Oppose the hound trespass regulation. 

Why stop something that has been going on for years other animals pass throughout peoples property’s and they don’t have to worry about trust passing 

Please appose the hound trespassing bill. This will be the beginning of the end of hound hunting in Virginia if it is passed. Hound hunting has been a very important role in my life and it kept me out of harm/trouble in my younger years as I was growing up. Please don’t let a minor group of people compel you to pass this bill. I know there are some bad apples, just as there are in any other activity or aspect of life. Most people who are supporting this bill either are from out of town or counties where they do not allow hound hunting. Many of them probably only own an acre or two. Most any hunting club in the state of Virginia leases/owns thousands of acres to hunt on every year. Please support hound hunting. Thank you!

Not sure how you do this when in some County’s  have no leash law. Dogs can’t read. 

This is putting law abiding hound hunters at risk for falsely getting charged. This is not a good way to go. There are bad eggs out there, but no need to risk it for the law abiding guys because of the bad ones. Please oppose this bill! Needs to be re wrote to not put the good guys in harms way!!

Please oppose this bill. This bill will shut down hunting with dogs all together. You will be killing a entire breed of dog and many others. These dogs have endurance out this world, these dogs can run days on end and have energy that is unmatched by any other breeds. They will slowly start to fade away if this law passes. I've been hunting with hounds for 37 years and have seen the sport grow and grow. It is more people into hound hunting now than it has ever been. They youth love it and it keeps them off the streets and not doing drugs. I have several young guys that work for me that have gotten the hound hunting bug and they love it. These guys are the ones I can call on anytime to work overtime because they want to buy the best feed they can for their dogs, and they want to have entry fee money to enter they're dogs into these field trails. They want to work more to afford the latest and best tracking equipment for their hounds. These guys aren't out getting drunk every night and sleeping with every woman they can like the other young guys that work with me that don't hound hunt. They are to occupied with keeping they're hounds in tip top shape getting ready for hunts. Hound hunting is exciting, and it keeps the youth interested vs trying to get them manage game like todays pushed agenda of what some call hunting. I understand that some landowners are upset of hounds coming across their property, but they should have looked into the county laws before they moved here. Some places you can do things and some places you can't and that's what makes America great. People are driving here from as far as Florida and Canada to run they're dogs because we have something that other states don't.  We have freedom and rights others don't and that's a good thing once you start taking away what little freedom people have left things are just going to get bad. If you really care about keeping the tradition of hunting alive, I strongly encourage you not to pass this bill. If you would like to not have as many complaints change the law about fox preserves not being able to be built anymore!!! The more preserves we have the less complaints you will see. The pens we have now are booked years in advance and have people a mile long on the waiting list. The feed stores can hardly keep up with the demand of dog food!!!! I don't think the state truly understands how big dog hunting and field trailing has become. This is a good thing for everyone including the state and our youth. But again, I strongly encourage you to oppose this bill. 

I can not speak for everyone else but our club and the surrounding clubs do our best to keep our hounds on our own land. We live and breathe for this style of hunting and it is our favorite thing to do, making a hound trespass bill would make it impossible to do a tradition as old as Virginia. We do the most we physically can to keep the dogs in our land, if it goes out of that line we do our best to get it to come out without bothering anyone. Please do not pass this bill as this will make it nearly impossible to do what we love to do. 

If all dog hunters stop buying a license then the DWR doesn't get paid.

Oppose hound trespassing bill

Oppose this bill

This is a bill that will put a end to hound hunting period. If hound hunting is put to these boundaries many will just give it up. That is what is wanted by many that does not even know what it's all about. Its a tradition that has been passed down through generations to me I live and hunt in Buckingham County the club I'm in we all are like a big family. If this law is passed it won't just stop deer hunting with dogs it will possibly end business such as games and sport company's and little mom and pops stores and all these dog food companies. Dog hunters spend tons of money at all these places and if you put a end to us dog hunters it will also put a end to others that need this money for their families.

I've dog hunted since I was knee high to my grandpa and daddy it provided food to my family and many others. It's a tradition that been passed down to me and I want it to keep being passed down to the younger generations.

If my hound is such a problem if my neighbors dog gets loose and shows up on my property I'll guess we all be calling the game warden to report this hound is trespassing right. That means even more calls for dogs that people just let roam free every deer dog hunter I know has a GPS collar and when that hound is off our property we are there in minutes to try to retrieve our hounds. 

Oppose this bill dogs can't read 

Oppose this bill dogs can't read 

Dogs can't read 

Makes no sense to me as to why this law even came about. This law should be opposed by everybody and thrown out. Leave it how it always has been.

Please reject all parts of this bill. It’s bad for all types off hunting 

Please oppose this bill. 

Please OPPOSE this bill 

Oppose this bill! 

Virginia is an open leash law state, correct? Why are we isolating it down to just bear and deer dogs? Even you have to see that it is not fair to dwindle it down to two specific types of hunting dogs. I have owned/hunted with a dogs since I was a little boy. I have hunted with various types of dogs for a many variety of different pieces of game throughout VA, but I’m a deer dog man and have been my whole life. 99.9% of the time when a dog does happen to end up on a property that they are not wanted on, it is a matter of minutes at most that the hounds are on a person's property while running deer. Deer don't tree, they don't bay up, it is a matter of just passing through. In fact one could insinuate that there is a good chance that the landowner impeded a hunt to stop the dog and recover the information off the hound to contact the game warden and/or owner of said hound. Also on this point, what are we calling deer and bear dogs? Walker hounds? Beagles? Bird dogs? Treeing Walkers? Labs? Retriever style dogs? All of which I have seen with my own eyes run a deer. So again, when my neighbor's yellow lab comes onto my property and this regulation passes, can I call the game warden and have them press charges? 

I remember growing up hunting with dogs my entire life. It has been one of the most memorable times from my childhood and continuing until this day. For the six or seven weeks, the common working man could go out and enjoy his time with his hounds that he has raised and taken spectacular care of all year long, his friends, and his family. No it is not the cheapest sport in the world but the common man can usually afford to do it. My biggest fear about this regulation is wondering what the repercussions will be? Are we going to make the fine so hefty that the common blue collar man that just wants to enjoy the sound of his hounds can't even go out to run without the fear of having to pay a big fine, lose his license, or have charges pressed against him? Please if you don't hear anything else in this email, hear this, don't price out the working man to where we can't pass this down to the next generations that has been passed down to us. 

There are not many states left in this country that still allow the art of running a deer with dogs. While I understand that VA is a growing state and the wide open country is steadily shrinking around us, giving up the rights that we have held dear to our hearts should not be part of this growth. Giving outsiders this ammunition to help end our heritage just plain and simple isn't right. The Virginia government shut down this almost exact bill just a few short months ago, don't let the DWR override what has already been turned down in a higher assembly than it. 

I know this regulation isn't "ending" deer dog and bear dog hunting per say, but it is going to put a huge sting to the dog hunting community. Please look at the numbers, I know you all are sick and tired of hearing about this issue and I think the landowners have pushed you all so far that it is starting to seem that the only way to end this debate is to end dog hunting in a slow and steady process. We are not blind, we see that's the direction that it appears to be going. What I'm begging you all to do is truly look at the numbers, the number of complaints from the same people over and over, the bad apples that are out there that have a number so low it's less than a percent. Look at the revenue that the state will lose if dog hunting is eliminated. Lastly, look at the deer population problem you will have when all these houndsmen hang it up and never load a gun up again. I know I sure won't ever buy a hunting license again if I can't pursue game the way I enjoy and was raised on. The numbers don't lie, don't let a minor amount of angry landowners that are not from here or have never enjoyed this tradition and with a vendetta and a lot of money change the way things are done here in Virginia. Please do the right thing and oppose and turn down this hound dog trespass regulation. Save our heritage. Save hound Hunting.

Please reject this bill in its entirety. People unfortunately only focus on what effects or angers them. I do both, still hunt and dog hunt and enjoy both. I understand that 100% still hunter's have their moments with dog related issues. From all my years of still hunting the majority of mine DID NOT come from hunting dogs but from pets. People need to take a moment and take a study as to the amount of monies for charities that has been raised across the state of Virginia via houndsmen. I ask you if $10,000 was needed to help save your loved one would you care if it came from a group of houdsmen participating in a sport that they love so dearly? I know without fail that I would not hesitate even to allowing them to cast their hounds in my yard if it would save my child. All I'm asking is think about what you are taking away before you do it. Please !

Please oppose this bill 

Please do not do anything against hound hunting. I have been hound hunting all my life and want my kids and grandkids to be able to enjoy it also. I don’t want my hounds where they are not wanted, but sometimes it happens.  Don’t let some bad hunters ruin it for all hunters. If anything have more conservation officers closer and present around the hot spots of the complaints. Thank you

Oppose the bill. Dogs have more act right than most humans 

Please oppose hound trespass bill 

My name is Tom Crouch and I live in Central Virginia and I’ve been a hunter in the  Commonwealth for over 20 years. I’ve hunted all seasons. Ive hunted all manner of small and large game. I’ve been a still hunter and dog hunter, presently the acting president of a dog club that lost unless after 60 years. Dog hunting is a vital part of our history and tradition. Landowners have legitimate complaints but the focus needs to be on the bad actors. The problem hunters are always known. Time to let the CPO’s focus on them.

Please oppose dog trespassing 

Please oppose this bill. This is a very important issue to lot’s of people. The vast majority will be grateful to you. Thanks 

It appears to me that DWR is looking for a problem so that they can write a regulation. In general I have found that DWR has been a good steward of Virginia's wildlife and outdoor sport, BUT not this one 

Vote down this bill and preserve our hunting.

I firmly oppose the hound trespass bill. 

Please oppose Dog Truspassing Bill dogs can't read!

Please oppose Dog Trespassing Bill dogs can't read!

I oppose

Opposed hound trespassing bill 

I oppose this bill

Hello , My name is Ashley Phillips I am from Appomattox VA. I realize this wasn’t on the agenda and but I feel like its just a dance around the issues at hand. I am all for the current laws we have for hunting and hunting with hounds. I feel like they should be enforced more instead of looking to change things with no transparency.

Im speaking against the trespass regulation that will make trespassing a class 3 misdemeanor. Meaning that if my hound crosses on land not warranted on more than one occasion I could be charged the same conviction of being drunk in public or possession of a schedule V narcotic…call me crazy but that sounds a little overboard for my dog to cross a property line.

The issue I have is that only 1076 dog complaints out of 6128 have to do with hound hunting. What are the other 5052 about and why aren’t they being given ultimatums. Of those 1076 only 327 did have a hunting related violation. Of those 327 only 188 are for dogs being on private land without permission. Also keep in mind each county or set up an ordicance - for instance  Appomattox is a fenced out county . If you don’t want animals on your property you have to fence it. We live in the united states and the commonwealth which is democracy. In a democracy the minority (those few that have an issue with hound hunting) should not rule the majority (those who hunt dogs those who support people hunting with dogs)

The mapping out a hunt idea for the landowner would never work because we never know where the hunt will end because we never know which way the game will go, will they go left to club land or will they take a hard right and go over to Mr Smiths farm? We do not know until last minute then by the time we get there the game could have turned and went back or maybe they did cross mr smiths property, but there is never any ILL INTENT to harm property or livestock of any kind and it would be hard to prove so without reasonable doubt.

I believe this has gotten blown out of proportion by people who just don’t like the way things are done and they want it their way, I will tell you right now im not living for the world I live for Jesus and standing up for the rights of what is true.  Id much rather have the youth today outdoors hunting and enjoying running their hounds than their face planted in a video game /on the streets/drinking drugs or worried about if they want to be a furry or not.

And lastly think about the revenue the DWR would lose if these regulations get put into place. Hound hunters would stop hunting all together, it wouldn’t be worth the hassle and intimidation of being threatened with a class 3 misdemeanor. So that means they wouldn’t purchase that $100 game license.  I encourage the DWR to take a current survey or something to see just how many people hunt with hounds and not just deer or bear because you have outside fox hunters, coon hunters, rabbit hunters -once you take hound hunting from 1 group you take it from them all.

Oppose the trespass bill 

Please don’t pass

Oppose the dog trespass bill!!!

This bill contradicts with the right to retrieve law and should not be passed!! A dog chases game where ever the game takes them, you can’t tell where a piece of game is going to go and the dogs are only doing their jobs by chasing the game whichever way it may go.

Oppose Dog Trespass Bill

Oppose the bill !!!! The Dog follows the game  of which it is chasing cant control where the game goes.  These dogs enjoy and love what they do.

The dog is going to go where the game runs. There doing what they were bred to do. A dog can’t read a posted sign.

Not only does this bill destroy something near and dear to my heart, something that’s supposed to be fun and “sport”, this bill destroys heritage and tradition, it kills the feeding of a family who can’t afford to feed his family any other way. There is so much more to hunting in general, and specifically hunting with hounds than what meets the eye. We aren’t just rednecks riding around, shooting animals through a truck window. In fact, contrary to popular belief, we are not that at all. In my opinion, hound hunters are challenged even more than still hunters. We give that animal fair chance to run, we spend hours gathering up dogs after dark, we spend the off season training dogs, and most of all, we appreciate the animals that we hunt because of this effort. With the passing of this bill, there is no possible way to hunt using dogs. This is what these hounds were bred to do. They thrive doing this. So I ask you, is a dog simply running across land worth taking away tradition, a way to feed a family, or the natural instinct of another animal? 

Oppose trespass bill

The dog is going to go with the game. It doesn't know where it can or can't go its just doing what it was bred to do. Making it unlawful for the owner to not be able to go and retrieve his dog is just not right. 

Oppose the bill

My name is Derek Toombs, I'm a Charlotte County Board of Supervisors member for the Saxe/Bacon District. In a rural community like Charlotte County, recreational sports like dog hunting, are a way of life. Not only a way of life, but a major source of revenue for small businesses in our county. Small businesses in Charlotte County are at a struggle at all times. Country stores, gun shops, feed and seed businesses, and the list go on, work months without profit waiting on hunting seasons to balance their budgets. Also, with a county that has little opportunity for our youth, it builds good character, responsibility, life lessons, and keeps our youth on the right path away from trouble. This proposal jeopardizes the opportunity to take those key building blocks from our youth. Also, this topic has been killed during the General Assembly, many times. That in itself should stand for a lot to explain the importance of this sport to the state of Virginia. I believe this proposal will be used maliciously and in a deceitful manner by the few that are against this sport. I've lived in Charlotte County most of my life, dog hunting has been a powerful asset for our area, it has created great revenue, structure for our businesses and has made better Virginia citizens. I ask DWR, the state of Virginia, and all that have evaluated this proposal, to kindly deny.

Derek Toombs
Charlotte County, Board of Supervisors - Saxe/Bacon

I really oppose the idea of dog trespassing