VA Dog hunting Heritage?

[always89]

Well,
There is a big push in VA right now to preserve the dog hunting heritage. I for one am not a dog hunter. I do love the sound of Beagles chasing a rabbit, or watching a good bird dog on point. Unfortunatly, there are slobs out there that abuse this style of hunting. Mainly the Deer Dog hunt clubs (not all of them mind you). In my opinion, this is the one style of dog hunting where all control of the dogs is lost, resulting in upset land owners, and deer hunters that are actually trying to "hunt", as apposed to waiting for the dogs to kick up the animal. I also realize that the loss of this hunting style could have an impact on the economy in the area. Land leases would drop (alot of farmers and land owners use this lease money to offset tax costs). Also, what would become of the dogs? The ones I have run across in the woods are not the friendliest bunch.

Anybody else have any thoughts on this?

[vermonster13]

Every time we give up a form of hunting we bring the Antis that much closer to their ultimate goal. There are laws in place to control this form of hunting. Proper enforcement of these laws would be a better answer than eliminating yet another group of hunters in my book.

[BigCnyn]

1 by 1, we are letting them take our hunting away..I don't do it that way, wont do it that way, therefore that's OK to eliminate.. Bleed slow, we still can bleed out... Its OK with me to "hunt" any way its legal... I may not do it that way, but I Will Not "Criticize and I will even fight for that right"
Stand Together or We Will loose it All. We need to get together that way, mentality or it will happen..

[jfish]

This topic has made for some heated or interesting debates depending on your prospective.  It is difficult to appreciate all aspects of this topic if you are not hunting in a state where deer hounds run free.  
"Always" take a look at this thread if you want more on it quick..   http://www.tidalfish.com/forums/chesapeake-hunting/220621-hunting-dogs.html

[laddy]

As hunters we should be on the fore front of what is or isn't decent behavior in the field.  Quite often when a practice is outlawed it's not always the anti hunters that are at fault, it's the hunters.  As conditions change, hunting methods are adjusted, just as seasons and bag limits change.  There is a science to this game not everything is pro and anti hunting.  I don't like muzzleloader hunters having deer drives when we are bowhunting.  I could sight lots of incidents where they were flat out rude and unsafe, that dosen't make me antihunting or antigun.  Hunters who have opinions on running deer with dogs probably have a reason for their opinion that is justified.

[KodiakBob]

Hard topic to comment on BUT, we as hunters need not have that much fear from anti-hunters who are small in numbers. But we do need to be concerned by others that use "hunting land", such as hikers, horse people, mtn bikers, etc for their numbers are greater than the antis. Some dog hunters are slob hunters their dogs free run over both public and private lands, some sit in trucks and throw out trash while tracking the dogs either by sound or the new electronic tracking collars. When we hunters and other users complain they say that "they cannot control the dogs and where they go".. Well I say learn or find another way to hunt. We as hunters need to stand up for the rights of the others as mentioned above. We need to self-police the slob hunters and form alliances with other users of the outdoors to preserve our hunting priviledges.  My two cents.

[vermonster13]

Folks I have bad news for you on the anti-hunter front. There are as many if not more of them as there are us now. HSUS alone has over 10,000,000 members.

[laddy]

I do not fear the pining opinions of bleeding hearts until I see politicians making promises to them.  Politicians do tend to put the wolves in charge of the sheep when they are pushing an agenda wether it is environmental sides or anything else, they do tend to back their biggest contributors.  Something that I never trust, because it takes authority away from the experts in any situation.  Where dog hunting may be viable in one area and not in another, because of populations terrain or what ever, fish and game experts should decide what is right or wrong based on their data.

[vermonster13]

The $150,000,000 war chest that HUSUS controls is what worries me.

[et]

Moderator
Member # 8675

  posted December 10, 2007 12:34 PM                        
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Folks I have bad news for you on the anti-hunter front. There are as many if not more of them as there are us now. HSUS alone has over 10,000,000 members.
So why are they gaining ground and we continue to punt?

[vermonster13]

Because they are focused and have one goal while we have many and spend our money in many directions. They are in the education system and media(what was the last movie or television show you saw that portrayed a hunter as a hero or even in a positive way?). To many hunters see game as "their's", not enough mentoring, recruiting and retaining of hunters going on. The list goes on and on.

[Dale Graves]

Kodiak Bob,I keep telling myself that I will not respond to post like this,because I do not like to upset fellow hunters,or my self(thats for the antis)but I feel I must.Never under estimate the antis,we need to rember that on election day.WE need to support any organization,and politicians who is for us the hunters,archer,& gun owners.For the slob hunters they are not just in the houndsmen group,they are in every group of things that we love & do.I do not know the population were you fellas live,but here in southern Ohio it is starting to boom,people who loves to hunt,& people who hates hunters.I have tracking collars on my tree hounds(20yrs.now)to protect them & take them home with me,not to put them were they dont belong,or because I am to lazy to walk.I do not want them going to those peoples or hunters land,but some times they do.I pride my self on a well trained hound,that does not molest livestock, offgame,or people.I love hunting with my hounds as much as I do hunting with my trad gear.By the way George Washington was a houndsman.Just my .02 Dale

[DaleinOhio]

Thanks for posting those number Vermonster...it never ceases to amaze me the number of hunters who have no idea how big the anti-hunting problem is.  That's the #1 problem groups like the USSA face...because sadly, it takes some hunters actually losing rights or losing a hunting season (as they have in NJ for bears and in Michigan for doves, not to mention the various mountain lion hunts in states out west) before they say "Hey, wait a minute!  We need to do something about this!"  By that time it is too late.

Bottom line:  Anti-hunting groups like the HSUS are working diligently every day.  We should be outworking them.