What? Where I grew up in rural Connecticut, pretty much every dog roamed free, and they didn't form packs and hunt humans.

The requirement to keep my dog leashed or under my direct control in the woods has nothing to do with protecting humans, it has everything to do with protecting wildlife from being harassed and killed by my dog, something which cats do with impunity. I'm not allowed to let my dog shit and piss wherever it pleases, but in appropriate areas where I then (gladly) have to pick up and dispose of the shit. It's my duty, and rightfully so, to keep my dog away from people who don't like dogs, or just don't want to be around a dog for whatever reason, and I take that very seriously. I can't even imagine turning a blind eye while my dog kills things indiscriminately, shits in someone's vegetable garden, pisses on peoples' belongings, and then gets killed by car or wild animal because I chose to abdicate my responsibility to care for and protect said animal.