Worst camping trip in a while. Still pretty good.

[n0rlf]

So as we got to the land a little later then we had wanted we had to rush through getting the tents up.
Oops #1. No big deal. I just kept rolling down hill.
Oops #2 Onto the wife! OK so we solved that easy enough, got up turned bed sideways. Now feet are just a little lower then head, Good deal. Could have used another blanket as it got a little cooler.
Oops #3. OK so I am asleep and snoring (According to wife) I wake up suddenly when I hear something running through the camp site.

I am alarmed and expected in a hoard of marauding raccoons bent on stealing MY food, maybe even a bear hunting dinner, Or a possum looking for an easy meal. Sasquatch would have been easier to deal with. That I would have just shot and gone back to sleep. No, it had to be a dog from one of the neighbors who live just far enough away not to hear the mongrel barking incessantly until 2am. Outside our tent. I wanted to shoot it, wife said no just scare it away. Apparently it does not scare easy.

Gave up, went and slept in truck with radio on. Wife did also. Shortly after that son joined us. Now morning comes, Of all of the things in the world I want after that night was a hot cup of coffee, Get stove set up, get pot, get water, get coffee......uh where did we pack the coffee.....Oh SH$^#^&% we forgot the coffee!!!!

So to my backup plan. We had not cracked either of the two thermos bottles we had packed along and both were still decently hot. Not quite as much as I would have wanted, but hey, it is coffee!

After that we hiked the perimeter and scouted a homesite. We got a good idea of driveway and power line access area. Best of all I spent a good day with my family in the woods. Breakdown of campsite took about an hour is all and went well.

So after all of that I am happy! One last issue was my brand new chainsaw would not start, grrrrrr. Back it goes in morning. Yes It was running when we left, Good news is we took a backup! So no real time lost there.

So now wife and I are discussing what to do about the dog. My thoughts were along the lines of draw and quarter, son thinks paintball gun, other son thinks 12 Gauge beanbags.

Wife........Who I love dearly for thirty years now.....A very animal loving woman.......

SHE WANTS ME TO BUY A TASER! Did I mention I love this woman!

[buck1032]

We don't tent camp any longer, got a travel trailer and A/C. Wife is much happier. But no worries though, we have our fair share of calamities camping as well. :)

[krunchnik]

Dogs and their owners who just let them run-I say tazer the neighbor(just kidding)but you get the point.

[peejman]

If you're not there regularly, it's going to be difficult to train the dog to stay away.  If you think it might accomplish anything, talk to the neighbor.  Get some pepper spray and blast it next time it's around.   Else call animal control.  Dogs are not permitted to "run at large" by state law. 

[runco]

I miss tent camping (not).  I had all I could stand when I was teen, but inviting others of the opposite sex to camp was pretty cool and was always a antidote murphys law when camping.  :dirty:

[kckndrgn]

I stopped tent camping a few years ago, I just can't stand sleeping on the ground, even with an air mattress.

 

As for the dog, I have the same problem on our vacation/hunting land.  Neighbor lady runs a "dog rescue" and those dogs are kept penned up (too small a pen, for the number of dogs in my opinion) but her dogs are allowed to roam.  There is a wire fence between our properties and we found where her dogs were getting through and patched the fences.  Then in casual conversation we say "oh, we fixed the fence, hopefully your dog won't get out anymore".    Wish I could say that solved the problem but it didn't.    At one point we told her about a dog that was on the property and her comment was "oh, that was mine, we couldn't find her so we looked on your land..", I cut her off "Oh, you were trespassing on my property?"  She had no response, for years before we bought the property she had access rights, but from the beginning my wife and I told her she was not allowed on the property for any reason.

[Jct1911]

A good air soft pistol stings pretty good. I've chased the cats and coons away with one my oldest boy has. I live in town so small arms fire is a no go. Edited April 18, 2016 by Jct1911

[RED333]

In the "country" there is an unwritten rule.

" I like dogs till they make a mess, then the dog has to go"

Mess = noise, kill pets, kill live stock, crapes in my yard.

Get with the owner, explain the rule. 1st time is OK other than "kill pets or live stock".

2nd time is your call as to how "you" handle it.

[n0rlf]

I am an animal lover. I find it hard to inflict pain except to kill and eat with the exception of varmints. But that particular dog is pushing the limits.

I was thinking of an electric wire low around perimeter. He is obviously use to just running through there so a new wire might dissuade him.

Trying not to be the new land owner who comes off as a dink first time I meet the neighbors. I will work into it and let them know but honey gets the flies type thing.

As for the wife, no promises. She is still thinking taser.

[Grayfox54]

A simple squirt bottle filled with ammonia generally does he trick. One sniff usually runs 'em right off. Works well on any furry pest. 

[n0rlf]

A simple squirt bottle filled with ammonia generally does he trick. One sniff usually runs 'em right off. Works well on any furry pest.

Well define furry....wife?

Ouch...stop...I was kidding honey......

Mike will be able to answer further posts when the swelling resolves from both eyes.......The Wife.