keith@clodii.columbiasc.NCR.COM (03/21/91)
From: keith@clodii.columbiasc.NCR.COM In reference to previous posts about deer hunting with dogs, I would like to add this post to give people a different perspective on it >from a state that permits this method of hunting. South Carolina has had a tradition for hunting deer with dogs since the late 1800's. It originally started with drivers riding horseback who followed the dogs since horses were the standard of transportation then. The reason for dog drives was so that deer that were living in swampy area could be flushed out into the open. This was necessary in some areas that were not easily accessible for still hunting. The tradition continued and has almost become a religion today. It continues only in the lower half of the state, though. The wildlife dept. has divided the state into two parts. The Upstate, or the Northern half is strictly still hunting. The Low Country is dog drives with still hunting permitted in some areas. Most of the land is controlled by hunt clubs. They usually conduct drives on Wed. and Sat. and some permit still hunting the large agriculture fields the rest of the weekdays. The season is one of the longest in the nation and opens on Aug. 15. and runs till Jan. 1. A typical Sat. morning consists hunters meeting at their clubhouses before daybreak to decide where to hunt that day. At daybreak, several 4-whl drive trucks with dog boxes full of barking hounds and beagles depart to the starting point for the hunt. At the same time other trucks depart to put out the standers in their appointed places. At a designated time the hunt begins. The drivers walk the dogs into thick areas where the deer might be and hope to get the dogs on the trail of one or more deer. Drivers are not permitted to carry shotguns but most do any way. The standers are permitted shotguns only due to the long range of rifles. Once the dogs are on the trail and barking you can only hope they come your way since standers are not permitted to leave their chosen stand. Obvious safety reasons. Most clubs are given a number of doe tags by the wildlife dept. to harvest does. Once the hunt is over, both dogs and standers are rounded up and driven back to the clubhouse for lunch and to await the afternoon hunt. I had the chance to participate in one of these hunts several years ago. I saw one really nice buck but did not shoot since it ran through a canebreak and I didn't have a clear shot. I didn't really enjoy this type of hunting since I am used to still hunting in the Upstate. I would rather watch nature in a quiet and peaceful setting. But I am not against it either. To each his own. Sometimes they run deer through peoples yards and the people complain to the wildlife department. The hunters also use C.B. radios to alert standers of a big buck coming their way which I don't think is very sporting. These hunts are usually well organized and everyone shares the game that is harvested These are my thoughts and opinions and I hope you enjoy reading this because it took me a while to type. :-)) Later!! --- Keith Boyd --- | Keith M. Boyd (NCR E+M Col.) | Nothing could be fina' than hunting and | | 3325 Platt Springs Rd. | fishing in South Carolina! -Me- | | West Cola., S.C. 29170 | Fax: 791-6998 | keith@clodII.Columbia.NCR.COM | | Vp: 803-791-6420 | From uunet: !uunet!ncrlink!ncrcae!sauron!clodII!keith |
divine@uunet.UU.NET (Kevin Divine) (03/23/91)
From: plains!divine@uunet.UU.NET (Kevin Divine)
Seeing as I only hunt with my camera, I personally don't get into this
stuff. My dad did try it once, though, while out on my grandpa's
forty. Didn't work- the dog started getting cold after an hour and
came over to my post where I had a heater. Dad spent most of the rest
of the day looking for the dog instead of deer, not thinking that the
dog was smart and knew where to find heat. Whoever said German
shepherds are dumb?
---kevin
divine@plains.NoDak.edu >ANIMALS DO NOT HAVE RIGHTS- JUST PRIVILEGES!<