Legitimate reasons to hunt with dogs in the night?

[LWJ]

Hello,

About 10 years ago, I lead a group of boyscouts to my wife's family homestead property for a camp-out. It is VERY remote even though it is only 20 miles from the small city of Corvallis, OR.

Scouts not having full brain development, made about 30 extra pounds of spaghetti noodles. I instructed them to walk 200 years up the road and dump them. No garbage service and not bringing that back home. I forgot about the noodles until dark when a swarm of silent dogs descended on the noodles and had a feast. I was pretty uncomfortable as I was in charge of 30 scouts and I knew that armed people were coming shortly to collect their dogs - as they did.

We were in a gated, marked property and a truck with a dog kennel came up. We got them their dogs and got rid of them ASAP. I breathed easier.

Fast forward to 2023, my BIL, has a game camera on the property. He has seen similar (if not the very same) truck with a kennel + dogs on several occasions. He got a picture of the license number. I turned this in to the State Police and will be happy to press charges. Trespass at the very least. They seem to have a key to our locked gate somehow? (There are 4 locks, Fire, Timber Company, Wife's Family, and one more I can't recollect. All open the gate.)

There is all sorts of wildlife in this area: Deer, Elk, Cougar, Bear, and lots of smaller things. My limited research says that Black Bear gall bladders are selling for $5000 - $8000 in Asia. I assume this is what they are going for. If so, I will make an effort to ruin their illegitimate hobby. This enrages me.

Now comes the question: IS there a legitimate reason to hunt with dogs at night? My BIL has seen them at night more than once. I am not even certain if he has seen them during the day. Other than nefarious reasons, what are they up to? (I don't think there IS a legit reason, but I wanted to ask)

[Scott Douglas]

Some game is nocturnal so not out during the day.

[Eric 951]

coon hunting. critters are nocturnal. coon hounds used to track/tree them.

some boar hunting takes place at night and bobcat.

[stevej37]

I remember as a kid hunting with my father and grandfather with his three coon dogs.
The only time it would work was night. The dogs get on a trail of a raccoon and chase it up a tree.
One person would steady the spotlight on the coon and the others would shoot.

There was a bounty on them for the fur.

[Tobra]

Plenty of reasons to hunt with dogs at night. Not a single reason for the timber company to let people hunt on your land without permission

[KFC911]

I would use the plate number to track down the trespasser and let them know it had better be the last time.... then proceed.

I'd be pissed off too, but it might just be "good ol' boys" who for some strange reason think it's OK. They might think it belongs to the timber co. etc. and that they don't care. People are stooopid ....

[aigel]

Probably raccoon. You can check out the regulations on the fish and wildlife page. It should not be in season now. Usually is in the winter / early spring. But there may be other critters in season, often vermin are open all year (some people hunt coyotes with hounds):

https://myodfw.com/articles/oregon-furbearer-hunting-and-trapping-regulations

On a side note: Need to be careful what you read online on these bear gall bladders before jumping to conclusions - a lot of animal rights extremists outrage online trying to take down legal hunting with tall tales of poaching and astronomical sums paid for parts.

So, I'd check if something is in season first, then check on the access rights and once you are informed, then alert the authorities accordingly.

[LWJ]

1. It is posted.
2. They have been warned several times of the private nature of the land.
3. My BIL is armed to the teeth. Y'all would like him.

Oregon doesn't have Boars, I have never heard of anyone hunting raccoons here - although we have them. One of the hunter/poachers did mention treeing a bobcat, but they didn't mentioned killing it. I don't think Bobcat is the target.

Also, this guy has 8++ dogs with GPS collars. This is a well-funded venture. Not a Cletus with a clapped out truck and a couple dogs. These were high-dollar, SILENT hunting dogs.

The fact that it is well-funded with silent dogs, hunting at night makes me come to several conclusions.

[Tobra]

The dogs not making any noise is a red flag

[KFC911]

Are cams set up that can notify you or your BIL when they breach the gate/property? Then I would call LE and meet them there if they were inclined to assist.

..... Or just tell BIL to shoot the bastids

Good luck!

[varmint]

coon hunting is fun. we'd tree them, get them really pissed off. have a beer. then go irritate the next one.

dogs don't make noise unless they're on the trail of something.

[Tobra]

If they are not on the trail of something, why else.would you have dogs

[varmint]

you need the dogs to find the trail. when they pick up a scent they begin vocalizing. the calls change as they get closer to the prey.

[aigel]

Hound hunting is a sport with the focus on the hounds and what they do, training them etc. A lot of people spend big bucks on running hounds and often aren't even interested in taking the prey, once it is treed or bayed.

Not condoning trespassing or breaking any other rules, but assuming they must be poaching game because they have expensive equipment is flawed.

[stevej37]

Sometimes when hunting with my G'pa and his coon dogs...they would get on a trail and we could hardly hear them, they were so far away.

If it was real late, my G'pa would take his jacket off and lay it next to a tree and we would drive home.

The next day, drive back to the woods and the dogs would be waiting by his jacket.

[pwd72s]

Bear hunting with dogs was legal in Oregon back in the 70's...dunno about today, and dunno if it was legal at night.

[Seahawk]

I don't let the coon hunters on my farm any more...two run ins with them was enough.

One guy gave me a bit of attitude when late one night the whole farm ecosystem of animals erupted over the coon dogs.

It did not go well for him.

Same with the Fox Hunting crowd (horseback, dressed like waiters) here Their dogs killed one of mine after trapping the neighbors dog under a car.. I let them know if I see or hear a fox hound on my property I will shoot it.

Problem solved.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by aigel

Hound hunting is a sport with the focus on the hounds and what they do, training them etc. A lot of people spend big bucks on running hounds and often aren't even interested in taking the prey, once it is treed or bayed.

Not condoning trespassing or breaking any other rules, but assuming they must be poaching game because they have expensive equipment is flawed.

Agreed. Poachers wouldn't want the noise of baying hounds...

[LWJ]

Aigel,
If this is a hobby where they are not poaching/killling, I would gladly give them permission.

The fact that we have spoken with them three+ times and they have not mentioned such, tells me that they are doing something else.

My BIL mentioned that there is a shocking LACK of wildlife at the homestead. Probably because of everyone killing stuff.

[craigster59]

Could be a hired gun getting rid of nuisance animals (bobcat, mountain lion, coyote, etc). Any ranchers with sheep, goats or cattle in the area?