Lions in Chukar Country

[Birddoggin]

Anyone ever had a lion go after their dog while chukar hunting? A fellow had that happen in Nevada today. Fortunately he was close enough to take care of the cat before it took care of his dog. I know they are where I have hunted, but I havn't seen one. It is always in the back of my mind though since I let my dog get out there two or three hundred yards to cover ground.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

I hear about 1 every year. Dogs have been killed. I tried to keep my dogs within 70 yards but even then it could still happen.

 

[ccc23454]

Couple years ago a hunting buddy was out locally for a 2 day deer hunt and took his dog. Hiking in he seen a wolf pack on ridge across from him but they were working in other direction. He got to place he wanted to set camp on a flat spot on a small ridge, started making camp. While pounding on tent stakes with a rock he noticed something moving below them on ridge. His dog was laying down exhausted from hike in. He watched a lion sneak up the ridge all the way focused on the dog never him. Lion got to bush near his camp spot and laid down watching dog, when he moved from behind that bush my buddy ended that lions sneak attack. Dog was still laying there entire time. While skinning the cat my buddy watched a curious grizzly circling below where he worked on cat, luckily it finally got his wind and bolted. He texts me on Satellite basically: " seen wolves, grizz and had to kill lion, no deer wonder why, back saturday". So yes lions target dogs, there're numerous articles talking about in some areas lions survive on coyotes and recently about a yellowstone wolf so why not our bird dogs. Keep them safe

 

[Salmonchaser]

Been several articles on lions killing solitary wolves in the northwest. Hunting cats with hounds was outlawed 20 years or more ago in Oregon and Washington so perhaps the cats have lost their fear of K9s. In any event I have bumped into a few cats chukar hunting in the snake river area, 2 times in the last decade. Both seemed pretty intent on the dogs (shorthairs). Got socked in by heavy fog one time on the Snake, settled in fast, kept the dogs close and decided to head down to the road 1000 feet below. Of a sudden the dogs came racing back to me hot on their tails were a couple of wolves. They were gone in an instant. Had wolves come after the dogs hunting ptarmigan in Alaska, result was a little different. Bumped black bears hunting chukar and grouse in Oregon and Washington but never had any problem with them. When I was guiding in Alaska I carried a rifle when we did Ptarmigan hunts. Always gave the clients a couple of slugs to quick load in their shotguns if needed. I don’t think we hunted a day in the 20 years we did Ptarmigan we didn’t have to deal with Griz. Never had to shoot one but it was close a couple of times.
Worst injuries for my dogs were caused by Tposts left lying on the ground and old school barb wire.

 

[El Jason]

I don’t worry too much about it. They’ll hold their own.

 

[Birddoggin]

I hijacked the photo of the cat responsible. Since it is collared I am wondering if it was relocated from a population center where it may have been wondering around eating the pets of the people who live there.

 

[El Jason]

View attachment 400354I hijacked the photo of the cat responsible. Since it is collared I am wondering if it was relocated from a population center where it may have been wondering around eating the pets of the people who live there.

Call and ask tomorrow.

 

[brymoore]

View attachment 400354I hijacked the photo of the cat responsible. Since it is collared I am wondering if it was relocated from a population center where it may have been wondering around eating the pets of the people who live there.

I have a lion in my neighborhood that eats elk, deer and dogs. Winter dog pee breaks at night need a little supervision.

I had a guy I know kill a lion in rocks chukar hunting with 7 1/2s. He said it was a quick response to a close lion encounter. He felt a little guilty afterwards when he realized the lion was using its escape route more than anything else.

 

[LuketheDog]

I let my dogs run amok on our 5 acres, I never worried about them much but on the way to work Monday morning I found a murder scene on the driveway. The coyotes cleaned up the deer carcass pretty well, but not sure if a cat was the original assailant...might keep the pups within the fence for a few days.

 

[bigsky2]

Not chukar hunting, but I was shed hunting with my lab one time and had a lion go after him. My dog went over a little rise about 30 yards ahead of me. When I got to the top of the rise, my dog was standing there looking up at a lion barreling down the hill towards him. The lion saw me when he was about 10 yards from my dog and it veered off and ran into the timber.

 

[Irrelevant]

Nah. There's a lot of things to worry about chukar hunting, but a cat taking out my dog is pretty far down my list

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

The closest call I ever had with one of my dogs was from a Golden Eagle. I was fixing fence in the back 40 and Ranger was running across an old grown up pasture. The eagle was perched up on the rim rock 600' above. I watched him leave his perch , swoop down, circle and line up on Ranger. I'm trying to call my dog back and he just keeps running unaware of anything. The eagle is closing in and dives to about 40' above him before he pulls up.
Most chukar hunting takes place on deer winter range. Dog/cougar encounters are bound to happen.

 

[Irrelevant]

The closest call I ever had with one of my dogs was from a Golden Eagle. I was fixing fence in the back 40 and Ranger was running across an old grown up pasture. The eagle was perched up on the rim rock 600' above. I watched him leave his perch , swoop down, circle and line up on Ranger. I'm trying to call my dog back and he just keeps running unaware of anything. The eagle is closing in and dives to about 40' above him before he pulls up.
Most chukar hunting takes place on deer winter range. Dog/cougar encounters are bound to happen.

GE's are definitely higher on my concern list. I've had one full one hunt mode, falling down a ridge, bopping back and forth between the sides, looking to catch something off guard, and it definitely made a move toward the dog, but apparently (and thankfully) because the dog was moving too fast, he couldn't get the right angle. I think when they're in that mode of hunting, they're really looking to pick off something that's sitting in the open, maybe sunning itself, and not looking behind it.

 

[802flyfish]

I’d be more worried about wolfs and coyotes. A dog can outrun a lion.

 

[Birddoggin]

I’d be more worried about wolfs and coyotes. A dog can outrun a lion.

Defitately those out there to. Lots of things that can get them. I cant say I worry about it. Anything can happen. We did come face to face with burros and wild mules. I immagine they could do some damage also. My GSP wasnt sure what to think of them.

 

[802flyfish]

An Equine will stomp a dog to death. Being in SW MT, I’m more afraid of wolfs when grouse hunting with my dogs.

 

[brymoore]

I’m more afraid of bad hunters. Twice I’ve had rifle hunters think my little white setters were wolves. They were excited yelling wolf. First guy realized the dog at my heal was his mystical wolf. Second incident guys were setting a rifle up on a truck hood as my son and I yelled at them from the hillside. Long seconds before they realized what was happening. “Hey - there’s hunters up there. Might be a dog…”.

GSP was shot on point last year by coyote hunters. IDFG didn’t arrest as no law was broken.

 

[Birddoggin]

What the heck. Learn something new everyday.....Setters look like wolves and GSPs look like coyotes. If someone shot my dog on point there would probably be an arrest.

 

[fowladdict]

I’m more afraid of bad hunters. Twice I’ve had rifle hunters think my little white setters were wolves. They were excited yelling wolf. First guy realized the dog at my heal was his mystical wolf. Second incident guys were setting a rifle up on a truck hood as my son and I yelled at them from the hillside. Long seconds before they realized what was happening. “Hey - there’s hunters up there. Might be a dog…”.

GSP was shot on point last year by coyote hunters. IDFG didn’t arrest as no law was broken.

Nice reminder to put on my dogs orange vest.