Does any one know facts on this? Sam Houston National Forrest, WMA

[Circle C]

Paul,

    Thank you for taking the lead on this issue. Anything you need me to do, just say the word.  Here is my contact info in case you might need it for anything.

ccoughran@gmail.com
832-689-2786

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

Thanks Chris, will do...

[TrueBlueLacys]

If someone else writes the letter, gets all the information and points and such in there, I will edit and rewrite to make sure it sounds professional. I just really have no background on this and wouldn't know where to start, and we definitely need someone with the knowledge and passion to put it down on paper, but I do know how to make things sound right, so just let me know if you need help.

And when there is a game plan, the NLDA will do what we can to help. I don't think we have any hog hunters that regularly go to Sam Houston, but we do have dog hunters worried about their rights. Steve and I were even thinking about taking Sadie this year to shoot a squirrel or two for her. Now that sounds like a mess waiting to happen. She is, after all, a hog dog, and she'd ditch a squirrel in two seconds if she smelled a nice boar around.

[Mike]

Paul, thank you and everyone else getting involved. I left two messages for Mr. Dano today with no return call... seems like everyone is getting ignored?

[Txmason]

Mike,
I have been told to go to US forrest services
go to TPWA
go to USDA
and every where I go I get no answer but we're trying and will pin it down soon I hope.

Thanks for every ones help and Paul will be heading it up for TDHA when we find out where, who, and why.

[Eric]

The first step has been made.... their phones ringing all day.

[BarrNinja]

Mike,
I have been told to go to US Forrest services
go to TPWA
go to USDA
and every where I go I get no answer but we're trying and will pin it down soon I hope.

Thanks for every ones help and Paul will be heading it up for TDHA when we find out where, who, and why.

I received 2 call from Capt. Crain this morning. My phone call message was the first that he had heard of dogs being prohibited in Sam.
I was driving and couldn't write anything down but he told me pretty much what Mr. Mason says here.
He said our best bet would be to contact the main biologist whoever that may be to find out exactly why they decided to prohibit the dogs this year. They are the ones that make the recommendations for the state but the TPWA makes the rules. Rules that his office hasn't even been supplied with yet according to the Captain.
The Capt. was a real nice and helpful guy but not the person to get any answers from.
 
Probably best not to pester him anyway since he is on the enforcement side of this rule.

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

1. Who are the decision makers who closed the dog season in the forest?

 I consulted with my staff and USFS personnel but the field decision was utimately mine.  I then forwarded my hunt recommendations up the chain.



2.What were the reasons given by all involved? 

The reason was that which I described above...that dogs potentially running deer was not a good thing for the local deer population.


3.Were there any public meetings or public input on this issue?

No.  There are 50+ WMAs across TX.  I have worked or had responsibilities on 12 of them and have never held public meetings for making harvest recommendations.  Additionally, I am not familiar with any such meetings on WMAs across the State.  As far as I know all WMAs (except White Oak Creek WMA in northeast TX) prohibit hog dog hunting.
 
4.How many dog hunters hunted hog in the SHNF last year?

James Scott, US Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer, told me he talked to a total of 3-4 groups of hog dog hunters totaling about 30 individual people.  I can only assume that he didn't speak with every person that hunted hogs with dogs last year though. 


5.Can you give me some information on "special Permits" that have be given to hog trappers at SHNF.

 I believe the US Forest Service does provide trapping agreements through an application process, but this is not part of our public hunting program.  I recommend contacting the Sam Houston office for more information on this activity.

I appreciate the opportunity to comment on this matter and hope that I've provided the information you needed.  We always struggle with balancing wildlife management decisions, and especially harvest recommendations, with the desires of our constituents.  I know that this decision has gotten some folks upset, but extending hog hunting year-round on the Sam Houston NF WMA, and several others in east TX, has been received well by others.  Our goal is optimize hunting opportunity while enhancing native wildlife populations, and that is why the decision was made to prohibit hog dog hunting on this WMA.

Thank you.

Bill Adams

TPWD

[Bump]

To understand this correctly...Mr Adams made the decision to discontinue hog dogging on SHNF?

And one of the reason was dogs running deer?

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

That is correct, Mr Adams made the desision, based on reports of hog dogs runing deer during the deer season.......

and he was sure that hog dogs were running deer during the spring hunt on the SHNF.

[Bump]

That is crap. I do not know who hunts in there for certain but I dont understand how they can make an impacting decision based on speculation.

Do you think anything needs to be done from here or do you plan to pursue this any further?

I would like to send an email to Mr Adams. At worst case...asking for special permits.

I will probably never hunt the SHNF but hate to see it closed to dog hunters.

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

We will continue to work on this issue.

I would encourage you to contact Mr Adams.

[captain]

I DO NOT KNOW WHY HE SAYING DOGS RUNNING DEER IN DEER SEASON THE HOG SEASON WAS JAN 14 TO MARCH 15  TILL 2 YEARS AGO AND THEY CHANGD IT TO FEB 1 TO MARCH 15 THEY CUT IT SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING THEN IF DOGS ARE RUNNING DEER IN DEER SEASON THEY NEED TO STOP THAT & I AM NOT VERY GOOD ON THIS COMPUTER PUT I AM GOING TO SEND HIM SOME E MAILS

[Mike]

First of all, there are no dogs allowed during deer season... period. Not even blood trailing dogs in most East Texas counties.

Second, opening the season year round to gun and bow hunters is fine... but why take away from the dog hunters? Gun and bow hunting was always allowed even during the dog season... no one looses but us.

[captain]

WELL SAID MIKE

[got2catchem]

Theres an article titled Sam Houston Bans Hog with Dogs in the November 2009 issue of Texas Fish & Game magazine.  It may be something to take a look into, but it dosent really add any new information. I already sent a scanned copy to Paul.

[matt_aggie04]

Good find Richard, I read the article just now and the one thing I found funny was that the captain Chris Cain of NFS said they had no idea how many people took advantage of the hog-dog season.  Makes you wonder about all this "research" that took place during the years they allowed hog dogging....the whole thing really makes me mad...
Matt

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

A Little work for y'all. I need to know how many and who hunted the Forrest last year and how many hogs they killed. Put your heads together and call anyone that will not post up here. We talked about this at length at the TDHA meeting and I have a plan. Its not going to happen over night. And I am going to need some help, but the hunter info is first on the list.

My goal is to return Hog Dogs to SHNF as well as other State land across the state. With live hog prices so low, trapping is minimal at best. This is causing hog numbers and damage to explode is my part of the state.

My goal is for "Professional actingl" dog hunters, hunting under strict guidelines that we will propose will provide feral hog deprivation control during carefully selected times of the year and when necessary to hit problem areas when needed.

This will not happen over night.

[got2catchem]

I hunted it last year for two days with several members from the board. I think their was about 13 hogs caught in all. I also purchased 2 Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permits at $48 a piece for the wife and I for the sole purpose of hunting hogs with dogs. I am sure there are several other members who also purchased those permits for the sole purpose of hog hunting with dogs(see where I'm trying to go with this).

The total cost of permits purchased may be something we want to keep record of also. At $48 a pop, it dosen't take alot to add up to an impressive number.

[Circle C]

Each person in this photo payed $48.00 for the sole purpose of hunting hogs with dogs, just like Richard said.