I started coon hunting at 6 years of age. 44 years later and I still remember some useful information on coon hunting. This article will help the hunter just starting out. My dad took me raccoon hunting for the first time when I was only 6 years old. My father hunted raccoon 3 or 4 times a week during the hunting season. I don’t remember much from that first hunt. What I do remember is dad had to carry me through much of the wooded terrain, on his shoulders. I did not go again until I could walk on my own. Here are some helpful tidbits of raccoon hunting that I learned during the years.
Raccoon hunting is done at night. That is when they are out moving around. The best way to hunt coons is with hunting dogs. Many dogs are bred to hunt various animals. Every hunter has different feelings on what type of dog is best for raccoon hunting. I have hunted with many good dogs. From my personal experience, I would recommend Blue Tick coon hounds. Other types of hounds used are Redbones, Treeing Walkers, Black and Tans, Plott hounds and countless other kinds. We always had the best luck with an old blue. The dog has a distinctive trail bark, and a great nose.
The hardest thing about coon hunting is training the dogs. The best raccoon hunting dogs, in my opinion, come from Arkansas. That is where are dogs came from. We got young dogs that had been started already. That means the dogs were already sent out on hunts, with experienced dogs. This makes it easier to train them. They already have a good idea of what there doing. The best way to train your dog is to hunt it with an older dog for a season. All the old hunters loved helping one another. Today with the Internet, good dogs can be found in lots of states. When I was hunting, word of mouth told you where the best dogs came from. I hunted in Connecticut, still all the old timers swore by Arkansas hound dogs.
Always be prepared when hunting. Flashlights are a necessity. Always bring a spare just in case. We always had a powerful light just to shine the trees with. A compass, along with the knowledge of how to use it, is advised. Good warm boots and gloves are needed, especially when hunting in New England. A 22 caliber rifle was what I always used to shoot the raccoons. A 22 pistol is also helpful, but not a necessity. A basic first aid kit is also a good idea. Many times I would get different cuts and scrapes. Always try to travel light.
Now that you are ready for the hunt, it is time to decide where to go. We always hunted behind old farms, or in cornfields. Never hunt near main roads. A raccoon can run miles sometimes. Many farmers would ask if you could hunt their land. They wanted the raccoons out of their cornfields. Today good hunting spots are hard to find. If you know somebody that hunts raccoon, ask for their advice. Always get the landowners permission. One of my favorite spots was in Ledyard, Connecticut. It was called “Rattlesnake Ledge.” Today, Foxwoods Casino is built there. Nobody can believe that it was a prime hunting area. I ran up ledges there on many occasion. I never saw a rattlesnake while hunting there. I have heard stories from hunters who had.
Always walk your dog or dogs into the woods. Some hunters would walk the dog on a leash, until they came across a scent. We would let the dog loose as soon as we got into the woods. The dog would take off hunting, checking back with us every so often. Once the dog comes across the coons scent, the fun begins. The dog will follow the raccoons scent. Don.t rush the dog. Just wait and listen to the dog barking trail. If the dog takes off real hard, barking continually, you have a red hot scent, or the dog might be chasing a deer. Always try to stay close enough so you can hear your dog. Sometimes a dog will chase a deer. Good dogs will quickly figure out the difference, and get of the deers trail.
The raccoon will use many tricks when being chased. Some will go across brooks or ponds, so their scent is harder to follow. Also a raccoon can drown a dog if it has to. Occasionally the coon will tap a tree. This is when it climbs up a few feet on the tree, then jumps off, and keeps running. It is trying to fool the dog into thinking it has ended its run. Sometimes the dog will think the raccoon is in the tapped tree. An experienced dog won’t be fooled for long, but the raccoon may have bought a few more minutes. Raccoons can cover miles of hard terrain.
Once the dog has successfully treed the raccoon, it’s voice will change. It goes from a short choppy bark, to a longer howl. Experience will tell you the difference. The howl, is the dog barking up the tree, with the raccoon hopefully in it. This is when the hunter approaches. You follow the dogs voice until you find him. Once you get to the tree, it is important to first find the raccoon in the tree, then reward your dog. Sometimes there will be multiple raccoons in the same tree. This means you have a whole litter. A good sportsman will spare the young, letting them live for another chase. When you do shoot the raccoon at the end of the hunt, let the dog attack the coon when it falls out of the tree. I have seen raccoons get shot out of trees 50 or 60 feet high. They hit the ground running. The dog looks forward to the altercation with the coon. Old timers would always let the dog taste the raccoons blood, but not let them harm the coon pelt. The raccoon hides would eventually be sold.
Once the hunt is over, it is time to put the dog on a leash, and find your way out of the woods. Always walk the dog out on a leash, unless you want to hunt some more. The dog will hunt as long as you want him to. A good dog will stay treeing a raccoon, until his or her master comes for him. We lost a dog one night. We looked all night for him. Finally we found the dog the next morning,12 hours, and 5 miles from where we started. The dog was still barking tree.
Always have the dog wearing a collar with his name, your name, and phone number. There is always a chance that you get separated from one another. Also keep a blanket that the dog sleeps on, with you. I knew a hunter that would leave the blanket where he parked. If he lost his dog , he would go back to the blanket, and the dog would eventually find it.
Hopefully this article will help somebody just getting started in the sport. Hunting raccoon is unique, because it is done at night. I would always suggest going with a partner. Another important thing to know is the weather. The dog will hunt no matter what the weather. The biggest fear for a coon hunter is the wind. Wind will distort your hearing perception. It is best to hunt when the air is still. If you are trying to find a lost dog all night, hunting can lose its appeal in a hurry. Done correctly it can be a very enjoyable sport. Listening to a dog barking tree, on a still autumn night, is both exciting and relaxing.
