Action | Adding Section 320: Reasonable efforts for deer and bear hunting with dogs. |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 7/5/2024 |
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The passing of the Reasonable Effort Bill will force dog hunters to be accountable for keeping their dogs off private landowner property. I have dealt with unwanted hunting dogs hunting my property for years with absolutely no means of recourse because landowners currently have no rights against this brazen form of trespassing. These dogs aren’t running deer through our property and in that instance, it would honestly not affect us because they would be in and out in a matter of minutes. For seven weeks every year, these dogs are in my yard, on our paths, hunting our cutovers and running our driveway. The hunters walk the property lines yelling to intentionally draw the dogs towards our posted private property. I have had my cat treed by hunting dogs and have had my Christmas lights urinated on by hunting dogs. I contacted the president of the hunt club when this happened, and he laughed and replied his dogs can’t read “No Trespassing Signs” and there is nothing he can do about where their dogs go. No apology, no attempt to prevent the repeated abuse of our lifestyle. Every year when dog season begins, we have to take our house dog out on a leash because we don’t know when a dog will show up in our yard. We own 200 acres and have to change our way of life for their right to dog hunt. It is my hope that passing this regulation will stop the arrogance and disrespect the private property landowners have dealt with for years by repeat offenders. Dog hunting is not a heritage owed to anyone. It is a privilege and should be treated as such with consequences for those that abuse the privilege.