Dog Killed

[salmonchaser]

Not one of mine, belonged to one of the other guides on the ranch. Actually occurred the day I got my bull.
The group was a corporate group with a mix of experience. They had divided into two hunting parties, a guide and a couple of dogs apiece. After lunch they swapped guides because my friend was too hard on them regarding safety.
The first two birds elicited warnings about low shots, very windy the birds were staying low. Dog goes on point, bird gets up, client fires from the hip the instant he sees the bird. Hits the dog at about 15 feet, kills her right there.
A whole bunch of things could have changed the outcome but the ultimate fault is still with the guy on the gun.
Please folks, if you get a chance to hunt a guided bird hunt, or over your buddies dog, in addition to fundamental safety, think blue sky or three seconds before you shoot.
Dogs like Guys Clark, Earls dogs, Dan's retriever or Molly & Sugar can easily get their heads over six feet jumping after a bird. Hell Molly routinely jumps over 4 foot fences.
There is an old adage that goes something like: No bird ever bred will account for dog or man shot dead.
Grandpa told me the dog came first for a reason.



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[DrMike]

Wow! Just, "Wow!" I saw the headline, and my heart stopped as I thought you were about to tell us that one of your own was killed. You are correct that the hand on the trigger bears ultimate responsibility. We don't like to deal with the fact that some people holding a rifle or shotgun really have no business handling a firearm. I've had a few people that I've had to rebuke pretty severely because they simply could not grasp the need for safety at all times. Again, how tragic. Condolences to the guide who lost his dog.

 

[Cleveland48]

That’s terrible Salmonchaser. Some folks just don’t take instructions. And why in the world would you shoot at a flushed bird from the hip.


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[Guy Miner]

Clark and I are pretty upset about this! Shouldn't ever happen, and yes the ultimate responsibility is with the fellow pulling the trigger. Dang.

Thanks for sharing the story, it's a mistake that could be made by many who are ignorant of hunting with a dog.

Guy

 

[REDGREEN]

That is very sad. Some people shouldn't have weapons of any kind.

 

[salmonchaser]

Without question, or exception the corporate groups are the greatest challenge. Certainly the boss and several of his VP types are hunters or they would be going skiing or wine tasting, not pheasant hunting. About 90% of these groups are sales guys, they get the trip because they are in the bonus category. Had a guy tell me last year his bonus was 1.5 million. Told me he just barely got to come this year because he didn't improve on last year.
The rookies are under tremendous pressure with most of these groups to perform even though they have, in some cases never fired a gun much less hunted. Hell a couple of times a guy showed up with no boots.
Since the shooting we've been talking to the boss about implementing a few changes. The only one that has been implemented so far is no side bets and no tally on birds killed or missed. Amazing how well that has worked in the three groups since.
I'd like to see everyone with a hunter safety card as well, still under consideration.
For me this was just about the last straw, I'm going to pick and choose which groups I'll guide for. As the outfit has grown I'm having less fun, I don't like that.


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[truck driver]

Very sorry to here about that. I think the shooter would have had his head handed to him if it were my dog.
These corporate hunters give us all a bad name.

 

[bdbrown66]

I believe someone would have had to restrain me from administering a severe thrashing on the idiot who shot my dog. SMH.

 

[mcseal2]

Sorry to hear that. Good dogs seem to have a way of passing on early, poor dogs live forever.

I have been around some hunters that I could see doing that. I feel that a person taking a firearm in hand to pursue any game has a responsibility to be proficient with it before shooting at anything living. I know to many people don't share this idea. They don't hunt with me until they do. I am not guiding so I can be picky.

 

[gbflyer]

That’s brutal. We ran bird hunters for a number of years when I was in high school. Never lost a dog. I got peppered once. It’s no fun.

Sorry to hear. A good working dog is family.

 

[cloverleaf]

Oh that is so sad...such a shame. Why don't people think when they pick up a gun? To many Rambo movies....After my father had drilled firearm safety into me for several years, he sent me to a firearm safety course where the instructor said something like the following: "Your rifle is a lot like a pencil- it can be very useful and do good things, its made of wood and has lead inside- the big difference is- the pencil has an eraser, the rifle does not. You can erase a mistake with a pencil. With a rifle you cannot. The mistake is forever and some one could die..." Dad also told me "My Dad (Grandpa) told me that if he ever caught me pointing my rifle some where it didn't belong he would bend it around a fence post...." Grandpa was a big enough man to do it. So was Dad- the implication was clear.

I would be moved to bend that fellas shot gun around a fence post. "From the hip... What an idiot- what a shame. CL

 

[Polaris]

So sorry to hear about this. Somebody who could hit a dog could hit a person.

I gave up a short and promising career in waterfowl guiding due to this. My dog wasn't shot badly, 2 pellets in the neck scruff. I was tempted to make the guy walk to shore. As it was, I relieved him of his firearm and ended the hunt 30 minutes into shooting time to get my dog to a vet. We had a strict "no water or cripples shots" and no shots during retrieves policy that all hunters were duly informed of and signed paperwork accordingly. Only the guide and/or dog handler was allowed to finish a cripple unless specifically directed. This guy opened up on a strafing goldeneye while my dog was retrieving a bird in the dekes.

He and his party complained to the outfitter and got me summarily fired. Had to pay the vet bill myself and was never paid for the lost day. Good riddance, went back to pipeline work.

As much as I enjoyed guiding, whether in the boundary waters, ice fishing or hunting trips, the 10% that had no business in the field always left such a bad taste it was hard to go back out with the other 90.

 

[salmonchaser]

I hear you brother.


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[35 Whelen]

SC,
This is afear I have to live with everyday during bird season............ The problem is no matter how careful
you try to be it can happen in a split second. Sorry to hear
about your friends dog. Unfortunately you cant just pull down on the guy that did it and give him some of that same medicine! However that thought has crossed my mind................

 

[ozarkpugs]

First off I would beat someone who shot my dog to death with his own gun. Second the blame goes to whoever Made the decision to let someone keep hunting who refused to follow safety rules,they put money ahead of safety

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[noslerpartition]

WHAT A SXXXT!
I have a dog running on driven hunts and small-game hunts.
It MIGHT happen if the dog is invisible on the off-side behind a boar.
But not chasing birds.
I once looked into the barrel of a loaded autoloader-shotgun that someone swung over his shoulder walking ahead of the line and I had some very explicit words for him.

Really sorry to read that someone lost a good dog to some IDIOT

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[SJB358]

Clark and I are pretty upset about this! Shouldn't ever happen, and yes the ultimate responsibility is with the fellow pulling the trigger. Dang.

Thanks for sharing the story, it's a mistake that could be made by many who are ignorant of hunting with a dog.

Guy

Not just hunting with a dog, but just plain old DUMB.. Everyone should have to read the damned safety rules before putting a round in their guns! It is a great reminder, young and old!


Pretty sure he broke every one of the damned safety rules! That sorta stuff makes me angry.

I am sorry for the loss of the dog Don. That is horrible and uncalled for!

 

[DrMike]

When the anti-gunners rave and rage about how dangerous guns are and how owning and shooting rifles and handguns are a compensatory mechanism, such charges are a total fabrication that cannot be applied to sportsmen. Those who frequent this forum, men and women who actually work with firearms and use them in the shooting sports, are conscientious in safe handling of the tools they use. It would be an exception of massive statistical improbability that any advocate of firearms would be guilty of unsafe handling of the tools they use. That is why any of the shooting sports are safer (either on a per capita basis or in overall injuries) than such dangerous pursuits such as football, basketball or swimming. The dangerous individuals are those that appear to assume that acquisition of a firearm makes them competent to safely use that firearm. Among such individuals are those who pick up a firearm in order to fit in with the corporate/social structure to which they aspire or gang members. Such tragedies as that described by the OP serves to emphasise for most of us the need to instruct new shooters both in the joy of the shooting sports and in the safe handling of the tools of the trade. While we grieve for the loss of the guide's dog and the tragic manner in which that loss occurred, we become more determined to ensure that as new shooters are introduced to the sport that we will insist on sound training in safety.

 

[salmonchaser]

Outstanding Dr. Mike.


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[sask boy]

Man that just made my stomach flip so sad my deepest condolences to the guide and all that were involved.
If that ever happened to one of my pups I believe that I would be giving up the sport as they become family!!
Here is a photo from the other day, please forgive the mess as the my grandson who nick name should be tornado had just left.
The pups are enjoying fresh Elk horns that I get given to me by some of my friends that just get rid of the antlers. I cut them up and let the dogs enjoy them.
Again I am so sorry to here of this tragic accident.

Blessings,
Dan