Wild dogs and prospecting

[Avago]

So I've chosen 21st of October to head out for our first adventure detecting. I've arranged two garret atx's so my wife and I don't have to share. I called the station owner of the place I'm planning on going and have his permission. My only concern is that he has had to remove the stock from his place because of wild dogs. Should I be worried? We were planning on camping in a tent. Has anyone had encounters with wild dogs?

 

[Old Fred]

In nw qld i come across dingoes regularly and i have never had one other me BUT wild dogs are different .The station owners up here shoot them on sight and consider them to e a threat to stock and sometimes humans . U never let kids wonder far as they are an easy target when in the bush ( also because off snakes ,crocks n the rest of the nasty crittters)

 

[Lanky]

standard precautions...don,t leave food out, pack away garbage, keep your pick handy to the tent and detect wearing two way radios. Any dramas pick out the lead dog and give him a fright...i have heard a few reliable accounts and the dogs have picked lone people, either injured or elderly...in each case the lead dog got an iron bar surprise and then backed off. I agree with Old Fred on the dingo account....funny I surprised one a couple of days ago and yelled out to him with a selection of choice words....laughed about it later as i could have yelled 'gday mate nice to see you, come to my camp for dinner' and he still would have scantered off!

 

[Lanky]

oh yeah and if you have a dog leave him at home...wild dogs don't seem to take to new comers which puzzles me sometimes as to how they then ever become a pack

 

[Nuggetbuster]

I'd be worried about having 2 ATX's

 

[Avago]

Haa. I've only hired them. I'm no expert and they look idiot proof. Thanks for all the feedback. I last worked there fifteen years ago and never saw a dog. Though a nearby station thought they had large cat. They found heads missing from Roos.

 

[jm9422]

With the stock gone, you've now taken their place in the food chain.

Probably the worst that will happen it you'll hear them at night if camping.
Usually they associate humans with gunshots in their direction, so make a hasty retreat if they see you.
(May be different if the owner is getting rid of stock rather than dealing with the problem)

The best way I have found to not see wild dogs is to carry a gun in the bush, it also works for deer, as my freezer can attest.

 

[Occasional_panner]

If he has removed stock from his property because of dog attacks, that's a bit of a worry.
As Stru said don't bring your own dog, when you hunt wild dogs you mimic their howl, they respond with their howls and come running. If they have been shot at and missed a few times they become very wary and may not get close enough for a shot. That's when they'll pick their own time to get close to you.
Wild dog attacks are very rare but best to keep together and have the campsite well lit.
Steaks and snags cooking will attract them, try and go vegetarian for the camp if you can, if not, try and only cook meat during the day.
I have never heard of dogs ripping into a tent, so that wouldn't concern me.
If you have a firearm bring it, perhaps contact your local SSAA ( sporting shooters association of Australia) they have teams that will come out and hunt them free of charge, you could possibly get some to come during your trip for peace of mind.
What area is the property in?
Go to youtube and look at some hunting videos, try and practice the howl, when you get there howl out to them, if you are doing it correctly you'll hear either nothing or 5-20 dogs respond, downside is that will annoy them and arouse their aggression, so maybe don't unless you plan to hunt them.

 

[Jaros]

Queensland beautiful one day - bloody dangerous the next--BWAHAhahhahaaaa

 

[GaryO]

You could grab a couple of starter pistols of Ebay for about $40 each. Should be enough to frighten them off if you dont have a real gun handy.

Gaz

 

[Old Fred]

If he has removed stock from his property because of dog attacks, that's a bit of a worry.
As Stru said don't bring your own dog, when you hunt wild dogs you mimic their howl, they respond with their howls and come running. If they have been shot at and missed a few times they become very wary and may not get close enough for a shot. That's when they'll pick their own time to get close to you.
Wild dog attacks are very rare but best to keep together and have the campsite well lit.
Steaks and snags cooking will attract them, try and go vegetarian for the camp if you can, if not, try and only cook meat during the day.
I have never heard of dogs ripping into a tent, so that wouldn't concern me.
If you have a firearm bring it, perhaps contact your local SSAA ( sporting shooters association of Australia) they have teams that will come out and hunt them free of charge, you could possibly get some to come during your trip for peace of mind.
What area is the property in?
Go to youtube and look at some hunting videos, try and practice the howl, when you get there howl out to them, if you are doing it correctly you'll hear either nothing or 5-20 dogs respond, downside is that will annoy them and arouse their aggression, so maybe don't unless you plan to hunt them.

A vegetarian is the village idiot who cant hunt or fish

 

[B5MECH]

Be carefull don't let em get ya baybe :lol:

 

[RM Outback]

Haa. I've only hired them. I'm no expert and they look idiot proof. Thanks for all the feedback. I last worked there fifteen years ago and never saw a dog. Though a nearby station thought they had large cat. They found heads missing from Roos.

Did they find the headless Roo's after moving stock or whilst the stock were in the area. If the stock have been moved for some time now it might be there aren't any roaming the area your going to. Most times if they see a human they will make them selves scarce as quick as they can. What state are you in, my experience is in Vic & NSW can't see why any other state would be any different. If their Dingoes I can't help you apart from knowing the Alpine Dingoe in Vic are X bred with wild dogs, the ones I've seen anyway. Good luck with the trip I hope you find a nugget.

 

[Occasional_panner]

If he has removed stock from his property because of dog attacks, that's a bit of a worry.
As Stru said don't bring your own dog, when you hunt wild dogs you mimic their howl, they respond with their howls and come running. If they have been shot at and missed a few times they become very wary and may not get close enough for a shot. That's when they'll pick their own time to get close to you.
Wild dog attacks are very rare but best to keep together and have the campsite well lit.
Steaks and snags cooking will attract them, try and go vegetarian for the camp if you can, if not, try and only cook meat during the day.
I have never heard of dogs ripping into a tent, so that wouldn't concern me.
If you have a firearm bring it, perhaps contact your local SSAA ( sporting shooters association of Australia) they have teams that will come out and hunt them free of charge, you could possibly get some to come during your trip for peace of mind.
What area is the property in?
Go to youtube and look at some hunting videos, try and practice the howl, when you get there howl out to them, if you are doing it correctly you'll hear either nothing or 5-20 dogs respond, downside is that will annoy them and arouse their aggression, so maybe don't unless you plan to hunt them.

A vegetarian is the village idiot who cant hunt or fish

Hahahaha Not many can bloody feed themselves these days, I was gutting a roo a couple of years ago and my mate who came along was dry reaching, he's a big meat eater, but just couldn't handle seeing what I was doing, another bloke got put off by the smell of skins drying in my garage. And you see all the carry on people make when someone shoots an animal and puts in on facebook, everyone must just think it all comes from the supermarket. The fact is, animal farming is probably crueler than an animal shot in the field, at least they once had a free life in the outdoors.

 

[nuggetino]

If you look tiny they might take an interest. I had a peculiar situation in WA when i camped near a rock formation home to a pack of dingoes. Buzzing around on a 50cc scooter a big male dingo kept chasing me. As soon as I stood up off the seat he'd back right off. Most wild dogs I've seen are much smaller than dingoes.

 

[Avago]

The property is near Paynes find. I'm not sure what sort of dogs he has. When I was there fifteen years ago I had a 243 but got rid of it. Now I'm looking at guns again to maybe help him out. He has baited and has a dogger that goes there sometimes. I haven't met this new owner yet so I'll have to suss him out and check out the station when I'm there. It's 320000 acres. He told me that goats are scarce and he couldn't keep his sheep there. He doesn't live there as he has a business in Perth and the station doesn't make enough money to pay a caretaker. I have a few ideas to run by him. When he goes up there he spends his time fencing to prepare to run cattle. He told me that in the last year he has shot almost 30 dogs.

 

[Occasional_panner]

Dogs are generally very hard to hunt, get some help from experienced people, they can pass on valuable lessons.
Call your SSAA branch, and talk to the conservation and wildlife man, (Mark Foster)
http://www.ssaawa.org.au/contacts/
He may put you onto the Morawa branch http://www.ssaawa.org.au/branches/w11-morawa-branch/

 

[Kai]

I see plenty of wild dog sign in a couple areas I hunt in, hear them howl, seen only one, but then I'm not hunting them.
I camp out alone and they dont bother me, doesnt hurt to sleep with a weapon handy, even if its just a solid branch

 

[trashmagnet]

Though a nearby station thought they had large cat. They found heads missing from Roos.

G'day Avago
Do cats do that? This year when i was up at tibby, one morning i got up and found a young roo with it's head missing and had been eaten abit about 50 meters from my camp and the mother roo was hanging around close by. I know it was not there the day before because it was right where i was detecting the day before. I did not hear anything during the night as there was a wind storm but what ever attacked it was very close to my camp.
Looked strange for a animal attack as there was no blood on the body only around where its neck was.
Cheers

 

[beach detecting addict]

mate if your going take a rifle or gun with you! as stated earlier take the dominant dog. good luck mate enjoy your trip.

cheers Rob