why do some hunters say hound hunters give legitimate hunters a bad name?

Question

I keep hearing this line of BS. Let me start by saying I hunt bear cougar bobcats and coons with hounds. I hunt deer and elk with my bow. Most rifle deer hunters shoot from there truck and it is a good thing because if they got out of there truck they would get lost. lol Hunting with hounds in my neck of the woods (Oregon) is considered a very important wildlife managment tool. We even do out of state hunts and are thanked by rural residents and ranchers every hunt. It is by far the most phsically demanding type of hunting I have ever seen or even heard of. It is not like we release the dogs and shoot it out of the tree and it lands in our truck! The amount of hound traing I do every year is longer than most peoples hunts. Not to mention try turning 4 dogs loose in the high country and trying to find all the dogs. You will never save farmer Johns cows or corn with your rifle. He has a rifle, and still request my help. Oh and when family pets are getting eaten, I am really appreciated.

also here in Oregon deer and elk herds are being devistated by cougars so My county is actually hiring a hunter @30K to kill every one he can run down especially the ones that target people as food.

Answer 1

What a crock! Anyone that hunts with dogs for larger game is as much of a hunter as any man that uses dog for waterfowl and upland game. I have no problem with anyone that uses a dog for what it was put here on earth to do, hunt!!! Most hunters today can't really call themselves hunters either. Most should be called shooters and not hunters. Get out of you truck and off your ATV and go track an animal down of foot and take it with a bow!

Answer 2

First of, I have never shot a deer from my truck. I hunt whitetail and bear every season, with every tool. I have harvested deer by every method: bow, muzzle loader, and modern gun.

Three years ago I was one of the hunters that cursed the hound hunters. then my son, age 9, ended up with two beagles. since that time there have been five deer harvested in front of his hounds.

In Arkansas you can run dogs during most of the gun season. I wish they would ban the dogs during the first two weeks, but that is just my opinion. Bow and muzzle loader seasons do not allow for running dogs. Gun hunters should be given two weeks without dogs as well. After that, I say turn the dogs out!!!

Turning out some cat hounds and chasing them through six miles of high country. Then, going right under a tree where a trapped cat is in order to take a shot at it IS HUNTING. I don't believe anyone who has seen this would refuse to call it hunting.

If someone tries to tell you it's not, just invite them along on your next trip. My guess is they will either be hooked or they will call you a hunting God for being able to endure that all season long. Either way you will gain their respect.

Good luck and good hunting...By what ever means you choose.

Answer 3

I think a lot of the objection comes from deer hunters who have no first-hand experience with it. Here in the south, there's a long tradition that's dying out, and the vast majority of deer hunters now spend their day sitting in a tree. I've talked to some of those guys, and the consensus seems to be that they think the hounds are on the heels of the deer and running it to death. They're almost always surprised to hear that bucks usually give the dogs the slip, and the main usefulness of the dogs is in just getting them up and moving.

Answer 4

From the same place this comment comes from "Most rifle deer hunters shoot from there truck and it is a good thing because if they got out of there truck they would get lost. " and this statement "hound hunters give legitimate hunters a bad name". Every hunter has a preference as to a type of hunting. Some just feel there way is the only real way of hunting. Hunting Sportsmen need to realize what is hurting Us the most is Canned/Penned Hunts and holier than thou attitudes by other hunters. Here in MS its legal to run deer with dogs with rifle, shotgun, ML and even archery.
To Me a legitimate hunter is one that follows the game laws of the State he/she is hunting in.

Answer 5

Jeff, you've apparently never hunted with a good dog, or a good pack of dogs.

It is every bit as sporting as any other type of hunting, and in my opinion more ethical than hunting over a feeder that conditions deer to come to a certain area for a free handout.

More importantly, in this time of rising anti-hunting agitation, ALL HUNTERS need to stick together.

At the moment, anti-hunters are targeting the dog hunters. If they manage to ban hunting with dogs, which they'd probably get bird hunting included, don't think they will quit trying to get still hunting banned.

As Ben Franklin said, "We must all hang together or most assuredly, we shall all hang seperately."

Doc

Answer 6

I agree with you. It takes much more work with hounds. The onyl type of hunting i can see as more work is stalking game like elk and sheep through mountainous terrain. I hunt coons with my dog and he just goes wild when i turn him loose and then i have to run and follow him because he doesnt always bark when he has one treed. He will whine and growl, but he doesnt bark alot. I dont hunt cougars or bears because 1) they dont live here and 2) Id sh*t my pants if my coon dog treed somthing that could eat him in one bite.

Answer 7

is this really a question or are you just complaining? its sounds like the latter. personally I don't mind dog hunters because they usually run deer right past my stand...running dogs look a lot like running game sometimes.... just kidding.
often times the people who are complaining are the same people who take all year to clear lanes, plant food plots and scout the area just to have some @sshole run his dogs through the area and scare off all the deer. also, the hunters who don't have dogs do have to deal with the dogs that get loose and wander off into their areas. now I KNOW that you'd never be this type of person, but just like there are lazy hunters who shoot out of trucks there are just as many bad apples in the dog running world.

Answer 8

I have never heard that here in Montana. My brother-in-law is a big cat hunter (among other animals) and he uses hounds. Keeps quite a good pack too. We are all deer/antelope/elk hunters and don't have this type of messing with each other thing going on.

Answer 9

"Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too." A hunting dog is very much appreciated and loved as a hunting companion by millions of Sportsman and Hunters all over the World.* I love watching my Beagles work out those cottontail rabbits and listening to them when they are giving chase on trail.* I believe we all should respect one another as Hunters and Sportsman regardless as to how we choose to enjoy the hunting of game whether we hunt with a Dog or not.* NO Hunter or Sportsman or Outdoorsman needs to Criticize, Condemn or Complain about how we as individuals choose to participate in the Sport of Hunting as long as we observe the Game Laws while doing it.*Happy Trails to each and every one of you.*

Answer 10

O.K. Lets not start stereo-typing by saying that most deer hunters shoot them from their trucks...pure hogwash! Training hounds to chase down a deer is not hunting in my opinion. The same goes for lions and tigers and bears...oh my. I true hunter enjoys the hunt, not training dogs to herd the poor animal to you for a clear shot. You might as well tie the fool thing to a tree and shot it. You are the reason that hound hunters have a bad name from legitimate hunters...heck you used the term "legitimate hunter" in your question; making hound hunters not legitimate by your own definition.