Rob Bulle, Graham Wurtz, Lachie Bulle and Rodney Wurtz display three of the wild dogs they have shot recently. Picture: MARGARET KILLALEA
THE Holbrook area has been hit by a “wave” of sheep losses from wild dogs.
Farmer Rob Bulle said the dogs, which have plagued his property 23 kilometres east of Holbrook for a decade, had been particularly active for three weeks.
“We had a lot of kills back in the winter,” Mr Bulle said yesterday.
“The dogs seem to come in waves.”
The problem eased after winter, but now it is back to being a major issue.
“We run a lot of sheep. It is a big loss,” Mr Bulle said.
Nine dogs have been culled in little more than a week with the support of shooters and a sub-contractor involved in dog control.
Mr Bulle, his son, Lachie, 12, and Albury shooters Graham and Rodney Wurtz had recently shot three dogs at Upper Wantagong near Dora Dora.
They had success by walking on the dogs from different directions to meet at a central point.
Contractor Mark Reeves’ effort to shoot or trap six dogs in a month has also helped to curb stock losses.
But there are still dogs hanging around.
Mr Bulle said Mr Reeves had camped out on New Year’s Eve and believed at least three dogs were still in the area.
Mr Reeves is a sub-contractor for NSW National Parks and the Livestock Health Protection Authority.
The age of the dogs killed ranged from an old bitch aged up to 10 to younger dogs.
All were hybrids, probably from the Tumbarumba area.
