The concept of the NCSDA was formed during a quail hunt in Georgia. A couple of years before we incorporated NCSDA, Joe McClees & I were shooting birds together. Our conversation ranged from our mutual love of the sport to our growing concern for the future of all hunting with dogs.  I grew up hunting wild game with dogs. Joe is a bird hunter as well as a seasoned lobbyist.

As North Carolinians, we noted massive changes in habitat, as well as changes in the culture of hunting.  I voiced my concern about direct threats to our heritage & sport.  We agreed hunting with sporting dogs is under attack. During that hunting trip, we realized it would soon be time to take action.  In 2004, we formed the NC Sporting Dog Association, Inc.

My name is Keith Loudermilt.  I am a native of Statesville, where I live with my wife, Trish, a retired educator.  We have two daughters.

I love sporting dogs, as did my father.  Dad grew up on a small family farm in Alexander County.  He helped provide food for his brother & 8 sisters by hunting with dogs.  Dogs were part of his family, providing companionship, recreation, & game for the table.

Dad kept rabbit dogs.  I grew up caring for them, & eventually gravitated toward registered beagles.  Through my father, I met Howard Stamey, a large dairy farmer in Iredell County.  Mr. Stamey was an avid beagler, and co-founded the Tarheel Beagle Club.

I became very involved in the Tarheel Beagles Club, & have held every office in the Club.  I have competed & judged extensively, having placed dogs at 50 AKC gundog beagle clubs in 12 states.  I have bred & finished 8 AKC field Champions. I won the United Beagle Gundog Federation Championship, & placed 3 times at the AKC/SPO Gundog National Championship.  I am the only person to judge the UBGF All Age National, UBGF Derby National, & the AKC National Championships in the same year.  I love beagles!

As much as I enjoy field trial competitions, hunting with dogs is my first love. I intend to protect this heritage for me and for future generations.

Our hunting heritage is under attack in North Carolina.  Animal rights fanatics raise huge sums to undermine our property rights & the right to hunt with dogs. We are assaulted with increasingly restrictive laws and regulations proposed by local and state governments.

To protect our heritage and sports, we must be proactive.  The NC Sporting Dog Association, Inc. is an organization through which we work for positive changes in laws.  We have defeated attacks to tax us unfairly.  As a group, we continue to fight.  We have offensive and defensive strategies in place.

Our lobbyists Joe McClees and his wife, Henri McClees, keep us informed about proposed legislation. Check here and on our Facebook page for updates on new legislation.  We keep you informed through this website, Facebook, and direct contact with you and your clubs.

I encourage you to join our efforts to retain our rights to breed, train, hunt, and compete with our dogs.  Talk to your club members about joining the NC Sporting Dog Association as a Club Member.  Clubs are the backbone of our financial support.

Join today to protect your rights and ensure your children and grandchildren will retain the right to hunt with dogs.  We need you.

Thank you in advance for your support and encouragement.

Keith Loudermilt
President
NC Sporting Dog Association, Inc.