Whitetails and hounds.

[rhomas]

This is for all of you folks who've never been on a traditional dog drive deer hunt. Down here in the lowcountry of SC, chasing deer with hounds has been the traditional hunting method employed since we were British colonies. The swamps are thick and full of critters that would like to have you for lunch, or kill you for getting in their way. If a deer hunter wants to get a good opportunity to kill a nice buck, or a smart old doe, it often requires putting on the hip boots, slinging the shotgun over your shoulder, and making that treacherous trek down into the mist of the moss laden cypress trees and wait for the music of the crying hounds.

First off, a pack of hounds might be long legged Walkers, Goodmans, Trigs, Redbones, Blue Ticks and Red ticks; or, it might be a pack of 9 1/2" Dandy Jack Beagles all nervous with anticipation and as antsy as a kid on Christmas eve. Usually, the hunters (standers) will take off for their assigned ambush spots in the hopes that the hounds will push a fast moving brown rocket waving a white flag your way. The driver (person pushing the dogs) will turn 'em loose somewhere near a known bedding or feeding site, and then begin the push by hollering and entreating the dogs to "get 'em up". The sounds of the dogs yipping and squealing, intermingled with the shouts of the driver will invariably get the adrenaline pumping as the stander strains to hear that first change in the sound of the dogs as they start out trailing and eventually jump the quarry. As the stander surveys the swamp or woodlands around his location, it seems that every bush and stump looks like it's a deer. As the sounds of the dogs gets louder and louder, the nervousness increases as the stander holds the buckshot loaded shotgun up in order to gain a slight advantage when the time comes. The arms will begin to tremble and the legs will shake, as the sound of the hounds becomes ever closer. All of a sudden, there is another sound! Was it the snap of a tree limb, the thunder of hooves, or the splash of a body hitting the water? The dogs are getting nearer and all at once there it is.......a blur of brown and white jumping and dashing over fallen logs, darting through the thick brush and briars, while spraying water that catches the slight trickle of sunlight as it streams through the heavy cover above. The savvy stander will have snapped the safety off and is ready to find the opening that will provide an avenue for the buckshot to reach it's intended target. The deer is moving at speeds approaching Mach 1, as the hunter moves the bead through the animal and just past it's nose, then the boom of the gun echoes throughout the swamp, as the birds hush, and the hunter loses track of time and space. There might have to be a series of shots in order to hit the fast moving buck, but all of a sudden there is a mighty crash as the animal hits the ground. Cautiously the hunter appoaches, gun at the ready, just in case the deer jumps up, the hunter's heart is about to explode from his chest and his breathing is quick and shallow as he gets his hands on the antlers and holds his trophy. About that time the hounds arrive and they all have to get in and sniff and lick the deer while proudly strutting around as if to say "hey look at what we brought to you".

This moment is the culmination of the morning for you, as the driver begins calling for the dogs to return to him, it's now possible to calm down and appreciate what has been accomplished. It's also time to reflect on the fact that your great-great-great-great granddaddy may have been near where you are, standing in the same primordial muck among the majestic cypress trees and possible he is there with you now!

The tradition continues................

 

[highmountian]

Would be very cool to do! I run dogs for bears so I feel the intenseness of the hunt! It Is alllllllll Gooooood!

 

[Mudranger1]

well this is an interesting post out of the blue

 

[mdunc8]

Yeah, it's all good until you're sitting in a stand on nearby property and have a pack of hounds come busting through and running off all the deer. It's awesome.

 

[highmountian]

If it is private propety do what you have to do!!! Dogs shouldn't be there!! Take action!

 

[rhomas]

The post wasn't intended to stir up any controversy, but instead was meant as entertainment. I will mention that down here in SC's lowcountry, since dog hunting is so prevelant, most of the lands surrounding dog hunting clubs is hunted by other clubs who also use hounds. Often we end up killing deer in front of each other's dogs. It is also illegal in SC to detain, harm or otherwise interfere with collared hounds regardless of land ownership. On another note, When I am sitting in a tree stand with my rifle, it usually helps create deer movement if a pack of hounds gets cranked up nearby. I've killed many a deer that was slipping away from the dogs. Of course, down here since the deer pretty much keep to the swamps during the day, it's pretty difficult( not to mention too hot) to sit and see deer except for very early in the AM, or very late in the afternoons. That creates another issue that would probably offend some who decry food plots and baiting, but if we want to have venison in the freezer these are some of the ways we go about accomplishing it.

 

[bobbydean]

Good read.

Love the excitement. Nice to see alternative ways of hunting. Actually sounds like a tuff shot with a shotgun at at at running deer!

Extremely nice narrative. I could feel the hunt and nerves,

 

[Goldtip]

Great post does sound like an exciting way to hunt deer for sure. Never tried it before, myself, but sounds as if it works.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Very nice narrative of how a Traditional Deer hunt with Dogs is done. Took my first deer that way. Cousins, Uncles and Aunts were all involved in one way or another. Posting on a subject like running Deer with Dogs is Great, but ya gotta be like a Duck and let all the water run off your back. Do you ever pick up a Bear on your drives? John

 

[rhomas]

I'm probably the biggest duck you've ever come across! No bears, down in this part of the state. The lowcountry is very nearly the coast. I'm about 75 miles SW of Charleston, 45 miles West of Beaufort ( home of Parris Island ), and 70 miles NW of Savannah, and 65 miles SE of Augusta, Ga.

 

[tarheel]

The sounds of the dogs yipping and squealing, intermingled with the shouts of the driver will invariably get the adrenaline pumping as the stander strains to hear that first change in the sound of the dogs as they start out trailing and eventually jump the quarry. .

Ron, I couldn't have described it any better or more colorful, conveying the excitement of it all. You had the hair standing up on my neck there for a while. I used to hunt a smallish sharp-mouthed Walker bitch which had a strike voice like none other I've ever heard, so I named her Modified. She kept the pack together and moving for years until she caught up with a wounded buck which proceeded to kill her before anyone could get there. She died game though, and is down there hunting with my Grandad now.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Ron---That was as good of a read as I've had on a subject I know nothing about as I can ever remember and I can sure relate to it as a youngun night hunting for coons with Dad and our black& tan and bluetick. God were those the days!!!

 

[Gunner46]

Ron, 99% of our friends here have NO CLUE what you mean when you speak of the Low Country. It's a complete different world!

I've been above the chest wader's in cold a$$ swamp gunk more than once, and it ain't fun. Take a couple of pic's and give these Western Ridge Runner's some insight into 'Gator's, Yellow Bellies, slime, & Death on the next step!

But, I'll be right back there this fall, but in NC around Halifax county. Too many whitetailsnto pass up !

 

[HUNTMAN]

I Have been on a few dog hunts in S GA back in the 90s. #4 buck and no plugs. Good times for sure. Even had a pot for big buck and everyone that missed put money in it. Then a BBQ at the end Good Times.

 

[genesis273]

..... I will mention that down here in SC's lowcountry, since dog hunting is so prevelant, most of the lands surrounding dog hunting clubs is hunted by other clubs who also use hounds. Often we end up killing deer in front of each other's dogs. It is also illegal in SC to detain, harm or otherwise interfere with collared hounds regardless of land ownership. On another note, When I am sitting in a tree stand with my rifle, it usually helps create deer movement if a pack of hounds gets cranked up nearby. I've killed many a deer that was slipping away from the dogs.

I will also say that here in NC where it is also prevelant there are those of us who would disagree with some of this. Not the point of how deer are hunted...do as you wish, but keep it on your property!!! You gave a sinario of killing deer in front of other`s hounds and creating deer movement as a plus. I hunt in a non dog hunting county but it is only about 2 miles from a dog hunting county. Last year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving (when I knew we would have deer moving) I took my son (14) to his stand and I went to mine. He called me, and knowing he always text I knew something was wrong, saying that there was a guy walking through the thicket in front of him at 40 yards and that he was terrified and didn`t know what to do. THIS WAS AT 7AM! I almost ran to his stand to find this guy. I found him wandering on our land looking for his dogs via tracking collars and he said that the dogs were running the afternoon before and came onto our land. I was furious! I told him that there were others hunting and to not step foot on our land until noon then could get his dogs and get out!!! That hunt was ruined because of some guys have no regard for anyone elses property. My son said that he heard something coming through the thicket and he had his gun up and ready until he noticed that is wasn`t a deer, but somebody. The place is extremely thick and there are small openings and you have one chance to kill a buck and that`s about it.
So, no, we all don`t welcome a pack of dogs on our properties here.

Side note to western hunters: Not too sure how large your properties are but our properties in the southeast are usually only 5 acres to a few thousand acres. You stay on yours and I stay on mine!

rhomas, although I had a bad experience that ruined my son`s hunt, don`t mean to rant on your thread. Just had to clarify that not all here welcomes it.

 

[the nikster]

Years ago I was living in Florida when a good friend invited me on a hound hunt for deer. I had a great time with the guys. I enjoyed listening to the dogs-I even saw some deer.After the hunt we all enjoyed a brotherly BBQ. It was a wonderful time. I decided not to do it again. Several of the common accepted (legal) practices ran afoul with my personal ethics. I still enjoyed listening to the stories of later hunts though.
Years later while in Latvia (Northern Europe) I was invited on a Red Stag/wild boar hunt. Similar practices were enlisted. I had a smallish stag(6x6) run past at about 50 yards which I thought was too small-when compared to elk I have harvested. The fellow next to me harvested the stag and was hero for the day. I am happy I did not take that away from him. Later I had 3 boars run past me at less than 100 yards. I'm a baffoon and while messing with the rifle the piggies ran away. Had another wonderful time. On a third set-up the dogs ran past me within 100 yards and moved on. After the dogs moved past a stag rose from the meadow between me and the path the dogs had taken and sneaked back to where the dogs had come from. The group was allowed on 1 stag or I might have harvested it.
The long and short of it is this: While I had an enjoyable time with friends, I did not find the actual hunt to my liking. I'll probably not do it again but I still enjoyed reading the OP and look forward to more of the same.

 

[DavidKeenan]

I've never done that style of hunting, but have fa few friend that have. They say it's a ton of fun.
Some say its not ethical. But if it's legal and that's your style I haven't a problem with it. What's the difference in hounding,baiting,lures,calls, They are all legal in different area and
As far as setting on a stand and dogs running a deer isnt any different than a atv come driving by and busting out a heard.. That's hunting and we will have to work around what ever we don't want to be around. i used to hunt coon and bear with hound. We heard a lot of whitetail hunters say they scare off the deer, Yea they may spook them for a bit. But I have seen my dogs on a bear and run them right thru deer. The deer would jump a hundred yards or even just stay still on alert then go on about they're busisness.

 

[rhomas]

We dog hunt the same basic piece of property every Saturday, and holiday, including the last week of the season from Christmas to Jan. 1st. There are very few times that we don't jump deer, regardless of when we turn the dogs loose. I've seen deer lay in the bed as the hounds work through the woods, and I've even killed a few bucks in their beds while they watched and listened to the hounds jump a doe and take off. Many times the smart old bucks will just lie there 'til the dogs are gone and then get up and head in the direction the dogs came from. That's one reason I enjoy still hunting even when hounds are running nearby.

 

[Jon Boy]

Lets see some pics!

 

[bennett454]

This does sound like a very fun experience. One thing I've always wondered is how guys train there hounds on deer and bear and even mountain lions. I've watched videos on how guys train them for coons. Do most of these dogs start on coons?