Coon hunters must be familiar with the area where they wish to hunt. Coons are active at night and they sleep during the day. It will be extremely difficult to find coons at night if you don’t understand the area you are hunting. Make sure that you know where the coons are hiding and where they travel for feeding, what trees they like to climb and where they live.
Good coon hunters always get permission to hunt and let the landowner know when they will be hunting there. Avoid hunting too close to posted property because the coon dog will often venture to such areas as well. Never hunt next to a busy highway.
Coon hunters need a good dog with a keen sense of smell. Some of the breeds that make the best coon dogs are:
- Treeing Walker Hounds
- Redbone Hounds
- Blue Tick Hounds
- Black and Tan Hounds
- Plott Hounds
For the coon hunter, few things compare to being out in the forest in the middle of the night, with your coon dog bellowing in the distance. This fun makes coon hunting ever more popular.
In some areas of the country coons are considered a delicacy and have been a staple in the diet of many during hard times. In the late wintertime when the fur is the thickest the pelts can be sold and are used in making coats and hats, collars, winter gloves, etc
About the only way coon hunters can find their prey is with a good tracking dog. Since you are hunting at night , a good light is also a necessity to see the coon when it is up in a tree. Coons are good swimmers and good climbers and can elude you very easily. You can train your own coon dog or you can purchase one which may cost up to several thousand dollars.
Coon hunters provide a service to farmers by eliminating coons which can do considerable damage to crops.
Coon hounds can hunt individually or as a pack. A good coon hound has the ability to track, chase and corner coons independent of the coon hunter’s command. They must be able to follow the animals on the ground, through water, and when the coon takes to the trees. Coon hunters wait and listen for the distinctive baying which alerts them that the coon has been treed.
A good coon dog will keep the coon treed until the coon hunter arrives on the scene.
Coon Dog Information: