Deer hunting with dogs will be allowed at least one more year in Moore County.

State Rep. Richard Morgan announced Thursday night in Carthage that he is giving deer hunters one more season to correct problems and comply with existing laws, or the practice will be banned next year.

Morgan filed a bill in the state House last month to ban deer hunting with dogs in Moore County, but it will be held until the May 2002 short legislative session for final passage.

Morgan announced that he is appointing an advisory panel to work with deer hunters and landowners in an effort to educate everyone about existing hunting laws. About 200 people attended the meeting, called by Morgan.

He intends to make one final effort to educate the public about the law and the need to respect the property and privacy of other people.

“I hope you’ll find it (the bill) a fair one and that you won’t let me down,” Morgan said. “I think we can solve this problem.

Larry Allred will chair the advisory committee, which will also include Joe Rosy and Don Elam.

Morgan was accompanied by state Rep. Jim Gulley of Mecklenburg County, who is chairman of the House Wildlife Committee; John Lynch, the governor’s appointee to the state Wildlife Commission; and Dick Hamilton, chief deputy director of the N.C. Wildlife Commission.

Local Wildlife Protectors Gary Caulk, Frank Couch, Tracy Dula and John Howell, and Col. Roger Lequire and Capt. Mike Lambert of the state office attended the meeting.

Morgan also announced that he does not plan to introduce legislation changing the hunting season in Moore County. He expressed concern that a proposal to change the hunting season in the eastern part of the county would “exacerbate the problem already existing between landowners and deer hunters that use dogs.”

Prior to the meeting, Morgan received a petition with 3,000 signatures seeking legislation banning the practice of hunting deer with dogs in Moore County. John L. Paschal of Southern Pines, who signed the petition, also sent a letter expressing further opposition. His letter was accompanied by photographs of deer carcasses illegally dumped on his property.

Morgan said he received numerous communications from people offering conflicting opinions about deer hunting with dogs.

“If you sent me a letter, I read it,” Morgan said. “If you sent me an e-mail, I read it. If you called me on the telephone, I called you back.”

Morgan said he has carefully studied both sides of the issue.

“This bill is a bill which bans the use of dogs in hunting deer in Moore County,” He said. “I’d like not to have to settle this legislatively, so you’re going to have to trust me in this, and I’m going to have to place a lot of trust in you to help me by quelling this controversy of the past 15 years.

“When the bill passes out of the House, it would be my intention to ask the Senate Rules chairman to hold the bill to allow you that last chance to go through the next hunting season, because I have heard from you that you want to give the present law a chance.”

The present bill, introduced by Morgan and passed two years ago, requires hunters to have written permission with them when they hunt on someone else’s property. It also requires that the name and address of the owner be on the collars of hunting dogs and prohibits hunting from highway rights of way.

“This has been a tradition,” Morgan said. “Let us continue with this tradition.”

In brief remarks, Rep. Gulley said he is one of three hunters in the state House. He said most of his hunting is done in Anson County because hunting deer with dogs is not allowed in his home county of Mecklenburg. In fact, only bow hunting is allowed in Mecklenburg.

Gulley asked the people to give Morgan’s proposal “a fair hearing.”

Hamilton, the deputy director of the wildlife commissioner, reminded everyone that Moore County has had deer hunting problems for years. He commended the county for the way in which it has dealt with this issue.

In particular, he commended the county for appointing a committee three years ago to work out a compromise between hunters and landowners.

“The law passed two years ago is a good law, a sound law that can be enforced,” Hamilton said. “We made some progress. It’s a fair law.

“We support the tradition of hunting with dogs but we have to work closely with owners of the land and have respect for their needs and interests. We can do that.”

Hamilton promised that the state wildlife agency “will be a strong presence in Moore County next fall.” He said several counties, particularly Anson and Durham, will be watching carefully to see how Moore County handles this problem.

“I believe it can be done and I believe this is the way to do it,” he said. “We’re not here to intimidate anybody, but we are here to make sure the law on the books works. It’s only been in effect one year. We can make more effort next year.”

After the meeting, Ronnie Williams, chairman of the Moore County Hunters and Landowners Committee, told The Pilot that he hopes Morgan’s effort will place pressure on both sides to encourage greater cooperation and compliance with the law. It was his committee that made the recommendations leading to the existing law.

“I’m glad to hear the Wildlife Commission is behind it,” Williams said. “A lot of landowners believe they can’t get help when they need it.”

Williams added that when his committee was researching the issue, he was unable to garner sufficient evidence to support a ban on hunting with dogs.