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Bill Cochran

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BILL: Good report on a complicated issue (last week’s column on deer dogs).

The land to which I have hunting access is leased by a hunt club whose backbone operation is hunting with dogs on selected organized hunt days during the general gun season in the east. The club was established in the early '70s.

We have quite a few members who still hunt during primitive weapons, turkey and non-organized hunt days during the general season, but the primary focus of the club remains hunting with dogs.

I see all the sides of the discussions and have mixed feelings, but if dog hunting was banned in Virginia I don't know if our club could survive and still afford the ever-increasing costs of leasing land. I believe that the cost of most land leases is well beyond the capacity of the average independent hunter.

I do think that there needs to be reform in some of the regulations regarding dog hunting to help stop the abusers, but I'd hate to see it banned altogether. Just as much as I like to spring gobbler hunt and bowhunt deer, I love to hear a pack of hounds running on a frosty morning.

Hopeful, but perplexed,

BILL: I read your article about deer and dog hunting. It’s real sad to lose a tradition. I hope a compromise can be reached. How about you helping to find the compromise? Seems fair for people to continue their hunting.

I would like to see a minimum-acre’s deal cut. The club I hunt with uses beagles or bird dogs because they are much easier to control, but the larger hounds seem to run for miles.

BILL: My buddy, Bo Warren, and I were trolling for stripers in the Chesapeake Bay. We were 1.5 miles offshore in about 80 feet of water contemplating why the fish weren't biting. We looked back to check our gear and saw something odd in the water.

Was it a seal? Can't be, we don't have seals around here. On closer look, it turned out to be a buck deer that was way off course. He was desperate and barely staying afloat.

I've seen deer swim a river or bayou before. When you see that, the first thing you notice is that they are powerful swimmers. Their head and shoulders are out of the water and they make surprisingly good headway.

This critter was just keeping his nose up and looked like he'd been swimming all night long. In fact, he was so worn out that he swam toward the boat probably thinking it looked enough like land to him.

When he got closer, though, he wasn't sure what to make of the two dudes on board, and he backed off. So, since the fish weren't biting, we thought we'd give this buck a hand. Turns out Bo grew up around cows and was really handy with a bowline. He lassoed the deer on the first shot! Bo grabbed his neck, I grabbed the flank, and we barreled over backwards into the boat.

Before I knew it, Bo was on top of him and had him tied up just like a calf. We hit the gas and ran him to the closest beach -- Kent Point. I beached the boat and we carefully unloaded the deer onto the sand. The whole time we kept thinking he was going to kick the hell out of us. He never did. He was totally spent.

We untied him and jumped back. Too weak to stand, he just sat there quivering. We even picked him up again and put his feet underneath him, but he still couldn't walk.

I don't know if he made it or not, but I think his chances were vastly improved. Before we pulled off the beach, I looked the buck in the eye and said, “See you opening day; payback time!”