I strongly oppose this proposed regulation. The idea that a person can be punished for a dog traveling through someone's property is absurd. The regulation would only apply to deer and bear hounds. Discrimination at its finest. What about the common household pet that wanders onto some else's property. I have sat in the meetings and seen how calm and cool most of the hound hunters are when they speak trying to convince a board of individuals to let us keep doing what we love to do. I have also sat in the meetings where the property rights groups threatened turning it into a wild west shoot out if dogs came on their property. In fact at the last meeting a property rights individual had to be escorted out by the cops. This sort of hate and violence is not something I have ever experienced in my 30 years of hunting. If I was to guess the real push behind this is to make Virginia a commercialized hunting destination. Most rules, regulations and laws follow the dollar.  The governing body of the state opposed pretty much this same regulation during the session this year, so I am not real sure how an appointed board thinks that they can represent the people of this great state better than the ones we voted for.  With an already stressed game department how do you plan to come up with the resources to enforce this new regulation. Perhaps before we make any new regulations on hound Hunting, to appease a very few squeaky wheels, we should work on getting some more game wardens that would help to manage the laws already on the books. I truly hope common sense plays a large part in this decision. As a hound hunter, a landowner and a proud Virginia citizen I truly hope this new regulation is opposed.

Thanks,

Mason Hitt