What is the Impact of Free-ranging Dogs on a Deer Herd?
Filed under: Ask Grant, Deer Biology
Thanks for having a great site for hard core deer managers. I especially enjoyed seeing you and your Dad hunt together! It brought back many fond memories of hunts with my Dad and Grandfather. On the family farm that we hunt, we have a problem with free running pet dogs. How much of an impact do these dogs have on our deer herd? I have seen and heard 2 beagle size dogs run across the 250 acre farm howling all the way. The farm is in southeast Iowa and 50/50 timber and CRP. We planted 40 acres of NWSG 2 years ago for cover and it is 6 feet tall. We also planted 7 acres of alfalfa, 4 acres of clover, and 8 acres of RR soy beans. Attempts to find the owners of these dogs have been futile. Thanks, Mike
Mike,
I really enjoy hunting with my father. In fact, he joined me last weekend to look for sheds! I hope I’m physically able and have the desire to walk that much when I’m 79 years old!
The habitat at your family farm sounds great! It’s sad when a family makes the level of commitment yours obviously has to improve wildlife habitat and then have recreational experiences damaged by free-ranging dogs owned by irresponsible owners. Not only can free-ranging dogs spoil hunting experiences, they harass and kill wildlife!! Sadly enough, such dogs are protected in some states. Where they are not protected, it seems dogs that roam shouldn’t go home.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
