Agenda - 11-17-2009 - Information Item 1

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prohibit dogging deer was tentatively raised. One Orange County citizen had already contacted Representative Faison and Senator Kinnaird with this thought in mind. The BOCC Legislative Agenda Committee asked Legal to review the background behind the Alamance and Durham County actions and for County Management to continue its outreach to the hunting community. On November 4, 2009, County Management convened a meeting consisting of members .from the hunt clubs in Orange County that dog deer along with the Sheriff, Animal Services Director, a WRC Officer, and the Staff Attorney. An Orange County resident who makes his land available for hunters from outside the immediate area also participated. There were only two (2) complaints made to the BOCC in 2008/2009 about dogging deer. The Sheriff reported only one (1) complaint about hunting with dogs to his Department over afive-year period. The WRC Officer indicated that there were ten (10) tracked complaints involving deer throughout his district in 2008, but indicated no violations or citations issued during 2008. He explained the challenges of enforcing certain hunting regulations and indicated that he received more informal complaints that clustered in a particular area of the County known for deer hunting with dogs by non-residents. A lively but respectful conversation ensued between the hunters and County officials around the items of history, custom and tradition; property rights and public safety; and due process. Feedback from the hunting community is summarized below: • The Caldwell Hunting Club is the oldest (since 1979) and largest organized club in the County that use dog to hunt deer. They abide by State and local statutes that require written permission from the land owner to hunt on private property. They have standards of conduct, approved by-laws, and "police" their own members. They assert "a hunter will not shoot on private land; but can't guarantee the dogs won't cross over private land" (i.e.; land for which there is no written permission.) They also said their members would not pursue a dog onto properties adjacent to the ones they have permission to hunt carrying a firearm. • The Triad Club, it was alleged, is "the outlier" or offending club, comprised of persons who live outside of Orange County but who lease private land from Orange County landowners. Triad Club members were said to be the ones creating trouble for those who are responsible and do the right thing. The Triad Club was reported to operate mostly along Wilkerson Road, Hurdle Mills Road, Tapp Road, Hester Road, and Walnut Grove Church Road. • The hunters felt their club and service activities helped fuel the local economy and provide family-centric recreation: the land leased, the supplies purchased, the meals eaten, and other charitable acts.