Private property owners sue over Virginia’s hunting dog law

By DENISE LAVOIE
Associated Press

WILSONS, Va. (AP) — Several property owners in Virginia are suing the state Department of Wildlife Resources over a state law that allows hunters to retrieve their hunting dogs from private property. A number of states allow hunters to retrieve their dogs without permission from property owners under certain circumstances. But Virginian’s law says hunters are allowed to retrieve dogs even when the property owner has specifically denied access. The property owners allege that allowing hunters to go on their property without permission amounts to an uncompensated taking of their land. However, the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance says the vast majority of hunters are considerate of land owners and want to continue Virginia’s centuries-old tradition of hunting with dogs.