Dispatching Deer on a Driven Day

charlieg43

Well-Known Member
On the 31st December I was lucky enough to be invited on a small high bird day in Dorset by a friend at university. Being the first time I had shot at high birds (I can hardly say I get the chance at home in Suffolk), I began what was to be by and large a successful day after shooting some of the best birds I had been presented with.

However, around half way through the day I heard what only could be described as screams coming from further behind as where the beaters were pushing through a piece of woodland. It turned out to be a young roe doe, which had been cornered and injured by one of the dogs working that day. The deer was pursued by the dog literally across the guns, despite some of our best efforts to stop what was going on. As the drive ended, myself and a few of the guns went to the last place we saw the two disappearing to. We found the dog, who had been caught by a gun and the deer was around 40 yards into a thick piece of brush, obvious seriously wounded and in shock.

After consulting the host, I said that I would go and dispatch the deer, as many of the guns stood about rather aimlessly while the injured animal continued to suffer. It was not something I particularly want to do again, but a single close shot killed it instantly.

I was just wondering if any other users had been involved in, or witnessed a similar thing happen on a driven shoot? I certainly never imagined it happening, but I knew we were in an area heavily populated in deer. I was equally amazed that there was little control of the dog by the person concerned.
 
Having spent many years working with dogs, I have indeed witnessed a dog do something it should not have.
I do not think the incident you have described is unheard of.

What concerns me is that you found the offending dog which had "been caught by a gun" Do you mean shot.
 
Caught by a gun, meaning one of the guns shooting, managed to get a hold of the dog by the collar.

Sorry, perhaps a poor choice of words.
 
Me too Charles i knew what you meant ,I have witnessed munty fawns being snaffled up by a beaters dog but never anything bigger well done for ending the suffering chap
doug
 
No action taken against the owner of the dog? The dog should have been literally caught by a gun and the owner paying for the deer and have to keep the dog on a leash if it wasn't shot to begin with.... Not much fixing after they get the taste of blood.....
 
... dog on a leash if it wasn't shot to begin with...

That would be illegal under the laws of this fair land.

I've twice now seen deer killed by dogs. The first dog was a very well trained, obedient, field trial dog with wins under her collar.

A dog covering ground, the sound of the shots, the noise of the birds can get the dogs all very excited. A bolting deer would be so alluring that if the dog started to chase that the animals instincts can very easily kick out training and turn the dog deaf! These things happen, even the best dogs can act out of character occasionally.

What breed was it anyway?
 
Dogs will be dogs and beating dogs are supposed to chase things to make them take flight, so it's easy to make such a mistake . A roe in good health would normally easily out run the usual spaniel or Labrador beating dog and any I've seen have always made a clean getaway, but obviously they can be cornered.

I'm sure I read somewhere of a deer that was flushed and had an arrow sticking out of it. The keeper shouted to the guns to shoot it, to some consternation initially but eventually someone got the idea and brought it down.
 
a lot of dogs may never have come across a deer until it pops up under their nose disorientated in a drive it maybe a young inexperienced dog too , i have seen dogs of all shapes sizes and breeds come unstuck when something like that happens
as the lad replied when asked how to stop his spaniel chasing hares 'shoot the abcxyz hare of course'
 
That would be illegal under the laws of this fair land.

I've twice now seen deer killed by dogs. The first dog was a very well trained, obedient, field trial dog with wins under her collar.

A dog covering ground, the sound of the shots, the noise of the birds can get the dogs all very excited. A bolting deer would be so alluring that if the dog started to chase that the animals instincts can very easily kick out training and turn the dog deaf! These things happen, even the best dogs can act out of character occasionally.

What breed was it anyway?

It was prolly a Lab...... I could see that happening with them... Can't chew chewing gum and walk at the same time so I guess it'd be pretty easy for them to have a common sense breakdown....:rolleyes:

Just kidding..... Regardless of the wins, if a dog only obeys when it wants to, it's not safe to have around a situation where it has to think about more than just trotting along at the end of a leash and gettin scratched on the ear....
 
Breed of dog was a black lab, unfortunately it belonged to the hosts brother-in-law, so chewing up the owner in question was a bit of a tricky task!! The dog was around 7, and frankly I was a little surprised it kept up with the young doe
 
Breed of dog was a black lab, unfortunately it belonged to the hosts brother-in-law, so chewing up the owner in question was a bit of a tricky task!! The dog was around 7, and frankly I was a little surprised it kept up with the young doe

How'd I know?????? :rofl:
 
It was prolly a Lab...... I could see that happening with them... Can't chew chewing gum and walk at the same time so I guess it'd be pretty easy for them to have a common sense breakdown....:rolleyes:

Just kidding..... Regardless of the wins, if a dog only obeys when it wants to, it's not safe to have around a situation where it has to think about more than just trotting along at the end of a leash and gettin scratched on the ear....

Hello Daven,
your knowledge of gundogs clearly knows no bounds and regarding a common sense breakdown, I would suggest there would be very few gundogs around, of any breed, if only dogs which obeyed 100% of the time were allowed in the field............accidents will always happen.
 
I also know of this happening once, no great fuss was made. The chap (and his dog) still both welcome on the shoot where it occurred.

If it was a fox then you'd be singing its praises right now............
 
Breed of dog was a black lab, unfortunately it belonged to the hosts brother-in-law, so chewing up the owner in question was a bit of a tricky task!! The dog was around 7, and frankly I was a little surprised it kept up with the young doe

The two I've seen do it were both black labs...
How'd I know?????? :rofl:

Pretty easy, it was a driven shoot so chances are that 95% of the dogs there were either cockers, springers or labs. Cockers are a bit to little to be killing deer quickly, springers a little more likely but still not so leaving the lab, the biggest, strongest out of them so most likely culprit. As for colour, there is more blacks than yellow. Easy huh?

But out of all the dogs we've had our Weirmaraner was the most likely to be guilty of killing deer.
 
Hello Daven,
your knowledge of gundogs clearly knows no bounds and regarding a common sense breakdown, I would suggest there would be very few gundogs around, of any breed, if only dogs which obeyed 100% of the time were allowed in the field............accidents will always happen.

tongue in cheek...... nothing to get upset about..... Unless of course you have a Lab I guess..... Lab owners are kinda sensitive like that ya know......

All BS aside, makes no difference if it's a gun dog, lap dog, or little old lady's purse dog, if it don't mind it needs to be dealt with...

Happy New Year!
 
When I was keepering we had a couple of roe that got caught up on wire and broke a leg so I shot them. I have seen a black lab catch a roe in heavy cover, it was well trained but the lure of the roe proved too much. Incidentally the bite of a black lab is extraordinarily strong, one of the stongest I believe.
 
The last shoot I had, a roe got cornered and tangled in some wire. After hearing the screams one of the guns started blasting away with his shotgun taking 4 attempts to kill the animal. I went a bit ape***t to say the least. I was at the other side of the woodland when it happened and not one gun in the close proximety to it had the thought to cover its head with a coat to release it. On inspection after the event it was found that none of the legs were damaged it was just stressed.
 
When a dog has got it's blood up then "NO NO" being shouted sounds a lot like "GO GO". One of those unfortunate incidents for all concerned.
 
It's true that Labs have very strong bites, thankfully their nature generally means it's not used and most tend to be soft mouthed retrieving game. I have a Lab/retriever cross that is now retired but was the softest mouthed thing you could find until quite late in his retrieving career when a particularly boisterous cock pheasant scratched him. Thereafter he was still soft mouthed but anything that gave him trouble he put the squeeze on until it didn't.

Daven, is prolly a marriage between probably and a brolly? :)
 
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