ButchA

I don't want to see a complete end to dog hunting. I would just like the dog runners to be a little more mindful of properties/boundries/other hunters/etc...

True story guys, true story...
* 2005 Bow season, early/mid October
* Bonbrook Lake area of Cumberland State Forest
* Just a little bit after sunrise

I'm in my treestand, minding my own business, hopefully trying to find that nice basket 8 pointer that's been spotted running around Bonbrook Lake area of the State Forest. Everything is cool... No problems...

Then all of the sudden I start hearing the bellowing of hounds in the distance. They get closer and closer, until I start seeing the hounds running around, and a few more coming up the trail. Then I see a guy walking up the trail and I holler to him to let him know I was there. I assume he knew I knew exactly what season it was and what the rules/regs are. He hollered back something like, "Sorry... I'm just letting them run and getting them ready, that's all... I'll get out of your way..."

I didn't say anything more or climb down and have a few heated words with him (never know... the guy could be packing - who knows...) So, I just waited until the dogs were gone, and he was gone, andthe deer were run off into the next zipcode. Then I lowered my bow and my pack, climbed down, and packed up and blew out of there, so disgusted that, that was it... NEVER AGAIN. Even though I live like 45 minutes from a WMA or 1 hour from Cumberland State Forest, I totally refuse to hunt there anymore. [:@] Honest, I have NEVER been successful, because of the deer dogs. I have had to alter my hunting plans and try to out-manuever the deer dogs and dog runners, so that I might stand a better chance as a still hunter. But it never quite worked out that way.

So..... long story short.... I just gave in and went way out to where there are no deer dogs. My hunting passiongot "saved" I guess you could say, by a guy who has been on HNI and has read a bunch of my posts, and how I was so frustrated, I was ready to quit. He talked to some of the guys at camp, talked to the land owner, and one thing led to another, and I joined a deer camp way out in the GWNF, where it's more peaceful, more quiet, and there are NO DEER DOGS.

I mean no harm to dog runners, and think that in a way, it's pretty cool to have a shotgun and stir up the thick woods with dogs, but #*#$&@&! guys... come on... if its bow season, you shouldn't be out "practicing" with your deer dogs!!!! That just blew my mind during that Cumberland State Forest bowhunt. That was the last straw, you know what I mean? [:@]

I'm sorry for going off, guys. I mean, it's cool... it's cool... I don't want to see an end to dog hunting. It's a long standing tradition for centuries. You all can run dogs and have a great time. Meanwhile, I'll go over the other side of the Blue Ridge and hunt. There's plenty of room for all of us, you know? We all still need to stick together and be mindful of each other's hunting style, so we cankeep hunting alive and well in Virginia.