Hunting season is here and so is the annual invasion of hounds. Will this crap ever end?

As I write this, my local hunt club’s dogs are running through my property. Twice in the first week of the season already. I’ve been working with a couple of landowners’ groups to bring about change, but we are greatly outnumbered by the hound lobby. We need help. Join their facebook pages…Virginia Property Rights Alliance and the Citizens for Virginia Property Rights to learn what you can do. Calling to report trespassing dogs is a good first step (800-237-5712), but take pictures when you can and ask to speak with a conservation police officer. This is a numbers game. The hound lobby keeps saying it’s just “a few bad apples,” but those of us involved know it’s widespread and pervasive throughout hound country. Until the Department of Wildlife Resources gets tired of spending time and money on this, they will continue to kick the can down the road.

Most importantly, contact your state representative and tell them that you are sick of the constant trespassing, the annual abandonment of dogs and the otherwise dangerous behavior of these hunters. Also, show up to meetings any time restrictions on hunting dogs are on the table. The hound lobby is great at getting their members to show up.

Until enough of us speak up this annual invasion will continue and rural animal shelters will fill up with abandoned dogs.