deepzak,

I will say that it is not right for anyone to shoot a dog that is not up to their standards or the older ones. If I dont sell a dog when he doesnt suit me then I find him a home, I have placed a number of dogs with people whom have established a loving relationship with them such as I had and have with all my dogs, I feel that they are part of my family and so do my kids. I do not look at them as a tool as some do. I will agree that looking at them as a tool and thinking of them as disposable is not acceptable. I will actually stop and pick up any breed of dog I see that is hanging around a road way or in the woods. If there is a collar I make sure to contact the owner to get the dog back to them. If there is no collar and the dog is in good health I call the local shelters/animal control to see if they have a lost report on file to find the owner, I have also placed ads in papers to loacte the owner. There have been occasions where I take the animal to the vet to see if it is chipped. If I have exhausted all possible options to locate the owner I either find a home or place it with someone who fosters them. If the dog is in poor shop and obvisously dropped then I try to nurse it back to health and either keep it or find it a home. Now I am only one person so I do not make a difference but this is who I am and what I do.

You do not have to explain to me your thoughts on proper training for dogs. I have trained many different breeds and have owned/own many different breeds, not only large hounds but pointers, retreivers and tracking dogs (search and rescue and hopefully in the next year or two will be working with service dogs for the disabled and or cadaver dogs if I can finish the training program). I know a little about dog training and handling, not saying that I am a expert, but I take it seriously.

Someone please share a fair and equitable (to both parties involved) solution. If a hunter, hunting on private land and has already talked to the dog runners who have then blown him off, is continually having deer run off the property and his/her hunt destroyed by those practices. What is that person to do? I know it's coming, but everyone here knows that the GW's really can't do anything when the "the dogs can't read" excuse is thrown out....and you know it will be. So help me out here, what is that person supposed to do? Give up their hunt? Is the dog runners right to run more valuable than the stand/still hunters right to hunt?

I don't necessarily agree with shooting the dog, What other options does this hunter have?

The above in the red is your post. I will try to give MY answers/suggestions to your questions..
1. If you have already exhausted all attempts at discussing the issue with the offending parties, and by this maybe offering to meet in a middle ground solution, such as if they stop "fox" hunting during archery and bp then maybe give one or two guys/gals of your approval the right to get their dogs during the regular season off your property. This would be if you were not there hunting, and maybe give them a contact numbe that you are readily at such as a cell and have them let you know when they need to go in, or if your in there they could call you to see if it would be ok to come in and pickthem up so as long not to mess you up. ~ (mind you this is only a suggestion, I am not saying that it would work in your circumstance)
2. If you have not made any head way talking to them, then try talking to the landowners on which they hunt, explain to them the problems you are having and see if the landowner is open to trying to help you get the problem under control (who knows you could end up with more hunting ground if they dont stop and the landowner gets wind, most landowners dont want any issues and want to keep the peace with the neighboring landowners/tenants (also if you are not the landowner them maybe see if the landowner will speak to the neighboring ones for you as well)

3. I know this may not be the most viable one but if it works then it could very be a end to some of your grief. The problem with LEO is that they either have to witness the act or have proof that it was a malicious intent before they can take any legal action. Have you thought about taking a little time and putting some of your hunting skills to use and trying to get a video of these guys who are acting illegally? Most people are creatures of habbit so I am sure it would not be to hard to pattern them and figure out what or where to set up to get some actual proof to show LEO. Once you have proof start with the Conservation Police and the Local authorities, if that doesnt do anything go a little higher on the ladder and see what that gets you. If someone is doing something illegal then it needs to be brought to light.

You asked for answers for you question and I came up with some I thought would be workable from one extreme to another. I am not saying this will be the resolve for youthey aremy thoughts though.

I almost forgot this one... NO I mean NO sportsmen/womens right to enjoy the outdoors legally is any more or less important than another (this means that the legal houndsmen has as much right to hunt in the legal manner he likes and enjoy it as well as the non hound hunter enjoying his legal means of hunting as well, and with everything in life people will always disagree on who to do something but as long as they try to reach a common ground peacefully and legally then great but when there is backwoods justice enacted then it needs to be stopped and yes I know that both sides partake in this style of I am going to fix it myself attitude and all it is doing is hurting all the rest of the legal hunters (all kinds) when we fight amongst ourselves)

Justin