Deer Hunters Opinion ???

[Les Young]

Most deer hunters go on about coondogs running their precious deer hunting, but do most deer hunters realize that nowadays most strains of hounds are so much more tree minded & so much straighter in what most coonhunters consider running junk(which in this case is deer, fox & coyote) The last 20 years there is no comparison to the previos years breeding wise. You literally can turn most started coondog pups( I'm talking about pups mind you & not even good hounds with lots of experience) straight into deer herds accidently & them go on & strike & tree coon & not run deer ??? There are many born naturally straight that never run anything other than coon except for the occasional possum. Like I said too tree minded to even think about running junk. Most think they ruin their deer hunting, but I literally have saw deer many, many times lying within 50 feet of dogs treed & never even pay them any mind whatsoever. They also will not spook & run when coonhunting on mule & you can literally get within 50 or so feet of deer & them hardly ever run .Some deer hunters are even bad about killing coonhounds around their deer hunting grounds if they bark thinking they're running their precious deer. I personally know for a fact mine has never ran a deer & can literally turn them loose with deer standing & looking & they will go on & tree coon not run deer. Deer, coyote & fox races are what is considered junk races to coonhunters & I wish in our area they would allow way more liberal bag limits on them & turkey too as they eat so many acorns that they can hurt populations of other animals including deer ,coon, squirrel & any other mast eating animals. Don't get me wrong there are some that will occasionally run junk, but the vast majority do not & they sure don't hurt deerhunting as I deer hunted for years & have killed deer where I hunted the night before a bunch of times. Could it be that most deer hunters don't have coon hunting experience & are simply misinformed ??? Funny thing coonhunters don't have a problem with deer hunters & lots give deer hunters permission to hunt myself included, but most deer hunters do have a problem with coon hunters. Why ???

[gabassman74]

I have a problem with people who run dogs for deer not coon, they let their dogs run all over everyone else land then use the "dogs cant read posted signs" as an reason.

[DanCard]

I don't think it's so much dogs running deer as it is people moving through the woods all night. Killing deer is one thing. It's easy to kill A deer. Killing a big deer is an entire different story. Somebody walking through the woods all night with dogs barking does not make a big deer want to get up and start stirring. It usually only takes getting spooked once to move a big deer.

Plus, I see you're from Kentucky. For the prices a lot of guys are paying for leases around here, you don't want to take the chance of a coon hunter ruining your shot at a true trophy whitetail.

[DanCard]

I have a problem with people who run dogs for deer not coon, they let their dogs run all over everyone else land then use the "dogs cant read posted signs" as an reason.

Can't use deer dogs in KY.

[Les Young]

I have a problem with people who run dogs for deer not coon, they let their dogs run all over everyone else land then use the "dogs cant read posted signs" as an reason.

I understand your point, but here in Ky. it is illegal to use dogs to run deer with.

[Javelin387]

Here in Ohio I have had multiple tree stands stolen by coon hunters. Caught them once. They also run the deer out of a woods by walking the woods, not so much the dogs themselves as the people stinking up an area that a bow hunter has tried to keep clean. How many coon hunters piss in a woods by a tree stand or a scrape or rub? This in its self will scare a trophy buck away. Does and Button Bucks or young Bucks don't yet know the fear of the scent but i can tell you the older bigger deer do. If I catch a coon hunter hunting my lease, I can tell you the law will be called.

[gabassman74]

I agree with the walking through the woods at night will send the deer packing. In my area most coon hunting is done after deer season!

[blade1970]

I grew up deer hunting and coon hunting in the same areas. I always felt that everytime I pulled into a field and saw deer and then let the dogs out I was actually saving them from getting poached....

[Rfraz]

I have no problem with coon hunters running dogs in fact I rather enjoy it. That being said I am inclined to agree with the above post about humans running off the big bucks. On the other hand I have had coon dogs run deer right to my stand on several occasions so I guess If you could train yours to do that everytime I wouldn't mind
If you are hunting public land then it is all legal hunters responsibility to share that land! If it is private it is your job to keep your dogs on the land you have permission to hunt IMO

[Les Young]

I don't think it's so much dogs running deer as it is people moving through the woods all night. Killing deer is one thing. It's easy to kill A deer. Killing a big deer is an entire different story. Somebody walking through the woods all night with dogs barking does not make a big deer want to get up and start stirring. It usually only takes getting spooked once to move a big deer.

Plus, I see you're from Kentucky. For the prices a lot of guys are paying for leases around here, you don't want to take the chance of a coon hunter ruining your shot at a true trophy whitetail.

Dan I understand what your saying, but I don't relly think it's as bad as most think. My buddy hunted a spot I coonhunted the night before & shot & missed a huge deer he knew was there & another that ended up being the state record for several years raised up out of his bed & he shot him instead. This was several years ago & it feild dresses 262 without the heart & lungs & was a 16 pointer. The one he missed was bigger then the one he killed by quite a bit. I've hunted it just like always for years & he has killed several big deer there even when I hunted it the night before opening morning of gun season. I have permission & after he saw that it didn't hurt his hunting it doesn't bother him at all as he has saw deer every time he has hunted it after I have been in there the night before. We decided to give it a try to see if it effected it any & it hasn't as I've hunted it for years the night before. We always let the other know when we will be there. I just seriously don't think it bothers deer as much as most think by far & I see deer bedded everynight I coonhunt that don't run off either. I could literally kill deer anynight with a 22 rifle while out coonhunting.

[MMosher]

Don't have a problem with coon hunters until they think they and run their dogs and themselves all over my "precious deer" property without permission because it connects to property they have permission to hunt.

[boneil]

I don't know much about coon hunting but I do know that a trophy deer is not going to tolerate having a bunch of dogs and guys tramping through the woods at night. No way would I hunt that property if it was regularly coon hunted. Once awhile ok.

[Jiggumup]

Most deer hunters go on about coondogs running their precious deer hunting, but do most deer hunters realize that nowadays most strains of hounds are so much more tree minded & so much straighter in what most coonhunters consider running junk(which in this case is deer, fox & coyote) The last 20 years there is no comparison to the previos years breeding wise. You literally can turn most started coondog pups( I'm talking about pups mind you & not even good hounds with lots of experience) straight into deer herds accidently & them go on & strike & tree coon & not run deer ??? There are many born naturally straight that never run anything other than coon except for the occasional possum. Like I said too tree minded to even think about running junk. Most think they ruin their deer hunting, but I literally have saw deer many, many times lying within 50 feet of dogs treed & never even pay them any mind whatsoever. They also will not spook & run when coonhunting on mule & you can literally get within 50 or so feet of deer & them hardly ever run .Some deer hunters are even bad about killing coonhounds around their deer hunting grounds if they bark thinking they're running their precious deer. I personally know for a fact mine has never ran a deer & can literally turn them loose with deer standing & looking & they will go on & tree coon not run deer. Deer, coyote & fox races are what is considered junk races to coonhunters & I wish in our area they would allow way more liberal bag limits on them & turkey too as they eat so many acorns that they can hurt populations of other animals including deer ,coon, squirrel & any other mast eating animals. Don't get me wrong there are some that will occasionally run junk, but the vast majority do not & they sure don't hurt deerhunting as I deer hunted for years & have killed deer where I hunted the night before a bunch of times. Could it be that most deer hunters don't have coon hunting experience & are simply misinformed ??? Funny thing coonhunters don't have a problem with deer hunters & lots give deer hunters permission to hunt myself included, but most deer hunters do have a problem with coon hunters. Why ???

I'll give you $10k if you can do that here in Iowa. No way in he!! you are going to walk up to deer on a consistent basis, especially with a dog barking/running around. Ask the guys how spot and stalk deer.. they will tell you just how "easy" it is to get close to deer.

[MikeFloyd]

I don't care how you hunt as long as it's legal and it's not on my land. People who use dogs need to have control of their dogs.

I have hunted with people who shot nuisance dogs.

[boneil]

Dan I understand what your saying, but I don't relly think it's as bad as most think. My buddy hunted a spot I coonhunted the night before & shot & missed a huge deer he knew was there & another that ended up being the state record for several years raised up out of his bed & he shot him instead. This was several years ago & it feild dresses 262 without the heart & lungs & was a 16 pointer. The one he missed was bigger then the one he killed by quite a bit. I've hunted it just like always for years & he has killed several big deer there even when I hunted it the night before opening morning of gun season. I have permission & after he saw that it didn't hurt his hunting it doesn't bother him at all as he has saw deer every time he has hunted it after I have been in there the night before. We decided to give it a try to see if it effected it any & it hasn't as I've hunted it for years the night before. We always let the other know when we will be there. I just seriously don't think it bothers deer as much as most think by far & I see deer bedded everynight I coonhunt that don't run off either. I could literally kill deer anynight with a 22 rifle while out coonhunting.

So your buddy shot and killed a state record buck after he missed a much bigger buck?

[Les Young]

Don't have a problem with coon hunters until they think they and run their dogs and themselves all over my "precious deer" property without permission because it connects to property they have permission to hunt.

MMOsher, I try my best to not have dogs get onto others land & with the electronics available to coonhunters there really isn't a reason for any dog not to be able to be silently recalled. With gps tracking systems you can see where they are headed & with tone buttons on shocking collars & actually built into gps tracking systems nowadays you can train them to come to where they were turned loose at. Some hunters are top trainers & some are either just not smart enough, to tight to spend the money on electronics or simply to lazy to train their dogs to come when toned. I just don't understand that myself. Why let dogs do what they want instead of getting off their dead *ss & training them ???

[BamaKid]

Deer are Inherently afraid of Dogs and Humans, Any of Un-Neccesary tromping through the woods is Not in a Deer hunters

favor. Started as a kid in a Dog club and know the difference of Dog hunted woods and Pristine acreage.

Any disturbance of an Un Natural type is NOT Good.

[Altro Cat]

South Carolina Fish and Wildlife did a study on how coon hunting effected deer hunting and came to one conclusion. All it did was shift the deer's movement patterns from mostly nocturnal to more daytime movement. Deer did not leave their home areas and the hunters reported seeing just as many or more deer during the time when coon hunters were running dogs on the same property at night. Deer can't tell the difference between a coon hound passing through an area from that of a coyote or stray. Just the same as they can't tell the scent of a coon hunter from that of another deer hunter, or turkey hunter, or squirrel hunter or hiker or anyone else.

The myth that scent or coon hounds run deer out of an area is as bad as many of the fishing myths that we all laugh about. Take farmers and ranchers for example, they are all over their property at random times working and farming and the deer are still there because that is where they eat, drink and live.

If there is food, water and bedding areas in an area there will be deer too, no matter what. Deer are not going to up and move away from the three things that are keeping them alive.

I don't coon hunt as much as I used too but when I did hunt 4-6 nights a week we would see deer in the same places all the time. Me and my dogs coming through those areas several times a month didn't change their patterns at all.

[MMosher]

MMOsher, I try my best to not have dogs get onto others land & with the electronics available to coonhunters there really isn't a reason for any dog not to be able to be silently recalled. With gps tracking systems you can see where they are headed & with tone buttons on shocking collars & actually built into gps tracking systems nowadays you can train them to come to where they were turned loose at. Some hunters are top trainers & some are either just not smart enough, to tight to spend the money on electronics or simply to lazy to train their dogs to come when toned. I just don't understand that myself. Why let dogs do what they want instead of getting off their dead *ss & training them ???

100% agree with ya. Hats off to you and your people who do this.

[Choothim]

Hey Les I think it has more to do with respect. Not everybody is going to do the right thing like you. I had to track a deer across a field that my buddy had shot and he was all gung HO about going into that field to track his deer. He learned something from me that day you NEVER go on somebody else's land without getting permission from the land owner. I went and asked the land owner and he was tickled, even gave me permission to take the kids to his pond and fish whenever I want, it pays to be courteous. On the other hand mistakes do happen you could wonder onto someone else's land by mistake. You shouldn't but it does happen. I'm a deer hunter and if deer hunters out there don't think coyotes don't run thru there hunting ground at night there sadly mistaken. So what's the diff in your coon hounds or a pack of coyotes. Well the coyotes will try and kill the deer your coon hounds will not and the coon hounds just might deter the coyotes from coming thru. Les I think there is room for all of us who enjoy the great outdoors.