The Use of Free-Running Dogs in Sport Hunting of White-Tailed Deer in Florida: A Review of Pertinent Information and Discussion of the Issues.[Draft]

Florida Game And Fresh Water Fish Commission

Florida's dramatic and rapid human population growth and resultant suburban sprawl have filled much of the state's heretofore undeveloped lands with people and diminished the extent of wildlife habitat. The resultant decline in the availability of undeveloped land suitable for wildlife oriented recreation has spawned conflict and competition among landowners, residents and recreational users for an increasingly limited land resource. This competition has taken many forms. Conflicts occur between hunters and landowners, among consumptive and non-consumptive recreational users, between hunters of different species, and among those who prefer different methods of hunting a given species. Hunting deer with dogs (dog-hunting) is a tradition in the southeastern United States, and a popular hunting method within the State of Florida. In its most commonly employed form, free-running hounds and other chase dogs are used to locate and drive deer from cover to facilitate harvest by hunters. The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (Commission or GFC), because of its regulatory authority over wildlife and its recreational use, has been increasingly cast as an arbiter of these conflicts. This issue paper was prepared to present and analyze available information pertinent to the controversial use of free-running dogs to hunt white-tailed deer, and to propose more definitive management policies for consideration by the Commission. Because of the complexity of-this issue, this discussion is restricted to the use of free-running dogs for the sport hunting of white- tailed deer. A number of related issues, including the use of free-running dogs for the hunting or pursuit of other wildlife species, are not addressed herein.