This commentary is by Mike Ryan, a resident of Hyde Park, whose background is in industrial engineering. He came to Vermont in 1979 from Galway, Ireland, and spent 19 years with Digital Equipment Corp., leading its materials management team in South Burlington and then running large computer manufacturing plants in Germany and Scotland. He returned to the U.S. in 2000 and spent 12 years as an independent global consultant leading offshore manufacturing for U.S. and European companies before retiring.
What happened to us on Sunday, Aug. 1?
7:30 a.m. — My wife walked out across our posted fields with our dog and they came across a bear with her cub. She thought it prudent to return to the house, where she arrived at 7:50 a.m.
8 a.m. — We heard loud barking and howling from dogs in the field that my wife had just vacated. I drove down to check what was happening. I found a pickup truck with multiple dog crates in the back, parked alongside our posted property, right in line with where my wife and dog had been walking. The driver tried to leave but I didn’t allow it. I called 911. The driver was a male. A discussion ensued, with the sheriff’s office listening in.
I wanted to know what he was doing with hunting dogs on my posted property, which forbade any form of trespass. He told me he wasn’t on my property; only the dogs were, and “Dogs Can’t Read!” He did not have them under control; the GPS tool he was using was only to see their location.
I considered this to be outrageous. No protection under the law when you post your property? I told him never to come onto my property again and that I intended to pursue the matter. I took his name and phone number. He said he needed to go; his dogs were loose on Garfield Road and might get run over. I let him go.
I was surprised to learn from the officer that the county sheriff’s department was excluded from these matters, and I should talk to the game warden, Ethan Coffey. I called him right away. He listened to my account, then told me that it seemed no laws were broken.
It would be an offense only if I could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he released his hounds directly onto our posted property. He probably released his hounds at a legally acceptable location and they followed the bear onto our property; they will go wherever they must when tracking the bear; they are not under anyone’s control.
I asked: Was it not a concern these hounds might attack pets or people? He didn’t think so. I told him this was ridiculous. I asked him to transfer me to his boss. He gave me the number of Lt. Carl Wedin.
I left a message but he didn’t call back. I called Kim Moulton, the Hyde Park town clerk. She was not able to help me, as the animal control laws in effect for Hyde Park, which say all dogs must be under control of the handler, do not apply to private property even if it is posted. These laws are set by Vermont Fish & Wildlife. But through her I got the cellphone number of Lt. Wedin.
I spoke to him. He confirmed everything. I asked if I could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the hounds were released directly onto our property, what would happen to the perpetrator? He told me he might get a ticket.
- What could have happened?
If my wife had decided not to return home, in 15 minutes or so she would have been confronted by six frenzied, out-of-control hounds. Our protective dog would have tried to chase them off. The hounds would have retaliated. My wife, who loves our dog, would have got involved and they both might have been badly injured in the process. There would be no one around to call the dogs off. The hunter sitting in his truck believed they were attacking the bear. His GPS would not help.
- Who would be responsible?
Eventually, Fish & Wildlife would appear to find out.
Not my wife, walking her posted land.
Not the hunter. In his truck. No one could prove he released the hounds directly onto our property.
Not the bear, surely.
Not the hounds; “Dogs Can’t Read”.
Great, no one was to blame; no action necessary
I am not buying it and neither should anyone else. My wife is afraid to go on her early morning walks now. At our age, we should not be faced with this dangerous possibility.
- What can we do about it?
“Dogs Can’t Read” but they provide a nice legal escape clause, being allowed to run wild and uncontrolled through private property. If you can prove the dogs were released on posted property beyond a reasonable doubt, then the perpetrator “might” get a ticket.
This can’t be allowed to continue; surely property owners have rights.
Hunting black bear with hounds is not a benefit to society but is dangerous and very cruel. We should not allow it to continue only for the benefit of those 100 people who hunt bears in this fashion for fun and pleasure. It need have no effect on other forms of hunting — quite the opposite.
Please ask Gov. Scott to appoint a strong, fair-minded individual to the recently vacated post of fish and wildlife commissioner and ask your state representatives to vote to approve H.172, which would ban this barbaric practice.
