Deer hunting with dogs is alive and well in the Carolinas
Holly Shelter and Angola Bay Game Lands
Brianna Williams is no stranger to deer hunting. The 19-year-old certified nursing assistant from Rocky Point, NC had taken several deer during still hunts. However, she had never taken a deer during a hound hunt until now, when she helped load her 7-point buck on a pickup truck.
“There were chases going on all around for two or three hours,” she said. “The buck came busting out of the woods. I saw antlers and shot. In the moment, it was more exciting than still hunting. It was always other hunters having luck. But, this time, I was driving by myself so we could split up, because I thought it would give me a better chance. I usually ride with my father. We go dog hunting every Saturday, Thanksgiving and Christmas week. I like it as much as still hunting and have helped take care of the dogs as long as I can remember.”
She bagged the buck with a Benelli M2 Compact shotgun her family gave her as an early Christmas present at the start of the season. Nevertheless, it had taken her until December to finally bag a buck with it.
Her father, Glenn Williams lives in Rocky Point and works for a building supply company. He likes coursing deer with hounds because he grew up hunting that way with his father and grandfather. The hunt took place at the Bear Garden Tract of Holly Shelter Game Land.
Permit hunting
“We mostly hunt game lands,” he said. “We usually hunt Holly Shelter and have hunted Angola Bay. The blocks at Angola Bay are too big to hunt with just a few people. Holly Shelter has areas bordered by roads where we can cut off deer. I hunt with beagle-Walker crosses that don’t push deer as hard as larger hounds, so it is easier to get in front of deer.”
They were hunting the Bear Garden Tract of Holly Shelter. It is open for deer hunting only by drawing a permit that allows a party of up to five hunters to hunt three days — Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“We usually hunt Saturdays because that’s when we can get off work,” he said. “There are lots of private properties that border the west side of Holly Shelter, and using GPS collars allows us to catch our dogs before they stray off the game land. I like the permit hunting at Bear Garden because it reduces pressure. There aren’t so many groups that they interfere with one another. When we don’t get a draw, we hunt other places in Holly Shelter or private properties.”
One tip he has for success is hunting familiar areas. He also tries to beat other hunters to better areas. Then he and his fellow hunters release their dogs on fresh tracks. They turn out several packs in an area and surround them by standing on or near their trucks on bordering roads. The NCWRC has spent a lot of time and resources to improve roads throughout Holly Shelter and Angola Bay for better hunter access. Many roads are graveled. However, hunters should take paper maps with them, because cellular phone service coverage is uncertain.
Watch the water
Another tip is keeping tabs on water levels. The area is prone to flooding from heavy rainfall events. When the lowlands along the Northeast Cape Fear River flood, deer move to the nearby upland areas, and concentrations of deer lead to more shooting opportunities.
“We have a few dogs with colder noses than the others to help when scent conditions are poor,” he said. “Dogs run better in the morning and afternoon. I hunt with No. 1 buckshot and only take shots that are within 30 to 40 yards. We don’t use rifles for safety reasons and usually can’t see any farther than buckshot range anyway. On hound hunts, you may see only one or two deer, so I am not picky. I take any buck or doe, given the chance. Most of our hound hunters kill one to two deer per year, but may not see a deer all season.”
Hunters must pay attention to other users of the game lands. With improved roads comes an influx of hikers and bikers who may not be wearing hunter orange garments. Another safety aspect is parking vehicles on the side of the roads where the hounds are running. The deer can be shot after it is beyond the-line of sight to other hunters as it runs on the opposite side.
“Hound hunting deer clubs are not as plentiful as they used to be,” he said. “We don’t like the bickering in clubs and are just a bunch of guys who like to have fun. We see a lot of guys now with their wives and daughters. My wife doesn’t have an interest, but my daughter does. I’ve been going since I was 4- or 5-years-old and had to sit in the truck. My daughter has been sitting with me in a box stand since she was 4- or 5-years-old. I’m happy she finally shot a buck in front of the dogs.”
Francis Marion National Forest WMAs
Russell Forte works as a Sales Administrator for Francis Marion National Forest. He lives in Shulerville, SC and began hunting with his family when he was five.
“My family has a long history of deer hunting in Francis Marion and my ancestors have lived in this area since the 1850s,” he said. “Many people come from all over South Carolina and other states to hunt deer here. People are even moving to the area just to hunt deer in the national forest. With most of the dog hunting coming to an end on the corporate forest lands, everyone who wants to hunt deer with dogs is coming to any open public lands, including Francis Marion.”
Francis Marion’s 258,516 acres are divided into five WMAs — Hellhole, Northamption, Santee, Wambaw and Waterhorn. Over the years, as dog hunting deer became increasingly popular, the number of days and WMA units where it can be done have been reduced. Currently, dog drive hunts for deer are only allowed at four units — Hellhole, Northampton, Santee and Wambaw.
“Wildlife managers want to preserve still hunting-only in some areas, and areas that are open during dog drive hunts are closed to still hunting on dog drive days,” he said. “GPS Tracking collars have really changed things. Now people can keep up with their dogs even if they can’t hear them running deer. These days, a group of hunters might have 50 to 75 dogs on a deer drive, and crowding has become an issue. All of the private hound hunting clubs that are left are coming to Francis Marion on dog drive days. They camp in the campgrounds in the forest and stay in motels. They’ve learned to hunt together, surrounding the big blocks and releasing all of their dogs inside. Local hunters get together with them, too. By working together, they shoot a lot of deer.”
Easy access
Six hundred miles of graveled timber maintenance roads offer great vehicle access. Also, plenty of walking trails and gated roads are available for hunters to cut off chases. Good signage throughout the forest helps keep people from getting lost. However, some places have no cellular phone service, so hunters should have paper maps. Maps can be purchased from the ranger station at Huger (843-336-2200). The ranger station also issues dispersed camping permits for hunters who don’t want to stay in the campgrounds. They are also available online (fs.usda.gov).
“The tracts that can be surrounded are so enormous that you can lose a dog inside,” he said. “A deer can also swim the Santee River and your dogs may follow it. That’s why many hunting parties bring boats. There are places to launch in the forest. Dogs may also chase deer onto private land. Tracking collars are so important so you can catch your dogs before they stray off the forest. Having to roundup wayward hounds and crowding on the roads are problems, but are worth the trouble. Francis Marion has plenty of deer and some really nice bucks are taken there during the dog drive hunts.”
Game Land/WMA Deer Dog Hunting Regulations
At the Holly Shelter – Angola Bay Game Land complex, hound hunting for deer is controlled by open days and draw permits. Angola Bay’s 24,483 acres are open seven days per week for deer hunting with dogs. The main tracts of Holly Shelter’s 64,742 acres are open for dog hunting deer on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day. Pender 4 and Greentree tracts are closed to hound hunting deer. At Bear Garden Tract, hunting deer is by draw permit only, with a maximum party size of five. Permit hunts prevent excessive hunting pressure and reduce complaints by adjoining landowners of the small, intermittent tracts. Deer of either sex may be taken. Rifles and shotguns are allowed. Complete and accurate hunting regulations can be read in the regulations digest or viewed at ncwildlife.org.
At Francis Marion National Forest, dog drive deer hunts are allowed only at specified WMAs on certain dates. Hellhole WMA dog drive dates are Nov. 2, Dec. 7, buck only. Dec. 9 youth hunt is buck only. Northamption WMA dog drive dates are Sept. 28, Oct. 9-10, Nov. 22, Dec. 28, buck only. Dec. 14 is an either-sex hunt and all deer must be checked at specified places. Nov. 30 youth hunt is buck only. Santee WMA dog drive dates are Sept. 13, 14, Oct. 23, 24, Dec. 6, buck only. Dec. 14 is an either-sex hunt and all deer must be checked. Oct. 19 youth hunt is buck only. Wambaw WMA dog drive dates are Sept. 27, Oct. 12, Nov. 13-14, Dec. 26-27 buck only. Dec. 14 is an either-sex hunt and all deer must be checked. No dog drive hunting east of HWY 17. Nov. 16 youth hunt is buck only. Only shotguns with buckshot may be used. Complete and accurate regulations can be read in the booklet or viewed online at dnr.sc.gov.
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