Ever since a hungry wolf first saw a fire, smelled meat cooking, walked into a campsite of prehistoric people and become domesticated, humans used dogs to help them harvest game.
Hunting deer with dogs dates back thousands of years as a human tradition. Ancient cave drawings depict humans hunting deer with dogs. In medieval Europe, wealthy landowners released hounds to hunt fallow deer and red stags. They followed the packs on horseback. Europeans brought their hunting traditions with them to North America when they began colonizing the continent. The ancient tradition continues, especially in Southern states.
“The tradition of using dogs to hunt deer in Alabama goes back a long way,” says Lonnie Miller, president of the 3,000-member Alabama Dog Hunters Association with chapters across the state. “Our fathers and grandfathers, and even farther back, hunted that way. Some families who hunt with dogs go back many, many generations. We want to keep that tradition going. As long as people are doing it ethically and legally, dog hunting is a tradition that should continue.”
The association worked to include a Sportsperson’s Bill of Rights in the Alabama Constitution to preserve traditional hunting methods. It reads in part: “The people have a right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife, including by the use of traditional methods, subject to reasonable regulations, to promote wildlife conservation and management, and to preserve the future of hunting and fishing.”
“Alabama citizens have a right to hunt by traditional methods,” says Koty Mccarley, ADHA vice president. “Hunting with hounds is definitely traditional, maybe even the most traditional hunting method.”
During my youth, few people hunted deer with rifles or sat in trees. Running deer with dogs dominated the sport across much of the South. Timber and paper companies owned huge tracts of forest near my home. Companies allowed people to hunt their lands as long as they didn’t cut down any trees or start fires. Each weekend during hunting season, “deer drives” occurred in these forests.
“Standers” took up positions at strategic locations surrounding a block of forest. Dog owners released or “turned out” their hounds to roust the deer. Most shots came at moving targets in thick brush. Anticipating running shots in heavy cover, practically everyone used shotguns loaded with 00 buckshot, hence the name of ammunition with large pellets.
“People think it’s easy to kill a deer when hunting with dogs, but in reality, it’s very difficult,” Miller says. “Hunting with dogs is not about killing a deer. The vast majority of dog hunters are not there for the kills, but the thrills. It’s more about the camaraderie and excitement of listening to the dogs running through the woods.”
Hunting deer with dogs requires vast contiguous acreage and considerable expense. One good deer dog might cost several thousand dollars, not to mention the cost of training, housing, feeding and veterinary expenses incurred over the animal’s lifetime. Most dog hunters own several hounds. As costs rose dramatically and available land shrunk, many people quit hunting or could no longer afford to keep dogs.
Modern technology helped dog hunters solve one problem in recent years. Decades ago, hunters frequently spent more time looking for dogs than deer. Now, most hunters put GPS tracking collars on their dogs. With these systems, owners know exactly where each animal stands, even from miles away. When the hunt ends, everyone helps roundup all the animals as quickly as possible.
“Before GPS, dogs were not as easy to control,” Miller says. “Some people didn’t want dogs running on their land and got mad. We don’t have that problem now with GPS and whistle breaking.”
A few Alabama public lands still allow limited dog hunting for deer. In addition, the state annually hosts youth and adult hunts on public lands. Members of ADHA and other dog clubs bring their hounds to these public hunts so people without dogs can experience these ancient traditions.
“Most people entering the sport come from families that hunt with dogs,” Miller says. “These public hunts are great for people who don’t normally hunt with dogs. A young child doesn’t want to sit still and quiet in a shooting house or tree stand all day. Children get bored waiting for a deer to come out. When hunting with dogs, we don’t need to be quiet. It’s a great opportunity for kids to participate.”
For more information about ADHA, look it up on Facebook or call Miller at 850-305-2959.
John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer who lives in Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile, Ala. Contact him at [email protected] or through Facebook.
