ORIGINAL: ipscshooter
ORIGINAL: NEW61375
states that allow hunting with dogs alsohave hunting regs/laws governing the retrieval of hounds from private property and lawsprotecting the dogs on said private property.
So, you have laws that actually authorize you to trespass on private property to retrieve dogs that aren't supposed to be there? Fine... But, my son and I spend thousands of dollars on deer hunting each year, for lease costs, equipment, travel, etc., and we're only able to get into the woods for about three weekends a year. It seems to me only fair that if your dogs get onto my land, and ruin my hunt, that I should be able to sue you for damages, for the cost of the hunt your dogs destroyed, for loss of enjoyment, for punitive damages because of your gross negligence or willful misconductin allowing your dogs on to run property where you don't have permission to be, etc., etc., etc. Might be cheaper for you just to buy a new dog.
Sounds like a frivelous(sp?) lawsuit but to answer your question: Yes VA does have hunting regs which allow an unarmed (a person without a weapon not an amputee)person to walk onto private property to retrieve their animal. From the VDGIF website for 2007-08:
Hunting With Dogs
[ul][*]Dogs may be used to pursue wild birds and animals during hunting seasons where not prohibited.[*]When the chase begins on other lands, fox hunters and coon hunters may follow their dogs on prohibited lands, and hunters of all other game, when the chase begins on other lands, may go upon prohibited lands to retrieve their dogs, but may not carry firearms or archery tackle on their persons or hunt any game while thereon. The use of vehicles to retrieve dogs on prohibited lands shall be allowed only with the permission of the landowner or his agent. Any person who goes on prohibited lands to retrieve his dogs and who willfully refuses to identify himself when requested by the landowner or his agent to do so is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.[*]Unlawful to use dogs when hunting any species with archery tackle during any archery season. [/ul]
And trust me I am speaking from both sides of this thing. I occasionally hunt with dogs on one of the bigger leases my club has(3000+ acres) and we have a good group of guys, hunt safe and control our dogs, but at the same time my father and I own a small farm (100 acres) in another area and we have had trouble in the past with people bringing vehicles on our property, shooting deer over our property line, and running deer outside of the legal gun season during bow and blackpowder and messing up some hunts. It took about 2 seasons to nip a lot of these problems in the bud (with the assistance of the local game wardens). They started hitting these guys in the pocket with tickets and finesand we started spending a lot more time posting and "babysitting" the property until it changed for the better. I won't say it is perfect but it is much improved and we now know club presidents and they seem to want to help and avoid having to deal with the law.
Just so you know that I understand where you are coming from and yes it is very frustrating but that is what we did in that situation and I believe it was the right way to handle it.