Posted this a while back - surprised by lack of responses -

Re-Posting - things are changing - please read and enjoy





Chances are if you are on this site, you have grown up 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 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why do you care so much how someone else hunts? You hunt your way and I'll hunt mine. Let's both do it on our own land, and then we'll never have to cross paths and we can both do what we love. How's that sound to you?

I will quote you - Why do you care how someone else hunts? You hunt your way and I'll hunt mine.

Exactly. So quit coming on a dog hunting website and whining about a couple of dogs getting onto your property.


go hunt, maybe you will actually kill a deer. And when someone's hunting dogs run you a big buck (god willing) , what will you say then about "keeping dogs off your property"??

I don't want to shoot a deer run by dogs. I don't want dogs on my land. I want to be left alone. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't respect my desire to be left alone.

Mr Wallace,

I do understand your desire to be left alone, and if you owned land near where I hunt I wouldn't go on your land to retrieve a dog unless I absolutely had to (dog is in one spot not moving for a long time). Even then I would stay within the law and walk, never take a weapon, identify myself if asked, also if feasible would contact you to let you know what was going on. I would never cast dogs on your land either. It is the way I have always hunted with dogs. I also have been hunting the same land for a long time and know a lot of the adjoining landowners and know how they feel about me possibly retrieving dogs off their property. I have come to meet a lot of landowners through the process of catching dogs, some are hunters themselves some are not. Most of the landowners are friendly, I have actually gotten hunting rights from these situations, and kindly brought them a hindquarter or tenderloin around the holidays. That's how relationships are built. Very few are like you. I have come to know the ones that are like you and avoid them and their land as much as possible. After all, I run and hunt with dogs to enjoy it.

Could I ask how much land you own?

And are you sure you wouldn't pull the trigger on a big ole buck if he happened to run with a pack of hounds behind him onto your property?

What difference does it make how much land I have? I'll be interested to hear why you think it matters.

I have an 1100 acre family farm. Three adjacent neighbors run dogs off a 150 acre piece, a 25 acre piece and a 50 acre piece.

I have an 800 acre timber tract 25 miles away that I lease to a dog club. They know if the property owner neighbors start to complain, then they will lose their lease. So far, so good.

What exactly is a property owner "like me"? I call dog owners, help them catch dogs and am cordial. What should I do, just hand them the keys to the gate?

I just wanna be left alone. People should keep their dogs off of land where they are not wanted.

And, I have never shot a deer in front of a neighbors dogs. In 20 + years, I've never had a giant buck pushed to me by a neighbors dogs. Maybe I would shoot the giant if he comes by? I doubt it, but maybe. Why does it matter if I, or anyone else, would shoot a deer in front of an unwanted deer hound?

I question your motivations in coming onto this site and complaining about dogs being on your land. Surely, you knew you would receive negative responses. Maybe you are a glutton for punishment???

I don't agree with your neighbors turning loose dogs on those 25 and 50 acre tracts next to you. If you are helping them catch their dogs and are cordial to them, they are going to keep doing it. I AM NOT advocating that you go buck wild on these boys, kill or injure a dog etc.. Here is a suggestion - Put up some locked gates on the accesses to your land - those hunters still can legally utilize their Right to Retrieve Law and walk onto your property to get their dogs - here is the kicker - once those ol boys have been forced to walk a long ways to get their dogs and bring them back on a leash (usually multiple dogs, which is no easy task) they will probably think at least twice about casting them on those small tracts again. They will huff and puff their way back to their trucks and think it just isn't worth it.

Here is another solution - Put up a 3 ft tall fence around your property. It's legal and wild game can still jump/cross the fences. Dogs cant. I have personally seen this work wonderfully on a 1200 acre tract in Powhatan County. The land owner stopped dogs from coming in and he had GIANT bucks, HUGE bear - he created his own ponderosa back there. Unfortunately for him, he fell on hard times and the land had to be auctioned but he had it all back there. The flier for the auction had a title of "sportsman's paradise" and it was just that. If you have that much land I would assume you could fence the property in and you would for sure solve all your problems and be "left alone". All by yourself

Mr. Wallace, maybe if you went on a good dog hunt you'd change your mind!!

I know you are right Mr. Jones, he needs to hear some good dogs run a buck to him and feel the hair on the back of his neck raise!