Regulatory Response to Deer Hunting with Dogs in Eastern Texas

We reevaluated the effects of hunting deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with dogs in 10 east Texas counties 5 years after the initial investigation in 1984. We mailed standardized questionnaires to rural boxholders, licensed hunters, and forest industry landowners. The numbers of landowners and hunters opposed to deer hunting using dogs increased (P < 0.05) from 1984 to 1989. However, there was no (P > 0.05) shift in hunter classification between years. The area available for hunting deer with dogs by landowner permission declined 69% and only 5% of the available deer range in the 10 dog-hunted counties was open for hunting deer with dogs. Hunter success and deer harvest rate decreased as percentage of county deer range open to dog hunting increased. As a result of these investigations, hunting deer using dogs in Texas was prohibited beginning with the 1990-91 hunting season.

Publication date
Starting page
235
Ending page
240
ID
7613