Bulach's Dogs 1-14-06

Took Daisy rabbit hunting around 11 on Sunday.

Heard shots - 3 - from Zehler's. Then I heard beagles baying. I knew they were on Zehler's, but could tell they were getting close to the grove. Daisy and I were just getting started around the dump.

A few minutes later, I could tell they crossed onto our property. I saw the first one by the old hay wagon in the corner of the front tree field. I walked fast to were I could see down down the center grove field and down the Christmas tree field. I was expecting to catch someone trespassing after their dogs. I saw no one. So I walked fast down to the grove fence line. By this time, two of the beagles had come all the way through the grove field, up one side and down the other - from Zehler's to Parson's. They were noisy and obnoxious. Daisy hair stood up and she would follow for awhile, but would come when I called.

Got to the grove and saw Ron Bulach about to cross the fence. It looked like he set his shotgun to the side and was about to cross. Dave was right behind him and a third person, maybe Gary was standing 20 yards back.

I was not happy and let them know their dogs screwed up my hunt. Ronnie said, he thought it was a wildlife refuge and that no one was allowed to hunt. Told him he would have to take that up with Dad, but I knew his dogs were not allowed on the property, that I knew he had been told that before and that he had now screwed up my hunt. Dave said it is hard to keep dogs from running onto other farms. Ronnie hollered at Daisy to come...Guess his eyesight is bad or he doesn't know his dogs well. He asked if he could cross to come after them. I said I don't think it's necessary as they were off our property by now...Guess his hearing is bad too. They went off through Zehler's after them.

I felt like I was too heated in the conversation and after calming down, waved them back over to the fence line in the back field. Said I didn't mean to be un-neighborly, but got mad when their dogs screwed up my hunt. Dave said the dogs are chasing deer. Great - now they're screwing up the rabbits and deer. Dave said they were working on breaking them of chasing deer - had some sort of special collar. Dave asked what I was going to do when my dog ran off the property. I simply said, I try to keep her close. I would like to have said:

1. My dog didn't run off the property - his did.
2. When my dog does run off the property I will no longer take her hunting.
3. When my dog runs off the property, I will at least apologize to the land owner - especially if I mess up someone's hunt.

They did not seem to take responsibility for their dogs. They seemed to sound as if it is not their responsibility if they can't stop their dogs from running.

I will research hunting dog regulations. I will call the ODNR. I will find out what our recourse is. If Dad has enforceable rights (can you prosecute someone for trespassing dogs?) I will be sure to take the steps to follow up.

I finally got hold of the right people at ODNR:

I called the ODNR. It took me awhile to get to the Butler County game warden, Aaron Ireland. To make a long story short there is really no way to hold people accountable for their dogs. Unless the hunters are actually hunting on your property without permission they are not violating rules.

Rick Jasper of the ODNR (I didn't get his title) recommended the neighborly approach. He talked about how coon hunters ran into so much opposition from private property owners that almost no one hunts coons anymore in Ohio. The result, which I assume is anecdotal, is that Ohio has a coon population problem. And the diseases associated with too many raccoons are becoming a problem.

Aaron was polite and even sympathetic, but couldn't offer any real solution.