Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

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octagon
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Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by octagon »

As a little kid my favorite thing was going with my Dad to count cows from the Chevy pickup. He had a big lease near Winters Texas, and let me drive the ranch though I could not yet reach the clutch, and steered while sitting in his lap. After a bit of driving my job was to feed cow cake from the truck bed while the cows followed along...
One day while feeding we found the remains of some new calves, which prompted a string of cussing the likes of which my tender ears had never heard. Dad said this was the work of wild dogs, and he reasoned that a new gun was in order, which resulted in the only semi auto rifle he ever bought: a new Winchester model 290.
I was not invited to the dog hunt, per orders from Mom. Dad took his new unfired .22 to the ranch, and while walking heard a growl and and there came 5 feral dogs running toward him, 2 big, 2 medium and one runt. At the end of the shelling the verdict was 2 dead, one wounded, and two hauling it to points unknown! Dad often claimed that the 290 had saved his bacon that day.

Over the years, the 290 accounted for piles of turkeys, mounds of cottontais, soft shelled turtles, and various varmints. Famous for stove pipes, and a horrendously hard triggerpull, I inherited this rifle when the Old Man passed, and no money could possibly buy it. Ever.
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Pitchy
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Pitchy »

Cool story and glad ya still have your dads rifle. 8)
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Understand your affection for that old Winchester. I still have Dad's single-shot 16 gauge, but gave his Springfield to my new son-in-law.
wm
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by wm »

I inherited two rifles from my Dad, Winchester 94 that he bought upon his return from WW2 & a Winchester 290 made for Sears/Ted Williams.

Don't hear much about the 290 series …… unlike its contemporary offerings by Marlin 60 and Remington 552. But mine has been a solid, reliable firearm.

Wm
Nath
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Nath »

I'm glad you guys had a decent father.
Great story 8)
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gamekeeper
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by gamekeeper »

A very neat looking rifle. . . 8)
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by piller »

Feral dogs are destructive and dangerous. I love dogs, but ones that have gone feral are better off dead in my opinion. Nearly 50 years ago, a pack of dogs was attacking my Uncle's cattle. We were out visiting. My Uncle heard the commotion, looked out the window and hustled into his room. He came out with his Winchester semiauto .22lr and a box of shells. He fed the shells into the butt stock as we all hurried to the pasture fence. He was a WWII Infantry Veteran who saw combat from North Africa all the way to just before the battle of the Bulge. That said, he hit what he shot at. 14 shots at a bunch of running dogs in a herd of cattle. 14 head shot dogs. He reloaded and killed some more as they headed for safety. The .22lr can be a great round for farm defense.
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JimT
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by JimT »

I was riding in the mountains of southern Arizona with my daughter .. a couple miles from our house. I used a Colt Officer's ACP .45 on several dogs that came after my daughter and I while we were on the horses. I hit the lead dog and they both ran back into the brush. I jumped my horse up onto a ridge and shot at the dogs several times before they got out of range. I did hear another "whop" as a bullet landed on one, but neither of them stopped before they were out of sight. The load was a CCI 200 gr. JHP, and while it surprised me that the dog ran off, I am sure the hit I made was a poor one.

These dogs attacked us in broad daylight while we were mounted and while we had our dog with us. He was a small dog and had uncommon good sense. When these bandits came out of the brush at us growling, ole George just advanced to the rear until he was on the offside of my horse where he waited until I got my gun in action. The wild dogs never paid him any mind and went directly for my daughter's horse (she was in the lead) until my first shot interrupted their plans.

I was riding out into the grazing lands one day and about 5 miles from the house I heard some cows bawling and dogs barking. As I got closer I saw the cows on a ridge above me, running up to the north. I rode the horse on up the mountain and around, coming in from the east through the cover of a small grove of trees. Just then some of the cows came trotting back past me and behind them were 15 or so dogs, chasing them. All kinds of dogs. I sure was wishing I had the pump shotgun about that time! I left the horse tied to a tree and slipped up closer to where the dogs would pass. When they were in front of me I opened up on them. I know I got 3, two killed on the spot and one running off on 3 legs, howling. I may have hit one or two more but I was not sure. I do not remember for sure what the load was, but I believe it was a cast 300 gr. bullet. I have seen dog packs in the mountains, but this was the largest I had ever run into.
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Nath »

JimT wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2019 10:57 am I was riding in the mountains of southern Arizona with my daughter .. a couple miles from our house. I used a Colt Officer's ACP .45 on several dogs that came after my daughter and I while we were on the horses. I hit the lead dog and they both ran back into the brush. I jumped my horse up onto a ridge and shot at the dogs several times before they got out of range. I did hear another "whop" as a bullet landed on one, but neither of them stopped before they were out of sight. The load was a CCI 200 gr. JHP, and while it surprised me that the dog ran off, I am sure the hit I made was a poor one.

These dogs attacked us in broad daylight while we were mounted and while we had our dog with us. He was a small dog and had uncommon good sense. When these bandits came out of the brush at us growling, ole George just advanced to the rear until he was on the offside of my horse where he waited until I got my gun in action. The wild dogs never paid him any mind and went directly for my daughter's horse (she was in the lead) until my first shot interrupted their plans.

I was riding out into the grazing lands one day and about 5 miles from the house I heard some cows bawling and dogs barking. As I got closer I saw the cows on a ridge above me, running up to the north. I rode the horse on up the mountain and around, coming in from the east through the cover of a small grove of trees. Just then some of the cows came trotting back past me and behind them were 15 or so dogs, chasing them. All kinds of dogs. I sure was wishing I had the pump shotgun about that time! I left the horse tied to a tree and slipped up closer to where the dogs would pass. When they were in front of me I opened up on them. I know I got 3, two killed on the spot and one running off on 3 legs, howling. I may have hit one or two more but I was not sure. I do not remember for sure what the load was, but I believe it was a cast 300 gr. bullet. I have seen dog packs in the mountains, but this was the largest I had ever run into.
8)
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Nath
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Nath »

I remember when I was still a teenager I come across two dogs running sheep. My bitch at the time was in season so I got her up wind so they smelt her while I was hidden in a ditch. When they started coming I pulled her into the ditch with me. Then with 410 shouldered waited untill the first dog peered into the ditch!
The range was about 2' and the dog did a perfect back flip. Never got a shot at the other.
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FLINT
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by FLINT »

Very cool!

I inherited my dad's Winchester 150 - which is kind of like the 290 but lever action and with a straight grip stock. It has an old 4x weaver scope on it. Haven't shot it much yet.
yooper2
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by yooper2 »

Great story and it's wonderful that you have the rifle.

I used to eliminate feral dogs for the state back home. I used a universal M1 carbine for a while with soft points which never let me down up close but it was hard to hit with once they scattered and got some distance on you. I picked up a Mini 30 which did great work and borrowed an M1A a few times as well. Feral dogs are no dam joke, terrible on livestock and deer.


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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by piller »

If I knew I would be around feral dogs, I would be carrying my Glock 22 in 40 cal with half a dozen magazines loaded with hollow points. I am not a great shot, but I can hit something the size of a dog most of the time. .40 cal has never let me down.
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Jay Bird »

Back in the late eighties, early nineties we were finding dead deer in our hunting area with their hind ends chewed up. I didn't know much about such things then but I knew we had no coyotes and upon bs'en with the locals I was told there were packs of wild dogs doing damage. Mmmmm......gave me incentive to spend more time in the woods.....shot one at 250 yards with a 22-250...2 with the 33 Winchester and one with a 348.....all black mongrel type dogs. While in the woods at different times I saw a white German shepherd and a long haired retriever but knew they were pets as they appeared groomed nice so they got a pass.
octagon
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by octagon »

Guys I thank you for sharing your own tales on this topic. GK thanks for posting the 290 photo. Mine looks like that, but with checkering and no sling swivels or Monte Carlo stock like the deluxe model.

Nath a neighboring farmer lost 80 head of sheep to dogs one night while out of town. They were not ate up, just had the throats tore out.

I get sentimental about my Dad this time of year, he would be 86 this Christmas, had he still been living. He passed the day before our scheduled deer hunt, with him, me, and his grandson. The three days following his death, were the toughest I've ever had. Still hard to deal with. We were life long hunting buddies and best pals.
Last edited by octagon on Tue Dec 17, 2019 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
wm
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by wm »

The problem with feral dogs is that they have no real fear of humans. Coyotes and even wolves generally (not always but generally) will seek to avoid a confrontation with humans. Feral dogs see things differently and will go after humans, particularly if they sense weakness like with folks very old or very young.

Wm
Nath
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by Nath »

octagon wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:57 pm Guys I thank you for sharing your own tales on this topic. GK thanks for posting the 290 photo. Mine looks like that, but with checkering and no sling swivels or Monte Carlo stock like the deluxe model.

Nath a neighboring farmer lost 80 head of sheep to dogs one night while out of town. They were not ate up, just had the throats tore out.

I get sentimental about my Dad this time of year, he would be 86 this Cristmas, had he still been living. He passed the day before our scheduled deer hunt, with him, me, and his grandson. The three days following his death, were the toughest I've ever had. Still hard to deal with. We were life long hunting buddies and best pals.
Best wishes buddy.

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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by piller »

Focus on the good memories. Let the sadness ease away. Facing loss is part of life, and we all have to deal with it in our own way. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.
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Re: Winchester 290 vs five feral dogs

Post by AJMD429 »

Sixgun Sr wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2019 9:41 pm Back in the late eighties, early nineties we were finding dead deer in our hunting area with their hind ends chewed up. I didn't know much about such things then but I knew we had no coyotes and upon bs'en with the locals I was told there were packs of wild dogs doing damage. Mmmmm......gave me incentive to spend more time in the woods.....shot one at 250 yards with a 22-250...2 with the 33 Winchester and one with a 348.....all black mongrel type dogs. While in the woods at different times I saw a white German shepherd and a long haired retriever but knew they were pets as they appeared groomed nice so they got a pass.
We lost lots of sheep due to 'pets' that had collars on, but were out running with other dogs....so none of them got passes.

The other thing dog packs would sometimes do is chase deer out onto thin river-ice if there was a flood that froze in the river bottoms and fields. The deer would punch through the ice with their heavier weight concentrated on hooves, and the dogs would go up to the half-submerged deer in 2 feet of water/mud, and chew them up. They couldn't get them out of the water to finish off or eat, but they'd be bleeding and die of blood loss or exposure right there in the water.
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