The laws in VA are the problem and the fact that the dog chasers have learned how to abuse them is the second part.

Laws....... They originally were made for real fox hunters. Then in the 50's they added in all hunters and the deer hunters learned how to abuse them as time went on.
A person cannot train dogs on deer out of season in VA. However a person can train on foxes 365 in VA. No problem you let your deer hounds loose and if confronted by a warden all the lawbreaker has to say is the magic words, "they're chasing foxes". That's it, problem over. Well the problem of getting a ticket is over. The dog chasers train anytime they want to - even during bow, spring gobbler, Sundays, you name it, day or night.

The other law is that a person can continue the chase onto prohibited lands as long as they're unarmed. Prohibited = posted property = your property. What you say? Yes a person can state they're following fox (spelled d-e-e-r) hounds any day of the year onto posted lands under the guise of looking for dogs or following the chase and you the land owner can't stop them. Swell huh?

These 2 absurd laws are abused in other ways as well. Say you have a small piece and the resident dog chasers want to hunt your land. No problem they go to the far side drop off dogs, line their land and when the dogs chase the deer out they shoot them. Or they send in several guys hooting for "lost dogs" (that don't exist at all) to do a man drive of your land. All 100% legal.
Throw in the packs that run at large for hours or days on end that get away from the hunt and you can see what it does to still hunting or those that do not want dogs on their lands. Short is you can't stop them and your land is their land so to speak.


I called several game wardens to stop some dog chasers running deer and this is what I got back from them. They won't even bother to ticket them because the dog training law is the only law of it's kind that lets the criminal proclaim their innocence and go free. " I was running on foxes" is all they have to say and they get off. It's based on what the accused says, not the facts that the dogs were indeed chasing deer out of season. Imagine if all laws were that absurd? "I wasn't speeding", ok you can go now.