Agenda - 01-21-2010 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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~'~~-~~ n rr,-- n rn MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners Frank W. Clifton, County Manager FROM: Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager SUBJECT: Hunters "Dogging Deer" DATE: November 5, 2009 This memorandum is an information update on staff efforts in response to complaints from two (2) citizens during the fall7winter 2008-09 concerning hunters who use dogs to hunt deer in the unincorporated areas of the County. Complaints centered upon deer hunters who: • Lived outside the County but leased hunting land in the County • Allowed their dogs to run through adjacent private properties and follow behind them, trespassing and disrespecting the property rights of others • Used GPS collars on the dogs, further luring the hunter across private un- leased property In February 2009, the County Manager's Office convened a meeting that included representatives from the NC Wildlife Resource Commission (1NRC), the Sheriffs Department, Animal Services, Planning, Legal, and County Management. Major points of discussion were: • History, custom and tradition -Orange County is roughly divided in half - south of I-40 hunting dogs with deer is prohibited. This line was drawn in the late '40s through State legislative action. In 1979 Alamance County received legislative permission to prohibit dogging deer; Durham County received the same in 2001. • Protecting personal property and public safety -for property owners, neighborhoods, hunters. and the dogs • "Due Process" -hunters who dog deer and the landowners who lease or allow their land to be used to hunt deer should be included in future dialog • Legislative Approval would be required to further restrict hunting in Orange County -stakeholders would have to be informed and public meetings organized as prologue to any request by the BOCC for state authority When the BOCC Legislative Agenda Committee met in the spring 2009 to consider its recommendations to the full BOCC and State delegation for consideration in the summer of 2009, the issue of bringing forth a request to