Houndsmen and Technology

I am often amazed at the number of houndsmen on facebook. Every time I log in there are two or three new friend requests. For the first time in history houndsmen and women have a virtual home to network, share ideas, pictures, video and tell our friends about our achievements and that of our hounds. We can now instantly text each other from a tree or a field trial when we are successful or have fallen short. I cherish every contact I make in the hound community for your efforts in the field, the experiences you share and what you contribute to our sport. I love hearing about your hunts, successful or not. I used to read about them in American Cooner or Full Cry. Now I can keep in touch instantly.
I see how our sport has evolved with technology and am amazed at our ability to adapt to this ever changing social environment. Historically, when the areas we hunted became crowded by mountain bikers, hikers, and others who look down their noses at a camouflage clad hunter with his pack of dogs we moved elsewhere. We found new areas where we could run the woods in peace. Now with facebook, myspace, twitter, forums, and youtube we are on display for all to see. These social sites didn't exist ten years ago. We kept to ourselves and showed home video to a few friends and family with little fear of judgment. Now I always look at videos I am posting as if it were to appear on the six o'clock news. Would I be proud of the footage or ashamed.
It's a new era for us. Like many of you, back when I started I didn't have access to tracking devices or ecollars. It was old school. Now I can bounce a signal off a satilite in space and have it tell me where my dogs are, what they are doing and even how fast they are doing it. Some who oppose hunting with hounds would say that it isn't fair chase and technology gives the hunters an upper hand. I would tell them that we owe it to our hounds to take advantage of this technology. We can now prevent the pursuit of unwanted game, prevent losing our dogs for several long nights, hit by vehicles or straying onto private land where they may get shot. To me it would be unethical not to embrace it.
I believe we need to take full advantage of the new technology, continue to be proud of our sport, our passion and our heritage and never stop being tenacious when defending your ability to hunt and enjoy our hounds.