Dogging for Deer a Southern Tradition
December 5, 2006
The use of hounds to chase deer was a foreign concept to me when I first moved to North Carolina. I must admit that I’m not all that excited about this style of hunting because of some negative interactions I’ve had with dog hunters near one of my hunting leases.
I was checking out a blog of a recent visitor out here Matt from Bright Idea Outdoors and saw his post about going dog hunting in Virginia with his family. He talks about how most of the outdoor media skips over this style of hunting and I realized I’ve never really posted much about it either.
I know that not all dog hunters are like the yahoos I got to deal with. The practice of using dogs has been around for many many years and it’s not unusual to find generation after generation of a family involved. Unless you have seen some of the thick brush in some parts of the state especially down east you can’t fathom how difficult it would be to hunt without dogs.
The NC Wildlife Magazine had a write up about the North State Game Club one of the most oldest & famous dog hunting clubs. You really should read the article and learn about a style of hunting that maybe you are not very familiar with but I bet that part of the camp culture some of that will ring true no matter what you hunt.
I’ve never been on a dog hunt but hopefully at some point I will. I doubt it will ever be a style I’ll want to do a lot of but I think it will broaden my views and help me better understand the challenges dog hunters face.
Moose Droppings is a place that chronicles my journey, Ill explore new places and ideas Ill learn new things and Ill teach the things Ive learned to others. Join me on the adventure and hopefully it will help you in your outdoor endeavors.
Hey Moose:
Thanks for the comment on my blog and for the mention on yours. Your thoughts on hunting with dogs are interesting and in a sense I think we feel the same way. I’m glad that I have the opportunity to hunt in a place where hunting with hounds is allowed but also glad that it’s not allowed in the county where I live.
You should try it some time if you can though. It’s a major rush, even if you don’t want to shoot, just to catch a glimpse of the deer and dogs bounding through the brush.
Matt