Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

 

Fucked up story all around.

https://bigbendsentinel.com/2025/07/29/hunter-wins-jury-award-after-alpine-area-resident-shot-his-dogs/

 

Sounds like another case of shoot first, ask questions later. 

 

 

Spoiler

ALPINE — A world-renowned predator tracker — known for hunting and relocating mountain lions and South American jaguars  — won a $75,000 jury verdict this week in Brewster County District Court after he sued an Alpine-area man for shooting three of his hunting dogs.

On May 23, 2024, Rocky McBride, who runs a hunting outfitter business in Alpine, was working for a property owner who needed him to relocate a “problem animal,” a mountain lion spotted by residents of the Double Diamond community about 10 miles south of Alpine off of Highway 118, according to court documents.

McBride let his dogs loose on the property where he had landowner permission, but the dogs crossed a fence onto the property of Randy Roberts at 410 Pinon Drive. Roberts then opened fire on the dogs with a shotgun from his porch, killing two and injuring another, according to the petition filed in court by McBride.

McBride’s lawsuit claimed Roberts was negligent in not responding to yells from McBride and a companion to not shoot, that he didn’t fire a warning shot and that he failed to recognize these were highly-trained, valuable hunting dogs that were “were collared with GPS collars, transmitters, antennas, and other equipment consistent with their use as trained hounds.”

Roberts’ response to the claim tells a much different story, in which he and his wife were “peacefully asleep” until they were awoken by a series of loud noises and a spotlight shining through the bedroom window. Mr. Roberts grabbed his shotgun, went to the front porch and was greeted by six large dogs “barking and lunging at him.”

The claim argues that Mr. Roberts was acting in self-defense when he shot the dogs. Roberts also asserted that McBride was illegally trespassing while hunting and carrying a gun.

McBride said last Thursday he never trespassed on Roberts’ property but freely admitted that his dogs had. He said the evidence of negligence presented in trial was overwhelming, particularly with a video surveillance camera that taped the scene, which caused the jury to side with him. He said dogs were also companion dogs, meaning they meant a great deal to him above and beyond the investment he put into them in training.

In interviews with McBride posted online, he notes that he is a proponent of conservation and using hunting to manage predators as resources. For example, he relates how in Paraguay with “Project Jaguar,” they use “green hunting” to dart jaguars that are killing livestock and fit them with tracking collars — as well as studying blood samples — then relocating them. He also worked to track Florida panthers, which were on the edge of extinction, to bolster research into the reasons for their decline. 

 

  • Rage+1 1
Posted

What a POS. Yes, allowing dogs on others property is problematic, but it happens often and 99.9% of the time a verbal response will send them running. There are unfortunate times when lethal force is required but this sure as hell doesn't sound like one.

  • Hook 'Em 2

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...