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News Release

Hunting with Hounds in Virginia: Take the Informal Survey Now Available!

The informal survey can be taken either on-line or in paper format; deadline May 23

Virginians have been hunting with the assistance of hounds for centuries. Issues related to hound-hunting in Virginia are not new. In recent years, however, the tone and urgency of concerns have increased. To ensure that the tradition of hound-hunting can continue, the Hunting with Hounds in Virginia: A Way Forward project was initiated to proactively address concerns related to hound-hunting in the Commonwealth. This process, initiated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and facilitated by researchers in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Science at Virginia Tech, relies heavily on the involvement of stakeholders (citizens who will be affected by any potential outcomes) from start to finish. The goal of the project is to provide diverse opportunities for hunting with hounds in Virginia in a manner that is fair, sportsmanlike, and consistent with the rights of property owners and other citizens.

There are many opportunities for involvement throughout the public input process. Most recently, an informal survey, developed by researchers at Virginia Tech, was made available to anyone who wishes to take it. The purpose of the informal survey is to identify and compare the experiences of affected stakeholders on issues related to hunting with hounds in Virginia. It is hoped that a wide variety of stakeholders will complete the informal survey.

The informal survey is available in both on-line and paper formats. However, the on-line version has been password protected to prevent mass submissions. To take the on-line version, visit the VDGIF web site, http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/hounds/informal-survey.asp, and follow the instructions provided on how to obtain a unique password and access the survey.

Paper versions of the informal survey are available for those without access to the internet and/or email. Paper versions can be picked up at VDGIF headquarters in Richmond or by calling 540-231-0961. Completed paper versions can be returned to those same offices or mailed to Sarah Kozlowski, 111 Cheatham Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060-0321. Responses to both the on-line and paper versions of the survey will be accepted until May 23, 2008.

For more information on the other public input opportunities during the Hunting with Hounds in Virginia: A Way Forward project, please visit http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/hounds/.

This opportunity for input should not be construed as a chance to vote for or against hunting with hounds in Virginia; rather, it is another way relevant information can be passed to the Hunting with Hounds Stakeholder Advisory Committee (an 18-member group charged with evaluating issues and drafting recommendations to address them), Virginia Tech, VDGIF and their Board, and other decision makers about issues related to hound-hunting in the Commonwealth.

All issues relevant to hound-hunting, whether perceived to be positive or negative, are being addressed in the informal survey. Final recommendations that result from the entire public input process will be presented to the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries in October.

The informal survey is available to anyone who wants to take it. Although it is a valuable tool, a survey conducted in this open manner cannot provide statistically accurate estimates of public opinion on such complicated issues. For this reason, results will be summarized and considered as yet another type of public input, similar to the focus group meetings, letters and emails from concerned citizens, and comments received during public meetings.