BigGameHoundsmen.com

Not sure if this thread is still going, I know its old. But just got sighted for my hunting dogs being off leash in state trust land near peoria, by peoria officer. Can anyone help me out here? Was I doing something wrong? Officer made the not of an address in Peoria for the location of incident, its false, it was in the desert/ state trust land. Thanks.

I don't know for sure the city may have some special regulation but as far as Arizona a defense to dog off leash is actively hunting.

From my understanding, Arizona state law says that as long as you are training a hunting dog they may be off of a leash nearly anywhere. In regards to state trust land as long as you had a hunting license on you you do not need a permit to hunt on it like the off roaders and hikers do.

I lost my response to this but in short as stated if you can hunt this land and its not in a city limit or other exception you are legal. I find this a huge issue and will try and respond more on it latter.

This needs a new thread in my opinion. Az state law is not overly clear and the county laws no better. They are open to different perspectives and as laws this can lead to issues. I have had several issues with this myself and all have been in the lastfew years. My experience has been that if you are hunting large private ranches or very remote public land you don't have the interactions that lead to misunderstandings as often. Which is expected . However being with in the law is no safe guard. I hoped that this was not a common issue. But the recent post and some other conversations with dog owners/hunters has proven its more wide spread and common. I was threatened on national forest and private property twice in 2013 alone. With leash laws , while in perfect compliance legally. The problem seems to stem from increase in urban and non hunting officers in most departments/branches. Now being falsely cited is a huge problem in my opinion. This isn't restricted to the "leash laws" and your legal rights are poorly understood or protected in most areas of dog ownership. For example. I was cited for dog at large and two puppies had to be retrieved from the dog catcher. After this experience. A shooting suspect wrecked into a corner post brace on my property and climbed a six foot no climb horse fence into my property ten acres of which was fenced and cross fenced with this fence. The shefiffs dept swept the area but felt the runner had fled. After being unsuccessful at locating him that night they returned with more officers and volunteer trackes from search and rescue along with canine unit. They knocked on the door and informed me they intended to resume the chase I said ok. But the problem came from them leaving the gates open and not as they found them. Now all my large dogs were in their kennels but two fourteen week pups who happily followed these people from area to area right out to the pasture which is only fenced with field fence and two strands of barbed wire onto a county road. Some officers cought rides some continued walking my pups with them. Around this time the dog catcher "sheriff's dept" loaded them up and took them fifty miles away to the shelter. No notification to me even though both had id tags. Only after calling the shelter myself did I find them. And was cited for dog at large upon picking them up. I had to go before the judge to get this dropped and only by getting a sar member and a offiicer to support me. I don't have a solution to these problems yet but would appreciate otther residents experiences and insight.