Thread: Dogs and Stags

So a mate of mine has been granted access to a private block that next to a much larger public area.
He has invited me to go for a recce but is concerned that the scent of my dog will push the Stags out of the area.

Now I know deer don't particularly like dogs but I would have thought they like us less. So I can't see what difference it makes bringing my dog with us for a walk before the roar.

He says that when he used to pig hunt an area with dogs, when they went back all the deer had moved out.
I suspect that could be due to the different way pig dogs and indicating dogs are used.

Curious as to the thoughts of those of you who actually know what they are talking about ( as opposed to my speculation)

Cheers

theres no real clear hard evidence - but I personally would not do it if it was my block before the roar- I believe it will leave dog scent and that deer really dont like it - but I have no proof of that - I just have never liked running a dog thru my hunting area - but plenty of hunters run an indicating dog thru their hunting blocks - I don't have a problem with a good indicating dog when time comes to hunt it during roar - but to take one just having a recce of area - no I would not personally - now I have no doubt that a lot will get on here and say no difference but they simply don't know - I have bush hunted for years and could not say one way or other - at the end of the day its your mates choice- since you are invited then don't get uninvited

Respect the wishes of the person inviting you

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Respect the wishes of the person inviting you

Absolutely. But with that said the repeated successful efforts of our very own living legend @Thar and his dog tends to make a nonsense of the suggestion that dog scent causes deer to vacate an area.

I wonder if it matters depending on the circumstances - if one is hunting an area with an indicating dog and the dog is not allowed to wander around -its a dog trained to stay close as an indicating dog should - then the deer that one encounters will not have smelled dog - but lets say one checks out a clearing for sign to target later in day and dog is allowed to wander over it - I go to edge of clearing and as soon as I see fresh sign I am out of there - I try hard to not leave to much scent behind - but a lot of hunters let their dog wander well out in front - I have watched deer when not hunting hit a well used track and one whiff of that track they bolt - so maybe to hunt an area later in day may not be a good idea to walk a dog thru it

Just to clarify, the question is not about me insisting (or not) on taking my dog. I'm not about to test my friendship over a dog for f. sake!
But I am interested in how much difference having a dog with you would make.
There are a fair few hunters out there running indicating dogs including me and if running a dog does send deer into the next catchment that would change the way you approach learning a new area wouldn't it?

its an interesting one and I have no doubt we will not all agree on it - but some things I think we will agree on - if deer get chased by a dog then they will be long gone - how soon they come back well personally I believe its some days - when culling Te Urewera we always had a couple of pig dogs for camp meat - when they were taken thru an area certainly it seemed the deer moved out for a time - I have no doubt of that - but then working in Whakatane River it was regularly dogged for deer from lower end and they still got deer - those locals had big packs of dogs sometimes 8-10 strung out behind their horses and no control really - my fallow blocks have sheep dogs thru regularly and fallow still there but then maybe they are acclimatized to that - I just like my hunting areas as undisturbed as possible

Possibly a familiarity thing. If the deer are used to dog scent then they probably won’t be too phased. However, on the flip side if there barely ever dogs in that area then they would probably freak out and the big old stags would piss off and shy away id imagine. In my experience, the big old stags are very shy and secretive any ways so you may not even know that you’ve spooked one out of the block

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ut-area-92229/

Originally Posted by yeah_na_missed

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ut-area-92229/

Letting a mob of pig dogs run kms through a block barking and bailing is a heck of alot different to a controlled deer dog. Think of all the hunters who stalk with dogs both private and public and continue to pull animals from the area. I think it's a load of BS to be honest. A dog kept under control would be fine, I would however not waste my time if I knew pig hunters with dogs had been through an area.

private land that gets pig hunted 3 times a week.... and the deer are still there.
the stags will be where the hinds are.
2nd day hunting area Ive been with dog the day before I have still seen deer.

Originally Posted by mawzer308

Letting a mob of pig dogs run kms through a block barking and bailing is a heck of alot different to a controlled deer dog. Think of all the hunters who stalk with dogs both private and public and continue to pull animals from the area. I think it's a load of BS to be honest. A dog kept under control would be fine, I would however not waste my time if I knew pig hunters with dogs had been through an area.

Sorry, I thought I'd added a note saying this was a similar topic posted almost a year ago with a range of anecdote/evidence/opinion - wasn't for or against.

For what it's worth, I'm more aligned with post #3. Respect both mate and landowner. Build the relationship then ask to give it a crack with the woofer after the roar.

Caveat to OP: I don't know what I'm talking about.