Feral horse/deer/grouse questions

[teberle]

I was west of Sundre the other day exploring some lease roads, and came across a sizable group of feral horses. Also came across a post on here from a guy who said he'd been charged by one. So I was wondering: are these horses dangerous to a human on foot? Are they territorial or aggressive? Also, would their presence affect the viability of the area for whitetail deer hunting?

And finally: I saw one grouse out there and heard a lot of drumming, so obviously they are around, and I was thinking about going back there when the season opens. Is a well-maintained, regularly-used gravel road a worse place to hunt ruffies than one that is a old and grown-in?

[wolfhunter]

I suggest you find somewhere else to hunt.

[3blade]

Yes, yes - especially with other horses or dogs, and deer tend to avoid close proximity to them, but 4-500 yards away a deer likely wouldn't care much. FYI: If you have to shoot one that charges you, no one wants to know. Same if you find a dead one. No one. It just stirs up trouble.

Grouse: So long as the traffic is relatively light, and there isn't much dust, they will be around. The roads with clover growing in the middle and in the ditch are best.

[purgatory.sv]

sss

[sns2]

Originally Posted by purgatory.sv

sss

Yep. And the shut up part is the most important.

[Don K]

Originally Posted by sns2

Yep. And the shut up part is the most important.

X2

Been charged while bow hunting. Not cool...

[Abe89]

Was charged this last spring, had a stand off at 10 yards. Got my heart going. Lots of people/off-roading/traffic back there. Horse in every clearing I saw, not a whole lot of much else.


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[teberle]

Ok thanks for the advice.

[chuck-the-chimp]

Not to stir up ****, (I legit don't know. Haven't ever seen one) isn't it legal to shoot feral horses? Same as pigs, or any other feral animal? Or is it only specifically named nuisance animals?

[Big Grey Wolf]

Sorry it is illegal to shot feral horses in Alberta. F & W will investigate and prosecute the shooter.

[st99]

Originally Posted by chuck-the-chimp

Not to stir up ****, (I legit don't know. Haven't ever seen one) isn't it legal to shoot feral horses? Same as pigs, or any other feral animal? Or is it only specifically named nuisance animals?

it is legal to shoot every feral animals, except horses, they somehow gained a special status, god like, for some reason

[heretohunt]

Originally Posted by st99

it is legal to shoot every feral animals, except horses, they somehow gained a special status, god like, for some reason

100%
they are feral by every literal meaning of the word, Just like pigs or feral dogs and cats. They compete with the wild species and are quite plentiful. Some how they are protected.
I hate to go straight to facts but where is the science that is used to protect them? You can't endorse protecting them and call yourself an environmentalist.

[chuck-the-chimp]

Originally Posted by st99

it is legal to shoot every feral animals, except horses, they somehow gained a special status, god like, for some reason

Weird. What about old school cowboy work with capture and saddle breaking?

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by chuck-the-chimp

Weird. What about old school cowboy work with capture and saddle breaking?

There are capture programs in place. You can find a lot of information about these critters at this link.

[chuck-the-chimp]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

There are capture programs in place. You can find a lot of information about these critters at this link.

What? That section also says its illegal to shoot pigs.... Last I checked wild boar = pigs ?

[Albertadiver]

I was charged last fall out hunting.

The winter before, my dog was charged when we were out winter camping.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by chuck-the-chimp

What? That section also says its illegal to shoot pigs.... Last I checked wild boar = pigs ?

Good point... You mean the part where they quote section 444 of the criminal code?

...shooting or hunting horses is illegal according to section 444 of the Criminal Code of Canada. Specifically, this section says:
"Everyone who wilfully
kills, maims, wounds, poisons or injures cattle, or
places poison in such a position that it may easily be consumed by cattle
is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years."
In the Criminal Code, "cattle" is defined as "neat cattle or an animal of the bovine species by whatever technical or familiar name it is known, and includes any horse, mule, ass, pig, sheep or goat."

To me it appears to reference the domestic varieties of these animals.

Although that interpretation would nullify the whole inclusion of feral horses... They are not "domestic" by nature of the term "feral"...

[mgvande]

Isn't a horse worth 7 bucks a lb? The Japs love horse flesh. I see a solution to the feral horse problem