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John's Journal... Entry 66, Day 4

click to enlargeInformation about Dollarhide

EDITOR'S NOTE: Larry Collins acts as camp manager of Dollarhide, a traditional hunting camp in central Alabama near the Mississippi line since 1888.

Question: What celebrities have hunted down here?
Answer:
Popular members have included Jo Surrell, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, Hart Weslick, the first All-American from the University of Alabama and president of Dollarhide for over 40 years and Paul Bernum from Birmingham, coach of Tuscaloosa High and the University of Alabama. Rig Stevenson played baseball with the Chicago Cubs, Hank Chris coached at the University of Alabama, and Jeff Coleman earned the title of best alumni from the University of Alabama. Some of our guests have also included Johnny Vault from Ole Miss, Zib Newman, and Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Governor Patterson and Congressman Paul Harris have hunted at Dollarhide, and we've invited Governor Seigelman.

Question: What does Dollarhide mean to you personally?
Answer:
Dollarhide is my life. I grew up here. I don't know what I would do if I had to leave here. Dollarhide has been my life since I was 6 years old. At the age of 13, I became a son of a member. I always come home to Dollarhide.

click to enlargeQuestion: What do you think about the way that deer hunting has changed in Alabama -- away from the old dog-hunting method and now stalk hunting?
Answer:
I think that hunters can combine these methods. A lot of people blame the problem on landowners who don't want dogs on their places. But, I believe that rifle hunters and dog hunters have a feud going on because they're worried about the dogs interfering with the rifles. I can understand this feud, but here at Dollarhide, we do both. We hunt deer with rifles and dogs. I don't understand the real gripe. Understanding and accepting both methods of hunting is essential, or we're going to break our hunting tradition totally within the state of Alabama and the nation. Hunters have to live with each other. Dog hunters have to co-exist with stalk hunters and vice-versa. Sometimes dogs get in the way of a rifle, but very seldom does that happen. At Dollarhide, we let our people know when we plan to dog hunt. Actually, when they know we plan to dog hunt, they'll line up with their rifles and help us take game that's gotten through our lines of standards. If you like to hunt by the rules of the game, you can co-exist with everyone.

Question: How long do you think that dog hunting can last at Dollarhide and in the state of Alabama?
Answer:
Hopefully it will last from now on. But I don't think that dog hunting will last long. Hopefully, dog lobbyists and people like us can keep the dog tradition alive. A lot of people have something against our tradition.

click to enlargeQuestion: So, you fight for the tradition of hunting more than the actual kill?
Answer:
That's exactly right. The fellowship, the camp and the dogs have become a tradition at Dollarhide. We don't take many deer with dogs anyway. Deer have a better chance to get away from a dog than they do from a rifle.

Question: Do you think taking a deer with a dog rather than a rifle is more of a sporting challenge?
Answer:
It's more of a challenge and involves just plain luck. If a deer comes by you, you take a shot. If not, you go in and talk about the day of hunting deer.

Question: What about your duck hunting?
Answer:
Alabama has water everywhere, but we still plan for ducks every year, even though they are limited. Now Alabama has the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Pickensville Waterway, Demopolis Lake, and dams backing water through the timber, which all attract the ducks we hope to get.

click to enlargeQuestion: What about turkey?
Answer:
We didn't have too many turkeys prior to 1958 when they restocked turkey twice. In 1961, our population grew. Dollarhide hunters average around 12 to 15 turkeys, but we lack turkey hunters.

Tomorrow: Dollarhide's President

 

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about Dollarhide ...

Day 1 -Dollarhide's Beginning
Day 2 -Dollarhide Traditions
Day 3 -Dog Hunting at Dollarhide
Day 4 -Information about Dollarhide
Day 5 -Dollarhide's President

John's Journal