Dixfield man accused of shooting dog walking with owner

Posted Nov. 07, 2011, at 5:01 p.m.
Last modified Nov. 07, 2011, at 9:39 p.m.

MAGALLOWAY PLANTATION, Maine — The Maine Warden Service has charged a Dixfield man with shooting a domestic animal after he reportedly shot and killed a dog that was out in the woods with its owner.

Christopher J. Salatino, who was hunting deer in this Oxford County community, told investigators from the Maine Warden Service that he thought the German shepherd was a coyote, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife spokeswoman Edie Smith said Monday.

The dog was accompanied by its owner, Cindy Williams, who is a forester from Errol, N.H., Smith said.

Smith said the dog had a hunter orange ribbon around its neck when the incident occurred on Nov. 2. She said the hunter “reported the incident himself when he realized that he had shot the dog.”

This is the second time in less than a week that the warden service reported charging a hunter with shooting a domestic animal.

On Thursday, Smith reported that Seth White, 53, of Orrington was charged after he shot a dog that was running loose in the woods in Orrington. White also said he thought the German shepherd was a coyote.

“Unfortunately this is another case of a hunter not practicing ‘100 percent identification’ before shooting a target,” Smith said.

“The Maine Warden Service takes these cases very seriously and this investigation proved that Mr. Salatino should be charged with violating the law. The summons has been delivered and as with hunting incidents such as these, after a full investigation, the hunter is charged and if found guilty, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” she said.

The summons was filed at Oxford County District Court in Rumford. The investigation is led by Warden Brock Clukey with assistance from Warden Norman Lewis.

Despite the fact that two dogs were shot in hunting-related incidents on the same day last week, Smith said such occurrences are rare.

“These are very unfortunate incidents but they don’t happen very often,” she said, adding that Maine has an estimated 200,000 licensed hunters and that most of them do practice 100 percent identification.

“It is still safe to hunt in Maine,” Smith said.

The penalty for shooting a domestic animal in Maine includes a minimum mandatory five-year hunting license revocation, according to the state’s hunting and trapping rules.

BDN writer Dawn Gagnon contributed to this report.

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http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BUXUYYAT2NY6VCRFLANUOW3ZHE FJ

“after a full investigation, the hunter is charged and if found guilty, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Edie Smith, spokesperson for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.”

Can’t wait to hear how loud the slap on the wrist is here!!
Kevin_Of_Bangor

What happened to the end of the article…..???

On Thursday, Smith reported that Seth White, 53, of Orrington shot a do that was running loose in the woods. White also said he though
Anonymous

Was this animal clearly identified as a dog? Did the owner have him clad in blaze orange before letting him go in the woods? Was the dog on a leash? How close was the owner? Or was this dog running deer and the owner is trying to cover her inattention? Was the forester wearing blaze orange? There are still too many unanswered questions.
Anonymous

I agree 100% with target identification, but if one plans on walking through the woods during hunting season I would think one should affix a dog and oneself with some blaze orange.
Anonymous

Before I posted this, I searched the net for all kinds of pictures of coyotes. I’ve seen some German Shepherds, that don’t have perfect German Shepherd features, that could be mistaken for a coyote. I have seen several coyotes, but they usually don’t let you get close enough, or stick around long enough, to really get to study them. A couple of years ago, I was on Route 9 and passed what I thought was a dead German Shepherd on the side of the road. When I turned around and got out of my truck, I realized then that it was a coyote that had been hit by a car. I guess the point I want to make is that I could see how some German Shepherds could be mistaken for a coyote. That being said, there’s no excuse for misidentifying a human for a deer.

I have a great deal of sympathy for the people whose German Shepherds have been shot this year. I have three Labs and know horrible I would feel if something happened to any of them. Not casting judgement on anybody whose had their dog killed this year, but there is no way that I would bring any of my dogs out in the woods during hunting season, and if it were absolutely unavoidable, they would have hunter orange dog vests on.
http://michigal.net Sue

Only and ONLY can a dog be shot for chasing deer by a game warden, and a game warden alone. An individual may NOT shoot that dog.
Anonymous

I think I want to move out of Maine during the month of November!
http://www.bangordailynews.com Bangor Daily News

Sorry. Began adding to the article as it was being updated. It should be fixed now.
Anonymous

Nope still messed up :)
Anonymous

“Smith said the dog had a blaze orange ribbon around its neck when the incident occurred on Nov. 2.”
Anonymous

Reality check—- If most hunters see a dog running deer past them in the woods they are going to put it down. There are simply not enough Game Wardens to police irresponsible pet owners. I don’t think you have seen a deer taken down by dogs in 3 or 4′ of snow, but let me assure you it’s a slow painfull process.
Anonymous

“Was this animal clearly identified as a dog?”

Doesn’t have to be. The burden is on the hunter, not the dog or the owner of the dog.
~~~~~
“Did the owner have him clad in blaze orange before letting him go in the woods?”

Doesn’t have to be. The burden is on the hunter, not the dog or the owner of the dog. Maine has a 100% identification law which includes head and torso before pulling the trigger.
~~~~~
“Was the dog on a leash?”

Doesn’t have to be. Maine has no statewide leash law. The local community could have one but I doubt MAGALLOWAY PLANTATION does.
~~~~~
“How close was the owner?”

Excellent question. I was wondering that myself.
~~~~~
“Or was this dog running deer and the owner is trying to cover her inattention?”

See Sue’s comment below.
~~~~~
“Was the forester wearing blaze orange?”

Doesn’t have to be. The burden is on the hunter. Personally, I wouldn’t venture out into the Maine woods without wearing blaze orange during hunting season but the forester is not required to.
Anonymous

Someone apparently is above the law….
Anonymous

Maybe part of the Hunter Safety Program should be words to the affect of “Never under any circumstances should you shoot a “coyote running deer” because if you are wrong, and it turns out to be a dog you will be charged.”

Same thing happened last Wednesday in Orrington. And the excuse the hunter gave…”I thought it was a coyote.”
Anonymous

This is why dumb people shouldn’t be given guns
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25LJ6KETIP5DVBAPMUYRGCCDTU Brandon D

Very true, and I agree with you 100% but the report did say that was the case for the first dog.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25LJ6KETIP5DVBAPMUYRGCCDTU Brandon D

Reality check: It’s still breaking the law. All because ‘most’ hunters will do it doesn’t mean anything relative to what Sue said. She stated only the legal reason to shot a dog, and nothing else. You have a good argument, but you’re in the wrong debate.
Kevin_Of_Bangor

Thanks for responding.
Anonymous

Basic gun safety 101…….BEFORE you shoot at something make sure you IDENTIFY what it is you are shooting…..DUHHHHH.
Person fromMaine

As someone said before, they seen a coyote which they thought was a german shepard, so obviously they can be mistaken. He might not have studied features on the animal before shooting, but we’re still left out in the open which where we don’t know if he did have 100% identification or not…
Anonymous

It says the dog had an orange ribbon around its neck. Dogs do not have to be on leashes in the woods. It sounds as if the dog wasn’t too far away from the owner. I would assume that since the dog had an orange ribbon that the forester would also have on orange. Hunters should not shoot at anything that moves. They should see their target before shooting. It could have just as easily been a human being.
Anonymous

Horrible circumstances.
So sad for the pet owners.
How does this thing keep happening??
Anonymous

And when was the last time we had “3 or 4′ of snow” in November?
Anonymous

Dear Rebecca, the dog was wearing an orange 3 piece suit with the words, “Do Not Shoot Me, I am a DOG and my owner is not far behind. He has a gun and a short temper,” in big black letters. The dog was not on a leash. Maine does not require that a dog be on a leash, only that the dog be under the mental control of an accompanying person of any age. It’s hard for a dog to run deer when it’s 460 pound owner is huffing and puffing along behind him. He’s under the mental control of the owner. Dogs, particularly Shepards mind much better than kids, and adults for that matter. Who is the forester? I think you may have mistaken the shooter with Forrest Gump. He was wearing florescent pink bows and panties. I think the questions have been answered. Now there are a couple of trigger happy goof-balls who are going to have to answer the same questions over and over. God save you if you shoot my dog.
Anonymous

Did you read the article?
Anonymous

BDigN I do wish I could like more than once.
Anonymous

Why would this moron feel obligated to shoot a coyote in the first place?
Anonymous

I don’t even like to drive my car past a wooded area during deer hunting season. I won’t go out in the woods at all because it’s full of trigger happy flat landers and people from my community that I would not trust to refrain from shooting me just to see if they could get away with the “accident”. If I did have to go into the woods I’d get a hunting license first and bring a gun or two. I’d be wearing so much fluorescent orange it would blind you from a mile away. If you shoot at me you’d better get me with the first shot, because one way or the other it’s going to be your last. And I wouldn’t bring my poor dog for you trigger happy above the law, “I thought it was running deer” people to take out your frustrations on.
Anonymous

I personally have owned several GSD and not one of them could have been mistaken for a “coyote”.

The GSD Maggie in Orrington was black and sable in coloring and no way, shape or manner resembled a “coyote”. The hunter is attempting to use the excuse “I thought it was a coyote” which didn’t fly with the Warden in the Orrington case and hasn’t flown in this case either.
Anonymous

“If most hunters see a dog running deer past them in the woods they are going to put it down.” If you’re hunting deer, why not shoot the deer and not the dog? The gunshot would scare the dog off. Dogs chase deer because its instinct. In the other more publicized and hotly-debated shooting from Orrington the pro-dog shooters all said the dog should be shot if its off its property and not under control of its owners. Following that logic, one could argue that the teenage girl who ran away from home last week was not under her parents control and was not on her property, so therefore she could be justifiably shot to death. I am of the opinion, following several human hunting incidents, that we should not wear blaze orange in the woods but rather Marine Corp sharpshooter garb so we won’t be seen and won’t be shot. Finally, to the poor coyotes. Are they being killed for food or fun? I have never heard of anyone eating a coyote, so I wonder, why is it that we hunt them? What gives us the right to decide which of Gods creatures gets to live to do as it was intended to do? As a German Shepherd owner, my heart goes out to both families and I am installing a doggy litter box in the garage and only walking them in downtown Portland from now on.
Anonymous

or vote, see what is in the Whitehouse?
Anonymous

How does this thing keep happening?? Ignorance, plain and simple. I have guns, but I shoot paper targets and metal traps. The range is the only place I discharge my weapons. If I want meat I go to the store. It always amazes me why Hunters, and 95% are good, decent, responsible people, are dismayed by the growing ranks of anti-hunting sentiment in this state. Just read about the other 5% here on the BDN each year.
Anonymous

Rebeccas_Key: I am a co-worker of the forester. The dog was a companion of a woman forester who spends countless hours in the woods. The forester was wearing a blaze orange vest and an orange hardhat, and the dog usually has numerous strands of ribbon around his collar. The dog was not running deer and they were in sight of each other. The dog was well behaved and obedient. In a nutshell, a woman and her dog were at work and the dog got shot by a hunter who didn’t completely identify his target. It is a bad situation for everyone involved.
Anonymous

The official position of the government of this state is: “the white tail deer belong to us, to use to entice people to buy hunting licenses so we can still work and have nice jobs. The coyote, damn him, is the enemy as he is eating OUR deer”.

This “coyote is the enemy” has infested the minds of thousands of Maine folk who do not understand the relationship between predator and prey animals. Both are dependant upon the other. The coyote are eating the deer that they can easily catch. This is a perfectly normal cleansing of the gene pool, the natural way. The White tail deer herd in Maine will be better off for it in the end as the deer herd will ultimately be stronger and with more vitality. The deer on the coastal Islands are the runtiest and scroungiest things I have seen in 50 yrs of deer hunting.
Something needs to intervene to help strengthen the herd and the coyote, as well as disease and famine are doing what naturally happens in the wild.

This attitude has created a mindset among many hunters that the coyote, damn him, is the baddest thing Maine has ever seen as they are eating OUR deer. The deer don’t just belong to “hunters”, they belong to all the people of Maine, hunters and non hunters both. There are a lot of people in the woods with the mindset that if it is smaller than a deer, dark colored, than it IS A COYOTE and we should kill him.

I am a life long hunter, and my family all hunts, but I am truly saddened to see what a bunch of fools, with this mindset, are doing to the image of “hunters”. It is going to kill the industry.

No one should have to go into the woods on his own property, this time of year, and feel he is placing his life or his animals life, in jeapoardy just because he is not swathed in blaze orange, head to foot.

The war on the coyotes is stupid. It cannot be won as not all of them can be killed, and those who survive will just increase their breeding rates to maintain or increase the population, as predatory animals always do. None of us alive today will live to see the last coyote killed in Maine, It is a fruitless pursuit. Better to learn how to live with it. We have 5 horses, two cows,a and lots of chickens, and there are coyotes in my back field every single night. We can see them with a big light and listen to their howls as we go to sleep. As long as they do not bother our animals we do not bother them. Actually I feel safer with the coyotes in my back yard than with the three hunters involved with wrongful shootings this past week.

If this keeps up, more and more land will get posted until finally the fools who can’t tell the difference between a deer, dog or man, will have no place to hunt.
Anonymous

I could understand it a little more if it were a Husky rather than a shepard, but it is still 100% inexcusable.
Anonymous

I don’t think there is any question to hunter safety…of course it’s still safe to hunt in Maine….Hunters don’t resemble coyotes. Now not to blame the victim but did the article say that the owner took the dog for a walk in the woods? It doesn’t matter how much blaze orange your animal has….Walking in the woods during hunting season is a BAD idea 8(
Anonymous

Sad indeed. An orange collar can easily disappear in the fur around the neck. At a distance, probably not seen at all. It does on my dog. As to mistaken identity, it took a team of forensic scientists to identify a wolf from a coyote in order for this state to prosecute a man a few years ago. I believe he was acquitted by the way.
It is very possible to misidentify a dog such as this, for a coyote: or a coyote for a dog. I am sorry for your friends loss. I wonder how many posters here can tell the difference at a distance?
Anonymous

Even if the dog actually were a coyote – it’s no excuse. If it were a coyote on your property doing damage to something that belonged to you or someone or someones pet or livestock…fine. I can be okay with that. But that is clearly not what happened here. AND, I would have to ask why someone is shooting something without knowing who is around or clearly identifying the target. This could just as easily have been the woman walking with the dog because apparently the hunter never saw her either. A collar, any color ribbon or bandana, should all be flags that it is not a wild animal regardless of whether you really should be shooting it or not. I have a problem with those that kill just to kill. Kill to eat? fine. Kill because you can? NO. And you shouldnt be allowed to own a gun if that is your mind set.
Anonymous

If you cant tell, don’t shoot. It’s the law.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002073802525 Tylene Fowler

Very sad situation. Definately, need to see 100% before you shoot. That said, it is also sad to think this man will get more time for shooting a dog then a man gets for committing rape or an accidental firearm discharge that hurt a human being! Obviously this was not purposeful, but neglectful act… Thus manslaughter of a dog. Manslaughter of a man, and you get under 4 years in California. Lets see how much he gets for the poor dog :-(
Anonymous

Well the article does say the woman is a forester so my guess is she was at the office doing work?
Anonymous

i think that if there were a law that you have to eat what you shoot , the hunter would be sure to identify as to what his supper will be that night , sorry for the dog and owner.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_G7TM2WWUSPPTO2SNDBEXTLHSRQ Confucius

You must be a stand up citizen if you admit there are people that would like to shoot you!
Anonymous

Good question.
Anonymous

“[W]e’re still left out in the open which where we don’t know if he did have 100% identification or not…”

Um, considering that he did not shoot a coyote, he did not have “100 percent” identification.
Anonymous

Blame the Outdoor shows featured on television. They always shoot something. My humble opinion, after hunting for 56 years, is that more people are in the woods to look like they are hunting. They have no idea what safe hunting- or shooting- is.
Anonymous

You do realize that coyotes are dogs, don’t you?
Anonymous

You are correct that humans don’t resemble coyotes. A hunter wearing blaze orange was fatally shot on Saturday.

And BTW, the foresters I know are actually working in the woods, not just out for a leisurely stroll as you implied. The woman had every right to have her dog (wearing blaze orange) with her.

Maybe hunters should take a hunter safety refresher course every 5 years to keep their license?
Jazz11

Loose the killers upon us. (Maine’s new motto).
Anonymous

This is bullcrap. the owner should have common sense that the dog should not be walking in the woodes. A dog could easily be construde as a dog since they are from the same DNA and do look alike. Warden are the biggest hipacrites anyways…
Anonymous

I think the hunter orange ribbon around the dog’s neck in this case may have been a clue.
Anonymous

Coyotes usually do not have orange collars but they should.
AionNV

Sorry I shot you, I thought you were a dog.
AionNV

No offense intended towards dogs.
Anonymous

when are these aholes gonna learn! guys should have to have an IQ higher than 50 to be able to hunt.
Anonymous

I agree that it is a bad idea but isn’t not being safe in the woods at any time a worse idea? I don’t walk in my woods because I am not suicidal even though my land is posted.
Anonymous

You’re right. The bottom line is that you should always, proof positive, 100% of the time, be able to identify your target. It there is the slightest doubt whether it be a German Shepherd, or anything but what you are licensed to hunt for at the time, then don’t take the shot. Another poster stated that only a warden has the right to shoot a coyote. Not being a hunter, I don’t know if this is true. If so, then this man is completely without excuse.

The article has been modified since my original post. The modified version indicated that the dog was wearing some blaze orange attached to its collar.
Anonymous

“A dog could easily be construde as a dog”…I couldn’t agree with you more.
Anonymous

We have numerous coyotes in our neck of the woods, and they have taken to wearing hunter orange bandanas and sneaking around in the close company of humans so as to disguise themselves as pet dogs. No different than deer dressing up to look like people in hunter orange, I guess. As a lifelong hunter, I find these incidents quite senseless..
Anonymous

So….he saw the “dog” aka “coyote”, but didnt see the human close by…….ok!
Anonymous

Actually it is not difficult to tell the difference between a dog and an eastern coyote, the first clue was the orange ribbon, then if you can get it in the scope, the anatomical difference should be evident, and obvious, but you have to know what to look for and be sure of your shot.
Anonymous

these people should lose the right to hunt for life.
Anonymous

These recent incidents are turning people against the sport of hunting in Maine. It’s a shame when there are hunters who would rather shoot to kill before being 100% sure of target. Dogs (and humans) do not look like deer. I just can’t see how these trigger happy hunters can pull the trigger when not sure. As far as looking like a coyote, then I say outlaw coyote shooting!
Anonymous

it is not correct that only a warden can shoot a coyote
Anonymous

“I don’t think there is any question to hunter safety…of course it’s
still safe to hunt in Maine…Hunters don’t resemble coyotes..”

Maybe you missed the article on the three hunters that have been shot (two on Friday and one fatally on Saturday). One is recovering from being shot in the leg. One is recovering from being shot in the abdomen. One is not recovering, he died in the woods.
~~~~~
“Now not
to blame the victim but did the article say that the owner took the dog
for a walk in the woods?

Well I am not going to “blame the victim” but I am going to blame the victim for taking a “walk in the woods”.
~~~~~
“It doesn’t matter how much blaze orange your
animal has….Walking in the woods during hunting season is a BAD idea
8(”

Yes because we all know that wild animals break out the blaze orange come hunting season.
~~~~~
Want to know what the real “BAD idea” is Shannonanigans? Shooting at something that is wearing blaze orange. The article says that the GSD had blaze orange attached to its collar. Maine law says “A reasonable and prudent hunter: Bases identification upon obtaining an essentially unobstructed view of the head and torso of the potential target.”
Conley Raye

Agai , they do not understand r don’t care. The hunter needs to lose his guns and license, forever…and pay a reasonable sum for the life that he took along with severve punishment of a hefty fine and at least a year in the big house. We need to let folks know, that shooting just to kill something that is alive will not be acepted, lightly. WE NEED THE LAWS UPDATED…….TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
Anonymous

Hunters do not own the woods![pp’[
Anonymous

she obviously meant telling the difference between a coyote and domestic dog. Who peed in your Cheerios?
Anonymous

not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?
acadiawoods

One of my German Shepherds is a red sable and could easily be mistaken for a coyote at first glance. Anyone knowledgeable about coyotes, while identifying their potential target, would quickly see the dog’s structure and movement was not coyote like.
The big problem that I see here is, our Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has endorsed the wholesale killing of a wild canid because it is assumed they are causing widespread decimation of the white tail deer population. If coyotes are such predators of deer why is it that MDI has a huge deer population and a huge coyote population. Why are our coyotes not smart enough to enjoy the venison so readily available? Perhaps IFW could trap and relocate some of these smarter coyotes to educate our population.
Anonymous

I’m sure the crows, porcupines, possum and raccoons will back you on this ….. go for it !
Anonymous

This hunter does not belong out in the maine woods, and saying i through it was a coyote is not and excuse, its hunters like this that spoil it for the rest of us. I feel sorry for the owner of the dog. This guys should not be aloud to hunt in Me anymore period.
http://twitter.com/TheGuardianMH The Guardian

Stay out of the woods – people with guns on the loose who apparently can’t see orange. She was a forester and out walking in the woods? Lucky she didn’t get shot too.
Anonymous

Overheard in a Belfast grocery store after this story came out:
”Only an idiot would take their dog walking in the woods during hunting season. I don’t care if the dog is painted, nose to tail, fluorescent orange, I’ve spent my hard earned money for my license and my hunting time is valuable, too. Let a dog run through an area where you are hunting and the deer will disappear and my whole day would be ruined. I’d drop a dog in a minute if I knew there was no owner close by.”

He IS correct in one respect. If he shot at or shot MY dog, ‘his whole day WOULD be ruined’.
As this fool left the store, I was surprised to see 2 people follow him to his old truck. Expectations of a confrontation didn’t materialize but and one took a photo of his license plate number and the other took a photo of this jerk with their cell phones. He was NOT happy!
Anonymous

Dog was shot in the woods–100% Illegal–End of story.
Anonymous

They do make an Blaze Orange Dog vest! Maybe they should purchase one if they intend to walk in the woods during deer hunting season but it’s still NO EXCUSE to shoot a dog. KNOW what you are shooting at 100% of the time.
vest: http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3449199&mr:trackingCode=FDC271C6-1B5B-E011-BB8E-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA
Anonymous

My mistake I missed the mention of the “orange ribbon” in the article. I wonder if it was a ribbon or a bandana as the picture shows a red one on the dog?
Anonymous

And…The dog was wearing an orange ribbon, and was with a person…Coyote? Sure…
Anonymous

The dog in this case was wearing a hunter orange ribbon…
Anonymous

I know if I was hunting and I spotted a dog chasing deer I would drop the dog… A lot of hunters would…
Anonymous

The dog WAS wearing florescent orange neckband… ummm, I don’t know of ANY coyotes that wear these. Obviously this hunter didn’t identify his target before pulling the trigger. It IS his fault.
Anonymous

No excuse for the hunter shooting before fully identifying his target. It could have been a child.
Anonymous

Agree with you 100%
Anonymous

I don’t walk my dogs in the woods, but along a road in front of my house. Both the dogs and I wear bright orange anyway, even though we are on a road. I wear orange when I go out to feed my horses. Apparently even that won’t keep us safe.
Anonymous

There is no allegation or evidence that this dog (or the dog in Orrington) was “running deer”.

And it really doesn’t matter, Maine law is crystal clear in this regard. Only Maine Wardens have the legal authority to shot a domesticated dog “running deer”. “Joe” hunter has not legal right or authority to shot a domesticated dog “running deer”.

Are you really willing to risk your hunting license, fishing license, firearms, 6 months in the county lock up and a $1,000.00 to shoot a dog “running deer”
Anonymous

The dog was wearing florescent orange… the hunter should be knowledgeable enough to know that coyotes don’t wear orange (or any other color for that matter). A hunter should be smart enough not to pull the trigger if he/she doesn’t know what he/she is shooting at. It’s BASIC… bottom line hunter safety. If you can’t adhere to hunter safety then you don’t belong in the woods with a gun.
Anonymous

You are correct…….People for some reason worship the coyote…. A pack of coyotes can kill a lot of deer.. Coyotes are smart. They will herd deer into areas where they cant escape..
Anonymous

Seriously? A dog wearing florescent orange can be mistaken for a coyote? FYI – Coyotes don’t wear orange. Please tell me that YOU are not a hunter!!!
Anonymous

*If you’re hunting deer, why not shoot the deer and not the dog? *

Because if you don’t the dog will just do it again…..
Anonymous

DJ, please read washingtoncntyboy original post:

“This is bullcrap. the owner should have common sense that the dog should not be walking in the woodes. A dog could easily be construde as a dog since they are from the same DNA and do look alike. Warden are the biggest hipacrites anyways…”

I quoted a piece of his post….”A dog could easily be construde as a dog….”and agreed with it. (It’s called “satire”)

A dog is a dog and a coyote is a coyote and GSD do not look like coyotes. Especially when they are wearing a collar and have blaze orange attached to the collar.
Anonymous

I know there is no allegation in this case… I’m just saying most hunters would shoot a dog that was chasing deer if they see it happening..
Anonymous

Sorry… I misread your post! Oops… my apologies!
Anonymous

I thought it was a misread on your part. No problem. I am also very passionate about this topic and have owned multiple GSDs and none of them could be mistaken for a coyote.
Briney

If three hunters have been shot so far, one fatally, along with two dogs, I’ll settle for a balogna sandwich.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VANZLIHKQPPLZPYRZHKFC3MDTM Kim

That’s exactly how it works in nature, it’s called natural selection.
Anonymous

Scary, isn’t it? I think there are a lot of people hunting in the woods who know how to pass a hunter safety course but don’t know how to apply what they’ve learned in a real-life situation.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1452684179 Jason Simonds

2 fraudulent votes in decades and we supposedly have to change the law.

People and dogs getting shot… but it’s ok.. it’s just hunting… It’s the Maine way… they were prolly librels anyway, eh?
Anonymous

The dog was wearing florescent orange around it’s neck… there is just NO WAY a hunter could confuse this with a coyote. Basic hunter safety requires that the hunter know what he’s shooting at before pulling the trigger… this guy clearly said he “thought” it was a coyote which means he did not know what is was before he pulled the trigger.
Anonymous

Actually people need to apply what they learn in a hunter safety course to what they do in the woods when hunting. Maybe it would be best if they didn’t shoot at things they were not sure what they were.

This man clearly said he “thought” it was a coyote which means he did not “know” what he was shooting at. Basic hunter safety teaches never to pull the trigger if you do not KNOW what you are shooting at.
Anonymous

People do this but that does not make it right nor does it make a person a good or safe hunter. Anyone who intentionally kills a domestic animal or shoots at something they do not KNOW what it is should be prosecuted.

There is an alternative solution to killing an animal believed to be running deer and that is to call animal control and let them deal with it properly.

As for shooting something you “think” is a coyote you are in complete and total violation of hunter safety rules and laws. Hunter safety requires that a person never pull a trigger because he/she “thinks” they are shooting at something – you do not pull the trigger until you “know” what you are shooting at.

Both of these two incidents involved people who admitted they did not “know” what they were shooting at before they pulled the trigger… they only “thought” it was a coyote and in one case a coyote wearing florescent orange.
Anonymous

awesome!
MaineExile

Must of been the morning after deer camp night..Maybe some wake an bake, or some salty leftovers…sad sad sad…
Anonymous

Well if enough of them are caught and prosecuted then the “most” hunters that you are talking about might think twice about whether or not it’s worth the price of losing their hunting, fishing and firearms license, doing jail time and paying a fine. If they think about the consequences they might choose differently. That’s why laws exist.
Anonymous

Anyone who tells authorities I “thought” is admitting they did not “know” what they were shooting at when they pulled the trigger. They should absolutely have their hunting/fire arms license revoked and all hunter safety rules and other laws should apply. Thinking you know what you are shooting at is clearly not knowing what you are shooting at and this is too dangerous to let anyone get away with it.
Anonymous

It doesn’t matter – the man admittedly did not KNOW what he was shooting at, he only thought he was shooting at something other than what he actually shot. Hunter safety teaches to never pull the trigger if you do not KNOW what you are shooting at. This time a dog wearing a florescent orange band around his neck… maybe next time it will be a person they THOUGHT was a moose.
Anonymous

MDIFW Spokeswoman, Edie Smith says “It is still safe to hunt in Maine” ! Obviously NOT! One small paragraph later, there are three news headlines
Windham hunter shoots man in stomach, Oxford hunter shoots partner in leg
Sebago man fatally shot in hunting incident
Maine hunter shot as duck season opens
Obviously it is NOT safe to hunt in the Maine woods. Anyone who thinks they are safe in Maine woods during hunting season is dilutional. It seems the Fish and Wildlife service is more interested in financial gains than anyone’s safety. Keep yourselves and your animals out of the woods during hunting season. Period.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1452684179 Jason Simonds

What is truly sad here, beyond the death of the man an the dogs, is the fear the Maine people now have…. I fear spending time in my back yard because I *know* there are hunters out there dumb enough to shoot at me, even if I am in orange.

When I hear guns go off in rapid succession, with 6-10 shots ringing out in quick succession, I wonder if they are really in control.

There is a law proposed to increase distance the from housing one must be for hunting, and I do not think it can be far enough to please me.

I truly wish I could trust the hunting community, but they are once again proving they can not be trusted…. my goodness, these people are running around with lethal weapons and are not capable of taking basic identification procedures… and they do it with in 100 yards of my house, legally.

( just so you know I am friends with many hunters and I would let them hunt anyway they wanted because I have seen the effort they put into hunting. They seem to be in the minority and hunting today is much like having a Harley is to some men, it is all about machismo.)

I recommend that the hunting community setup some positive training systems to help cull out the hunters that should not be in the woods. A computerized hunting simulation, where the applicant must hit 5 targets out of 30 with 10 bad targets mixed in. They must hit 5 and miss the bad targets… or something like this…

Once upon a time the woods were vast and one could hunt for days without seeing another human and our forefathers lived in this world. Today we have enough people living amongst us so that hunting means always being within a short distance to people, at least in the coastal band and central Maine areas.

Obviously, the basic hunter education now in place is inadequate to fill the need to protect the people of Maine.

It would be wise for the hunting community to step up and do some kind of action to confront the problem, without being poked with a stick to do so….. or people like me will insist that fees for licenses go up and live training will be mandatory and it will not be inexpensive……
Anonymous

Answers to your questions are in the article -

NO, the dog was not clearly identified as a dog according to the hunter – he only THOUGHT he knew what he was shooting at, he did not KNOW what he was shooting at. The owner had a florescent orange band around the dog’s neck – that should have been the first clue to the hunter not to pull the trigger. Apparently he (the hunter) missed even the most obvious signs that this was not a coyote.

According to the article the owner was with the dog and they were walking through the woods. Even the hunter never said anything about shooting a dog or a coyote because he saw it running deer. I would think that the hunter would mention this as his reason for shooting without knowing what he was shooting at so it’s doubtful the dog was running deer.

There is no mention of what the owner was wearing. But, once again – hunters have to KNOW before they pull the trigger. There are people who do not hunt, do not know dates of hunting seasons, and even children who walk in the woods without wearing bright colors. This is exactly why it’s so important that a hunter KNOW (not just think he knows) what he is shooting at before pulling the trigger.

Bottom line – This man did not apply what he learned in a hunter safety course – NEVER shoot anything you do not know for sure what it is.
Anonymous

I agree. I think people like this should lose the right to hunt for life. Next time it could be another human.
Anonymous

It’s simple Rebecca – if a hunter doesn’t KNOW what he/she is shooting at they should never pull the trigger. (Hunter Safety 101)
Anonymous

Domestic dogs have no business chasing deer, bottom line..
Anonymous

Me too!!!! I like, like, like, like, like, like… BDigN’s post!
Anonymous

*People do this but that does not make it right nor does it make a person a good or safe hunter. Anyone who intentionally kills a domestic animal or shoots at something they do not KNOW what it is should be prosecuted. *

That is your opinion, and you have a right to it..
But a domestic dog has no business chasing deer… And will be dealt with..
Anonymous

I agree.
Anonymous

Unless you are a game warden you don’t have a legal right to do that. It amazes me that there are people running around in the woods with guns who aren’t smart enough to consider the consequences of their actions. Dogs aren’t the problem in the woods during hunting season – law violating, brazen, boasting, unsafe hunters are. If you are caught doing what you publicly state that you do… you will lose your hunting license, firearms license, fishing license, pay a hefty fine and possibly do some jail time and you will deserve it and more.

I can’t think of anything more foolish than acting out without considering the consequences of your actions. From all perspectives this is no-brainer! I mean, you do realize that you can buy a lot of deer meat for the cost of the fine and loss of wages during your period of incarceration, right? Not to mention that you’ll be left out of hunting and fishing with your buddies for quite some time too… and if you’re dumb enough to do it again and again, you might find that your loss of hunting/gun privileges could become permanent because dumb people should not hunt or carry guns.
Anonymous

Again, that is your opinion…..
Anonymous

It is illegal to shoot dogs, people, or anything else that you don’t know what it is in the woods or any other place. Those who violate the law will be prosecuted and will lose their hunting, fishing and gun licenses, pay hefty fines and do some jail time. THAT, my friend is the bottom line. Oh… and you can’t shoot people who pee on your tree stand to keep the deer away either!
Anonymous

I don’t know about that. I lied on Guam when my husband was in the Air Force and they ate dogs there.
Anonymous

It’s not about my opinion – it’s the law. Seriously? You don’t you know that? This is something that is taught in hunter safety courses along with the fact that it is never okay to shoot anything that you don’t 100% KNOW what it is. That is what this article is about, there is no reason to even suspect that this dog was running deer and even if it were this man does not have a legal right to shoot it. He will be prosecuted and stands to lose his hunting, fishing, gun licenses, pay a hefty fine and do a bit of jail time. I personally don’t see how breaking the law for the sake of a sport is really worth the consequences. Now that part… is my opinion but the other, well… that is the law!
Anonymous

Oh you can , just illegal thats all,,, As I said that won’t stop a hunter from shooting a domestic dog in the act of chasing deer, thats the bottom line because the Dr. said so…
You need to calm down, you seem to be getting wound a little tight..
Dr’s orders….
Anonymous

Has nothing to do with safety….
Calm down please..
Anonymous

My Dad was an avid hunter when I was a kid. When I became a teenager, I remember he came home one day and said,”Oh my God! I will never go hunting again!” Seems he was almost shot by someone from away that was shooting at anything moving. That was in 1963 or ’64, he passed away in 2001, he never did go hunting again. Scary to think nothing has changed in all those years.
Anonymous

You are correct, go to some of the other counties you don’t see any stray dogs around… I guarentee I ate dog when i was in Jamaca.
Anonymous

This story of “I thought it was a coyote” would make more sense if, the dogs in question were Siberian Huskies, they look more coyote like. So sorry for the loss of the dogs.
Anonymous

No… it’s not just my opinion, it is the LAW. It is NOT legal to shoot a dog running deer in Maine.

I know there are wanna be hunters who would “drop a dog” here in Maine and actually think it’s legal but it’s not legal and a real hunter does not “drop” dogs wearing collars. A real hunter has more integrity, skill, knowledge, etc… You’d know that if you checked out a few hunting forums – real hunters look down upon hunters who shoot pets. It’s almost as bad as “baiting” deer with salt licks. Or feeding wild turkeys so you can sit in your back yard and kill them with a BB gun. It’s tacky… yes, that’s my opinion and apparently the opinion of many accomplished hunters, many who own some pretty pricey hunting dogs and don’t want them shot.

Yes, I get it, unsavory people in remote areas have been getting away with this kind of illegal and unsportsmanlike behavior for years. But one day lawbreaking hunters might just trip up and shoot some out-of-state person’s prized dog that he paid tens of thousands to train. Not only would he/she lose their hunting, fishing and gun licenses, pay a fine and do some jail time but they will be sued for thousands for killing a high priced and highly trained dog. As it is… people who shoot dogs make it bad for hunters who abide by hunter safety rules and laws. That’s probably why they look down on hunters who don’t abide by hunter safety rules and laws.
Anonymous

Well it absolutely boils my blood when I hear people talking about how they can break laws and kill things. THAT is my opinion.
Anonymous

No one is telling people they have to stay here.
Anonymous

It has everything to do with safety. This dog’s owner was right behind him and this guy pulled the trigger on what he THOUGHT was a coyote wearing florescent orange bands around his neck. What hunter thinks coyotes wear florescent orange? And what if the person had stepped into his range of fire? If this is not a hunting safety issue I don’t know what is…. a hunter should NEVER pull the trigger and shoot something he isn’t sure what it is particularly when a person is close by and both the dog and the owner are wearing florescent orange. (The article does not say that she was wearing florescent orange but someone who knows her posted in this forum and said that she was.) So… not a safety issue? I think it is.
Anonymous

Hunting seasons aren’t limited to November.
Anonymous

True…but shooting domesticated dogs is never in season.
Anonymous

A personal illustration of applying the “100% identification” rule: I was about 14, out hunting with my dad and my brother. They put me on a stand and went off in different directions. Eventually, I heard noises coming towards me from a totally different direction than either of them took. Thinking a deer was coming, I raised my rifle in preparation. Fortunately, I also remembered my Hunter Safety training and my father’s reinforcement of same and waited to fully see what I “thought” was approaching. The “deer” that I was prepared to shoot turned out to be my brother coming out of the trees. You can bet my hands shook a little as I lowered my rifle and put the safety back on.

Every single hunter of any age or any experience must apply this rule. You NEVER fire at what you “think” is coming, no matter what. Shooting someone’s pet is very sad, shooting another person is an even bigger tragedy and both are preventable if this rule is applied.
Anonymous

Lame.
Anonymous

I don’t hunt, so what exactly is the criteria for obtaining a hunting license? It would appear that your I.Q. is not a factor if you don’t know a coyote from a German shepherd.
Anonymous

Why on earth would you shoot someone’s dog because it was chasing a deer?
Anonymous

I’d dump a coyote in a heartbeat. I would’ve last Saturday if I could’ve gotten a shell chambered. Make a great ice fishing hat IF&W has told me for decades that the coyote is decimating deer herds. If you asked “Critter or Road Kill” 25 to 30 years ago, and the guys in the Big Game Unit know who I’m referring to, what happened to the deer herd in Washington County, he simply would howl. And point to the mega clearcuts Champion was doing.
Anonymous

It may be safe to hunt-but it’s not safe to walk your dog. As much or moreso than the hunter, I blame the kill-for-sport, right wing lunatic fringe that has controlled maine fish and wildlife policy for decades. I also blame the IFW management and the legislature for allowing themselves to be led around by the nose by these zealots. They know who they are. They have preached coyote killing and whipped the gullible into such a frenzy that nothing that even remotely resembles a coyote is safe in the woods. It’s time for IFW to put the brakes on this madness.
Anonymous

Why do people make EVER THING about the “right” and “left” wing?
Anonymous

Dee are you prepared to face the following penalties?

Lose of hunting license.

Lose of fishing license.

Confiscation of firearm.

Up to a $1,000.00 fine

Up to 6 months in the county jail.

Those are the penalties because you decide…”Oh you can, just illegal thats all”
Anonymous

Thanks for the Info..
Exactly, I can decide….
Domesticated dogs have no business chasing deer..
Anonymous

Because it is illegal to let your domesticated dog run loose and chase deer….
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VANZLIHKQPPLZPYRZHKFC3MDTM Kim

I believe it was that only a warden can shoot a dog if that dog was chasing deer.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VANZLIHKQPPLZPYRZHKFC3MDTM Kim

Unfortunately IQ isn’t a factor in being able to buy a gun either. Any old idiot that can pass the background check can buy a gun.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VANZLIHKQPPLZPYRZHKFC3MDTM Kim

Unfortunately you don’t need to have much of an IQ to even buy a gun, you need only pass a background check.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Todd-Foster/686645014 Todd Foster

So an illegal act (shooting a domesticated dog) is the correct response to another illegal act (letting said dog chase deer)? Two wrongs don’t make a right.

(But three lefts do) ;-)
Anonymous

Yes… Take a poll of hunters and see what you get…..
I can see that the ones that are arguing are dog owners, I have 2 myself…
Most avid hunters will shoot a dog chasing deer… Just the way it is…
Anonymous

You are probably correct…. Try getting a warden out there in time enough to catch the dog in the act…. Good luck…. Some of these wardens remind me of Barney Fife……
Anonymous

Coyotes are open game…….
Anonymous

You can hunt coyote Jan1 to Dec 31 during daylight hours.. Dont really think it matters if they are chasing deer.

http://www.eregulations.com/maine/hunting/other-species-hunting/
http://www.facebook.com/people/Todd-Foster/686645014 Todd Foster

I am a hunter and I 1) haven’t come across a dog running deer, and 2) wouldn’t shoot said dog because it’s illegal and I don’t want to risk my licence or guns on a dog. Also, I don’t have any dogs.
Anonymous

yes, a non-legacy Harvard grad.
Anonymous

It is also illegal to litter but you can’t just shoot litterers.
Anonymous

If you “think” it might be a coyote – it probably isn’t….LET IT GO!!! It is very unnerving that people are shooting yet again at what they “think” something is. It is very tragic for both sides, and there is no real reason for it. Keep the safety on until you ‘KNOW’ what you are shooting at – 100%.
Anonymous

I carry when I go out on my property, and if someone mistakes me for a deer (I wear orange) then they better hope they kill me first.
Anonymous

Theres a big difference between buying/owning a gun and carrying it or using it to hunt. Dont paint gun owners as being the same as this guy. Most gun owners dont even hunt.
Anonymous

Speaking of ‘out of Maine’, I wonder what the ratio of ‘outtastaters’ to hunting accidents is, this year and in years past. We Mainers (I was born in Skowhegan, five miles from where I live) like to say that people from away are somehow inferior hunters with lousy ethics, but I suspect we’re really no better, on average, than hunters who come from other states. In fact, I’d bet that people who are willing to travel and spend extra for their licenses are probably better hunters than the large number of opportunistic slob hunters who happen to live here. NOTE: I DID NOT SAY ALL MAINERS ARE SLOB HUNTERS, BUT WE HAVE OUR SHARE. So far this year we’ve shot a few people and three dogs; how many of these ‘accidents’ involved people from away? Go ahead and get mad, but at least take note, when such accidents are reported, whether the ‘culprits’ were from Maine or from away.
Anonymous

So then the appropriate penalty is the death penalty? Seems a little harsh!
Anonymous

What do you do for a living? I wonder who you might remind your co-workers of. No, I’m not a game warden, am not related to any nor am I acquainted with any; I just think cheap shots are unnecessary and unproductive. I’d like to see more game wardens in the field to answer such calls and to protect the resource against slobs with guns and fishing rods.
poormaniac

Maybe dumb people shouldn’t have pets running through the woods killing deer just for the sake of killing. The pets are loved and well fed after all. Perhaps these two folks actually meant to shoot the dogs after positively identifying them. Guess we’ll never know now will we !
Anonymous

Most of the hunters I know would shoot the deer first. A dog doesn’t stand a chance this time of year. There has to be enough snow to slow the deer down. The deer belong to the state. It is up to the state to punish the dog and owners if the dog is in fact chasing deer. It’s not up to the hunter to take the law into their own hands. I hope they prosecute these guys to the fullest.
poormaniac

Stop by a neighborhood sporting goods store they may have a copy of this years hunting law book. In it you’ll find that the open season on coyotes in Maine is year round , day or night , with the exception of Sunday hunting. I guess the experts at the state level think that the coyote poses a bigger threat than these above posted , well meaning pet lovers have imagened.
Anonymous

That’s absurd. So a dog is chasing a deer, is that going to wipe out the entire whitetail population? What, from giving them heart attacks?

Deer don’t seem particularly perturbed about much of anything, witness the huge deer population explosion in my parents’ suburban neighborhood outside of Detroit. It’s almost impossible to scare them away from the flowerbeds, you can practically walk up and smack them on the nose. Here in Maine I have four noisy dogs, all kept contained within our large fenced yard or with me on leash, and the deer wander around here constantly.

There’s no excuse for shooting a dog unless it’s actively attacking you.
Anonymous

Pray tell where in this article does it say ANYTHING about “pets running through the woods killing deer”?

And, it is ILLEGAL to shot a domesticated dog. The ONLY person that is legally allowed to shot a domesticated dog “chasing deer” is a Maine Warden.
Anonymous

and it is illegal for “Joe” hunter to shoot and kill a domesticated dog chasing a deer.

Two wrongs never make a right.
Anonymous

And people like you have no business owning firearms or having a hunting license if you refuse to obey the laws of the state.
Anonymous

I don’t believe that a ribbon attached to a collar is enough blaze orange. When I lived near the woods with my dog he had a full body vest blaze orange made out of fleece.
Person fromMaine

Just incase you’ve haven’t noticed, many people hunt coyotes…
Anonymous

Oh yes and I did miss the article about the three hunters
Person fromMaine

He might not have seen the orange on the dog. He was in the woods, the orange might not have been seen since it could have been behind a tree. The dog should have had a vest on also, not a ribbon.
Anonymous

Well except that a dog is a dog is a dog…and it is in the nature to chase, run, bark, bite, pee or whatever else they want to do when they want to do it. The word ‘domestic’ does not take those personality traits away. The dog is only doing what the dog does. Perhaps you should consider shooting the owner instead because they were not controlling the nature of their dog. :( I own guns, used to hunt, would never shoot a coyote, never shoot a dog in the woods. I don’t eat them. Why would I shoot it? Taking a life because you feel like it and not use what you shoot is just wrong. Either report it to the proper authorities, or dont. But shooting it would be wrong. You would be killing an animal, dog or coyote, for simply following it’s nature. Good thing you are at the top of the food chain.
Anonymous

That is your opinion…..
Thats all it is….
Anonymous

Yes, and me and my dog can walk in the woods any darn time we please. I wonder, did this hunter have permission to be on this property, or did they just assume they could do so because they were a hunter and it was hunting season? And yes, I know the rules, post your property, etc…but common decency doesnt seem to apply to all of the hunters, now does it? I would never hunt someone’s property without asking. I woldnt even walk across someone’s lawn to go to the river or brook without asking like many people do to me…just waltz in thinking they have every right to be there because they want something when there are other places they COULD be with permission.
Anonymous

Loving the comments below… Some people have blinders on… They know who they are…
Anonymous

I think some people are confused here… I do NOT agree with this guy killing this dog.. Obviously he screwed up or did it on purpose… I’m saying that I have no problem taking a dog that IS chasing deer… You guys seem to have the blinders on… One thing on your mind… Domestic dogs have no business chasing deer…
Anonymous

I agree you can go in the woods anytime you want.. I never said I agree with the killing of this dog..This guy WAS wrong….. All I said was that dogs have no business chasing deer and need to be dealt with…
Anonymous

I understand what you are stating – you think it is okay if a dog IS chasing deer to kill it. My point to you is that domestic or not, the dog is doing what dogs do. And a coyote is doing what a coyote does. That doesnt give you the right to kill it. So what if it chases a deer. Report it and go about your business.
Anonymous

And Maine law says the following about target identification…”A reasonable and prudent hunter: Bases identification upon obtaining an essentially unobstructed view of the head and torso of the potential target.”

This rest at the feet of the hunter.
Anonymous

And “Joe” hunter has no business shooting domesticated dogs.
Anonymous

Seems to be quite a few comments missing….
Thin skin????
Anonymous

If you say so…
Anonymous

I has nothing to do with what I say or believe……..IT IS STATE LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous

Just another law…
A silly on too…
Anonymous

A dog is not required to be clad in orange, the hunter is responsible for proper target ID, period. I’m not sure why people don’t grasp this rule. Is it really that hard? You watch, due to irresponsible hunters there will be sweeping reforms to hunting laws, ruining it for all. Better get your coyote now because when PETA gets involved in Augusta, lawmakers will bend to get rid of those kooks.