Dog hunting Deer

[Hardcorehunter]

I met two super nice hunters in Virginia today who saw my buckwildadventures.com sticker on my van and stopped to talk to me for a bit. We talked about the site a bit and how there season was going. Then the topic turned to management. They told me how they are passing on the small bucks and taking more does. Then they told me of how in VA, hunting deer with dogs is legal and very popular and how it has hurt there efforts to manage there property. I compare it to hunting fox or rabbit with dogs. Anyways a lot of deer are killed this way and I don't know much about this style of hunting. Any opinions?

[Southern Slayer]

I hunted in Virginia with my old boss a couple of times in King George and his neighbor used dogs. I feel that its good to use them if you want to keep the deer moving if you are driving deer but that is it. If you happen to be hunting on the property next door and you have no dogs you can forget it. They will ruin your change of seeing anything. Virginia also does not let you use any bait and you can use buckshot. It is all a little strange to me.

[THE DEER HUNTER]

My dad has done it and said it is very exciting. Never done it myself.

[Huntin'Fever]

Let me tell you about VA dog hunting. My parents own about 75 acres in the Northern Neck and the dogs run wild. The property is great for Bow/Muzzeloader season but then it gets tough. As you can imagine, we usually switch to duck hunting once gun season starts. Basically, it's very frustrating when these people let their dogs run all over your property with out any form of permission or respect of your rights as a landowner. I mean, after a morning duck hunt I've been sitting on the picnic table watching them hang out next to our mail-box waiting for the dogs to run deer off our property. Not to mention, they don't own a lick of land near by but probably belong to a hunt club a few miles away. Somehow this just seems unethical and illegal to me. I mean, all posted signs go void at this point and everyone looks the other way. After all, "it's the way it has always been." I don't let my rabbit dogs run wild on other places and I'm sure as heck not allowed to walk across other property boundaries. Why should hunting dogs be any different? Now some critics may think I'm just a rack hunting freak that is all about managing my herd. But, it's bigger than that. Hunting is about upholding ethics and respecting the animals. Having permission along with hunting in a reasonable manner (not letting dogs chase deer for days on end) is all part responsible hunting. Now, I'd love to hear from someone who feels it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. However, I feel its a cheap and lazy way to kill a deer. After days of dog hunting, the deer are exhausted and likely malnourished, away from their home range, and I'm frustrated.

[BIG FOX]

i think it is ridiculous, you should call the dogcatchers when you see dogs on you land and have them come out, also try to get the police involved. maybe there is a leash law they can get tickets for.

[treehugger]

Just shoot the dogs. I would.

[captwahoo]

I hunt property in Caroline County in Virginia. It is great for bow/blackpowder hunting, but once they turn the dogs loose....I don't like the use of dogs to chase deer, but it has been going on forever. I know people who raise deer hounds, and don't even hunt. They just like to watch there dogs run them. I went on one hunt with a buddy from work, he was part of a hunt club with 300 acres in Caroline County. They turned the dogs loose at 10:00 and had 22 deer, 7 turkey, and one bear down by 12:00. Sounded like world war III. There was only seven of us hunting. It was out of control. I have been invited back, but have never been. Too many bullets flying......

[THE DEER HUNTER]

I can see why you didn't return. That is a couple years worth of action packed into 2 hours.