Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:55:39 -0400
From: John R Dykers
Subject: Hunting deer with dogs
My bias: We have lots of deer in Chatham County and hunting and eating them would be beneficial for all the citizens who live in Chatham County and all who drive through.
My experience: It requires far more wilderness and open space to hunt deer with dogs than still exists in Chatham County, as far as I am aware. There might be a spot or two, but one should really have at least 2000 acres, about 3 square miles, without fences or housing, to set up a line of deer stands, even crude “squats”, where hunters are positioned to have the dogs drive the deer toward the hunters. We have deer stands on our farm and lease hunting rights and are happy when deer are harvested for eating rather than for car repair! We should encourage a post from a someone knowledgeable who has deer dogs and wants to use them for hunting deer.
Note; Hunting with dogs does not mean that the dogs catch the deer. They are merely the finders and drivers. Think a sheep dog herding sheep. The current method requires either stalking the deer or knowing where they are and where they travel and waiting patiently for them to come in range. Like come to your garden or your azaleas!
John Dykers