When I was a boy, hunting deer with dogs in NC was a tradition. I enjoyed it. Clubs often had 50 to 100 members and released about that many dogs for every hunt. Most land could be hunted for free. Deer could be shot in the rivers! We had about 10% of the deer we now enjoy.
Forty years later, large tracks of land needed to hunt deer with walker hounds, red bones, blue ticks, etc. have been cleared for farming or commercial pine timber. Estates have been divided, tracts of land are smaller, and dog hunting clubs can no longer afford the lease prices some smaller groups are willing to pay for prime land.
I have not hunted with dogs in over 25 years. I now hunt with a dozen friends and we lease several farms. Every year my hunts are spoiled by men who drive onto our leased land to look for their dogs. They assume that a posted sign means no trespassing on Saturday, but on a Monday it is probably OK. I burns me up for one of their radio collared dogs to loiter around then have the owner drive 1/2 mile from the state road into posted property to attempt to retreive the dog. The men in the truck always have the same response - "I'm sorry, I didn't think you were hunting today".
I have no problems with dog hunting for deer. It should be conducted on state owned games lands, open to the public. Dog hunters should pay a per dog tax, and receive a tag for each licensed dog. The funds should be used to expand the acerages where they are permitted to hunt.
I think this is a win/win situation.
