First question I have is if these ‘tourists’ are hiking on public or private land. Second question I have for the ‘tourists’ is “why do you think that the sheep owners need these dogs?” “Could it be because of wolves and coyotes that the federal government has protected and reintroduced into this area?”. Lastly, I’d like to tell them to go the hell home and complain about the feral cats in their own hometown.
Perfect application of a term, I had a prof use in grad school....*oscillating redundancy*.
Its a national forest and BLM land in that area. I have a right to walk, hike, hunt, etc. If he grazes sheep with a permit,,,fine. But if he puts an aggressive dog out there that sees a passing hiker as a threat,,, that dog will wind up shot.
I don’t doubt his reason for guarding his sheep from lions, etc. But if his dog attacks a person, he has to expect it will be shot.
Then he can put another dog out there. Too bad for the dog too. It isn’t the dogs fault, but that doesn’t mean we have to allow it.
Also,, there is no wolf introduction in the San Juans or anywhere in that vicinity. And coyotes are not federally protected. In most of the west they can be shot on sight as a varmint.
Mountain lions and feral dogs are the biggest threat to any sheep out there.
And also, your use of quotes around the word “tourists” indicates you know little about that area. Tourism is THE industry there. Nothing else comes close.
In winter every snow sport you’ve ever heard of happens there. In the summer the area is filled with jeeps and 4x4s, and serious hikers and climbers from all around the country.
In the fall, the deer and elk hunters arrive. There are huge numbers of legitimate tourists all in those forests who can easily encounter those sheep. When they fill the road in front of you, you shouldnt have to deal with a menacing cur. This is a new addition to the scene.