hunting with dogs for deer

5795 Views 21 Replies 11 Participants Last post by tator, Nov 1, 2010

su106

Discussion Starter · Oct 25, 2010 (Edited)

what do you think of hunting with dogs for deer

i would like to hear what you guys think of deer hunting with dogs on my last hunt to north carolina rifle season started and the hunting club next to my club was using dogs one half of me says its good because i got a huge buck i would have never seen this deer if their dogs would'nt have come over to our land but the other half of me don't really care for dog in my deer hunting last year the deer were very skidish and i think thats why i think the dogs belong on the porch or chasing a rabbit

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tator

· #2 · Oct 26, 2010

One of the neighboring houses to the land I hunt have 6 dogs, and they are all the small little yelping kind that drive you crazy. Deer don't want to be around dogs. They spook them too much. Just like coyotes. Sometimes I think when deer see dogs they think they are coyotes and get the heck out of dodge.
In Missouri, we can't "HUNT" with dogs. But we can use dogs to help locate a downed deer. Personally, I wouldn't try it even if we could do it. Too risky if things don't go just right. PLUS, dogs have odor.

00buckshot

· #3 · Oct 27, 2010

dog hunting is a quick fix. stand around talk, smoke, eat, drink and wait for the dogs to get closer. it is not hunting in my opinion. it requires little effort.

BruceBruce1959

· #4 · Oct 27, 2010

We are living in a modern day, technologically advanced society, I think using dogs is a poor choice from a wildlife managemnt standpoint and I personally don't know how anyone can use dogs to get deer and call that a hunt!

History has proven that deer do not stand a chance against Blood Hounds (also known as the St. Hubert hound and Sleuth Hound). Blood Hounds were originally bred to hunt deer and wild boar, a very successful breed.

If there are areas where using dogs is legal, I hope they change that law and put an end to it.
that's my opinion on using dogs.

spiker

· #5 · Oct 27, 2010

i have to agree with bruce i just cant see the sport in it.i also think its a form of torture running them deer like that.your running that animal to the point of exhaustion,deer can only run short distances.i no its legal but me personally i would have no interest in a hunt like this.just my opinion

su106

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 27, 2010

i'm glad to hear others don't care for it i was a bit concerned to put this thread up i feel like this i don't like it but i'm not going to get on someones case if this is what they like last year they ran fearl hogs all summer and deer all season but our club hunts from tower stands so we did'nt get many because they all went nocturnal

Hunting Man

· #7 · Oct 27, 2010

We probably will get another side of this issue as the Southern members respond. However, I too don't wish to hunt deer using dogs as the runners. I know there is great history in the use of dogs but I'm not in favor of it.

deercrazy

· #8 · Oct 28, 2010

Here in central Virginia it seems to be the only way most hunt deer. I am a still hunter in a dog hunting area. The deer here bed down and make very little movement throughout the day for that reason. It makes it very tough for a still hunter like myself. Don't get me wrong, it is legal, but not wery rewarding. I don't put anybody down for it, just not my cup of tea. I will say it is not as easy as it sounds. Remember those deer are on a full out run when they come by you. I have done it but really wish it would be outlawed. Too many deer injured from bad shots. To each his own I guess.

spiker

· #9 · Oct 28, 2010

well can you explain to me whats so hard.im sure somebody is waiting for the deer loaded with buckshot,just waiting to unload on a running deer(brilliant hunting).not all traditions should be continued,we used to burn people at the stake too.i respect thats its legal but no one is gonna convince me that its right.if that was the only way i could hunt deer i would not hunt.

Hunting Man

· #10 · Oct 28, 2010

There's no question the meat has to be full of brain/muscle released chemicals from being under stress when shot vs a deer that's simply been feeding or walking along a trail, just from a eating quality standpoint? Up north and throughout the midwest, using dogs to chase rabbits, flush birds, retrieve ducks ect is the norm so I'm not going too deep into this, just is something I wouldn't care to do.

Whitetail_predator

· #11 · Oct 28, 2010

i don't like it. i am personally aginst it. 1 reason is that there is not any skill past training the dog involved. the other is because where i hunt using dogs is legal and the people on the lease next to my familys land uses dogs....and EVERY year i see the dogs chase deer across our property onto theirs. we have told them that this needs to stop and their reply is the dogs cant reconize property lines.

timetohunt

· #12 · Oct 28, 2010

From a meat consumption view, deer that are running hard, especially if they have been running for a good distance will be inferior when compared to a deer that is going about its normal and calm routine. [as Hunting man mentioned]. The trophy part of the deer that I am most concerned about is what is put on the table. Along with more hormones (adenaline), there will be excessive lactic acid build up in the meat which cause it to be tougher and taints the natural flavor.

In New York it is illegal to use deer to run deer and having never hunted out of state I have never expiereneced it. I have read and understand that there are places where it is tradition and others where necessary due to extremely thick undergrowth and swamps. I do not think it should be made illegal as I do not think that infighting amoungst fellow hunters is a good thing. Each hunter must make there own decisions on how to hunt.

If neighbors choose to hunt differently that needs to be worked out bewteen the parties. Yes its legal but property owners need to respect the borders. If the dogs are on the smaller side maybe a short fence will keep them out ( i bet this could get expensive). It could help the deer realize where they are safe and where they should hang out too.

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deerless

· #13 · Oct 28, 2010

Cannot hunt with dogs where I am from. Besides what challenge is there in letting a dog run around and find the animals for you? Also seems a little inhumane allowing dogs to chase animals around and terrorize them with the chance of someone possibly shooting them. A change in the laws certainly would be a good idea but I am sure all the southern hunters who call this "tradition" will oppose this.

su106

Discussion Starter · #14 · Oct 28, 2010

it's not really inhumane the deer are 1-2 min ahead of the dogs i dont like it i'm not protecting anything and i to think it should be outlawed but some deer maybe more than i know are pretty smart the buck i shot was following the dogs but that i guess was a fluke i like to still hunt and i pay alot of money to be part of the land lease and i know dogs can't read posted signs but it sucks when the dog run everything across to the next place

Whitetail_predator

· #15 · Oct 29, 2010

deerless said:
A change in the laws certainly would be a good idea but I am sure all the southern hunters who call this "tradition" will oppose this.

I don't know about it being a tradition really. Being from Arkansas where it is legal for most of the state to use dog, i only know 1 person that uses hunting dogs....and every year i see his dogs chase deer from my land to his lease. so i would be perfectly happy if this law was banned. And, just because a tradition was right yesterday, doesnt make it right today.....

spiker

· #16 · Oct 29, 2010

i couldnt imagine sitting on a neighboring property and then the dogs come thru.I would certainly feel that my hunt is over and that i wasn't gonna see anything.it would be no picnic owning property next to someone who does this.in new york its not legal and old timers would tell you that if you see a dog in the deer woods during deer season to shoot it.now i never did this but i think its interesting the two opposite views here in the north and south.

tator

· #17 · Oct 29, 2010

WOW this must be a hot topic!

CHANGE OF SUBJECT......

What does everything think about pushing deer? i.e. having people walk through the woods in your direction to push deer your way.
I will admit I have done this, BUT we all are armed, have camo on, are hunting, AND we know where everyone is at, at all times. Haven't done this alot, maybe 2-3 times.

timetohunt

· #18 · Oct 29, 2010

The group of hunters I grew up with and learned how to hunt with put on "small drives" as they called it quite often. This just consisted of a few hunters sitting in likely escape routes while a few others still hunted in there direction until reaching them. The result of this method was that the ones still hunting shot the most deer. If deer did go past the "sitters" they were walking/ trotting to stay ahead of those coming. I see nothing wrong with this. My current hunting strategy is stand sitting and still hunting as the most I mostly hunt alone or with one other guy.

Whitetail_predator

· #19 · Oct 30, 2010

well tator, on your change of subject topic, i am from the south (as i have said before), that being said i have never been on one of these hunts but a friend of mine has.
Last year i took him deer hunting for the first time and he shot a doe and after following the blood for a while the blood trail stopped. he continued to look for it for 9 hours since this was the first deer he had shot. my dad, cousin, and myself also helped him look for his doe. his uncle said he could come hunting with him after we got home and guaranteed him a deer. when he got back from hunting with his uncle, he told me that he sat at the spot he was told to and a group of people got in a spread out line and pushed the deer to him. he said there was no sport involved nor was there any thrill and there was no suspence on if a deer would show that day. he said he would never hunt that way again and would rather try to lure the deer to him vs having them "forced" his way.
All that being said, i totally agree with him and am also against it. rather its a dog or human doing it, there is no sport if they are being sent to you....might as well put them in a pen with only one way out, wait for them to come out, and fill your tag. BUT..this is just MY opinion.

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guppy11

· #20 · Nov 1, 2010

One thing to add about "pushing" deer with humans or dogs--has anyone who says this is not sport ever shot a deer running full speed?

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