**Comment on new proposed reg in VIRGINIA for a separate bear license fee**
03-28-2011, 10:03 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 590
**Comment on new proposed reg in VIRGINIA for a separate bear license fee**
As many of you already know, the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance has proposed a new regulation that you must buy a separate bear tag in Virginia. This is a selfish proposal designed to limit the number bear harvests by deer hunters without dogs. This is the same group that opposed hunting on Sunday in Virginia, so that dog hunters can have a day to round up their dogs off other people's private property without having to worry about bumping into hunters.
You can comment on this proposed online. Under the law regarding administrative agencies, such as VDGIF, they are required to consider public comments when deciding on new regulations.
Please take a moment to give them your thoughts. You can sign up for free by inputting your name and address; this is a safe and secure government website.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/regulations/comment/display.asp
Here is my comment, just posted:
I disagree strongly with this proposed regulation. In fact, I would rather see the price of every single hunting license in Virginia increased $25 than to see this new regulation passed.
If this regulation is passed, many people who hunt for deer will not purchase bear tags because they know there is little chance of seeing a bear from a deer stand. In my 15 years of deer hunting, I have only ever seen a bear from a deer stand once. The primary people who will purchase bear tags will be people who hunt bear with dogs. Accordingly, many deer hunters who have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing a bear from a deer stand will not have the opportunity to harvest the bear, because they chose not to purchase the additional tag each year in view of the very slim chances of seeing a bear.
By passing this regulation, bear harvest in Virginia will basically be limited to people who hunt with dogs. Keeping a kennel of hunting dogs is not practical for most hunters, and is considered by many to be a nuisance and unethical. By this statement, I am not referring to people who keep a house dog which is trained to bird hunt; I am referring to people who keep half a dozen or more walkers or beagles constantly confined in small cages in their yard. Even if I had the land and resources to engage in such a practice, I would not because I believe it is unethical and a nuisance.
It appears to me that this proposal is proferred by the VHDA solely in order to limit the opportunities of hunters without dogs. I believe this is a selfish proposal by an organization of hunters that is pursuing regulation for their own benefit to the detriment of the average hunter. For these reasons, I strongly urge VDGIF not to pass this regulation.
You can comment on this proposed online. Under the law regarding administrative agencies, such as VDGIF, they are required to consider public comments when deciding on new regulations.
Please take a moment to give them your thoughts. You can sign up for free by inputting your name and address; this is a safe and secure government website.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/regulations/comment/display.asp
Here is my comment, just posted:
I disagree strongly with this proposed regulation. In fact, I would rather see the price of every single hunting license in Virginia increased $25 than to see this new regulation passed.
If this regulation is passed, many people who hunt for deer will not purchase bear tags because they know there is little chance of seeing a bear from a deer stand. In my 15 years of deer hunting, I have only ever seen a bear from a deer stand once. The primary people who will purchase bear tags will be people who hunt bear with dogs. Accordingly, many deer hunters who have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing a bear from a deer stand will not have the opportunity to harvest the bear, because they chose not to purchase the additional tag each year in view of the very slim chances of seeing a bear.
By passing this regulation, bear harvest in Virginia will basically be limited to people who hunt with dogs. Keeping a kennel of hunting dogs is not practical for most hunters, and is considered by many to be a nuisance and unethical. By this statement, I am not referring to people who keep a house dog which is trained to bird hunt; I am referring to people who keep half a dozen or more walkers or beagles constantly confined in small cages in their yard. Even if I had the land and resources to engage in such a practice, I would not because I believe it is unethical and a nuisance.
It appears to me that this proposal is proferred by the VHDA solely in order to limit the opportunities of hunters without dogs. I believe this is a selfish proposal by an organization of hunters that is pursuing regulation for their own benefit to the detriment of the average hunter. For these reasons, I strongly urge VDGIF not to pass this regulation.
03-28-2011, 08:10 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
As many of you already know, the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance has proposed a new regulation that you must buy a separate bear tag in Virginia. This is a selfish proposal designed to limit the number bear harvests by deer hunters without dogs. This is the same group that opposed hunting on Sunday in Virginia, so that dog hunters can have a day to round up their dogs off other people's private property without having to worry about bumping into hunters.
You can comment on this proposed online. Under the law regarding administrative agencies, such as VDGIF, they are required to consider public comments when deciding on new regulations.
Please take a moment to give them your thoughts. You can sign up for free by inputting your name and address; this is a safe and secure government website.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/regulations/comment/display.asp
Here is my comment, just posted:
I disagree strongly with this proposed regulation. In fact, I would rather see the price of every single hunting license in Virginia increased $25 than to see this new regulation passed.
If this regulation is passed, many people who hunt for deer will not purchase bear tags because they know there is little chance of seeing a bear from a deer stand. In my 15 years of deer hunting, I have only ever seen a bear from a deer stand once. The primary people who will purchase bear tags will be people who hunt bear with dogs. Accordingly, many deer hunters who have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing a bear from a deer stand will not have the opportunity to harvest the bear, because they chose not to purchase the additional tag each year in view of the very slim chances of seeing a bear.
By passing this regulation, bear harvest in Virginia will basically be limited to people who hunt with dogs. Keeping a kennel of hunting dogs is not practical for most hunters, and is considered by many to be a nuisance and unethical. By this statement, I am not referring to people who keep a house dog which is trained to bird hunt; I am referring to people who keep half a dozen or more walkers or beagles constantly confined in small cages in their yard. Even if I had the land and resources to engage in such a practice, I would not because I believe it is unethical and a nuisance.
It appears to me that this proposal is proferred by the VHDA solely in order to limit the opportunities of hunters without dogs. I believe this is a selfish proposal by an organization of hunters that is pursuing regulation for their own benefit to the detriment of the average hunter. For these reasons, I strongly urge VDGIF not to pass this regulation.
You can comment on this proposed online. Under the law regarding administrative agencies, such as VDGIF, they are required to consider public comments when deciding on new regulations.
Please take a moment to give them your thoughts. You can sign up for free by inputting your name and address; this is a safe and secure government website.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/regulations/comment/display.asp
Here is my comment, just posted:
I disagree strongly with this proposed regulation. In fact, I would rather see the price of every single hunting license in Virginia increased $25 than to see this new regulation passed.
If this regulation is passed, many people who hunt for deer will not purchase bear tags because they know there is little chance of seeing a bear from a deer stand. In my 15 years of deer hunting, I have only ever seen a bear from a deer stand once. The primary people who will purchase bear tags will be people who hunt bear with dogs. Accordingly, many deer hunters who have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing a bear from a deer stand will not have the opportunity to harvest the bear, because they chose not to purchase the additional tag each year in view of the very slim chances of seeing a bear.
By passing this regulation, bear harvest in Virginia will basically be limited to people who hunt with dogs. Keeping a kennel of hunting dogs is not practical for most hunters, and is considered by many to be a nuisance and unethical. By this statement, I am not referring to people who keep a house dog which is trained to bird hunt; I am referring to people who keep half a dozen or more walkers or beagles constantly confined in small cages in their yard. Even if I had the land and resources to engage in such a practice, I would not because I believe it is unethical and a nuisance.
It appears to me that this proposal is proferred by the VHDA solely in order to limit the opportunities of hunters without dogs. I believe this is a selfish proposal by an organization of hunters that is pursuing regulation for their own benefit to the detriment of the average hunter. For these reasons, I strongly urge VDGIF not to pass this regulation.
Great job Stonewall, you and I think alike! I too commented on this proposed legislation by proposing some ideas for future legislation myself.
I asked the board to pass a special dog hunting license in addition to all required hunting licenses!
03-29-2011, 05:21 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dixie County FL
Posts: 161
I have nothing against dog hunters at all, but I would fight this bill anyway because they will just add more & more tags to buy every year. Here in FL, even after you buy a hunting license, if you want to shoot a deer, you need to buy a deer stamp. You want to shoot a turkey, you need a turkey stamp. You want a gator, you need a gator permit. Then you need a freshwater fishing license & another one for saltwater. But if you want to catch a snook, you need a snook stamp, for tarpon a tarpon stamp, for lobster a lobster stamp. I buy a sportsman license that covers most (but not all) of these stamps & it costs over $100.00. Even our FWC officers can't keep up with all the different licenses & permits down here. A guy threatened to give me a ticket last year for no deer stamp, even though the sportsman license covers that. Fight this bear license as hard as you can, because once that door opens there's no going back.
03-30-2011, 04:05 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
I have nothing against dog hunters at all, but I would fight this bill anyway because they will just add more & more tags to buy every year. Here in FL, even after you buy a hunting license, if you want to shoot a deer, you need to buy a deer stamp. You want to shoot a turkey, you need a turkey stamp. You want a gator, you need a gator permit. Then you need a freshwater fishing license & another one for saltwater. But if you want to catch a snook, you need a snook stamp, for tarpon a tarpon stamp, for lobster a lobster stamp. I buy a sportsman license that covers most (but not all) of these stamps & it costs over $100.00. Even our FWC officers can't keep up with all the different licenses & permits down here. A guy threatened to give me a ticket last year for no deer stamp, even though the sportsman license covers that. Fight this bear license as hard as you can, because once that door opens there's no going back.
03-31-2011, 03:18 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: VIRGINIA
Posts: 146
The sad thing about our situation is we have a "hunting organization" called the VAHDA(VA Hunting Dog Alliance) whose administration(at the very least) is in support of creating the additional bear license. This organization is also strongly opposed to allowing other Virginia hunters the right to hunt on Sunday if they wish. Now I'm sure all members of the VAHDA do not share the same views but the organization itself does.
As do many other hunters and groups. Like I have said before I do not agree with the vahda at all but its not just them......
03-31-2011, 04:52 AM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
You would think the Virginia dog hunters would welcome all the other hunters support they could gain rather than nit-picking enemies. Up till about 10 years ago dog hunting was common accross northwest Florida, but now unless you go to some of the big paper company tracts or a military base you find very few hunting with dogs. Landowners and other hunters got tired of being run over by dog hunters and managed to get laws passed that has basically stopped dog hunting. All dogs have to be collared with owners names and tract registration numbers. Dog owners have to have complete written dog hunting permission with them at all times. If a dog goes on a property not permitted and is caught the owner of the dog faces fines up to $500. I'm not an anti dog hunter, I dog hunted for close to 30 years, but not any more.
03-31-2011, 04:35 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
You would think the Virginia dog hunters would welcome all the other hunters support they could gain rather than nit-picking enemies. Up till about 10 years ago dog hunting was common accross northwest Florida, but now unless you go to some of the big paper company tracts or a military base you find very few hunting with dogs. Landowners and other hunters got tired of being run over by dog hunters and managed to get laws passed that has basically stopped dog hunting. All dogs have to be collared with owners names and tract registration numbers. Dog owners have to have complete written dog hunting permission with them at all times. If a dog goes on a property not permitted and is caught the owner of the dog faces fines up to $500. I'm not an anti dog hunter, I dog hunted for close to 30 years, but not any more.
03-31-2011, 04:37 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
04-05-2011, 07:32 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 590
I will go ahead and say that I am now officially opposed to dog hunting for deer in Virginia.
For years I have seen what I believe to be a nuisance and unethical practice of people keeping outdoor kennels full of 6 to 12 hunting dogs. This is prevelant in southern VA where my grandparents live. And I have seen the hunters using these dogs being very disrespectful of people's property rights. But for years I have kept my mouth shut, out of the belief that hunters already have enough resistance, and that we should stick together. With VADHA drawing "first blood" now on numerous issues including Sunday hunting and bear tags, I rescind my previous approach and will be vocally opposed to dog hunting for deer and bear in VA.
For years I have seen what I believe to be a nuisance and unethical practice of people keeping outdoor kennels full of 6 to 12 hunting dogs. This is prevelant in southern VA where my grandparents live. And I have seen the hunters using these dogs being very disrespectful of people's property rights. But for years I have kept my mouth shut, out of the belief that hunters already have enough resistance, and that we should stick together. With VADHA drawing "first blood" now on numerous issues including Sunday hunting and bear tags, I rescind my previous approach and will be vocally opposed to dog hunting for deer and bear in VA.