Rough week in the country.

[Overtaxed]

<Sigh>, glad that week is over.

I grew up in the country and kind of knew what to "expect", my wife did not, and it's always been her dream to live here, but we just had a rough week of "problems with the country" that took it out of me. Reminded me why I left, even though I don't regret the decision to move back, it's hard when they all hit at once.

The worst, my wife and I used to be really avid bikers (when we lived in the suburbs), we moved to the country, and there were a million things to do, so we got out of it a bit. Well, first ride of the season yesterday, dog runs out of the yard, chases us, get's hit by a car going 60MPH in the other direction. Right behind us, hear the smack, with the dog's family in the front yard screaming. It was awful. That was either dog 4 or 5 that got hit chasing me on a bike, I don't remember, but living in the suburbs, I rode 10,000 miles had had 0 hits (or even close calls). All the dead dogs on my head are from riding in the country.

Next up, a few months ago, a game camera and a deer stand appear on the property on the trails that we cut through the woods. Well, took it down this weekend, looked at the pictures, and, low and behold, the game camera belongs to the next door neighbor, Mr. "Howdy" I'll do anything for ya; including sneaking onto your property and setting up cameras. So now I've got to deal with this; and, given it's the directly across the street neighbor, that's gonna be fun. Also, adding a little more fun to it, and I wouldn't believe it if it didn't happen, but that same neighbor, on end of the "dog killing" ride.. His dog runs out in the street after us on the bike and almost gets hit. So I've got to talk to him about that too, which should be a blast, because, if we keep riding, we're gonna get his dog killed too.

The country would be great if nobody else lived there. No offense intended, I have a feeling this forum is mostly full of the people I'd love to meet/know who wouldn't sneak onto my property and hunt/bait the deer or let their dogs run free and get hit by cars. But there's a lot of that in the country, and it makes your world a little less good; I just wish it hadn't all hit at once this week.

 

[blackdog2086]

There are going to be pluses and minuses no matter where you live. I'm guessing you could come up with a number of negatives about your suburban location or else you'd still live there. I love dogs, but I wouldn't lose sleep over the fact that somebody else's dog wasn't well trained or secured so as not to leave the property to chase someone.

As far as the trail cam, I would take it down and keep it not saying a word to your neighbor. Let him be the embarrassed one that has to knock on your door and ask what happened to his illegally placed camera.

 

[Sigarms]

As far as the trail cam, I would take it down and keep it not saying a word to your neighbor. Let him be the embarrassed one that has to knock on your door and ask what happened to his illegally placed camera.

+1

I still have a tree stand under the shed for the last 5 years that no one has come for LOL

Ironically enough, my biggest complaint around here is on the weekends with the cyclists who ride our "coutry roads". No one EVER rides single file anymore, and they make it a point that they belong on the road as well and they seem to go out of their way to ride in the entire lane. When I road bikes, I road defensively, and always single file with traffic around if it were me and a couple of buddies.

For the dogs, well, people tend to let them roam. Not a fan of that practice as well.

 

[GregbkH]

Sorry, but you don't sound like you grew up in the country. First of all there are no dogs on your head and you didn't get any dogs killed. Dogs are the responsibility of their owners not you. I am a dog owner/lover and am responsible for what ever my dog does. Dogs are not supposed to chase people out in the street. You have to change your mind set.

Second of all people should not infringe on your property without your permission whether you live in the country or the city. You have to stand up for yourself no matter where you live. FYI, I had more problems with people and dogs when I lived in the city.

It's time to put on your big boy pants and man up.

 

[Sigarms]

Sorry, but you don't sound like you grew up in the country. First of all there are no dogs on your head and you didn't get any dogs killed. Dogs are the responsibility of their owners not you. I am a dog owner/lover and am responsible for what ever my dog does. Dogs are not supposed to chase people out in the street. You have to change your mind set.

Second of all people should not infringe on your property without your permission whether you live in the country or the city. You have to stand up for yourself no matter where you live. FYI, I had more problems with people and dogs when I lived in the city.

It's time to put on your big boy pants and man up.

Being way to harsh IMO.

People are buttholes no matter where you live, sometimes they are just more of an issue in the "country" than a rural setting depending on the circumstances. For some reason people think "country people" are better, but you have stupid no matter what the setting.

My suggestion to the OP is just keep the trail camera and wait until he asks for it (along with the stand). If the camera and stand were on your property, no issue. My boy was with me when I took that one stand down, and he asked me if it were mine. I explained to him that ANYTIME you do anything on anyone elses property, you ask for permission FIRST.

For the dog, don't say anything. The reality is people either to know how to take care of their pets so they aren't a nuisance to others, for both the pets safety and anyone elses, and this guy doesn't get it, and talking to him about probably won't change his mind. If his dog isn't running after you, he'll be running after someone else... Locally I can figure which dogs are inevitably going to be hit or "disappear", and it generally happens. Then low and behold, a new dog appears with the same issues.

For what it's worth, a drive to the local gas station in my area can break my heart when I see how some people treat and handle their dogs. Oh wait, should I put my big boy pants on and man up? LMAO

 

[Overtaxed]

Sorry, but you don't sound like you grew up in the country. First of all there are no dogs on your head and you didn't get any dogs killed. Dogs are the responsibility of their owners not you. I am a dog owner/lover and am responsible for what ever my dog does. Dogs are not supposed to chase people out in the street. You have to change your mind set.

Second of all people should not infringe on your property without your permission whether you live in the country or the city. You have to stand up for yourself no matter where you live. FYI, I had more problems with people and dogs when I lived in the city.

It's time to put on your big boy pants and man up.

LOL, I assure you, I did grow up in the country. Yes, I know what you're saying is true and right, but, still, I've been the secondary cause of a lot of dead dogs in my day, there's no arguing, if I hadn't ridden my bike that day, those dogs wouldn't be dead. Just like the driver of the car probably feels the same today. Yes, it was the owners fault, for sure, they were the primary cause. Still feel like s**t though about it, I love animals, it's a big part of the reason I love the country, and I hate seeing them (or, in this case, hearing them) get killed. And it was the first time my wife went through that, I suspect, that'll be her last bike ride here, which makes me really sad.

And, of course, you're right, people shouldn't do it in either place. But, when you have a lot of land, it's just more likely that it happens. It happened on my parents farm, we were always chasing people off, and it happens here. It never happened in suburbia, probably because there was so much enforcement; there wasn't any "talking about it" it would have been "call the cops".

As far as the trail cam, I would take it down and keep it not saying a word to your neighbor. Let him be the embarrassed one that has to knock on your door and ask what happened to his illegally placed camera.

Exactly what I did. Sitting on my kitchen table as we speak. The tree stand, I just took it down and chucked it in the briar patch (which wasn't exactly intentional, that's where it needed to land, but also, didn't work real hard to get it out there).

I'm guessing you could come up with a number of negatives about your suburban location or else you'd still live there. I love dogs, but I wouldn't lose sleep over the fact that somebody else's dog wasn't well trained or secured so as not to leave the property to chase someone.

You bet I could. I love the country, and I'm not at all saying I wish I was back in suburbia. What I'm saying is that it was a rough week, the "country problems" that didn't exist in suburbia that are totally outside my control all hit this week, and it sucks. No, it's not my fault, I didn't trespass, I didn't have my dog off a leash. But I still have to deal with the fallout, and that sucks. Not what I needed this week and it wouldn't have happened in suburbia, that's all I'm saying. It's harder on my wife, she's not used to it, and I'm not sure she ever will be. Had a dog walk up that I had to shoot within a few weeks of moving here and she was horrified. Called her Dad all upset and he said "That's part of country life" which, of course, it is. It's just that's not a part I like, and it shrinks her world and our world together, biking was a big part of our life together, and, after this, I suspect I can just sell her bike, she'll never do it again, because we will "kill" other dogs, I can guarantee it, and she can't deal with it. I can; it's part of how I grew up, but it still sucks.

Ironically enough, my biggest complaint around here is on the weekends with the cyclists who ride our "coutry roads". No one EVER rides single file anymore, and they make it a point that they belong on the road as well and they seem to go out of their way to ride in the entire lane. When I road bikes, I road defensively, and always single file with traffic around if it were me and a couple of buddies.

Yeah, that was a huge problem where I used to live. There were so many bikes that they could "take over" the road. They would take up the entire lane and bring traffic down to 20MPH. I always ride single file with my W, she loves riding side by side, but, that's just asking for it, and honestly, it's really inconsiderate, I'm a serious biker, and I get really pissed when I see other people doing that. Bikers are very often assholes too, it's a snobby sport, and it causes all of us (bikers) a bad image.

 

[Sigarms]

because we will "kill" other dogs, I can guarantee it, and she can't deal with it. I can; it's part of how I grew up, but it still sucks.

I've got to ask, why are you having to kill dogs? Been here going on 15 years never had to deal with an aggressive dog. Did have to deal with some 2 wheel machines riden by 2 legged animals, but never 4 legged. Guess I'm lucky in that aspect.

 

[Sigarms]

I always ride single file with my W, she loves riding side by side, but, that's just asking for it, and honestly, it's really inconsiderate, I'm a serious biker, and I get really pissed when I see other people doing that. Bikers are very often assholes too, it's a snobby sport, and it causes all of us (bikers) a bad image.

Nice to know. I'm in my 50's now, and used to ride a lot in my early 20's. It use to be back then that the drivers were the buttholes, now I'm just scratching my head because now it seems to be the bikers LOL

And yes, I've been behind what seems to be at least 30 bikers taken up the whole lane on a Saturday morning coming back to the house with a newspaper, which takes forever.

 

[LouNY]

I don't ride bicycles I do ride motorcycle and I've had dogs chase at times, if they catch it that's their problem, I will not dump a bike to try an avoid a dog. I have hit one with an old Honda XL250 never did figure out how it didn't go down on me, and I got one with my Harley Ultra Glide slid back in the seat moderately loose grip on the bars and just rode it out, saw the dog a few weeks later it was still getting around but didn't chase me again, and that was on a gravel road.
As far as bicycle riders one or two I don't mind a whole flock of them tying up the road irritates me, and I keep seeing this big deal bicycle thing that's coming up in a few weeks here the tour de battenkill which is a race that ties up our roads for hours and when they are out practicing there can be clusters of 15-20 blocking the whole road its a pain with a pickup coming up behind them hogging the road but I love there faces when its a large tractor and implement heading at them

 

[Egon]

Bikes and free roaming dogs are trouble. If the dogs are out on public roads it is not your responsibility.

Cyclists should show respect for traffic but they have also full right to use public roads. Many drivers seem to have a superior attitude towards cyclists and try and express there inferior superior attitude.

I have encountered both dogs and drivers while cycling. Some of the drivers were definetly amusing in expressing thier arragont attitude.