SmallCaliberCentral

I shot a stray couple nights ago (34grain Winchester JHP factory ammo) he looked like a chow / shepard mix. The shot was 40 yds with VERY low light, just enough to see the thick parts of the crosshairs.

He turned quartering to me (did I mention a dark colored dog) and I took the shot. He dropped and howled for a minute then crawled / dragged off. Stupid me only took one round with me.

I still have yet to find the dog. I know I got a good hit on him. . . he dropped in his tracks and dragged his hind legs when he took off.

Any ideas of what went wrong? I think I gut shot him, but I would have thought to have found the carcass fairly close to point of shooting.

Gear: Savage model 12 single shot, Leupold 3-9 x 40 Vari X II

I don't like to wound. I shoot to kill.

If it was getting dark with barely enough light to see, and he was a dark colored dog, at 40 yards, are you sure he was a stray and didn't have a collar?

It would sure be a big bummer if he has an owner somewhere looking for his pooch.....

Benjie come home.

I live in a rural setting and occasionally shoot feral cats that are obviously neglected and a nuisance to my barn cat. No dogs recently, but the lesson is the same.

I will never, ever shoot unless I know I have a shot that I'm virtually % 100 sure that I won't miss. The reason should be obvious. If you score, it's SSS and forget about it. But, if you miss and the animal goes crawling back to the neglectful owner, there could be trouble at "Flat Rock". Someone probably heard the shot and that someone just might be the owner or a friend of the owner and that could be the most valuable animal you ever shot!

Unless the dog was an immediate threat I would have waited for a better shot, perhaps in daylight conditions.

Feral Dogs Over the years I have heard of wild packs of dogs In Bend Oregon when I was sixteen I had a girl come crying to me that my Irish setter had been in a pack that killed he colt. I assured her it wasn't my dog two years later I saw the pack with a Irish setter in it and a New Foundland I counted 19 dogs in the pack it was a bunch of dogs that people who lived in the area let run loose. 30 years later I was out in the desert east of Palm Springs off Dillon rd. calling coyotes at night we had a pack talking to us and decided to move down the old dirt road a little farther and try the rabbit squaler when I did I heard a pack of dogs barking coming in closer we where eight miles from the nearest house. We caught some I eyes but the dogs stood of a long ways then moved on. I asked my dad to goback out in the day time and check around he said there was nothing in the area. Later at a sporting goods store a man told him he pick up and old gentleman who had been walking out there quit common in the winter and that he had been attacked by dogs he had to take him the hospital for treatment. Two other times I have run into packs of stray dogs and held off on shooting but the thought runs into my mind. DFG allows for it but you have to contact them after and I just didn't want to go through the hassel a lot of the poorer people or inconsiterate people around here don't realize what there dogs can do running loose in packs!

Pack of Feral Dogs: Could be big trouble. Lock 'n load.

Single "Stray" Dog: Could be someone's pet (who knows if it's feral or not......)

creekwalkr wrote:
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Any ideas of what went wrong? I think I gut shot him, but I would have thought to have found the carcass fairly close to point of shooting.

Gear: Savage model 12 single shot, Leupold 3-9 x 40 Vari X II

I don't like to wound. I shoot to kill.

Do you really want an answer?

OK here goes.

1) Poor shot placement.

2) Not prepared for the task at hand.

3) See post above.

4) ...

5) ...

Hindsight is 20/20, but if it were me, I wouldn't have said a word to anyone. Not in person, and not on the internet.

Its a big country and different traditions/scenarios everywhere. And yes feral dogs in parts.
I own three large dogs. 1 like new leash and 0 chains.
Its a good thing no one in my neighborhood would consider shooting any dog not chained to a tree. My dogs might not bite but I will.

True, hind-sight is 20/20. The dog had been harrassing my own livestock and pets. Also, any friends that came over often had to watch out for the stray.

I never did see a collar on it. There are several stray dogs in the area, but I did check with some of the immediate neighbors and none of them claimed it. I felt it was necessary to remove it from the property.

True, I did go against several important ethical and moral beliefs that myself and many other follow:
1. only shoot when you are sure of your background
2. shoot to kill or don't shoot at all
3. come prepared for a second shot if you screw up the first one

etc. etc. etc.

If the owner of the dog reads my posts, I wish you to know that if it survived and returns to you, I'm sorry I wounded your dog.. . but you may want to keep it on a chain cause if it bites at my cattle, barks at my kids, or eats one of the chickens (again), I will use a bigger caliber at closer range so that I will know for sure the job is done. (Sorry... for sensitive readers)

I appreciate all of your comments and I will be a little more choosy next time.

ps. Since my last post I bought a box of 45 grain Horady SP and I'm pricing a scope with illuminated recticle.

Creekwalker, As you describe the dog, if it had come near my wife or son I would kill it, if it had a collar on or not.

Creek walker ...I dont know the laws in your state but in missouri you have the right to protect your property be it yourself or livestock. If it were me and it killed my chicken chased my cattel or tried to attack me I would have shot him to.


Might I recommend a benelli 12 gauge with some buck shot at 40yds in low light conditions. One shot to the face and hes down.


If guns kill people I can blame misspelled words on my pencil........

I had mentioned awhile back that I'd shot this stray with a .204, 34 grain Winchester JHP and it didn't kill 'em with one shot as I would have preferred.

Update: I seen the dog Thursday last week walking the banks of the creek below my house. I should rephrase that. . . walking on three legs and dragging the fourth.

I don't like to wound animals. In hind sight, there are several things I could've done different, and I have learned that. If put in the same situation again. . . I'd be sure to take a second round with me to complete the job.

Chances are that the stray won't come back. I appreciate all of you who gave your opinions and thoughts.

Interesting, instead of prefacing your tale of shooting a dog with the facts of the dog bothering your property or loved ones you waited until some negative opinions presented themselves. Something smells here. Then you have to give us an update on the wounded dog? Well you asked us "What went wrong". Seems to me it was your brain.

It was nearly dark. And the dog was dark brown. So you really couldn't see the dog that well to shoot. But you know you got a good hit on him but you are pretty sure you gut shot him. But it was to dark to really know what happened.

And now like Ahab stated, he was causing problems so that is why you shot him anyway. I agree something smells about this.

Are you next going to tell us that even though it was to dark to shoot the dog, he sounded like a stray dog so you shot anyway?

Is this where the term brain fart came from?