After a year of maintaining roads, tending to food plots, monitoring game cameras and placing tree stands, hunters are more than ready to deer hunt. But sometimes, the unexpected happens and a hunting dog or dogs venture onto their property, disrupting their hunt. The question is, what should they do? Under the rules and regulations adopted by the FWC, anyone who chooses to use free-running hounds on private property to pursue deer or other species must apply for and receive a free dog hunt permit registration for approved lands, and the registration number must be affixed to the collar of each dog used. Additionally, the hunter must be in possession of the dog hunt permit. If the dogs get onto property where they are not permitted or wanted, FWC officers will contact the owners of the dogs, who likely will be cited for the violation. However, it is never appropriate or legal to shoot someone’s hunting dog that ventures onto property where it is not wanted. Anyone who does so can face criminal animal cruelty charges, be sued in civil court and face paying substantial damages. Any fish or wildlife violation in Florida can be reported to the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: When hunting dogs venture on the wrong property