One of the things often taken for granted by dog hunters in the Old Dominion is the spacious, awesome tracts of land that we hunt on. I’ve come to realize that the only way most of us have access to such land is due to the “hunt club model”, whereby a group of like-minded people pool their resources to lease hunting rights. These leases usually involve timber companies, farms, or other private property holdings.
Personally, this is the only way I and my friends and family have been able to have access to quality hunting sites. While this obviously requires a certain financial commitment, it is usually less expensive, and more realistic, than actually buying the land. Bottom line; it works for me and I expect it works for most hunters, whether they hunt with dogs or not.
The question becomes, how do we preserve this model in the years to come? Respecting the land owner’s property is one of the most obvious. The people I hunt with treat the land we lease as if we own it; no trash, no unnecessary tearing up of roads, respecting any rules or wishes of the landowners, and strict adherence to game laws is a must.
What is the biggest threat to all of this? In my opinion it would be the advancement of commercial, big game hunting operations in Virginia. The potential for monetary gain would inevitably make the quality hunting lands we now lease more valuable and price most of us, myself included, out of the game. The choice then becomes; who gets to utilize the states resources, local residents or out of town “clients”? Some people may call this view selfish, but I call it protecting my heritage.
I realized at a young age that the most important part of a quality hunting experience is a quality place to hunt. It doesn’t matter how good your hunting skills are, still hunter or hound hunter, if you don’t have a place to hunt.
Long live the Virginia tradition of hunt clubs, a vital part of the tradition and heritage defended by the VaHDA.
John Morse, Chairman
Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance

Great Post John. I, and many others agree with you. Chances are if you are on this site, you have grown up hunting this way. Hunting as a club, with dogs, with family and friends, enjoying quality land and quality times. That is how I grew up hunting and that is how I intend to raise up my 2 boys hunting in the same fashion. - IT IS A WAY OF LIFE -

This way of life is under attack and it is very concerning- I believe Sunday hunting, baiting, commercial hunting outfitters, and the attempt to end the right to retrieve are all examples of how certain groups are attempting to end hunting with hounds/dogs. Thankfully, the baiting bill and an attempt to amend the right to retrieve law were voted down in sub-committee just recently.

The commercial hunting outfitters CAN stroke big checks - and buy up that bear island, mead/Westvaco/ or even private land tracts that you are currently hunting. They want to plant a million food plots, dump corn on the ground, put up a million game cameras, "grow" and have an out of state client pay good money to "harvest" a mature buck. It doesn't seem much like hunting to me and nothing about "hunting" that way gets my blood pumping. Might as well have a buck staked to the ground and shot at 10 yards. These outfitters and even QDMA private land owners who hunt this way with all the cameras, food plots, and "no dog hunting" signs all have one thing in common:
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN OWN A DEER -

There is one main thing stopping these outfitters from coming here - they will not write those checks, spend the money implementing food plots, game cameras, tripod stand over bait sites - to have a pack of hounds come on their property and take "their" buck out of this country. How can they "guarantee" to their client that they will take a mature buck when all the adjoining properties hunt with dogs? THEY CANT! That is why they, along with other non-dog hunting groups are trying to do away with dog hunting in general- They are so scared that someone else will kill "their" buck that they will go to great lengths and spend a lot of $$ to see dog hunting go away from VA.

I hunt with hounds and I also still hunt with the bow and muzzleloader in the appropriate seasons. I hunt this way without cameras, food plots, bait etc.. To me, not knowing what is out there in the woods you hunt is exciting, the unknown is what keeps you coming back to that spot where you saw that massive rub line or scrape line. You know a buck is out there somewhere- there are camera systems that send updates to you by email right to your smart phone that will show when a buck walks across your camera and takes a dump at 3 in the morning, and you want to set up on him at 530 the next morning? To me, all the technology creates an un-fair chase scenario. I think all the food-plotting and game camera use takes away from the excitement of going into the woods using your knowledge and- HUNTING!

We in VA and across the south need to support groups like the VaHDA and others that fight for our rights at the government level, there are a lot of people and groups out there who want to see our HERITAGE and hunting TRADITIONS ended. So, Support these organizations in any way you can!

AND REMEMBER, YOU CANT OWN A DEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!