Lost a detecting mate

[Black-Pete]

I've been down in the triangle for a few weeks and I've found a spot that's been giving up a few subgrammers on a regular basis.
Each time I've visited this spot there's been a male wallably there and he's watched me go about detecting from a distance and I've likewise been watching him.
After a couple of weeks of watching each other he's allowed me to get within about 15 metres of him and in fact the last few days if I moved away a bit he'd move closer to me but always stayed about 15 metres away.
This morning I couldn't see him anywhere and late today I found him and he was in a sorry state. It appears that he had been attacked by dogs as he was dead and was torn to bits and spread over a fair area.
I'd become rather attached to him and looked forward to our daily encounters in the bush and I think I'm going to miss him.
Pete

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Sad day Pete

 

[pauly250]

Thats most unfortunate but the big issue here is that the dogs dont get YOU especially if they are pack form.

Maybe someone could offer advice on protecting yourself in such situations.

Paul T

 

[Ramjet]

So sorry to hear of the passing of your special mate Pete.
A sad day indeed

Rod

 

[HeadsUp]

if you're in a spot with feral dog packs a spray bottle with ammonia may help if you spray it at their face

tell the RSPCA you were cleaning their contact lenses

 

[pauly250]

Maybe the wallaby stayed near you because he knew he was in danger.He felt protected!

About 3 years ago we had a mother kangaroo with a bad back leg that had mostly healed but wasnt very mobile.She always stayed close to our house with her baby and never went very far,she would come so close.

Being torn to bits and not totally consumed usually means wild dogs in an attack frenzy especially in pack form,becareful

 

[garnethawkins]

Id be mixing up a batch of homemade mace if i where you mate, and carrying a machette to just in case
shame about the wallabee though, beautiful creatures

 

[Heatho]

That really sux Pete.

Mace may actually be able to be legally bought for such circumstances as protection from wild dogs, I'm not sure, but I know posties are/used to be allowed to carry it for the same purpose. Check the regulations in your state, you may be allowed to posses it.

Most wild dogs are pretty timid and if confronted try not to be scared. I'd be loud, extremely aggressive toward them, would use my pick as defence, put it through 1 if need be. But never run, if you run they will chase you, guaranteed. My parents bred Great Danes for 30 years so I have some experience with big dogs. Children are most vulnerable, most dogs won't go an angry grown man with a weapon, most not all.

 

[Guest]

Definitely do not run or wave your arms about. Back away slowly & quietly. If the safety of your vehicle etc. cannot be reached back yourself against a tree or other object so any other dog cannot come from behind. If you are with another person/s stand back to back while slowly moving away. Don't be loud & aggressive as this can excite the dogs & lead them to attack. Make yourself appear as big as you can i.e. stand up straight, puff out your chest, fold your arms across your chest etc. & keep looking directly at the main dog if possible. Don't take your eyes off it.
If you are attacked then defend yourself aggressively with a stick, your pick, backpack, rocks, whatever you can get. Dingo breeds will go for your lower legs to try & bring you down so be wary of packs coming from behind to bite at your lower legs.

 

[goldenhodge]

That is really sad to hear, nothing better than watching wildlife in their natural state.

Hopefully it passed before it was torn apart.

 

[Heatho]

Actually you can get these ultrasonic devices these days, Dog Dazer they are called. They are inaudible to humans but emit a 25khz signal, dogs really hate these things. They are for training and also a repellant. They have a website, easy to find on google.

Actually I have to seriously disagree about staring at a dog, our 113kg boy dog hated being stared at, he'd let whoever did it know too, lol, that's just in my experience with dogs though. That's usually why kids get bitten, staring or running. Some dogs have just been made plain mean by thier owners and will indiscriminately bite anything that moves.

 

[axeman]

My boss gave me a spray can of hornet killer and it has a effective range of 4 mtrs, should work good on dogs.
Mick

 

[Black-Pete]

It makes one think that maybe I'm not all that safe out in the bush as I thought. I hadn't considered that if it's a pack of dogs that I may also be in danger.
When I'm out detecting head down and listening for signals I most probably wouldn't notice that I'm being stalked by dogs.
Might change the area I'm in and see if I can find another nice patch.
Pete

 

[Guest]

Actually you can get these ultrasonic devices these days, Dog Dazer they are called. They are inaudible to humans but emit a 25khz signal, dogs really hate these things. They are for training and also a repellant. They have a website, easy to find on google.

Actually I have to seriously disagree about staring at a dog, our 113kg boy dog hated being stared at, he'd let whoever did it know too, lol, that's just in my experience with dogs though. That's usually why kids get bitten, staring or running. Some dogs have just been made plain mean by thier owners and will indiscriminately bite anything that moves.

Yeah probably didn't word my post real well. I don't mean to try & stare the dog down, as they can see it as a show of aggression, but you do need to stay facing the dog/keep an eye on it or them. Don't turn your back.
Black-Pete I wouldn't leave a nice patch over them. Not a big chance of even seeing them let alone being attacked. Hill End & Hargraves have big problems with wild dogs but the only ones I have seen are pictures in the local paper. The dogs are more concerned with livestock than us. A mate of mine had over 400 breeding ewes last season but got less than 150 lambs - dogs got the rest.
Probably more chance of being hit by a falling gum tree limb than being attacked by wild dog's in the bush. Have never heard of anyone around here being attacked by them although I don't think I would venture into some areas at night by myself or unarmed.

 

[axeman]

I don't think you have to worry about wild dogs too much. For the years of camping I've done, there's only one time I've been growled at by wild dogs. Dingoes don't worry me it's the dingoes cross with dogs or wild dogs that I'm wary of. I've had both dingos and wild dogs hanging around camp but they haven't been a problem. I've seen some big paw prints of a morning when I've got out of bed.
Mick

 

[HeadsUp]

I don't think you have to worry about wild dogs too much. For the years of camping I've done, there's only one time I've been growled at by wild dogs. Dingoes don't worry me it's the dingoes cross with dogs or wild dogs that I'm wary of. I've had both dingos and wild dogs hanging around camp but they haven't been a problem. I've seen some big paw prints of a morning when I've got out of bed.
Mick

unless they have rabies on their mind . then i would go the hornet spray mentioned above

99.999% of the time i can stare a dog down by looking it right in the eyes but rabies is a different story for me ( cops had to shoot the last one i met )

 

[Heatho]

I like the Hornet spray idea, yeah agreed guys I don't think wild dogs are too much a prob for humans either, but yeah the poor farmers raising all those animals to be killed by dogs is terrible, also the native animals.