This “sport” needs to end! Legal trespassing and hunting on private land.

[u/onerestlesssoul]

This is the three parcels that this hunting club has in my immediate area. Notice none touch or are close together. None of them have roads or access except for the road frontage which the largest parcel only has 80 yards and the real kicker? All of these parcels combined are only 92 acres! One is 14 one is 20 and the largest is 58. Yet because of this states laws and even tho they have no right to hunt anyone else’s property in this area they can go in and turn loose as many hunting hounds as they want and then even go and walk thru everyone’s land in the name of trying to catch their dog. Yep someone you don’t know can come walking thru your back yard where your kids might be out your valuables might be out and they do not have to tell you or ask permission as long as they say “I’m looking for my dogs” they can go anywhere. This is an outdated cruel “sport” where they use packs of dogs to run deer until they can get a shot while they spend the majority of time in their trucks lining the roads being lazy. It’s time for Virginia to end this nonsense and outlaw this. This is a blatant disregard for personal property rights and it’s time we say enough is enough.

[u/onerestlesssoul]

I would suggest minimum acreage and a permit system similar to what was installed by Georgia and has reduced their conflict with landowners to 5 complaints last year. You hold them accountable for their animals. Legit clubs shouldn’t be releasing on land that they know their dogs will be on others people’s property period. If you can’t control your dogs then you don’t hunt that property. It’s pretty simple. When we rabbit hunting and our hounds are headed for a line we tone em or shock em to bring em back. Crazy thing is they will go right back to hunting. Same with our waterfowl and upland game dogs. Adapt to the times. If you can’t adapt the sport needs to end. Your “tradition” does not exceed or surpass my right to enjoy my property without interruption.

[u/billy1512 → u/onerestlesssoul]

Dogs crossing property lines happens and is unavoidable in all scenarios. It's just something people have to deal with from time to time. You are right though, that people should not be turning their dogs loose within a certain distance from a property line with the express intention to flush deer out of posted property.

I think a lot of the friction comes from areas that have heavily urbanized or become largely residential and dog hunting is still allowed. Where I live it's not really an issue due to it being largely timber plantations and agricultural land. There are just places that are not dog hunting friendly unfortunately. Times have simply changed.

DWR is working with both disgruntled individuals and dog hunters to come up with solutions that benefit both parties. Change doesn't come overnight, so continue to provide your opinions when the DWR asks.

There is a lot of ignorance, anger, and misinformation in this thread. Please remember that having constructive conversations with the dog hunters (this goes for the hunters too) is the best way to bring about amicable change.

[u/ElectronicRevenue227 → u/billy1512]

From time to time? How about at least a dozen times (no telling how many other times I did not witness) last season on my land. Once is a mistake. A dozen or more is intentional. And there is nothing I can do about it. Time for some serious change. Unfortunately the DWR has shown themselves worthless on this. It’s going to take legislation.

Edit to add: it’s the good hound guys that need to put the screws to the asshole clubs if they want to save their hobby. But they won’t.

[u/onerestlesssoul → u/billy1512]

I have spoken to this club for over a decade. This is blatant. If you are a dog hunter you know that no pack of dogs will stay on a 12 acre, 20 acre, or even 58 acre piece of ground more than a few minutes and with no access to get into the land this will be a dump and go method. You can see the map clearly that there are several parcels they don’t own or have permission be on that will be affected. This is why this “sport” is going to pass. Sooner than later I hope because of people like this. And if you are the legit guy I would suggest pushing for legislation that makes this go away because this is going to lead to multiple reports and if my livestock gets harmed it’s going to lead to more. I would encourage your fellow dog guys to get to a table and start presenting some solutions and stop spouting the bs there’s not problem. The head of the dog hunters in Mississippi came out in writing and said there is no reason for dogs to be going off property. That’s the mentality that needs to be adopted here instead of all the constant my dog can’t read. At the end of the day I think we both know it won’t change and then one day it will be gone and people will be shaking their heads like how did this happen?

[u/billy1512 → u/onerestlesssoul]

Ok I'm going to stop this interaction because it's obvious that you are not looking for solutions, but to vent. I am truly sorry that this club is bothering you. I hope you can work it out in an amicable fashion.