Good Article on - The Dog-Hunting Debate

[gator-n-buck]

No.... I'm not for making doggin deer with dogs legal in TN.... But it is loads of fun.... :)

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2 ... bate_1009/

 

[BSK]

I have no problem with dogging for deer, as long as the hunters have adequate acreage to prevent dogs from running onto neighboring properties. Hunting deer with dogs is a time-honored tradition in the Deep South and Carolina coastal regions.

 

[Bone Collector]

I say let em run em. If you don;t like it don't participate.

 

[volunteer1]

When I lived in outer banks, NC I was invited to hunt with dogs on several occasions. It was a blast and it was done on big pieces of property. I used a shotgun and was usually sat up on a logging road of some sort. We also had guys that used rifles that were on the larger open fields.Vegetation was very thick and swamps. These guys did it right. It was awesome!

 

[rukiddin]

Grew up running deer dogs. It's a blast! Haven't done it in 10 or so years but I still remember the sounds of the dogs burning one up through the pine thickets and cut overs in eastern NC. If you have never been to the coastal areas, then you have never really understood the true meaning of a "thicket". I always joked that eastern NC was the only place you would ever see a cab high dog box on a low rider pick-up. Haha

I met some guys that were some of the best rifle shots you've ever seen. These guys grew up shooting running deer with shotguns and rifles and most would say if they ever had to shoot at deer standing still, they'd probably miss it. It's truly fascinating to watch those guys roll a deer at 200 yds hauling a$$ across a wide open cutover.

As far as NC is concerned, I'm afraid it's on it's way out for the exception of the extreme far eastern counties were populations are extremely sparse.

 

[gator-n-buck]

Grew up running deer dogs. It's a blast! Haven't done it in 10 or so years but I still remember the sounds of the dogs burning one up through the pine thickets and cut overs in eastern NC. If you have never been to the coastal areas, then you have never really understood the true meaning of a "thicket". I always joked that eastern NC was the only place you would ever see a cab high dog box on a low rider pick-up. Haha

I met some guys that were some of the best rifle shots you've ever seen. These guys grew up shooting running deer with shotguns and rifles and most would say if they ever had to shoot at deer standing still, they'd probably miss it. It's truly fascinating to watch those guys roll a deer at 200 yds hauling a$$ across a wide open cutover.

As far as NC is concerned, I'm afraid it's on it's way out for the exception of the extreme far eastern counties were populations are extremely sparse.

Yep... The best shooters I knew would knock down a running deer crossing a logging road with a .30-06... :)

 

[Shed Hunter]

The problem is if it is legal for the people with large tracts of land it must be legal for small lands as well. I don't want your dogs on my land. It also isn't a very efficient or considerate method of hunting.

By the way, there is nothing impressive about shooting a deer running at 200 yards. Stupidity is not impressive at all. I find a lot of skulls during shed season from people with that mentality.

 

[Shed Hunter]

The problem is if it is legal for the people with large tracts of land it must be legal for small lands as well. I don't want your dogs on my land. It also isn't a very efficient or considerate method of hunting.

By the way, there is nothing impressive about shooting a deer running at 200 yards. Stupidity is not impressive at all. I find a lot of skulls during shed season from people with that mentality.

 

[DirtyBear0311]

Even the big public tracts in coastal Carolina can make for dangerous situations with running dogs. A buddy and I were returning to my truck on the side of the road in Croatan National Forest. Folks would run dogs like crazy there and we were just used to it. Well some lady was parked about 50 yds behind me and as I was standing in the road next to my truck, a shot snaps past my head. This lady shot at a deer running across the road that we were on, even though she was directly behind us. The worst part is that the entire group with the dogs got called up by this lady after we chewed her out and they thought that we were in the wrong. How dare we be there while they run dogs. That mentality has stuck with me and left a bad taste in my mouth. It always seems that no matter what, if folks wanna run dogs then they will do it and to hell with whoever doesnt like the often times negative consequences it brings.

 

[gator-n-buck]

By the way, there is nothing impressive about shooting a deer running at 200 yards. Stupidity is not impressive at all. I find a lot of skulls during shed season from people with that mentality.

Realize that there are dogs running it so there is a high recovery rate.... Dog hunters have a much higher recover rate than stand hunters.... :)

 

[rukiddin]

By the way, there is nothing impressive about shooting a deer running at 200 yards. Stupidity is not impressive at all. I find a lot of skulls during shed season from people with that mentality.

You find a lot of skulls from people who more than likely have 2-3 opportunities at a deer all year and then lose their minds when they see a deer and have absolutely zero experience shooting running targets. When and if you are ever around someone with the skills I mentioned, you will be impressed. Absolutely no different than a fine wing shooter. With the exception being these guys are sending one bullet. I get the impression you have never been around it or else you would not have said it.

 

[WRbowhunter]

I first started deer hunting dog hunting in SC LOVED IT.Sure wish I could do it again.Don't get me wrong I love bow hunting but nothing like hearing the dogs jump a deer and they turn towards your stand and you start to hear limbs breaking as they are heading your way. Great memories. We always used shotguns and yes it takes some practice shooting a deer on the run.

 

[Grill-n-man]

Never could understand why hunting deer with dogs is such a big no no in Tennessee. When you look at all the different animals hunted with dogs it makes no since why deer are put on the no no list. Oh that's right there isn't any big money in it except for the value of dogs. Let's see if you add the price of the tractor, plow, fuel, seed, fertilizer, etc it takes to grow a 5 acre food plot a person good buy a bus load of dogs. But wait it would also cause grown adults to make a decision for themselves as whether to do it or not. But then again it would give a grown adult another reason to whine and moan cause someone is enjoying themselves doing something they don't agree with. So between money and crybabies it probably won't happen. Oh and making a 200 yard shot on a moving target is not marksmanship but stupidity really. And hats off to your detective skills also to be able to determine that from skulls found in the woods, no way a predator or disease could be the cause.

 

[BSK]

Never could understand why hunting deer with dogs is such a big no no in Tennessee.

#1) It's illegal.

#2) Few areas in TN have the land ownership patterns (huge chunks of single-owner property) to run dogs without incurring property-line conflicts. For those who prefer undisturbed stand hunting for deer, nothing is more infuriating than a pack of hounds chasing deer across the property and breaking the normal deer movement patterns the hunters are hunting.

 

[Vermin93]

Definitely a cultural thing. Very similar to liberal deer limits that exist in parts of the South. Neither is for me, but I'm also not a Southerner. I'm glad there are some states where hunters can run dogs for deer. I'm also glad that the states I hunt, including Tennessee, aren't on that list.

 

[gator-n-buck]

Grew up running deer dogs. It's a blast! Haven't done it in 10 or so years but I still remember the sounds of the dogs burning one up through the pine thickets and cut overs in eastern NC. If you have never been to the coastal areas, then you have never really understood the true meaning of a "thicket". I always joked that eastern NC was the only place you would ever see a cab high dog box on a low rider pick-up. Haha

I met some guys that were some of the best rifle shots you've ever seen. These guys grew up shooting running deer with shotguns and rifles and most would say if they ever had to shoot at deer standing still, they'd probably miss it. It's truly fascinating to watch those guys roll a deer at 200 yds hauling a$$ across a wide open cutover.

As far as NC is concerned, I'm afraid it's on it's way out for the exception of the extreme far eastern counties were populations are extremely sparse.

[color:#FF0000]Yep... The best shooters I knew would knock down a running deer crossing a logging road with a .30-06[/color]... :)

Its like playing billiards: A couple of beers calms the nerves a bit and makes everyone a better shooter :D

That's been known to happen.... If that doesn't work some will just use their truck.... :D

 

[redblood]

I am fine with it but our land is too fragmented and dogs dog respect property borders. with all the notorious dog shooters on this site, it would open a can worms that TWRA probably wouldn't have the manpower to address.

 

[Grill-n-man]

Illegal duh really. Post is about opinions on the subject and to repeat my opinion you have the whiners and crybabies that will have the deer they "own" taken by others. We hunters need to keep more of an open mind on different methods of hunting instead of condemning it just cause we don't agree with it. If I am not mistaken all the money from license, permits, etc. is used state wide for the benefit of all the wildlife, land, and those who use it not simply for one single person to lay claim on any one part. Narrow minds and the idea of personal ownership is one the reasons for the disappearance of the big tracts of public hunting land that would make this more of a possibility. In my opinion if the wildlife can handle it then so be it. And for those that have never chase hunted, from rabbits to bears, with dogs then you probably don't understand the magic and art of a good hunting dog doing what they do best nor the fact that its about the chase not the kill nor the friendships made. Nor will you understand the time and work the owners put into their dogs. Can't hang a stand with a trail camera and alarm clock set to the time the deer will come by so a "hunter" can take it. But I am weird as I do not own what God has put on this earth for all to enjoy in his or her own way.

 

[DKO77]

I'll be the first to admit - I could care less about dogging deer - ain't my cup of tea - but that doesn't mean I don't have my gun ready when I hear a dog on a hot trail headed my way- just sayin

 

[gator-n-buck]

I have learned in life if you have never tried it or seen it than you might want to be careful to give your opinion.,,, :) I'm not for doggin deer in TN.... Yes, I have been around dog hunting all my life and my dad owns a store that is 90% dog hunting.

I have seen several post so far that gives the tell... tell signs. There is one debate that I will save for another day and that has to do with the parcels sizes of land. No one had a bigger land boom than FL years past and they still run deer with dogs.

My love is bow hunting so don't think I'm pushing doggin deer but I hate to see uneducated post about a subject some have no clue.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

Seen a few hundred killed over dogs. Saw two not recovered.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Totally agree.

I lived in Alabama for years and hunted public land.

You would just get situated in you climbing stand and some dog would wander in you area and bed down just under your stand and wait for you to come down sometimes.

Or you would be sitting there and and have a pack run through and you knew your day was done.

If Tn ever passes dog hunting it's going to be a rough day on some dogs I suspect. We have way to many good ole boys that are not going to stand for having their hunt disrupted by a bunch of trespassing muts.

 

[BSK]

I'll be the first to admit - I could care less about dogging deer - ain't my cup of tea - but that doesn't mean I don't have my gun ready when I hear a dog on a hot trail headed my way- just sayin

You do realize in TN it's illegal to shoot a deer that is being pursued by dogs?

 

[bowriter]

Probably the first dozen deer I killed were in front of dogs. It is a tremendously exciting way to hunt. The problem being, dogs can't read and do not know when they are off the property. If a hunt club has 10,000 acres to hunt, I have no problem at all with running dogs. Public land and small acreage clubs are a different story.

 

[redlegs07]

I like dog hunting. I enjoy the uniqueness and difference from how I grew up hunting in TN. I really enjoy the comraderie and tradition of the Thanksgiving opening day hunt in my wife's family in FL. And I'm glad I married into that and they welcome me to hunt with them. I enjoy a good race and the excitement to try to get ahead of the deer. I do not enjoy catching dogs that are all up in a doe, lol.

I figure some people in areas where there's no dog hunting just don't understand it. In many's eyes it may seem unethical or easy, like it's just a slaughter with no sport to it. But dog hunters have to follow the same regulations, and bag limits as all other hunters. And the deer they run have been chased by dogs for 200+ years. They have developed cunning and tricks to lose a dog. They don't just run right out there in the open in front of a pack of hounds.

Do I think it would be a good fit for TN in present times? No, I doubt it, I just don't think it would work with the way our properties are. But it has it's place and I hope the tradition remains. I want my kids to be able to run dogs like their mom and the 6 generations of Crackers in her family before her did. Just like I want them to learn to do the things my family in TN has always done.

But that doesn't mean that I don't sometimes sit in a stand here, when I'm not seeing anything, and think "damn I wish someone could turn out a pack of hounds and run these deer around"

 

[BSK]

Do I think it would be a good fit for TN in present times? No, I doubt it, I just don't think it would work with the way our properties are. But it has it's place and I hope the tradition remains.

Well said redlegs07. Dog hunting is not a good fit for TN because of our land-ownership patterns. However, where land patterns allow, and where it is a long-standing tradition, I hope dog hunting endures and prospers.

 

[gator-n-buck]

Do I think it would be a good fit for TN in present times? No, I doubt it, I just don't think it would work with the way our properties are. But it has it's place and I hope the tradition remains.

Well said redlegs07. Dog hunting is not a good fit for TN because of our land-ownership patterns. However, where land patterns allow, and where it is a long-standing tradition, I hope dog hunting endures and prospers.

Was... Well said and hit a lot of the key points. The tradition and the social part of dog hunting is hard to beat... :)

That's I grew up hunting in FL and now enjoy stand hunting in TN..... :)

 

[bowriter]

Dog hunting was and in some areas is a true southern tradition, evolving in the deep swamps from necessity. Even Bill Faulkner was a fan of it. In the deep swamp, sitting on a log or in a ladder stand, I defy any alive and breathing deer hunter to keep from shaking (the buck augers), when a deep voiced hound leads a pack from out of hearing to coming right at him.

For several decades, it was just about the only effective way to hunt due to the vast areas and the scarcity of deer. Good hounds were at a premium and the hunter who could sleep the night before the season opened was usually not asleep, just passed out.

My award winning story, "The Blue Buck" was written in 1957, and is a true story of the first buck I ever killed...in front of three great dogs.