Man, I have really been wanting to here feed back on this topic for years. Espesually from hunters not raised and brainwashed inside the southern deerbelt. I never have personally liked the idea of hunting from the side of the road while parked in a pickup truck. From what I have seen of these guys, they hunt dogs alot more than deer. But hey, if thats what they want to do with their time, then thats there business. Until recently my hunting buddie and myself have enjoyed a 200 acre lease. We have always had other hunting clubs around us and got along with them very well.[Still hunter that is.] However last year one of our neighboring clubs decided [On nov. 18.] They weren't seeing any deer son they were going to dog hunt there land. I arrived at my treestand on Saturday morning to find three trucks parked under it and a dozen more down the property line. Dogs and dog hunters walking all over my cornpiles that I have been tending too for three months. This resulted in days of work and letting the little ones [ two and three year olds] walk go down the tubes. I went from seeing deer everyday to seeing nothing at all. Not to mention the sign of the 140 class 9 pointer I had been seeing for a week leading up to that great morning. When asking the other club if they would stay on there land and leave us alone they simply replied, OUR DOGS CAN,T READ!!! We checked the game laws and it said that they do have the wright to enter your land to retrieve ther animals not to hunt. I truley enjoy a good quail hunt any day with a good pointer. But I think this is going a little to far. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Well, my opinion won't count for much, since we can't hunt with dogs (that's good IMO, and I speak as one who (responsibly) owns and hunts with dogs for non-big game critters), and we have so much public land to hunt that I haven't had that sort of problem. 200 acres here wouldn't be enough to even notice unless it was planted with alfalfa or some other food source.
 
That said, if they don't have the right to trespass, then they're definitely in the wrong. I'm pretty ornery, so I'll refrain from saying what I'd do in such a situation...
 
That said, one missing dog would make them think twice about sending the dogs out to mess up everyone else's hunting.
 
*bad, BAD!!! Slaps hand*
 
I understand that hunting deer with dogs is quite a tradition in the south, and I've not hunted there, so take what I say with a grain of salt, ok? :D
 
You might try posting the property with signs that say something like "Caution! Steel Traps In Use!" or "Caution! Poison in use for animal damage control"
 
Then tell them that since their dogs can't read, they might want to explain it to them?
 
Daryl

I'll start by saying deer hunting with a dog probably wouldn't be my cup of tea, but I am not against it.  I hunt a beagle and a couple Mt. Curs and they do sometimes end up on private property.  They hunt close to me and are managable almost 100 percent of the time.  We havew the right to retrieve here in MI. and sometimes I have to do it.  They don't get deep into private property, usually they are within 50 yards of the sign.
I think though that some people take the right to retrieve too far and use it as an excuse to hunt private property.  I belive that is slob hunting, and thoes people will eventually get us all in trouble.  I know I'm guilty of the same thing, but it's noy often nor intentional.
Good luck in solving the problem if it persists.
 
Ed

The first step to any problem solving situation is to Identify the Problem, and it applies here. Your problem isn't people hunting deer with dogs, it's these individual slobs not respecting your property or hunt. Not their use of dogs, not running them, not hunting deer, not the game laws or traditions. A responsible hunter, regardless of method, would not intentionally or unintentionally, allow his hunt to ruins someone else's. Keep in mind that your method of hunting may be just as despicable to them as theirs is to you. As you said, it's your personal opinion and everyone has one, not usually identical. Criticizing a class of hunters is not what we ought to be doing here, but perhaps criticizing a lower class of people who don't have respect for others is appropriate.
 
 That being said, I don't hunt behind dogs, though I have once. It has it's time and place, and apparently, it isn't near your land and probably not during this new era, at least in your neck of the woods. It is a method that is much more steeped in history and traditional than any other type of hunting other than archery. I hope that I have the opportunity to do it again some day, and I also hope that when I do, it is on a tract of land big enough and isolated enough to not disturb anyone else.
 
 
 edit.....most people that used to do it where I hunt stopped because of the difficult time keeping dogs alive, kept ending up as coyote food.  The ones that are left have learned to keep them on their own leases.

:) Bigboar welcome to THL, As for deer hunting with dog's Around here I have never heard of it being done, or know anyone that has, I'll not say'n it's good or bad, I'll never do it, You have gotten some good feed back on this, I went trough this, this past season with someone or persons hunting on my land, I was mad about this as I had worked hard put'n in a food plot, over a few years, didn't even hunt on it for 3 years, someone had left trash and such on my land,didn't like that at all.
 
what I did was go to the countys attorney office, to see what is the best way to handle this, without someone getting hurt, ( I ran one add in the paper say'n no hunting anyone doing so will be in court) I went back and posted signes all over the place, and were they were using an ATV to get down in their, I did ?, and I'm say'n do this, but after a few weeks I got word of two guys I know,( but don't hunt with) got some flat's, After a good check I did find some fix-a-flat can's, Now all I could do was let these two know that it was posted land, I don't want to bore ya with my troubles, were you lease the land, I'd ask an attorney about, taking these guy's to court, next time this takes place,Yep dog's can't read. but check on the laws for hunting dog's and their owners. Ron

I'd second RBB's comments wholeheartedly.
 
In addition, I'd find out what your state's Hunter Harrassment laws are. It's possible that you have some legal recourse there.
 
I'd be VERY careful about 'retribution' of ANY sort. That only escalates the problem, and never solves it. Specifically, "traps" and "poison". You kill a fellas dog, regardless of whether it's "tresspassin" or not, and you're gonna be in for some heavy rolls. What I have done with recalcitrant neighbors that won't control their pets is trap the animals (cats and dogs), and take them to the local "dog pound". Up here, the first instance is a $150 fine to retrieve your animal. The second is a $350 fine. The third time it's $500 and the animal not returned to the owner.
 
Used to be, when I hunted in Missouri, people were encouraged to shoot unattended dogs, and expecially those chasing deer. However, Missouri of course didn't allow coursing deer with dogs. Your state clearly doesn't give you that option. However, if the dogs are "harrassing" your hunting, you may get some relief legally.
 
Finally, even though these other hunters appear to be boors - we've only heard your side of the story - the BEST solution is one that respects both side's perspectives. Unfortunately, too often that simply isn't gonna happen. That's what legal remedies are supposed to accomplish when one or both parties can't, or won't do the 'right' thing. Unfortunately, only rarely do legal remdies really solve a problem either.
 
Paul

Gitano,
 
Now I didn't say to actually put traps out; nor did I say to put out poison...
 
but the neighbors wouldn't know if the signs were for real or not.  Just might make them think twice before releasing their dogs is all.
 
Sometimes you have to think on the other fellas level, so to speak.
 
Like you said, only rarely do legal remedies really solve a problem.
 
The only other option I can see is to move to another lease.  Remember, in the south there's seldom the chance to hunt open ground like you and I have.
 
Daryl

Thanks for the replies guys. I do understand the guys on the other side of this particular coin. Most of my family members who hunt and most of the guys I went to highschool with are all dog hunters. With that said they have always went out of there way to be curtious to still hunters who may be in a area close by. I have had advise from others on how to deal with the situation but they all deal with the dogs. I will not harm these animals for the simple fact that they are doing what they are trained to do. It isn't the dogs fault it is the hunters who turn these animals out in places where they know there isn't enough room to run. Sadly in the state of Northcarolina these types of trespassing are poorly enforced. However on the upside of this, alot of counties north of I-95 have banned hunting deer with the use of dogs and recquire hunters to have written permission when hunting someone elses land. This gives land owners and hunters who respect the wrights of others a stong foot hold on the matter. Trust me when I tell you this, the woods around my area are being clear cut like crazy. People are developing the land for housing and the strips of woods left behind are thin. There isn't many more things I have seen that will scare you like 14 people shooting highpowered semi automatic rifles at a deer running like a greyhound on flat land for cover! It is down wright dangerous. The only big tracks of land left in the southestern part of the state are owned by the state.And guess what? you can't hunt them with dogs! I do believe some of the larger tracks owned by the paper companies alow clubs who lease their lands to run dogs, and I think thats great when you have 4500 acres to do so on. I know it is a southern tradition but I believe it is one that time has passed. Its similar to one of the rules my uncles dog club had when they started some years ago. They always said," Don't shoot the does!" Man if they only knew. With that said I will say nomore. Thanks again for the replies.

It was just on the news last night that some counties in NC are siding with landowners on issues related to dog hunting.  In one county, they have set up a fine system for hunters if their dogs "trespass".  The popular feeling seems to be the hunters should have better control over their dogs and that they simply use their dogs' "wanderings" as an excuse to hunt other peoples' property.  In another county, the issue is hunters on road right of ways shooting into private property.  Of the two, the 2d seems to be a no brainer and if you shoot from public land into property you do not have access to or permission to hunt, you're wrong.  I do not know all the details on this one, but it seems to me as if that county is closing a loophole in the reg's that may have been exploited by some, others in the coastal region have done that as well.  As for the 1st, there is a ground swell of support for this that will be pushed to the state legislature.  From the looks of the folks interviewed, many in favor of the legislature appear to be non-rural types who may have moved to the country but aren't too keen on all that entails when certain rural & local traditions are factored in (kinda like moving next to an airport or rifle range and then complaining about the noise).  I dont know how to prevent dogs from entering someone else's posted property (they cant read) and fining the hunters wont stop it unless it leads to the practice of hunting with dogs being curtailed (which may be the desired endstate for some).  It will be an interesting one to watch develop, I dont think the dust is even close to settling.
 
KD

I've never hunted deer with dogs but seems like it would be pretty easy for some slob hunters to use it as a loophole to hunt land that isn't theirs and claim they were getting their dogs.  Some just think they're smarter than the system and exploit it.  I'd recommend contacting local conservation or law enforcement and finding out what the trespassing and dog retrieval laws are in NC.  Here, a hunter can retrieve his dog on private property UNLESS he's been previously prohibited from doing so.  And they can't take a firearm with them and can't remain more than a reasonable time to do so.

M1. Looks like ol Mi, done right with fix'n that loop hole up their, i had to get a court order to drive on one of the county road's that goes into one part of the wildlife management area here This one man said he owned the country road, and would bluck it when deer season would open, and you have a video tape on the way, Ron

As a reformed NC dawg hunter. I prefer to still hunt. I have hunted with dawgs for several years. IN large blocks of land they can be effective and it is exciting to hear a pack of hounds running your way with the anticipation of a good buck trying to out smart it. The dawg hunting group I hunted with would line the woods (muc like the way ya'll yankees do deer drives) and then the dawgs would be turned loose.
 
I lost a taste for it when it seemed that the guys consistently had no respect for property. It was strictly the kill they wanted. I enjoy the hunt. THe kill is necessary for those wonderful roasts I enjoy, but I treasure the hunt.
 
I have leased places and have had to deal with this as well. Some folks can get really excited if some one shoots a $500 deer hound.
 
I really liked the suggestion of the dog pound idea. That is a great idea. I think I may use it myself. We occasionally get strays (with collars) coming around messing up our hunts. I have no qualms taking out a wild dawg however. I have been charged by them, they are not mans best friend rest assured.