More thought on pack dogs

The Value of dogs while hunting

I have been a hunter and guide in British Columbia and Yukon for the past 40 years. The last 15 years I have used a pack dog and regret not discovering their benefits much earlier.
The added companionship while on a 12 day hunt is most welcome as my dog is always upbeat and happy to be around me. Outdoor life is an experience most large dogs love as there is plenty of country to move around in and experience the various sites and smells. My dog not only carries a pack, sharing my backpack load, but also serves as a “warmer” by sleeping on my wet, cold socks and boot liners overnight. If socks are wet only from perspiration, they are dry by morning. If soaked from walking through creeks, they are at least warm when put on.
Bears and dogs are natural enemies and don’t like each other’s company. While working for Arctic Red River Outfitters (in the N.W.T.), I experienced many encounters with grizzlies and each time a possible nasty experience was averted due to the sensitive nose of my pack dog. Grizzly hunting is not permitted in the Mackenzie Mountains, hence these critters are not shy about making themselves at home in your camp. Four grizzlies were killed in self-defense that year, all by guides without pack dogs. One bear, killed by Tavis Molnar (an experienced guide and present operator of Arctic Red River Outfitters), was shot from inside the tent through the tent’s wall. While writing this note, Tavis informed me he killed about 6 grizzlies in self-defense while guiding in that area. Once he started taking along a pack dog he had never had to kill a bear.
Another time after a successful sheep hunt, my golden retriever was fast asleep in the afternoon sun at our makeshift camp in the timber, when she woke up and quickly got to her feet, growling. A grizzly sow with two cubs approached our camp and despite shouts accompanied with pots banging, refused to leave. Only after my dog ran stiff legged and barking towards the bears did they decide they weren’t welcome.
While guiding for my son in the Yukon I had another encounter, again warned by my dog that a bear was approaching. This time we could see the bear a long distance away in the alpine. The large boar kept coming towards camp and only moved off after several shots were directed at his feet from my hunter’s rifle. He left with his head swinging and not at a fast pace. This had me worried as I thought that he would return later that night. He did. Molly my golden retriever, started growling at 2 a.m. so my hunter and I (with rifles at the ready) quickly got out of the tent and persuaded the curious fellow to leave.
There are many other instances during hikes in the mountains when my dogs would begin growling and alert us to a bear’s presence. And each time this occurred, I would thank God I had my trusted warning companion with me.
Paul Deuling
Whitehorse, Y.T.