wannabe_keeper Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 So here's the story... About a month ago when the farmer was cutting hay on my little shoot we were right down the other end of the farm chatting and I spotted a black dog heading out way. I said to him if he knew who it was and he said no. A couple of minutes later a woman appeared and went to walk right past us in the tractor and the farmer asked her what her business was this far off the footpath. There is one footpath on the shoot which runs right along of the boundarys but does not cut through any of the farm. She had walked right across the whole farm off the footpath because she and apparently her dog was scared of the cattle in the field so he had to go another way. Anyway she got quite assy and it ended up in the farmer basically telling her to leave his property immediately because we had pheasants at wood which we did. She told us to **** off and was on her way. We had a laugh and a joke and forgot all about hoping never to see her again. However.... Today I was doing my afternoon feed and walking in a few birds through the pop holes when said dog came running up to me right by the pen and grabbed a pheasant up against the wire. All birds in the pen erupted and I was fuming. Shouted at the dog and luckily it let the bird go which ran off a bit worse for ware. The dog continued to patrol the edge of the pen winding up the birds and unfortunately not getting a zap off the electric fence! I'm there frantically trying to catch the f*#*#ng thing but eventually it ran back to its owner. I looked across to the other side of the field to the footpath and low and behold the aforementioned lady was walking up the footpath happy as larry not bothered a smitten by her dogs antics. It's a large field and the dog had come a fair way to reach the pen. I jumped in the jeep, red faced and pulse racing and flew over to the footpath. In the few seconds it took me to get there I managed to level myself a tad and started off the conversation with: "excuse me, do you mind if we have a chat". I continued to tell her what I had just witnessed and she first responded with how he doesn't take a lead when walking her dog as it is well behaved!! The veins on my neck began to grow bigger and bigger as we exchanged words and she began to take her floral scarf from around her neck to make a makeshift lead with. I said I didn't want to cause an argument or make an enemy but hoped she could see it from my point of view. Well she couldn't! She said how soon all of the world will be like my penned pheasants and unable to roam the countryside freely! She was walking away by this time and I said can you not just stop and have an adult conversation with me? She said no as she had to get back to her dying father. She had no remorse or understanding whatsoever and seemed to think she or her dog had done nothing wrong whatsoever. What infuriates me even more is that I was up the shoot on Saturday putting signs up, which again were very courteous with pleases and thank you's asking people to keep dogs on a lead or at the very least under very close control due to pheasant being released in the area. I took a picture of my signs to show the date of this occurance and also got a picture of the lady to her disgust. I told her if I saw her dog doing the same again I would call the police. Spoke to farmer and he was furious also and said if he sees her again then god help her and the dog! This worries me slightly as he is old shool and I wouldn't put it past him to shoot it - which obviously I don't want it coming to. So my questions are... Did I react in the correct way? And what can I do now?!!?!? I drive home and when I got back I felt like I couldn't remember driving back (do you ever get that!?) as my mind was racing after what happened. I have spent a lot of time, effort and money on my little shoot and its in its first year so I have a lot to prove and feel that after 2 warnings what can I do next if she repeats her antics or worse. Trouble is she knows where the pen is now and clearly doesn't like me. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Leave it to the farmer to sort..it's his land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the pigeon man Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Start putting signs up .. If your dog is seen worrying the birds it will be shot .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Possible other option is take her to pen with dog on lead show her the damage and stress it cuases the birds, explain the damage and disturbance her dog will cuase to wild birds and the work u do to aid wild birds and ammount off feed u put out, even offer to give her a lesson in gettin dog to walk to heel on/off lead. And drop some oven ready birds in as season goes on. Might work? Signs are generally a waste of time, esp if mentioning game birds. Possibly a sign saying wild birds breeding areas, or a warning about ticks/lyme or something like that. Possibly a sign well off footpath saying snares set, but also likely to make folk come on to spite u. I would mibee dump something really stinky where she likes to come off the path (althou a bit of the path so not to affect others sticking on path) so the dog will roll in it, will soon stop coming if dog always ends up stinking Possibly a fox cage trap round the pen? But then u have to deal with a trapped dog, althou u could tell the farmer to phone dog warden when dog trapped so she has to pay to get it back. Pigeon man u would be breaking the law shooting a dog for worrying pheasants (very grey area, possibly classed as livestock while in pen,) but far more hassle than worh and definately a last last resort. Both u and farmer have a lot to loose hay sheds and tyres on pick ups be surprising the damage caused over the ;ose ff a dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulpicide Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Phone the police and ask if they will issue an Asbo as this is anti social behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark g Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 leave some roadkill or dead rabbits etc. just off the path as said if the hound rolls on something stinky and gets in the car or house they will go elsewhere or keep it on a lead, works a treat for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 You'll have to work out what type of person she is! I've got a dragon on my shoot and she relishes having an argument with me so don't approach her anymore! I just make her life difficult by barb wiring every where she wants to go and blocking holes in hedges etc, not much else you can do with old witches I'm afraid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I would also try extending the electric fence. Either put up an additional fence around the pen, a few metres away from the existing fence, or take a few spurs off at 90 degrees from the existing to give the dog a shock as it runs around the pen. Once its had a shock or two it won't be too keen on going back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark g Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I would also try extending the electric fence. Either put up an additional fence around the pen, a few metres away from the existing fence, or take a few spurs off at 90 degrees from the existing to give the dog a shock as it runs around the pen. Once its had a shock or two it won't be too keen on going back why spend money when you can pick up a dead badger off the road, place it and let nature take its course, i dont even speak to the dog walkers anymore, the ones that dont or cant control thier dogs have gone somewhere else, its far less hassle, roadkill badgers are best because nothing drags them away to eat them and they remain stinking for weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Though in this climate if someone finds dead run over badgers on your shoot you are likely to be accused of killing them. In this case tell her there are fox snares about and you would hate her dog to get stuck in one. Then once again point out where the footpath is and let her know there will be a bill if it kills any more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 why spend money when you can pick up a dead badger off the road, place it and let nature take its course, i dont even speak to the dog walkers anymore, the ones that dont or cant control thier dogs have gone somewhere else, its far less hassle, roadkill badgers are best because nothing drags them away to eat them and they remain stinking for weeks Electric fence wire is cheap, you would only need to save a few birds to make in worth while financially Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 The electric fence route is the sensible way forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Shoot the little *****r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 (edited) What does the current electric fence consist of? No dog should be able to nail a bird against the pen fence with out getting a wazz Agree with improving the fence but would also say to borrow another fencer unit and run a second wire on tempory stakes about a meter out, Edited August 21, 2013 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabe_keeper Posted August 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 The pen itself has a double strand of elec fence but if you saw the location of the pen and footpath you would understand that putting another fence anywhere near the footpath is not really viable without annoying every footpath user. Maybe another bit a metre or so out from the existing one would at least help in stopping the dog getting anywhere near to the pen itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 If the pen is that close to the footpath, your birds will get disturbed by every dog that goes past, and any dog off its lead will follow its nose to the pen. How about putting some stock fencing along the route of the path,to keep walkers and their dogs where they should be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Yeah if it's that close stock fence off the path, then zip tie some blinding to the stock fence so the birds don't see the dogs and vice versa The reason I say use another fencer unit is because if the first fence gets grounded by a overly active fat Labrador then at least the second will still work. Have you checked the fence output to ensure it does work all the way around And use some galv elect fence wire to add some 18 inch long spurs at dog height every 3 or 4 meters or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee-kinsman Posted August 30, 2013 Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 (edited) If it's harrassing livestock and is not on a lead as an agent of the land owner you are legally entitled to shoot it. Dogs should be kept on a lead. Edited August 30, 2013 by lee-kinsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Pheasants aren't livestock so you can't shoot the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Pheasants aren't livestock so you can't shoot the dog Pheasants are classed as livestock when they are in a pen, but I still wouldn't shoot the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy bingo Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 catapult, it will soon get the message Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linny Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Though in this climate if someone finds dead run over badgers on your shoot you are likely to be accused of killing them. yep it might make things worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepersboy Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 Shoot the little *****r+1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malantone Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 I think that the snares are the way to go, you could always put out signs saying snares are set in the area. We tell our trespassers that there are people using the wood to stalk deer with high powered rifles but if they stay on the footpaths they will be safe, doesn't work for everyone but the majority stay on the right of way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 Dead stuff is the best, I find they don't like there dogs bringing not very nice rabbits and foxes back to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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