The dog number here is extremely important for all the wrong reasons. Myself and a too farmers with sheep are the only ones in a two mile radius with farm dogs. No one in a much larger radius has to my knowledge any hunting dogs that are actually used. There is close to 50 dogs in a 1 mile radius and almost all are simply pets. A neighbor next store has guard dogs to keep people away. Too many dogs.We've always had predators, but numbers have shifted. Especially raccoons! Hunting raccoon pelts is about over, and they don't have many other predators here. There are more dogs, because of increased numbers of houses, people moving 'to the country' and allowing free roaming. Raptor numbers have rebounded after DDT was banned too.
I don't really want a wolf pack here, or grizzly bears!
We may have cougars occasionally appearing, and black bears have been seen not so far away. Fewer deer would be nice!
Our local environment has changed, from all farmstead to mixed suburban, woodlots, and some farming. Bigger farm fields and suburban grass monoculture give less wildlife habitat too. It's just different, not always in good ways.
Mary