Rough news out of Squamish... dog shot.

[walks with deer]

I was only 20 and happy to get away from enforcement innocent or not

[Pemby_mess]

The optics of this are really bad for the image of hunting. Those of you trying to build a case for blaming the dog owner are making it even worse, I'm sorry to say.

the only responsible reaction to this from a hunter's perspective is:

Mistakes happen. What can we all learn as a community to avoid it happening again?

It would be one thing if this was an isolated incident, but it's not by any stretch. There are multiple instances of people's pets being shot in multiuser undeveloped areas close to town, in the Sea to Sky region alone.

The responsibility for what gets shot lies with the guy behind the gun - always. If you need to pass on the shot until you're 100% sure, then that's what needs to happen. If you can't do that, then you own the consequences. If this guy sees a courtroom for this, the judge is going to find fault on a balance of probabilities. With that in mind, considering a forested area in close proximity to a now fairly major CDN city, what was more probable - that the target in the sights was a dog or a wolf? Hindsight is 20/20, of course but foresight is what's required to be seen as practicing good judgement. Obviously poor judgement was exercised in this case.

[ajeatoo]

It would be one thing if this was an isolated incident, but it's not by any stretch. There are multiple instances of people's pets being shot in multiuser undeveloped areas close to town, in the Sea to Sky region alone.

Which instances? I believe the last one was 3 years ago, a black dog up the Ashlu if I remember correctly... I think the one previous to that was another black dog up the Valley, that was 5 years ago. I don't remember reading anything else. Not that those aren't enough - I'm just curious though.

[RiverOtter]

^^^^Your obviously assuming the hunter targeted the dog as a wolf.

What if the dog was the aggressor and the hunter simply reacted and deemed it a wolf based on that?

[Pemby_mess]

Which instances? I believe the last one was 3 years ago, a black dog up the Ashlu if I remember correctly... I think the one previous to that was another black dog up the Valley, that was 5 years ago. I don't remember reading anything else. Not that those aren't enough - I'm just curious though.

There was one several years ago just out of pemberton where a Samoyed was shot in a multiuser area popular with hunters, Mtn bikers, and dog walkers. The undeveloped area abuts residential development. Rumors circulated that the dog was chasing a deer - owner denied that. Either way, the general public was pissed. Rightfully, imho.

[Pemby_mess]

^^^^Your obviously assuming the hunter targeted the dog as a wolf.

What if the dog was the aggressor and the hunter simply reacted and deemed it a wolf based on that?

What if? Again, you've got that balance of probabilities question to deal with. The only thing the public cares about, is there was a guy with a lethal weapon targeting something in a popular multiuser recreational area, and someone's dog got shot. A "therapy dog" at that - really bad optics

[ajeatoo]

There was one several years ago just out of pemberton where a Samoyed was shot in a multiuser area popular with hunters, Mtn bikers, and dog walkers. The undeveloped area abuts residential development. Rumors circulated that the dog was chasing a deer - owner denied that. Either way, the general public was pissed. Rightfully, imho.

That one I had not heard about. Yikes a Samoyed?

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. Probably get people all riled up on a witch hunt and then it will be forgotten about. Seems the way of it. Most of these same people are the ones arguing who has more rights to the trails in our woods: cyclists, walkers or dog walkers cause you know each one is the most important after all.

[RiverOtter]

So now you're saying that you can't defend yourself from an aggressive animal, on the off chance that the animal attacking you might be domestic?

I wasn't there and we've yet to hear the hunters story, but already the dog walkers story has changed.

Letting dogs run free in a high use area is equally irresponsible, especially if you don't even own the dog you cut loose.

[Pemby_mess]

That one I had not heard about. Yikes a Samoyed?

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. Probably get people all riled up on a witch hunt and then it will be forgotten about. Seems the way of it. Most of these same people are the ones arguing who has more rights to the trails in our woods: cyclists, walkers or dog walkers cause you know each one is the most important after all.

Well, I feel all the areas in question should be "rightfully" open to hunters, of course. However, I think it's definitely clear who it is bearing the most responsibility in these cases. Dog owners should definitely be responsible for keeping their pet under control at all times, and ideally make sure they are easily identifiable in all wilderness rec zones. However it's also unreasonable to expect urban pet owners to keep track of hunting seasons and the probability that they're going to run into hunters that may possibly target their dog. At the end of the day, it's the guy who decides to pull the trigger that is responsible for the consequences of that decision - period.

[ajeatoo]

Well, I feel all the areas in question should be "rightfully" open to hunters, of course. However, I think it's definitely clear who it is bearing the most responsibility in these cases. Dog owners should definitely be responsible for keeping their pet under control at all times, and ideally make sure they are easily identifiable in all wilderness rec zones. However it's also unreasonable to expect urban pet owners to keep track of hunting seasons and the probability that they're going to run into hunters that may possibly target their dog. At the end of the day, it's the guy who decides to pull the trigger that is responsible for the consequences of that decision - period.

I agree! I wasn't directing my comment to hunters and their right to use land. I was saying the people who get all riled up on fb posts seem to be the same ones that tend to get riled up about any land use. They all want it for themselves and they seems to have this Me First it's Mine attitude. Everyone gets their panties in a knot and then it just fizzles out. I wasn't making any point towards hunters responsibilities just a general comment on witch hunts.