Early Monday morning, on a property west of Scone, a wild dog that has eluded capture for six years all the while killing and maiming sheep, was shot dead.
Once the news of trapper Jonathan Randle's success in destroying the legendary dog was passed onto landholder Norm Black from"Sofia Hill', he cried tears of joy.
Mr Black's life has been a constant torment since the wild dog moved onto his 2100 acre property way back in 2011.
Since his arrival Mr Black, who turns 80 next month, has witnessed the destruction of 500 of his 15 mircon, fine wool sheep, worth a conservative $50,000, not including the value of their wool.
"In 2011 I lost 120 60kg wethers thanks to this dog and no matter what we did we couldn't catch him," Mr Black said.
"He was so cunning and was always a loner never once did we see him with another dog."
"And he really just stayed on our property mainly on the land I lease from Forestry Corporation – even if he went through other farms, he didn't seem to attack their sheep only mine and always the older ones."
For Mr Black the relief that his tormentor is gone is truly unbelievable.
"I am just so happy I can't thank Jonathan enough for all his work. This dog had made my life a living hell."
Hunter Local Land Services, Senior Biosecurity Officer, Richard Ali described the dog as a Hannibal Lecter.
"He was one horrible piece of work. He was a big, strong, wild dog capable of getting the bigger sheep down and surgically removing their kidneys, only their kidneys and then letting them go and the sheep would run off and eventually bleed to death," Mr Ali said.
"But it took hours for the sheep to die. This is not normally how dogs kill and attack sheep."
Mr Ali said over the years the baiting increased both ground and aerial but nothing could not stop him.
Many government officers and professionals had a go at trying to get the dog, to no avail he was too smart and out stepped every effort to end him over the years, he added.
Mr Ali praised the work of the local Scone dog trapper Mr Randle who stayed with the effort with endless hours spent in the bush tracking the dog howling and setting traps for six years with nothing but a picture here and there on the trail camera.
It is estimated tens of thousands of dollars were spent trying to get the dog who, given his legendary status, will now be taxidermied for a full body mount and his DNA will be examined.
A very pleased Mr Randle said the dog was aged between 8-10 years and was getting past his prime but still a real headache for Norm and his wife Noelene.
"It's the emotional side of seeing your sheep die this way which is even worse than the financial loss. I am really happy I got the dog this morning because he was absolutely tormenting the Blacks" he said.
And some good came out of the weekend's atrocious weather conditions with Mr Randle saying the heat and smoke may have disorientated him somewhat.
"You could say I got lucky but I have been watching and tracking him for years so I knew his routines and that's how I got him this morning."
Mr Black never had a dog problem on the property, he has lived on since 1952, until the arrival of this brute.
"Until he came this was great sheep country and still is if we never have another dog come onto the farm," he said.
Mr Black plans to attend a meeting in Scone on Tuesday to discuss funding for a full-time professional wild dog controller for the Upper Hunter.
"We need help now to control wild dogs, they just ruin your life on the land when they are attacking your livestock," said Mr Black.
"Thanks to this one dog I have had to reduce my sheep numbers by half to 1000 head. And many other people have done the same or got out of sheep altogether.
"When you love your sheep this is the last thing you want to do."
Singleton Argus
