In all USA, coon hunting is considered one of the most popular sports and this popularity is rising every day. The main reasons for this increasing awareness are: this a great hunting activity for both beginners and experienced hunters and the second reason is that many people hunt these animals for their fur. Of course, there are other reasons too, take for example that many people consider these animals as being a very good meal while other people ( especially farmers ) don’t have to worry about the fact that these animals can become a nuisance and get in their crops, thus destroying them.

It does not really matter how good a hunter you are as a raccoon will offer you the challenge of your life, as they are excellent swimmers and tree climbers. Given the fact that these little animals sleep during the day and are active through the night, a good hunter knows that it will require a good and reliable hunting dog in order to spot coons. A hunting dog for such an activity must be fast and have a very developed sense of smell. Why is a hunting dog so important? Simple, when a raccoon climbs a tree during the night, the only way you can spot it is by using a hunting dog. Training a dog for such an intense activity is rather time-consuming. Teaming a young dog with one already trained is the ideal method. Some dog trainers use a “lead coon” or lay a commercial scent trail. Another method to get a dog started on chasing coon is to get the dog on a hot track. For example, one crosses the road or someone is having problems with raccoon on their property.

Finding raccoons is not a very difficult thing to do if you know what these animals are eating (fish, frogs, acorns, field corn, sweet corn); you just have to go to a feeding area and most likely, you will spot them. Due to the reason that most hunts are conducted during the night, hunting lights are also important and hunters should pick only high quality and reliable products.

We almost forgot about the most important aspect of coon hunting – the area. A hunter must know very well the area in which the raccoons will hide. It is very hard to hunt them during the day when you do not know the area; but think about hunting them in the middle of the night when it is almost impossible to catch them. The most important areas are the feeding ones, where they live, favorite trees and other similar yet important issues. Make sure that you get the permission of the owner of the land if you will be hunting in a private area.

Many U.S. inhabitants consider the coon meat a delicacy so this hunting activity could give you some dinner solutions. The ideal time for raccoon hunting is during late winter as the raccoon spurs the heaviest. The fur is utilized for hats, coats, winter gloves and collars.

As you might have guessed, coon hunting is popular for good reasons: it offers a great hunting experience, good meat, high quality fur and a unique thrill. If you have not tried it already, give it a go and we assure you that you will not regret it.