Dog hunters crowd Monday’s Vance County Commission meeting
After hearing public comments both for and against hunting with dogs in Vance County, County Commissioner Danny Wright advised the audience of the County’s Public Safety Committee’s recommendation regarding the issue.
Stating that “accountability and responsibility has to rise to a new level” if dog hunting continues, Wright said that his committee wants to form a committee of landowners and dog hunters to attempt to reach a solution.
Wright also said that he wants current animal control ordinances to be examined to see if they can be “levied” to address the problem.
“I believe we can co-exist,” Wright said.
In the final motion, the committee was to be headed by the Public Safety Committee and include “other officials” and was to return a recommendation to the County Commission.
Wright said that the committee should appoint one property owner and one hunter from each of the County’s seven voting districts.
County Commission Chair Deborah Brown advised residents to contact County Clerk Kelly Grissom if they wish to serve.
The motion passed unanimously.
Public comments on the issue were divided in a chamber packed with dog hunters. Vance resident Billy Strickland, who serves as the City Attorney for Henderson, spoke to the Commission, saying that it was a shame to see hunters against hunters.
Strickland quipped that the “animal rights people” were laughing.
Strickland said that he understood the concerns of landowners, and that violators should be prosecuted. He also pointed out that dog hunting generates money for the economy. He advised the Commission to vote against regulation of dog hunting.
Sam Lane, the owner of a quail farm, told Commissioners that he is unable to enjoy his land until January 1 (the end of deer hunting season). He said that he had had his land overrun.
Lane commented that he would have gone elsewhere to purchase his land if he had known.
President of the Central North Carolina Dog Hunting Association Craig White claimed that the Sheriff’s Office had received only seven complaints regarding dog hunting, while there were over 130 automobile accidents involving deer this year. He stressed that trespassing laws should be enforced and asked that the dog hunting season not be shortened.
Danny Norwood stressed economics, youth, and heritage in his remarks.
Vance property owner Rick Wrightmeyer noted to Commissioners that hunters could hunt deer in the more “traditional” way (still hunting). He said that the issue was not about deer hunting, but rather about safety and personal property rights. He asked that dog hunting be banned altogether.
Angie Garrett, a Kittrell landowner, told Commissioners that a young man hunting with dogs discharged a weapon near her and her young son.
Garrett said that there was no remedy except banning.
“One death is going to be one to many,” she told the Commission.
Preston Floyd said that if someone calls the Sheriff’s Office regarding a trespassing complaint, it takes “at least” twenty to thirty minutes for a response.
Floyd claimed that there was a blatant effort to hunt on posted land.
W.A. West said that “we have some problems”, but also said that they had not escalated to the point where dog hunting needed to be taken away.
Joel Scott told Commissioners that the economic impact of one hunter is significant, claiming an initial investment of over $20,000 to move to Vance County and set up for dog hunting. He claimed that he contributes $7,200 to the local economy each year in maintaining dogs for his sport.
Scott claimed that hunters would leave the County should the law change.
Ms. Hobgood told Commissioners that dog hunters have only twelve Saturdays in which they can hunt, since they cannot hunt before and after work.