 Filming took place on the San Joaquin River Delta . The set , imitating a southern prison farm , was built in Stockton , California . The filmmakers sent a crew to Tavares Road Prison in Tavares , Florida to take photographs and measurements , where Pearce had served his time . The structures that were built in Stockton included barracks , a mess hall , the warden 's quarters , a guard shack and dog kennels . The trees on the set were decorated with spanish moss that the producers took to the area . The construction soon attracted the attention of a county building inspector who confused it with migrant worker housing and ordered it " condemned for code violations . " The opening scene where Newman cuts the parking meters was filmed in Lodi , California . Meanwhile , the scene in which Luke is chased by bloodhounds and other exteriors were shot in Jacksonville , Florida , at Callahan Road Prison . Luke was played by a stunt actor , using dogs from the Florida Department of Corrections . 
