fine. Plus they get their name in the paper.

A disturbing trend I have seen here lately at THR is the suggestion of using unethical and/or illegal methods to solve a problem such as this. In a democracy such as we have here in the U.S., the loss of rights and privileges is generally preceded by an abuse of said rights/privileges. This is especially true when it comes to guns....the Brady Bill is a prime example. Funny how some will whine about the potential loss of our second amendment rights, and restrictions in the privilege to hunt, but in the next breath suggest an illegal/unethical abuse of the same said rights. Take the High Road.....make sure of the rules and make positive identification of your quarry.

 

[langenc]

Shoot every now and then just to get the neighbors used to the sound. Then one day it wont be a big deal.

 

[Javelin]

So some SOB drops their animal off in the county b/c they move into an apartment (or whatever reason) and now your going to shoot the dog?

Come on.

 

[Art Eatman]

Javelin, it's not at all uncommon for feral dogs and edge-of-town dogs to form packs and mess with livestock. A buddy of mine near Georgetown lost about fifteen sheep to such dogs. One dog he shot had a nice collar and brass tag with the phone number. "My dog wouldn't do that!" Yeah, well, the dog had blood and wool in its mouth.

We had a dozen-dog pack out here for a while. They got chased off from trying to pull down a colt, and were seen pulling down a buck. One woman had to run for her house to escape--and fortunately, she was close to home.

I grant that "It's not the dog's fault" but that only means the responsibility is on the no-good SOB who threw the dog out to make out the best it could. Back when I was ranching, my livestock was far more important to me than some dog. A calf's a $400 bill, and I don't give those away as quickly as I'll provide a bullet.

That's just reality, is all.

 

[Quoheleth]

When I was a kid (we lived north-east of Georgetown, TX, Art!) we had a pack of feral dogs take down all four of our 200-250 pound calves. That was a lot of $$ down the drain. Three were dead by the time I found them @ 6:20; the fourth was wishing he was dead. Had to put him down with a .22......

Dad called a buddy with the county sherriff's dept. He was told that if dogs were on our property, we could "exercise extreme prejudice" against the pack of dogs. The next four weekends, my best friend & I were dog hunting - me with my .270 Savage and him with his .308 Ruger. I took one at almost 200 yards, as I recall, the week after we lost our calves.

To answer the OP, back then I needed a rifle to reach out & touch those mutts. Given your choices, I would go with the .223 TC and a varmint-type bullet for devistating expansion.

Q

 

[DeadHorrorFan]

You know, I'm probably in the minority here, but WHO CARES if the dog belongs to someone. If it isn't under the owner's control and is causing you a problem by either interfering in your property or even making you uneasy by crossing paths with it, take it out. If the owner isn't responsible enough to control and maintain his animals, then he doesn't deserve to own them. You're the advanced species here. You're in control, not the dog. His owner wants him to "run free"....so set him "free".

 

[Soldiersurfs]

If it isn't under the owner's control and is causing you a problem by either interfering in your property or even making you uneasy by crossing paths with it, take it out. If the owner isn't responsible enough to control and maintain his animals, then he doesn't deserve to own them. You're the advanced species here. You're in control, not the dog. His owner wants him to "run free"....so set him "free".

And what if it accidently got away from the owner and they are a few 100m behind?

 

[MCgunner]

You know, I'm probably in the minority here, but WHO CARES if the dog belongs to someone. If it isn't under the owner's control and is causing you a problem by either interfering in your property or even making you uneasy by crossing paths with it, take it out. If the owner isn't responsible enough to control and maintain his animals, then he doesn't deserve to own them. You're the advanced species here. You're in control, not the dog. His owner wants him to "run free"....so set him "free".

Yes, good point. And, if the owner is 100 yards behind the dog on MY place, he's trespassing, too. He'd better worry about himself, screw the dog.

 

[Soldiersurfs]

Yes, good point. And, if the owner is 100 yards behind the dog on MY place, he's trespassing, too. He'd better worry about himself, screw the dog

So if someone gets a flat near your property and gets out to fix it ...... the family pet gets loose , you feel its justified to fire on them? Well arent you just the poster child for the LEFT

 

[MCgunner]

No, but if he's walkin' around MY place, he's nowhere NEAR a road that a non-4WD or dirt bike could traverse. Hell, most times he'd need waders just to get down there on foot, though it's pretty dry right now. Not to mention he'd need a death wish to walk out in that crap without snake boots what with all the rattlers. I have a cell phone, ya know, and trespass not justifiable in Texas where as killing a dog can be. I have had a kid arrested for night hunting from his jeep on my place before. I got on stand rather early, he got stuck in a mud hole and couldn't go anywhere, I called the game warden. That was satisfying considering I've had hog traps and stands stolen off the place. You CAN use lethal force to protect property in Texas, not that I would do that. But, I am a little fed up with thieves and trespassers down there.

So, if the "left" thinks that trespass and helping yourself to your neighbor's stuff and hunting illegally should not be punishable by jail time, well, okay, I'm a poster child for 'em. I never said I'd shoot anyone that didn't need shootin' (self defense), but I sure as hell carry a cell phone and know how to dial 911. I've done it before and if he didn't before, that 16 year old kid now has a criminal record and I ain't lost any sleep about doing it. Little fart got off with probation. I was hoping for 6 months anyway. The really fun part of the deal, he was in a Jeep Cherokee, was knowing he was coming up on that hole. I saw his headlights go under water. ROFLMAO! The game wardens took his gun and hauled off his vehicle. Not sure what ever happened to 'em, but the motor was no doubt ruined. You ain't gettin' down there in a Toyota Corrolla, I can tell ya that, not even when it's dry! I don't take the wife's car down there, don't wanna replace the exhaust system. Hell, I got my 4x4 Toyota truck stuck down there twice. You think someone is going to be DRIVING down there? There is a road a mile away where I park to ride the dirt bike in or walk. It dead ends at a boat ramp on the bay. Ain't like travelers are driving through there. Most fishermen don't take their dogs on the boat with 'em. There's lots of boat traffic up and down that road, and some oil field trucks, that's about it. It's the very remoteness of the road down there that attracts idiots to dump their unwanted puppies on the place. I've seen ONE dog down there with a collar on it and it was a small dog. I didn't even think about shooting it, not big enough to hurt much bigger than a rabbit. There are some houses a couple miles away. Guess he was lost. If the snakes didn't get him, perhaps a hog might have. LOL

 

[scotjute]

Use whatever is most accurate for your gun. For me its 158grn Soft Points.
I have used .22 mag pistol rounds very effectively on dog size targets.

 

[rugerman]

We had a problem with strays several years ago I asked the local sheriff what to do and he said to shoot them (no neighbors for miles) and if that didn't work soak some sponge in used cooking oil and throw them in the woods (can't digest them & it clogs up their digestive tract) problem solved.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

We had a problem with strays several years ago I asked the local sheriff what to do and he said to shoot them (no neighbors for miles) and if that didn't work soak some sponge in used cooking oil and throw them in the woods (can't digest them & it clogs up their digestive tract) problem solved.

Now see, that's where I'd draw the line. Shooting them is quite humane. Clogging up thier digestive tracts for slow death is highly inhumane and frankly, evil.

If I see no collar ==> Shoot
If I see a collar, first time ==> No Shoot, and ask around farmhouses.
If I see a collar, 2nd, 3rd, 4th time ==> Shoot

I think that's the best way to handle it.