One trash panda down

[jls in az]

I grew up in the Louisiana swamps at the north end of the Atchafalaya Basin. We raised and trained coon dogs. It was my dad's one great passion. I spent many nights as a kid behind a pack of bluetick hounds either running through the swamps or working the edges of a cornfield. In the late summer/early fall of 1965, we took over 1,000 coons out of one 100-acre cornfield. The landowner was very thankful and praised our dogs for literally saving his corn crop that year. Most of those coons were "give mes" that ran up the first tree available once the dogs started. Hunting the big ones in the swamps was more challenging and more fun. They'd lead the dogs for hours before finally treeing. Watching and listening to the dogs work is something that I still fondly remember almost 60 years later.

 

[JSHKS]

On the way home from work and saw a couple of young coons running around. Not normal for that time of day and in the heat.

Don't get me started on pigeons. They are one nasty bird. For some reason they decided to roost on everything at work. The boss thought nothing of it till he saw all the crap from a few nights.
He went after them with a shotgun, and proclaimed he scared them off. I then pointed out it would be for a very short time. Sure enough, one landed and they all came.

I put my old RWS 45 Diana to work. The first day was around 100, I kid you not. Between me and my son shooting them over the next several months another 400. They finally got the message and moved else where.
Still get feathers and bones off the roofs after hard rains and high winds.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I grew up in the Louisiana swamps at the north end of the Atchafalaya Basin. We raised and trained coon dogs. It was my dad's one great passion. I spent many nights as a kid behind a pack of bluetick hounds either running through the swamps or working the edges of a cornfield. In the late summer/early fall of 1965, we took over 1,000 coons out of one 100-acre cornfield. The landowner was very thankful and praised our dogs for literally saving his corn crop that year. Most of those coons were "give mes" that ran up the first tree available once the dogs started. Hunting the big ones in the swamps was more challenging and more fun. They'd lead the dogs for hours before finally treeing. Watching and listening to the dogs work is something that I still fondly remember almost 60 years later.

I had a small horse farm in CT back in the 80s. I raised/trained/hunted first class bird dogs. Had a friend that raised/trained/hunted first class COON dogs. I had a 300 acre farm next to my property with all corn and then another 3,000 State game Lands all around us. Talk about the coon population! One thing that farmers hated about coons is not that they ate some corn, but that the coon would rip the entire corn stock down and continue to do so with many others. Hardly ate any corn off of each stock, but killed the stock.
My friend would bring his Blue Ticks, Red Bones up to my house before the evening. We would have a nice cook out before going hunting. Until you hunted with some class A coon dogs on a hunt you have missed out. Back then we all had the "Miners" head lights with big batteries attached to our belts. It is amazing to see/hear how the dogs work. Just by the bark the handler knows where the dogs are as well as what the are doing The tree howl is totally different.
JLS you had a real good growing up with your dad and something that almost no other person knows about this kind of a hunt. Your post brings back real fond memories. I sit here now and think back to those times. Can see the dogs trying to climb the tree and the bright lighted eyes from above shining back at you.
Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Len

 

[jls in az]

I was luckier than most and got to grow up close to the earth. Being part Cajun, I also learned to eat just about anything that walked, crawled, slithered, flew or swam. Raccoon is great when it's fixed right.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I was luckier than most and got to grow up close to the earth. Being part Cajun, I also learned to eat just about anything that walked, crawled, slithered, flew or swam. Raccoon is great when it's fixed right.

Thanks for sharing your youth story on coon hunting! Doesn't have anything with being part Cajun-has a lot to do with the good parents that raised you!!! God Bless you and especially your good parents that raised you in God's way & your family.

We see a lot of good posts on shooting and hunting with all the technical equipment and advancements to help us shoot and hunt. BUT when you really look into most of the posts on this site it is all about God, Family, and friendship.

Jill and I read these posts and get a lot of life lessons.
Keep up the good work LRH!!!

 

[tribb]

I grew up in the Louisiana swamps at the north end of the Atchafalaya Basin. We raised and trained coon dogs. It was my dad's one great passion. I spent many nights as a kid behind a pack of bluetick hounds either running through the swamps or working the edges of a cornfield. In the late summer/early fall of 1965, we took over 1,000 coons out of one 100-acre cornfield. The landowner was very thankful and praised our dogs for literally saving his corn crop that year. Most of those coons were "give mes" that ran up the first tree available once the dogs started. Hunting the big ones in the swamps was more challenging and more fun. They'd lead the dogs for hours before finally treeing. Watching and listening to the dogs work is something that I still fondly remember almost 60 years later.

Hello I grew up in central Mississippi! I'm now 76. My Dad had numerous coon dogs and we spent many a night doing the same thing you have described here. I made a lot of money selling coons. It was a wonderful time in America to be alive! Too bad my Grandson will never experience a coon hunt with hounds. I guess it's all "gone with the wind" Thanks for the memories sir.

 

[hrhunter]

My dad started my brothers and I out hunting and trapping like many of you. I think the first time we were hunting together for pheasants, dad had his single shot Iver Johnson 12 guage and my 2 brothers and I took turns carrying our BB gun. Dad passed away in April 2020. We spent a lot of time together hunting pheasants, deer, etc. All the grandsons got one of Dad's guns. My youngest brother and I got a couple of them too.

Update: I have gotten 5 coons in a trap. 3 consecutive nights and then one liked the trap so well he took it and left the chain. I got a call on the way home from work from my wife that I had caught another one. He didn't like the 55 grain soft point from my truck gun, an AR pistol.

 

[Fedwell]

They CAN'T resist cat food. Use that and you'll wipe em out. A thermal night vision scope would seal the

BTW. Skunks also Love CAT Food.

 

[hrhunter]

BTW. Skunks also Love CAT Food.

I know as do possums.

 

[jls in az]

I was born in Natchez, MS and grew up across the river in LA. We got to watch all that prime hardwood bottomland be cleared so the vegans can have tofu. Millions of acres of carbon sink wildlife habitat lost to soybeans.

 

[Sinko]

To quote the Cajuns...choot'em

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I was born in Natchez, MS and grew up across the river in LA. We got to watch all that prime hardwood bottomland be cleared so the vegans can have tofu. Millions of acres of carbon sink wildlife habitat lost to soybeans.

Sorry to hear that loosing the prime hardwood habitat, on the other end of the spectrum the tree huggers won't let the foresters cut timber because of the "Barking Spider". May be no happy medium anymore. Let's not maintain the forest and loose everything to massive fires and then your example where everything is gone to farming.