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Thread: Feral Dogs

  1. #1
    Boolit Master ACC's Avatar
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    Feral Dogs

    My wife owns 200 acres south and east of Poth Texas. We have two problems Feral Hogs, and Feral Dogs. Now I have been kicked off one shooting list because of me bringing up this subject, but feral dogs are the real problem because we run some cattle on the place and we have lost one calf to the dogs.

    So here goes. I have a 32/20 Marlin, one of the new 1894's so it can take a little hotter load, so what load with Blue Dot would you recommend with a 98 grain cast boolit?

    I know shooting dogs isn't much fun but I would really like to do a number on the people who dump them out there.

    ACC

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Feral dogs are a reality out in the country because knuckleheads decide to deal with unwanted pets by dumping them further out in the country rather than taking them to the pound. AND in many hunt clubs - you have to tread very softly because it can be a very very emotional topic. It's very much SSS - Shoot, Shovel, Shut Up.... We don't talk about it because people REALLY get wound up as you have found out.....

    Since they are regular dogs "gone wild" - you can often catch/trap the pups (which are still like regular pups) in the spring and take them to the pound for adoption... At that point - they are still regular dogs....

  3. #3
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    Dogs that chase cattle for fun are shot on sight without a qualm. I love my bird dogs dearly but they know dang well to leave the cows alone!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    It is what it is, no reason to be emotional about it. Sorry that I don’t have a suggestion for load data, how close can you get to them?

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    We have a ranch in central Texas. People dump unwanted dogs a couple times per year. My rule is, if a stray dog is going across our place and making time, or has a collar, I leave it alone. If a dog chases our calves or cows, collar or not, they get shot. I use a 223.
    In Texas you have the right to protect your property.
    We have two dogs now that were dumped. One at my feet as I type this, and if they show up at the house, I will feed them once and hope they leave. If they continue to hang around, and are good dogs, we take them to the vet for shots. They can hang around as long as they want.
    But any dog that rounds up or chases my cattle is a short timer.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ACC View Post
    My wife owns 200 acres south and east of Poth Texas. We have two problems Feral Hogs, and Feral Dogs. Now I have been kicked off one shooting list because of me bringing up this subject, but feral dogs are the real problem because we run some cattle on the place and we have lost one calf to the dogs.

    So here goes. I have a 32/20 Marlin, one of the new 1894's so it can take a little hotter load, so what load with Blue Dot would you recommend with a 98 grain cast boolit?

    I know shooting dogs isn't much fun but I would really like to do a number on the people who dump them out there.

    ACC
    See what the gun tells you for how it is. then go from there. Use the data there is and watch for over pressure signs. Also make sure you size your boolit to the gun.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  7. #7
    Boolit Master knifemaker's Avatar
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    When I was still in law enforcement, retired in 2003, there was a U.S. Government code section under the Dept. of Agriculture that stated if a dog came onto your property and harassed any of your livestock, you had the right to shoot the dog and you could not be charged with a criminal offense or be held liable for civil action by the dog owner. Hopefully it is still on the books, but I cannot recall the specific code section.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    Here in Idaho, dogs that chase cattle are shot. Doesn't mater if they're feral or wearing a collar. Lazy cows gain weight ,that's the ranchers income, running cows lose weight. The cattle aren't kept as pets. Gp

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    the law is still on the books. had a neighbor that let her dogs run wild and after catching them attacking my cows had a discussion about the fact that if her dogs ever step foot on my property again they would be shoot on site, she called the cops on me and after the interview the officer told her the same thing, I had every legal right to shoot her dogs if they came on my property and that she should be grateful that I had bothered to tell her first.
    if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    There’s nothing worse that burns my butt than a dumb owner! I had the neighbors dogs corner me and try to bite me while I was turkey hunting on my property and I still didn’t shoot them but let off a warning shot off at a 45° angle. One walked away and the other one kept standing at the ground trying to bite me till It heard my neighbor(it’s master) yell from a half a mile away for him. The dog the. slowly turned around and walked away. I had a conversation with the neighbor minutes later and told him those dogs will never be on my property again. He said he lets them run loose to harass the trout fisherman on his land. They’ve been on my property many times after. I have caught them on my trail cameras chasing deer and turkey and one came running by me with a deer leg in its mouth last while I was small game hunting. I called the cops on him twice and they keep letting him off with a warning. He told the cops that one the dogs is 12 years old and doesn’t listen so the cop let them off with a warning for the second time! He Even told the cop that he calls his dogs back to the house when he sees my truck coming down the road to make sure they’re off my property! If It was me on his property I would’ve gotten a tresspassing fine. I had a pair of new dogs walked by me last Sunday while I was deer hunting that I’ve never seen before either. Both had collars on. I took a nice picture with my cell phone out of my tree stand so that way if I figure out who’s they are I can chew their owners butt. I sure hope they don’t get in my coon and coyote traps this year





    I’m ready to buy a cow and say it got chased... and I’m not kidding.



    Well after reading this I guess I should’ve shot the two that were lunging at me and trying to bite me nonstop for several minutes until the owner called them back while I was on my property turkey hunting. It would’ve been legal and completely justified Because they were trying to do bodily harm according to Wisconsin state law...


    https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/sta...tutes/174/01/1


    Even in one of my post last year I posted a picture of one of these dogs chewing on a deer carcass on my property. One I sent to the cops they did nothing again. From what I understand they have a brother-in-law in the force which is probably him.


    I remember years ago my buddies out in AZ got asked by a farmer to dispatch some dogs. When they got out there there were 2 to 3 bite marks out of their cows that look like a shark bite them. The dogs killed a calf as well. They were 3 Rottweilers with no collars. “Were”!
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 11-17-2019 at 04:15 PM.

  11. #11
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    "So here goes. I have a 32/20 Marlin, one of the new 1894's so it can take a little hotter load, so what load with Blue Dot would you recommend with a 98 grain cast boolit?"

    Yes, the Marlin can take a bit "hotter" load but, unless the cast bullet is GC'd it won't hold up well in the rifle with "hotter' loads using Blue Dot. Unique will prove a better choice with 3.5 - 4 gr for probably 1100 - 1200 fps out of the rifle barrel.

    A GC'd bullet of 100 to 118 gr similar to Lyman's 311316 would be a much better choice for your needs if a cast bullet is used. You can safely push those upwards of 1800+ fps out of your 32-20 and they would be plumb deadly for what you want.

    A jacketed bullet such as the Hornady XTP's might also be considered. They can be safely pushed to 2000 - 2300 fps out of your rifle.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
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  12. #12
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    Better to use an 85gr XTP hp for quicker kills. On the dogs. Use whatever on the pigs. The pigs don't run home and die on the porch. I love dogs but will not allow them to molest livestock.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Texas by God; 11-18-2019 at 12:06 AM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Better to use an 85gr HTP hp for quicker kills. On the dogs. Use whatever on the pigs. The pigs don't run home and die on the porch. I love dogs but will not allow them to molest livestock.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

    I agree with everything you said that’s why I have never shot a dog. I know my buddy in Iowa hunted with a guy who got in trouble years ago. He was on some property he had permission to hunt and there was a dog barking and growling at him while he was bow hunting in his tree stand for a half an hour. He knew it wasn’t the person‘s dog that gave hin permission as they didn’t own any It didn’t have a collar on. Yelled at the dog and told him to get away and the dog wouldn’t leave. He start getting out of his tree stand and the dog bit him in the ankle. He crawled back up in the tree and shot and the dog. It made it all the way home to the front porch with its guts hanging out. Dog lived in a massive vet bill followed for thousands of dollars. He almost went to jail over it but it actually was ruled in his favor. Don’t remember if he had to go to court or was in jail but I know he got in a lot of hot water for protecting himself on his land. I just don’t wanna be that guy when the family dog comes limping back to the porch with it’s guts hanging out and two crying kids that are knee-high witnessing it.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 11-17-2019 at 04:53 PM.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    I love the 32-20 and cast. If I am hunting then a challenge and needing to pass on a shot is ok. In the situation you describe, I would chose a quick expanding bullet for the thin crossection of the problem. When we had issues with packs, my choice was an SKS with cheap wolf hollow points or my groundhog rifle, depending on distance. You want them dropping at the shot, easier and less hassle to convert to fertilizer. SSS
    Reserve the 32-20 for fun, this is business, nasty business at that.
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

  15. #15
    Boolit Master ACC's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the info. Am I still allowed on the list?

    ACC

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Feral dogs would be shot as they are no better than coyotes IMHO.

    Stray dogs get a pass if they are not aggressive. We have bear hunters that run dogs....most are Walkers so easy to identify them as hunting dogs. Dogs that run bears do not chase deer...or the owners get rid of them.
    Don Verna


  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    As usual, Larry is on the money. Here in West Virginia we find that soft lead 50-50 plumber's lead and COWW with 1% tin added work fine in either the .32-20 or .327 Federal with 3.5 grains of Bullseye. A full-charge load approximating .32-20 black powder ballistics.

    The 3.0 grains Bullseye works fine in the .32 H&R Mag. for similar velocities around 900-1000 fps.

    It does also in the .32 S&W Long when seating the Accurate 31-105T bullet out in its rear crimp groove when firing it in stronger post-WW2 Colt and S&W .32 S&W Long and .32 Colt New Police revolvers.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Use enough gun!

    Dogs large enough to do damage to cattle in my neck of the woods are better handled with a cartridge like a 243 or better. A 7.62 x 39 with expanding bullets is adequate as well if you are close enough.

    Several years ago Mastiffs were all the rage. I had two grown ones raising all sorts of damage with my mother cows in a 1300 acre pasture. A 25-06 with 100 gr Nosler Balistic tips were adequate but not decisive as one needed a follow up to put it out of its misery and other traveled about 100 yds before folding up. As I recall I spent parts of a week getting that mess dealt with before fate swung my way.

    I take no pleasure in having to deal with a dog owners sloppiness regardless of whether they dumped the dog(s) out or are just letting them have fun at other’s expense.

    We all are generally dog owners ourselves and they can stray sometimes. We would appreciate our dogs in such an innocent setting being allowed to return safe and sound, no harm no foul. But we are not talking about a dog that just wanders off here. We are talking about dogs left or let free to terrorize people, stock and other pets.

    Any dog owner knowingly pulling such a stunt deserves a lot more than losing their dog. It is a shame that the dog has to pay the price.

    I highly recommend enough gun for obvious reasons.

    Best regards

    Three44s
    Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207

    “There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”

  19. #19
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    At the house grew up in behind the 80 acres was a river on the other bank of the river was a camp ground/ rag park and oddly enough at the end of every summer/early fall there would be stray dogs around, most likely left be campers or maybe it was a local dog dumping site but they were seasonal and you could set your watch by their appearance- about the time we went back to school their would be dogs running deer, running our cattle and even once killing my sisters 4h goat kids. Most didn’t stick around to long and not all of them were mean or chase /kill things- but some turned mean and aggressive very quickly- what works good to kill deer sized game seems to work just fine on large aggressive dogs- 12 gauge slug or buck shot, 30-30-308 - 06 22 mag in a pinch when and if you get treed by a very mean Doberman, and yes shoot shovel and shut up! Head shots strongly recommend.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    Either the Ranier Leadsafe 32 gr HP or the hunter's supply 115 grain lead are my go-to bullets. Larry is spot on- Unique is an awesome powder for this cartridge. IF you have the 1894 classic, it can take hotter loads. My go to is a bit above the top load, but the accuracy and brass show absolutely no signs of pressure. I shoot the same load out of the Buckeye special. Good luck with the dog problem and keep yourself safe by carrying a reliable backup.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check