What to Do?

[ArrowHawk]

I have been doing some scouting for my upcoming Turkey hunt and during my scouting I have ran into a guy who has been running his dog, I believe him to be a firefighter. He says he runs his dog back there every night and also carries a handgun. This guy is nice and he'll tell me were he has been seeing some birds, but hasn't seem them in sometime, I'm thinking due to him running his dog. Well here is my question "Is there a period when you cannot run your dogs on state land and if so what can I do without upsetting this guy?" The spot I hunt is a hot spot with many birds and deer and not maany hunters. Thanks in advance for all replies.

[Spitndrum]

IMO,The fact that he is out there everynight running his dog is not going to pressure the birds to completely leave the area. They may adjust their roost sites to avoid him or just watch him at a distance and continue on. I have hunted an area that the neighbors walk there dogs every morning, I have watched deer and turkeys stand completely still as they pass by. Once out of sight they continue on. If he is running at a specific time every day find out when. Set up a safe distance off the path he is running and see what happens. You might just be able to use him as a benefit to pattern those turkeys. Good luck.

[FREEPOP]

Try to use his movement to push the brids towards you. As this is a daily event, I doubt that any animal is affected too badly and they will resume normal activities shortly after he departs.
Get out there very early and stay late. All the birds I called in were between 10am and 3pm last week. Make sure there are no boundries between you and the birds (fences, creeks, etc). Stay at least an hour or two on each stand as it allows any spooked birds to settle down. I like to ease into an area and call, then move farther in and call rather than walk thru it and spook all the animals. Try and set-up so there is a barrier so that the birds won't sneak up behind you. Always be ready for silent birds sneaking up on you. Be careful of there eyes, they can see unbelievably well.
Since the guy is pleasant, ask him if he pretty much takes the same route every day and if so, ask him if you can walk along one day to learn where he'll be, for safety and maybe how you can use it to your advatange.

Good luck.

[ArrowHawk]

Thanks for the info
The guy isn't the problem I can deal with him out there, but right now it is illegal for him to be running the dog (All state lands are closed for running of dogs during the nesting season).

[Robert W. McCoy Jr]

;)

[ArrowHawk]

I contacted the DNR office this morning for my area @ 1-517-641-4903 and asked. The officer I spoke to sayed that it is illegal for anyones dog to be on state land during the nesting season (April 16 thru July14) even if the owner is with the dog.

[Brian S]

Originally posted by ArrowHawk
it is illegal for anyones dog to be on state land during the nesting season (April 16 thru July14) even if the owner is with the dog.

I don't think that is a correct statement. The law has to do with running your dog and training. I would think that if my dog was on a leash, then I could take it on state land. If the guy is letting his dog run on state land then its probably illegal, but if he has it on a leash it is probably OK.

[ArrowHawk]

The officer told me to contact there office the next time he is out there with the dog, but I think I will just make him aware of what is going on. It's not that big of a deal to me, it's just that he is in an area where I have found nest in the past.