Wowee, what a hoot! And I’m reminded that for all the same reasons I like mounted foxhunting and foot hunting rabbits w/bassets & beagles; I just loved raccoon chasing! It’s the start of the coon chasing season yesterday. A friends farm is having a bad problem with coons raiding the chicken house so…a call went out to a relative who is a serious coon huntin’ Virginia gentleman and he showed up at sunset with 3 other Va. Gentlemen and their 4 hounds. Before the 3 hour hunt was up, we’d treed 2 and trapped another. Exhausting, exhilirating, sweaty and fun experience. We’re going again for sure some time!
Some things I was amazed & noticed & learned at:
Nowadays there lots of hi-tech! GPS locator collars with LED lights, shock collars, radio attenaes on the collars, coal miner type head lamps, special other lights and flashing things the hounds wear which allows you to see them far away. It’s a hoot to see the lights running & darting about in the woods & fields. Each hound a different color.
You havent’ lived until you’ve hiked & run thru the pitch dark (hunted from 9p-1am) woods/fields/trails on foot keeping up. Now I know why those guys all had on half chaps and WHY didn’t I wear mine! Forgot my brush pants too.
A coon calling device sounds like a dying duck! The hunt really is all about the hound work and hound sounds. The leader told me there are 3 distinct hound sounds. 1=when he’s found a line 2=when the hound has a fresh coon line or has “located” 3=when the hound has a coon treed. They refer to the “chop” or rate of bark the hound has when treeing and a faster, louder chop is preferred! I found the hound music EXACTLY like out foxhunting. You can hear the level of excitement and almost see the action in your mind (cuz lord knows you can’t see anything else!!).
Each hound has it’s own distinctive sound and after awhile we were able to sort that out. 1 sounded like an american hound with a softer howl almost like a young entry whose lost the pack. 2 sounded just like english hounds with a short, loud bark when on the line. The 4th sounded like a crossbred; a relaxed barky howl. 2 hounds were very experienced and 2 were young (13 & 18 mos.) and all did fine altho clearly the 2 older ones were more spot on and excited & more on task. One was a tricolored, cross bred looking hound. Another was an all red american looking one and the 2 mostly black/black & tans were big headed/wide foreheaded, stocky, tall hounds. I guess cross bredy. I asked about breeding and was told they were “black & tans”… All very sweet & joblike.
I got my moneys worth outa the hiking stick I’d brought to use, the bug spray and my hiking boots. Crossed streams, climbed coops, ran thru briars, did some bushwacking (only to find out there was a trail about 30 feet away!! :eek:)did gates etc in the pitch dark. And of course the big oak they treed one at was in the boondocks and took some struggling to get to. They let the hounds howl & bark at the tree while the hounds are going nuts & trying to climb the tree. Just like a mark!! :yes: Lots of hoopla & encouraging & praise. Lots of shining lights up the tree to see the varmint!! They left him be for another night and we stumbled home talking about the hunt & the chase and where we might find some water for the panting/hot hounds. We did and let them drink and hiked home. Not without a few questionable turns in the dark mind you!! 
I was one of 2 women and we provided some humor for the menfolk. The hunters are fulla good natured joking & ribbing about each others hounds and other things. At one point we sat on logs and just listened under the stars.
The first coon was treed within 10 mins of starting in an oak with a farm bull in the field so we couldn’t get too close. The bull emitted sounds that sounded…well…creepy there in the dark! First growling, then grunting, then bellows that echoed. So apparently one of the things you need to know is where all the bulls are located in the areas you’re hunting! :winkgrin:
And these coon hunters are a lot like we foxhunters. They love the country & the challenge. They love and seemed to care a lot about their well cared for hounds. The hound music is the thing and they get excited when the hounds do. The “mark” is celebretory. They thank & appreciate the landowners & respected the property. They have all the accoutrements of their sport and loved sharing it with us proudly. Hunt on my new friends! Hunt on!!! 
Isn’t it hot in Virginia right now??? I mean, heck, we only drop down to 75-78 at night w/ that much humidty right now. It’s all I can do to feed the horses and hose them off.
Yes we talked about it as we walked along. But heck, I can barely ride a horse in daylight so what makes me think I’d ever be able to hunt at night on a mule much less trust his eyesight when I don’t know him!! And jumping?!! :eek: At night!!!:eek::eek::eek: OUTA the question me thinks!!! :lol: I’ve heard them stories…yessirreee…not me!
