Thoughts on using Buckshot and dogs for deer in Wisconsin?

Not really one issue but since we can use everything else to harvest Whitetails whats the harm in allowing buckshot? What does everyone else think?

I have always supported all forms of hunting. However, two run ins with coon hunters trespassing during late Oct and early Nov has really soured me to the sport of hound hunting. Love dogs...love hunting with them. Do not approve of one mans hobby having an affect on another mans hobby. I am not aware of any other hunting situation that allows trespassing (whether it be canine or human) in order for it to take place. With regard to dogs running through your land weekly. Take a picture and call the sheriff. Fines for unleashed nuisance dogs start at about $175 in most counties and or townships. They quickly get to $1000 for repeat offenders. Unless this dog owner has deep pockets...he will quickly get the picture.

I think the guys on here defending hound hunting are not the problem. I think there might be a bigger problem than they might want to admit though. I know I sounded negative towards them in my first post but it's like anything else when done properly it looks like fun. If any group could find a good way to police themselves it would be ideal, but that would most likely get abused this day in age too.

Steve lets be truthful. Who submitted this gem (48 ? Or should I say which group was involved ?? Lets see….. at a meeting the president said this was tried years ago. IT FAILED. So it was decide it would be submitted in counties that did not have bear. Appeal to the average dog owner. Don't mention hounds or bears. If it would advance then they would come forward and endorse it. You are funny Steve biggest group affected by this is the average pet owner…….. Next you will be telling us this was done for the children. So what was really achieved ?? Lets see…. you got hunters to vote with anti hunters….. Thats nothing I would brag about if I belonged to a certain group. Private property means you have to ask permission. Guys there are more than a few bad apples guys .

I think you have to leave pets running into your yard out of this discussion. Little different than them running all over through your back 80. It might stink for the ethical guys who truly do it on accident, but like they say, one bad apple ruins the whole bunch. The bad apples are the ones who sour people from this and get them into profiling all who run dogs into one category. I think that can be said for most of the hot topic debates regarding hunting. Just look at baiting, deer drives, etc. Most of the stuff you read is talking about the bad apples(baiting pun?) and accusations that don't really fit most, but its overshadowed by the few who push the line.

This has been an interesting read. Like Nolte though, i see very few of these issues. Yes, I have dealt with them. Normlly have to deal with problems from at least one jack wagon a year. By the same token, bet I deal with 20 problem deer hunters a year!! So many misconceptions spewed over hounds it's not even funny. Just beacuse you have hounds does not mean they will be running all over the place. Many would have you believe this. Like with anything it depends on the game pursued, and even each individual animal pursued. A whole bunch of other factors as well. Even then if you know your area. You know where the game is going to go most of the time. So things can be prevented. 500 acres is plenty to hunt on some days. Depending on all factors. Most of my coon hunting I do on smaller parcels. Where I can stay as close as possible to the dog, and get to them even faster. Some pieces only 20acres. Many of these area I would not turn loose on anything else. Just because of common sense. What is real funny. Is the biggest group to really be affected by this. Is simply the average pet owner. Far more family pets are retrieved from private property on a daily basis. Then hounds all year long. The next time FIFI leaves your yard. Think about it!! I get 2-3 different dogs a week on my property. Always causes a rukus which cause me problems. Yes, I complain to the owners about it. Not because of the problems it causes. Soley because I fear having to pick the body up off the highway. I know that I am a bit more tolerant of things. Not going to call the cops cause your dog was on my property. Not going to yell at the kids for retrieving a ball either. Nor, will I single out a group of people for the actions of a few!!! To me it is time spent wisely to take care of the few bad apples. Then condemn an entire group. Regardless of what you may do to the group. The bad apples will still be there if not dealt with. So what was really achieved then??

A couple years ago I had some hound hunters that were entering our property on a somewhat consistent basis to retrieve dogs. Enough that I caught them a couple times and got trail cam pics another. I didn't get worked up thinking they were just doing their thing. Next thing I know they are back during gun deer season sneaking into private property. I know one bad apple can ruin the bunch but they would have never come back if they hadn't been in there with their dogs. I'm not trying to make the guys who do it right look bad, but you need a lot of room to run dogs. A lot of areas it isn't feasible anymore.

Buckmaster, your probably dealing with a half dozen (+ or -) hound hunters in your area out of thousands, don't put the majority of us under the bus. Hounds for deer? I think you would look long and hard to find a hound hunter for that one. We don't need any more laws, we need more people with common sense.

Noltie if everything you say is true your not the problem. But there are a lot of hound hunters who can't read. With this rule you will just make the trespassers even more bold. I am just getting my dog. YEA RIGHT !!!

Summers Off I understand how you feel. That is the specific reason that I don't coon hunt anymore. Oct & Nov is the prime bowhunting time and I shelf the dogs until the snow flies in Dec. buckmaster69 I've never received a trespass ticket or any game violation in my life. I'm relieved to hear that I'm not a "clown" by your definition. Guess I'll have to put the big red shoes and nose back in the closet. You can also participate every year by placing out bait or helping out a family/member or friend. I think you'd enjoy the hunt experience just as much as when you have the tag. Also, don't discount the support that WBHA gave to those other issues to help them get passed. I highly doubt that we would have a wolf season without the work the WBHA did. They were working on it since the very beginning.

Steve and Nolte My run ins have been with coon hunters. One group of high school boys in Crawford County running coons every night of the week and then we have used up ground to hunt come the weekend. Second time was about 4-5 years ago when I bought an 80 in NW Wood county between Marshfield and Pittsville. Again, coon hunters. These guys got trespassing fines. I would agree, a dog running through the woods isn't going to push deer into the next county, but a couple guys walking in to get a dog will definitely push deer to the adjacent property. For the most part, Oct and Nov are off limits. The rest of the year I allow several coyote hunters and trappers have access to my land, creeks and ponds. I have a couple buddies that run bears in the Glidden area. This is large tracks of public land from what they tell me. Now draw a triangle from Stevens Point, to WR, to MF and back to SP (south of the Mead Wildlife Area) and there probably isn't 500 acres of public land in this area. If it is that hard to control a hound when it is on a hot trail, then in my opinion, this isn't an area that should be hunted with hounds during the deer season.

Big difference between conceal and carry and hunting wolves!!!! VOTE NO TO LEGALIZE TRESPASSING. VOTE NO TO ADVISORY #48. Nolte…. I am going to rethink my position on letting coyote hunting on our properties. Going to talk to my family and friends in our hunting area. May be time to not let hound hunters on the property!!

Nolte …. KEEP YOUR DOGS OFF PRIVATE PROPERTY !!!! If you trespass to retrieve your dogs you are a CLOWN !!! You get to participate every year with your hounds. So don't give me that line of BS. What happened last time this was introduced ????

buckmaster69 I can tell that no matter what my response is, it won't satisfy you. But the truth is that most of the time we just want to retrieve our dogs. I also think it is very disrespectful to call another group of hunters "clowns". I think if you'd spend a little more time using the "system" to your advantage, you'd experience better hunting. That would be more productive than being fired up and shouting insults. The bear season is setup so that bait sitter get to go first one year and hound guys the next. If I was a bait sitter I'd choose that first week every time. The first week of season is the most productive since the bear move on to other mast crops after that. It's not dogs that push the bear away from a bait, it's the bear simply moving on to other food sources. We see it every year on our baits. The bear also shift to being more nocturnal towards the end of the summer. It's not someone's fault, it's just the way they are wired. We also wait 9 years for a tag. My dad and I have chose to not fill our last 3 tags and let others get the chance to harvest a bear. VOTE YES ON ADVISORY QUESTION 48 The WBHA helped get conceal and carry passed along with the wolf season. Those weren't successful the first time either.

Nolte…. What happened last time you guys tried to push this crap. Thats why the WBHA is not saying a thing !!!! I know members of the WBHA are behind this. What is so hard for you guys to figure out. Private property means you need to get permission !!!!! Don't give me that story ….. we just want to get our dogs and get off the land. What do you think is going to happen when some of you clowns inter fear on someone hunt…….. lets say someone baiting bear on private property ?????? Oh …I know your sorry we just want to get our dogs!!! A bait hunter sometimes has to wait up to nine years for a tag. You guys get to participate every year. VOTE NO ON ADVISORY QUESTION 48.

Summers Off Hound hunting for bear is basically that way already. Except for a small portion allowed for training, it can only be done north 08, W of 53 and north of 29 E of 53 I believe. buckmaster69 I guess I don't see the animosity you speak of. We know many of the landowners in our area and get along great. With the status of our deer herd they are happy someone is thinning out yotes, bear and wolves. If you have some real problem hound guys in your area, feel free to pm me and I can see what I can do. We also make a huge effort to keep dogs from running deer and most other guys do the same. Running a deer ruins every form of our hunting. I don't think this new law would change my relationship with any of the landowners I know. It would allow me to retrieve my dogs safely and quickly and get out of the landowners way. We can't harvest the animals, so it would be counter-productive to try and hunt these areas. I wouldn't even be opposed if it required a deputy or warden to accompany us on the retrieval. That option would just take longer.