Rifle restrictions proposed for Halifax County

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Should we ban that too! Banning hunting of any form is not the answer.

Agreed but this sounds like responsible houndsmen trying to head off a ban.
 
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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
"I have more trouble with people still hunting my leases. They just hunt it a few feet from their side. Should we ban that too! Banning hunting of any form is not the answer. "

The above is already banned by law......it is trespassing

Ok, maybe I could just get a ban around where I hunt..........what is your solution to the trespassing and poaching and the safety issues associated with dog hunting? If you look at it from a politicians standpoint.....ban it and no worries anymore. I grew up dog hunting and it was a blast, but I now choose to still hunt only, but I am not allowed to do it without the disruption of the dogs from adjacent 100 acre farms pushing through the 1000 acres we lease. I have a valid complaint and no one has a reasonable answer to it......yet!

And yea I know the dogs cannot read posted signs.......and apparently the handlers can't either. I am not sour on the entire dog hunting community......just what we have to deal with on an annual basis.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
First off, if the people are hunting across the line from their side they are not trespassing until after the shot, being there when that happens is no different than poachers who hunt with hounds. They know when I'm there and when I'm not.

I do dog hunt and have hounds and I spend many hours training my hounds so I can control them reasonably well. I learned that respect goes a long way. I have no problem with written permission or unloaded guns. Laws have to be enforced and I know for a fact that road hunting especially with hounds can be dealt with, with laws that are on the books. I have seen it work in the county where I hunt. No, it's not perfect world. Some people will obey the law, some won't whether there is dog hunting or not.
 
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josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Those 8' height requirements were A pain in Hoke and Scotland counties. Several spots I hunted where there weren't trees large enough to climb.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Those 8' height requirements were A pain in Hoke and Scotland counties. Several spots I hunted where there weren't trees large enough to climb.

I thought those counties have 10 feet requirements?
 

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
yep you are right it is 10', just looked it up. I ended up using a shotgun in those spots.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
We have a height requirement here in Wilson and it's not a big deal. If I have a place that doesn't have trees big enough to climb I use my slug gun or muzzle loader and rock on no worries.
As to the dog hunting, many of you guys who dog hunt had better get your act together and dump those bad apples or dog hunting is dead in NC.
I have for a long time contended that there should be a minimum acreage requirement to be allowed to dog hunt. That would go a long way to stopping guys turning out on 15 acre tracts and dogs getting on other people's land.


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MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
Scotty B did you have a problem with seven spot hunt club?....lol

All the 8ft rule will do is be able to give dog hunters tickets for using a rifle dog hunting.
All these rules mean nothing if not enforced.
There are a few spots in Halifax Co that will never be fixed unless they completely outlaw dog hunting and thats not happening.
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
One thing that County Commissioners can do well, and that's count votes.

Right now most dog hunting supporters can muster enough support / votes to put pressure on local elected officials and block changes to the laws, but they better not count on that always being the case.

Last month here in the local newspaper of Warren County, a local writer invited dog & still hunters to send in their comments for / against their style of hunting. Comments against dog hunting seemed to be running 10 - 1 against, and Warren is as dog hunting a county as it gets in NC.

I'm sure that dog hunters can and would mount a vigorous defense against any changes or bans of dog hunting, but I believe the population in a lot of counties is shifting, and soon there will exist a combination of land owners / still hunters with enough numbers (votes), to sway local officials.
 

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Geometry was my favorite subject in high school (although that was 30+ years ago). The 8 foot rule is from the ground to the lowest part of your body...most likely your feet. Add another 2 feet to allow for shooting rail, your rifle will be about 10' off the ground when you shoot. Lets assume your target is 3' off the ground at 100 yards out. Not to get too complicated but the bullet has already dropped from 10' to 3' within 100 yards or roughly 70 % of the total drop required to hit the ground. What makes you feel this "angle" will not intersect the ground within the next 30 or so yards?


There is a HUGE difference in firing a rifle from the ground than from an elevated vantage point
And when this bullet hits the ground in the next 30 or so yards, if it hits an object on the ground, can go in an any direction....that is where the danger lies with a centerfire. That bullet can and many times will continue traveling for considerable distance and the shooter is just hoping it dosen't go thru a house, a car, a kid playing in the yard. Be a terrible thing to kill someone....as Clint Eastwood said " take away all he has and ever will have"
 

RJ1

Ten Pointer
You have to be proactive not reactive in protecting your hunting land these days,proactive is the hunter that's willing to confront the lawbreakers take their names,license plate#'s and work to have them ticketed,reactive is the guy who calls the GW or LEO and waits for them to get there which may or may not happen if you are not willing to spend time in court you are always going to be taken advantage of.Most LEO departments do not have the manpower to run around and try and catch violators of these type laws and GW well they are never around when you need them most of the time.If you use the laws that are already on the books you can put a dent in the effects rouge hunters have on your land be still hunters or dog hunters your not going to catch them all but the word gets out that you willing to do what you have to do to protect your land.Now as a landowner that leases land to hunting clubs I would much rather you call me if you have a problem with a club that leases land from me than a LEO because it states in all leases that good relations will be maintained with all adjoining land owners and clubs getting LEOs to give out tickets is ok but I will go a step farther than that if good relations cannot be maintained somebody is going to be looking a new place to hunt.
 
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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Scotty B did you have a problem with seven spot hunt club?....lol

All the 8ft rule will do is be able to give dog hunters tickets for using a rifle dog hunting.
All these rules mean nothing if not enforced.
There are a few spots in Halifax Co that will never be fixed unless they completely outlaw dog hunting and thats not happening.
I wondered if anyone would pick up on that.........
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
I remember many years ago during the ramp up to the Durham Co dog hunting ban, I met and talked with one of the dog hunting advocates several times over a few years at Sam"s Grill in Butner.
He was a nice guy and we talked about alot of things but mostly about how to save dog hunting in Durham Co.
I told him then and will tell you folks now, "start NOW - not later and don't let up or think that you have won your point until you see it in the N&O".
Be nice, not pushy, arrogant or bring up how long you have been dog hunting in Durham [or Halifax] Co.
But those folks thought that they had the Durham CC locked up on their side right up until the CC voted to end deer dog hunting in Durham Co.
Sadly, I haven't seen him since since they found another grill to eat at after the Durham Co ban.
Just sayin...
 
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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
First off, if the people are hunting across the line from their side they are not trespassing until after the shot, being there when that happens is no different than poachers who hunt with hounds. They know when I'm there and when I'm not.

I do dog hunt and have hounds and I spend many hours training my hounds so I can control them reasonably well. I learned that respect goes a long way. I have no problem with written permission or unloaded guns. Laws have to be enforced and I know for a fact that road hunting especially with hounds can be dealt with, with laws that are on the books. I have seen it work in the county where I hunt. No, it's not perfect world. Some people will obey the law, some won't whether there is dog hunting or not.

DRS....I wasn't on the same page when you stated they were hunting across the line...I see what you are talking about now and it is a sticky situation...

As far as the dog hunting, it is part of my hunting heritage and yours as well, but times and folks are changing. I deal with groups with dogs and they are nice guys invited down to hunt the surrounding property. They are not from Halifax county and are just going on some local guys info...Dog hunters are not hunting with the judges and Sheriffs and County commissioners any more(in most cases). Out of town hunters bring a significant amount of money to Halifax county each year. Don't count on dog hunting staying around. We dont in Chatham or Alamance county already.
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Do you remember when a guy got shot with a rifle out there while dog hunting?
It wasnt good.....he lived but i dont know how.

I vaguely remember it being talked about. For the most part they are decent guys....unfortunately the elders in that club are passing on some really bad habits that will cost them dog hunting in the future.

It sucks for all the guys trying to do it right.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Ive had good luck with neighboring dog clubs in Vance. In 4 years ive seen or heard dogs on our property once and we have 2 different dog clubs near by. Reason we had em ob our side wasnt because they turned em out but was because they got out of the pens at the owners house


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lewis9378449

Four Pointer
And when this bullet hits the ground in the next 30 or so yards, if it hits an object on the ground, can go in an any direction....that is where the danger lies with a centerfire. That bullet can and many times will continue traveling for considerable distance and the shooter is just hoping it dosen't go thru a house, a car, a kid playing in the yard. Be a terrible thing to kill someone....as Clint Eastwood said " take away all he has and ever will have"

Hey, I agree with you. I'm all for safety and support shooting rifles from elevated stands. My point is that a rifle ball shot horizontal to the ground travels significantly further than one shot from 10' high at a target on the ground 100 yards away
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Hey, I agree with you. I'm all for safety and support shooting rifles from elevated stands. My point is that a rifle ball shot horizontal to the ground travels significantly further than one shot from 10' high at a target on the ground 100 yards away

Thats not entirely true, your assuming that both instances are completely devoid of obstacles. Also your example is assuming that the ground is flat, there are plenty of incidents where bullets travel well beyond the target when fired from a stand in excess of 10ft. A person that is stupid enough to fire a weapon at a target with houses, playgrounds, roads, ECT ECT beyond that target is not going to suddenly shoot in a safer manner from a stand 10ft up


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lewis9378449

Four Pointer
I never said anything about shooting in the direction of houses, playgrounds, etc. nor have I suggested/implied its a good idea.

Is your response supposed to try and convince me to believe a bullet shot horizontal to the ground travels less than a bullet fired from a 10' elevation at a target 100 yards away at ground level.?

As for my "assumption" that the ground is flat, that was established in the comment to which I originally replied to on page one of this thread. That's all I said. Maybe you are reading too much in to my comment.
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
My point is that for 10ft of height to make any measurable difference, the ground would have to be very flat.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
Level ground
Rifle barrel 60" off the ground (shoulder height)
Deer 34" at top of the back, point of aim 28" (6" below back, vital area)
Distance to deer 100 yards
Bullet traveling on same path impacts the ground at approx. 218 yards.

I see no reason to have a height requirement. Should not be shooting toward anything you don't want to hit, whether your "x" feet off the ground and other unintended targets are 500+ yards away. Know your target and what is beyond, kind of sums that up.

Once I was hunting a swamp on the ground. A guy was hunting some peanut fields adjacent to the swamp. He was more than 10' off the ground. He shot at some deer maybe 200 yards out and bullets commenced to flying over my head, ricocheting off of trees 25 to 30 feet up. Bark was a flying. Glad I didn't climb a tree. I never hunted that spot again either. IMO, the height requirement is just another feel good law, "see we made it safer".

Now as a hunter if I'm hunting close to other people, or just in tight quarters period I hunt out of stands and take short distance shots, pretty much straight in to the ground.

Archery, y'all ever seen an arrow ricochet through the woods? I have that's a scary sight too!
 
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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
,,,,,A guy was hunting some peanut fields adjacent to the swamp. He was more than 10' off the ground. He shot at some deer maybe 200 yards out and bullets commenced to flying over my head, .


they (the deer) must have been assaulting his treestand as it sounds like he had to lay down some suppressive fire!
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
^ I hear ya! I just before returning fire myself, when the firing ceased. :eek:

I think he missed and was shooting at them running across the field. You could hear the bullets skipping back up off the field.
 
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bertienchunter

Twelve Pointer
I'm 99% Bowhunter, but Deer hunters need rifle hunters to keep herds in check and revenues for the NCWRC. I'd support a different season structure, but I think rifles provide more positive than negative.

There are counties in Va that have seasons without rifles. I and many more hunters/landowners in Bertie would support it. May not ever pass but I would support it in a heartbeat. I believe it would make the hunting better.
 

lewis9378449

Four Pointer
Level ground
Rifle barrel 60" off the ground (shoulder height)
Deer 34" at top of the back, point of aim 28" (6" below back, vital area)
Distance to deer 100 yards
Bullet traveling on same path impacts the ground at approx. 218 yards.


I see no reason to have a height requirement. Should not be shooting toward anything you don't want to hit, whether your "x" feet off the ground and other unintended targets are 500+ yards away. Know your target and what is beyond, kind of sums that up.

Once I was hunting a swamp on the ground. A guy was hunting some peanut fields adjacent to the swamp. He was more than 10' off the ground. He shot at some deer maybe 200 yards out and bullets commenced to flying over my head, ricocheting off of trees 25 to 30 feet up. Bark was a flying. Glad I didn't climb a tree. I never hunted that spot again either. IMO, the height requirement is just another feel good law, "see we made it safer".

Now as a hunter if I'm hunting close to other people, or just in tight quarters period I hunt out of stands and take short distance shots, pretty much straight in to the ground.

Archery, y'all ever seen an arrow ricochet through the woods? I have that's a scary sight too!
Based off this logic, how far would the point of impact be if shooting from a height of 120"?
 
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Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
There are counties in Va that have seasons without rifles. I and many more hunters/landowners in Bertie would support it. May not ever pass but I would support it in a heartbeat. I believe it would make the hunting better.

Ban dog hunting is what would make hunting better.
 

bertienchunter

Twelve Pointer
Ban dog hunting is what would make hunting better.

I will tell you this. There ain't nothing but dog hunting clubs in SE Virginia and the still hunting is pretty dang awesome. They just don't have every tom, dick and harry from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida there sitting up every dang tree with a .300 short mag. Hunting in this state has gotten out of control weather it be still hunting or dog hunting. Too many outfitters and outsiders IMO.
 
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