I've thought about posting on this thread a few times and didn't. I am a dog hunter and I'm in Florida. Being from Fl, I am sick and tired of someone coming here and telling me what I should and shouldn't do. We get that all the time from people a lot farther north than Y'all are. That being said, as a dog hunter, I feel like I have to give my thoughts. If it gets closed in Al, that will give folks who want it closed in Fl more ammunition.

I think that any dog hunter that purposefully casts dogs on another persons property, or purposefully allows a pack of dogs to run across the line is a sorry individual. I also think anybody who shoots a collared dog for just being on there property is a sorry individual. More should be done to honor and respect your neighbor from both sides of the fence. Doghunters understand still hunters don't want dogs on their property, and 99% (around here anyways) try their darndest to keep their dogs on the right side of the fence. That's probably why you see trucks on the fence line of neighboring property. Surely they've lined the road to keep the dogs off your property. That also why you see them casting dogs on the fence line. If you went to the other side of the block and dogs jump quick, it's hard to get around the block quickly to keep them off your property.

If it's your property, then you have the right to not have dogs on it if that's what you want. I don't personally believe a dog or 2 padding through the woods or down a road has any effect on the deer hunting. I also don't even believe that a pack of dogs screaming through your property on a deer they've jumped somewhere else has much if any effect on the deer movement. I've watched too many deer feed while standing on the box waiting on the deer we were running to cross. I do think the dogs somewhat effect the daytime deer movement on property where they are beating the bushes and being hunted hard. As said before though, I do think its your right not to have that happen on land you own or lease foe still hunting.

Anybody shooting dogs that thinks the doghunter won't know exactly what happened when it happens is wrong, unless they aren't running tracking collars. The GPS collars used by most now tell you exactly where your dog is and what he is doing at all times. If I heard a shot from where my dog is and the dog suddenly stops moving, I'm headed that way quick, trespassing or not. What happens when I get there will be read about in the papers. It could go either way, and I wouldn't think the shooter would want to risk their life or freedom just because they are mad over some stupid deer.

If you are having constant problems with dogs on your property, you should get the game warden involved. If he won't do anything about it, go up the chain of command until you get ahold of someone who will. If you see a dog every now and then, try being a good neighbor and returning it to the owner and explain your concerns. A lot can usually be accomplished by being neighborly. Who knows, you might need help from them some day for something or another.