Yesterday, July 1, was the first day that hounders in Wisconsin could legally run their dogs off leash to 'train' them for the bear hunting season later this year.
The hounders can and do run their dogs right through wolf denning or so-called rendezvous sites chasing bears - - shooring the bears us still a few months off - - and setting off hound-wolf clashes that will inevitably end with the larger, pack-driven, top-of-the-food chain predatory wolves, in territorial or self-defense, killing some of the hounds, like this Walker hound.
Hounders in Wisconsin, and only in Wisconsin - - even scofflaws or careless repeaters who throw and lose dogs to the wolves - - may claim a $2,500-per hound killed by wolves which hounders could have avoided with a little planning and concern for their dogs.
It's common for hounders to release their dogs in packs of up to six, let them chase bears andir track them from trucks by means of GPS units on the hounds' collars, meaning they may be miles from where theit hounds fatally encounter wolves.
Here's a blog posting with more details, and here's a website posted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which includes an accounting of all the payments made over the years to both hounders and to farmers or ranchers who also can claim payments for wolf depredation losses.
Also a link to information from the advocacy group Wisconsin Wolves of Douglas County.
Bear hunters lost a record 40 dogs to wolves in 2016 and claimed payments approaching $100,000, media reported.
This DNR webpage says the first reimbursement check to a hounder was cut in 1987, and the total to hounders is $702,000.
Dogs were also allowed in Wisconsin's wolf hunt - - another only-in-Wisconsin-distinction - - though wolf hunting in Wisconsin is currently barred by a Federal court.
The hounders can and do run their dogs right through wolf denning or so-called rendezvous sites chasing bears - - shooring the bears us still a few months off - - and setting off hound-wolf clashes that will inevitably end with the larger, pack-driven, top-of-the-food chain predatory wolves, in territorial or self-defense, killing some of the hounds, like this Walker hound.
Hounders in Wisconsin, and only in Wisconsin - - even scofflaws or careless repeaters who throw and lose dogs to the wolves - - may claim a $2,500-per hound killed by wolves which hounders could have avoided with a little planning and concern for their dogs.
It's common for hounders to release their dogs in packs of up to six, let them chase bears andir track them from trucks by means of GPS units on the hounds' collars, meaning they may be miles from where theit hounds fatally encounter wolves.
Here's a blog posting with more details, and here's a website posted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which includes an accounting of all the payments made over the years to both hounders and to farmers or ranchers who also can claim payments for wolf depredation losses.
Also a link to information from the advocacy group Wisconsin Wolves of Douglas County.
Bear hunters lost a record 40 dogs to wolves in 2016 and claimed payments approaching $100,000, media reported.
This DNR webpage says the first reimbursement check to a hounder was cut in 1987, and the total to hounders is $702,000.
Dogs were also allowed in Wisconsin's wolf hunt - - another only-in-Wisconsin-distinction - - though wolf hunting in Wisconsin is currently barred by a Federal court.
I've seen some of these wonderful dogs come into the vet's office with serious injuries and in terrible pain. Many of them have to be euthanized, and one just wishes the poor dogs didn't have to endure such agony getting to the vet's office.
ReplyDeleteThis is a cruel sport. Not exactly sportsmanlike anyway, when dogs are used to hunt bear and wolves. That's my take on it, anyway. I've seen to much of this, and it should be stopped. Why do these hunters do it?
Hunting with dogs is inhumane. They run the bear to complete exhaustion until the bear has no recourse but to climb a tree. If we ran down those hunting dogs with a vehicle to complete exhaustion, you bet we would be charged with animal cruelty! Totally against hunting with dogs
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