hunter mistakes dogs for coyotes
Hogs
Dogs mistaken for coyotes!
You can see why hunters struggle with their image with non hunting voters. Unfortunately too many are dumb, and trigger happy.
Apparently a crossbow is the weapon of choice for people who have difficulty identifying animals from as far as 30 feet away. Theres no excuse for stupidity that can exonerate idiots that can’t successfully ID man’s best friend! Sad indeed…
His defense should be that the dogs identified as coyotes. Seriously though, people that can't tell the difference between a German shepherd and a coyote has no business shooting at either one.
There was a story the other day where a house cat was shot through the neck. Fortunately, the "arrow" did not hit anything vital and the cat should be ok. The news people said nothing about a crossbow, but it was a crossbow bolt or arrow.
First a Husky, now a German Shepard. What's next?
I followed enough live CT hunt threads to not be surprised.
no worse than hunters mistakenly shooting moose thinking it is an elk. Happens darn near every year.
Just curious wondering if they had collars and before anyone says that shouldn’t matter because everyone should know the difference I agree and I get that.If they did and he skinned them out that would totally compound the problem. Lewis
Actually, there are a lot of reasons why it’s not remotely comparable to mistaking moose for Elk.
But it’s kinda ironic that so many people hear seem so motivated to kill every coyote they see… that mindset would turn a LOT of pets into targets….
Hunters have been shooting the wrong animals since forever. Pretty sad but a reality
"I don't see the problem. "
Then you need your eyes checked, just like the guy who killed the dogs. JMHO
I would be totally shocked if you did see the problem
This is so stupid as to seriously doubt its credibility. You cannot live 61 years in America and not know what a German Shepard looks like. Even if the guy shot these dogs after dark in an equally ignorant display of recklessness, by the time he got them to a point where he could skin them, he'd have ample opportunity to realize they were domestic dogs.
He's either a panty-waisted creep killing dogs or someone trying to black flag hunting.
There are alot of Jackasses walking in the woods. He must be the king. Scary to think of what else he's done or could have done and yes it's another terrible look for all of us.
“by the time he got them to a point where he could skin them, he'd have ample opportunity to realize they were domestic dogs.”
Surprised the collars didn’t slow him down more….
I didn't read they were collared. Wouldn't surprise me if they were.
He's an idiot. Hopefully will get a felony out of the deal. If he did that to my dogs, a felony would be the last of his worries.
As someone that’s called in dogs while hunting coyotes I can tell you that it’s not impossible to make this mistake.
We called Amish dogs while hunting with thermal scopes. Thank goodness my son noticed the collars. We also called in a ranch dog during a day hunt. It ran into the caller just like a coyote. Split second decision not to shoot was prudent.
So yeah, it can happen.
But the skinning and taxidermist thing is over the top. I can’t even comprehend being that stupid.
“They're dogs off their property, on public property….”
Ummmmmm….. No. Local reports have it that the shooter was on private property and may have forged his permission,.
But hey, never let the facts get in the way of a chance to spew your disinformation, right?
I think AZ is the best fisherman on the planet.
Concerning the dogs, no one is that stupid. I truly believe that. I think he’s got additional problems he’s dealing with.
I have to wonder if this guy has ever actually seen /observed a coyote in the woods before. Doubtful...
A guy my dad is acquainted with shot a buzzard out of a tree thinking it was a turkey. Once he got to it he still thought it was a turkey and put his tag on it. The dude met up with his brother to show him his kill and of course the brother made fun of him to no end and told the whole town.
The sad thing is, he may get in more trouble for shooting dogs than if he shot 2 people.
Agree Keith. While it's goofy & wrong to shoot someone's pets, it's also wrong to let emotions over-ride common sense regarding animals. Felony is an extreme over-reach....they are animals. The penalty should be considered in terms of replacement value of the dogs. When we start humanizing pets, we approach a slippery slope as hunters.
I won’t make any excuses for the guy and I feel he was more than a little confused. I also can’t get on the “hope he pays” bandwagon cause there is too much of that already in our nation and at times I think Grace should be used. Sad situation for both parties involved.
What sticksender said^^^^^
"and I feel he was more than a little confused."
If he was confused about identifying his target I have to wonder if coyotes are covered in 'Hunter Education' classes. (They need to be, imo.)
Coyotes have been in New England since the 70's at least, hard to believe anyone can't identify them.
It's gotten too easy for any idiot to get a hunting license in this country. Just like mistaking an Elk for a Deer...happens every gun season here in Wisconsin.
Actually it's gotten harder, new hunters in many states have to take a course in hunting and safety. Still can't fix stupid.
Ten Commandments of Hunting Safety Treat every firearm with the same respect due a loaded firearm. Control the direction of your firearm's muzzle. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions. Unload firearms when not in use. Never point a firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Never climb a fence or tree, or jump a ditch or log, with a loaded firearm. Never shoot a bullet at a flat, hard surface or water. Store firearms and ammunition separately. Avoid alcoholic beverages or other mood-altering drugs before or while shooting.
I think number three covers this. I don't think felony charges are warranted but he should have to, at the minimum, pay for replacement of the animals and take a hunter safety course.
Pat you can tell Amish dogs by the hat and suspenders
Unfortunately the dogs cannot simply be replaced.
Despite the Ten Commandments, far too many hunt while under the influence of mood altering drugs.
A few years ago I was walking out of a public land WMA in Ky after a morning hunt and an older woman was walking her dogs on a gravel access road, which runs through the WMA. BTW the road runs next to a river and provides fishing/hunting access but is reasonably safe for a recreational walker, WMAs are archery only.
She had two dogs, one was a pit bull and the other one was...a coyote! Not really, I don't know what the breed was exactly but this little guy had a coyote face, body and colors. I could obviously tell it wasn't a coyote but the resemblance was uncanny. I stopped and pet both the dogs, they were both wonderful and enthusiastic, and I told the lady that the little one looks so much like a coyote that if she walks them in the WMA without a leash to make sure you put an orange vest or at least an orange collar on both because you never know when some young inexperienced hunter might mistake the little guy.
She got a surprised look on her face and said she lives in the county and sees coyotes regularly and she agreed that her little guy had an uncanny resemblance. One year later I encountered the trio again and both dogs had thick hunter's orange collars on. She thanked me.
I wouldn't walk an unleashed dog anywhere in the country without an orange vest. I don't trust the mental capacity of people anymore.
Owners that dont collar their free running dogs are just as dumb as the guy that shoots them in my opinion. A collar is the FIRST thing i look for when a dog is trespassing on my property. I try to find the owner if possible. I definitely wont shoot a collared dog, but, we had issues in the 90's with multiple packs of feral dogs killing deer and chasing some of the club members on the lease i was on. We all eventually killed off the entire pack. That was before coyotes were much of a problem in the Southeast.
He can’t say it was a little dark in ct the law is no hunting after sun set. You don’t get the last half hour.
“If you're not familiar with yotes or if its brushy those 2 look very yoteish to me. Control your animals on your property and there won't be any issues. Its so simple even a caveman can understand it. The owners are at fault plain and simple. Tuff luck, do better next time.”
If you’re not familiar with coyotes, you probably shouldn’t be thinking about shooting them if you hunt the suburbs where a pet could be found roaming loose at any time.
It would maybe be a little different on a large tract of public land.
“The owners are at fault plain and simple. ” Ahhh, Nope. No Get Out Of Jail Free cards need be issued here. Pull the trigger or drop the string, and you Own the outcome.
Not to mention the fact that the shooter reportedly didn’t seem to bat an eye when the taxidermist pointed out that his “coyote” pelts were anything but.
He probably also failed to comply with CT fur-bearer tagging requirements, though I haven’t reviewed those in a few seasons….
It hasn't gotten harder, shit, ya dony even have to speak English or understand it.
“Split second decision not to shoot was prudent.”
Virtually always is, unless dealing with an imminent threat to life or property.
“He can’t say it was a little dark in ct the law is no hunting after sun set. You don’t get the last half hour.”
You do for coyotes, at least last time I checked the regs.
Watch this turn into a justification for eliminating that last half hour for coyotes and the first half hour for Everything.
We’ve also (reportedly) already had a measure put forward here to replace the “blaze orange/pink” requirement with a mandate for “blaze blue” in the supposed interest of “Fair Chase” because deer can’t see orange or pink (so those colors are too good as “camo”), while “blaze blue” would be highly visible to the animals and therefore more “sporting”.
Never mind the minor detail that there is no such thing a “blaze blue”, so a mandate that it be worn would make it impossible to hunt legally in any small game or big-game firearms season other than waterfowl….
So, yeah, suffice to say that hunting in Connecticut is under attack, and knuckleheads like this guy do not do the rest of us any favors whatsoever.
Pretty much everything you do as a hunter in this state, you have to first ask yourself how it’s going to look on the 11 o’clock news…
Ah yes...crossbow. Very sorry for the owners and loss of their pets
" Control the animals on your property and there will not be any issues ".
I have to wonder if hound hunters control their dogs on their own property ?
Just an FYI, Pet owners do have the right to exercise their animals on public lands, same as hunters with hunting dogs. I do agree, they should have been collared. Remember when the hunter in Wisconsin shot a horse, with the rider actually riding it ?
I am sorry, the shooter is at fault.
What the heck, recently the USA policy has been, shoot and asks questions later. The taxpayers are on the hook for several $400,000 missiles used to shoot down unidentified targets, which may have been kids balloons ? I agree the guy should have identified his target better, but many pet owners are irresponsible as well.
This will be the last town sponsored deer hunt in Richfield, and probably a lot of other towns. Thanks to this knucklehead.!
"They're dogs off their property, on public property, in an area that is huntable and lets face it, they're sketchy feral or yotes. Tough luck. Poor guy needs our support, not condemnation." Pets get loose and you believe the penalty is death? The dogs were not sketchy feral, and don't look like coyotes. You are an idiot, puppy kicking piece of shit.
Stupid is as stupid does.
