Coon Hunting Equipment
The supplies used for raccoon hunting can vary greatly depending upon the budget and skill level of the hunter. At the very least, you’ll need a dog, a leash, a gun, and a flashlight, but as with any hobby, there are plenty of additional items you can choose to purchase.
Coon Hunting Equipment
Permit/License
Each state has different seasons and permit regulations. Contact your department of conservation before hunting to ensure that you have proper documentation to hunt.
Coonhounds
A coonhound is a dog that is bred to have a keen sense of smell, obedience, and the ability to trail and corner an animal. A hunter typically hunts with one or two coonhounds at a time.
Popular breeds include: American English Redtick, Black and Tan, Bluetick, Plott, Redbone, and Walker.
The price of a coonhound can vary greatly by age, lineage, and skill level. An unregistered puppy may cost as little as $50 while trained dog with strong lineage can cost several hundred or even thousands of dollars.
Collars and Leashes/Leads
A strong collar is needed, such as the Hamilton Plastic Coated Nylon Collar.
Hamilton 3/4-Inch x 18-Inch Plastic Coated Nylon Webbing Dog Collar, Orange
Some coon hunters choose to put a transmitter on their dog that will allow them to locate the dog easier. The Garmin DC50 GPS Dog Transmitter is one of the highest rated tracking collars on the market and is priced around $250.
Garmin DC 50, GPS Dog Transmitter
A high quality leash is important because the dogs can be quite forceful when they pick up a scent. The Lupine Training Lead has great reviews and is very budget friendly.
Lupine Training Lead for Medium and Larger Dogs, 3/4-Inch Wide by 30-Feet Long, Blaze Orange
If you intend to hunt with two dogs, the Caldwell’s No Tangle Dual Leash is strong and easy to control.
Dog Boxes
A dog box is a box used to transport dogs in the back of a pickup. They can be made from almost any material, but aluminum is the most common. Dog boxes range greatly in price due to size and features. The most basic of boxes start around $200 new, such as the Port-A-Dog Box
Port-A-Dog Box – 2 Dog T462 (330603)
Choose a box that allows your dog(s) to fit comfortably inside and fits in the back of your truck well. If you have multiple dogs, make sure the box has multiple partitions.
If you are in a cold climate, you should look for ventilation systems that are easily closed to ensure your dogs stay warm during the ride. Some boxes will even have storage compartments that are handy to store all of your supplies.
Lights
Lighting can range from a simple LED flashlight to a headlamp and battery pack. When selecting a light, you’ll want to take brightness, range, battery life, and comfort into consideration.
Many hunters prefer a headlamp, which is a light that mounts to your head or cap, for hands free lighting. The Kohree 5W LED is a popular choice. It boasts a 200 meter range, is waterproof, and has a large battery capacity. It is priced at around $55 on Amazon.
Pack
Whether you choose to skin your coons on site or bring them home, you’ll need a pack to carry them in. You’ll want something that’s light to carry, durable, and easy to clean, such as the ALPS OutdoorZ Ranger Day Pack.
ALPS OutdoorZ Ranger Day Pack (Realtree Xtra Camo Fabric)
Clothing
Your clothing options will vary greatly depending on climate. Because coon hunting often takes place near swamps, rivers, and ponds, waterproof gloves, boots, and pants are a good choice.
Dickies Men’s Insulated Bib Overall
You’ll also want to dress in layers for the colder climates. Coveralls such as the Dickie’s Insulated Bibs are a good choice.
Gun and Ammunition
You’ll need a small caliber rifle or pistol, such as a .22 to shoot the raccoons (if you’re hunting to kill) after they’ve been treed. You’ll also need a skinning knife or a fur handling kit.
Wiebe 5 Piece Fur Handling Kit
As you can see, the cost and amount of supplies varies greatly among hunters. If you’re just starting out, try it with a few of the basics and add to your collection as your experience grows.
If pleasure hunting is more of your thing then you may want to go with this DIY dog box. This kit is from Owens. It comes with the metal pieces needed and you supply the wood and wood screws. The cost for this do it yourself kit is around 
Coon Hunting Competition Hunts
September 12, 2016 by Hunter • Events, Know-How • 0 Comments
Once you’ve dipped your feet in the sport of coon hunting, you may be looking for more ways to showcase your dog. Many hunters turn to competition hunts. Competitions allow hunters to showcase their dogs by competing against other dogs in a regulated format.
The two most popular types of hunts are endorsed by the Professional Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club. The Professional Kennel Club offers a more competitive style of hunt while the United Kennel Club offers a more laid back, friendly hunt.
Professional Kennel Club
The Professional Kennel Club (PKC) is the self-proclaimed largest organization that offers competitive hunts and coonhound registration. They also offer rabbit and squirrel hunting competitions. The P.K.C. hunts are often referred to as ‘money hunts’. The winners of each competition are awarded money instead of points or trophies.
You must be a member of the Professional Kennel Club in order to participate in the competitions. Membership fees range from $10-$25 per calendar year in addition to the competition fees. Members will also receive a subscription to Prohound magazine.
Entry fees must be paid for each event in addition to the membership fees. You can find PKC events near you by visiting their website at www.Prohound.com. On the event schedule, you will find contact information, locations, dates, and entry fees.
Your dog must also be PKC registered in order to hunt. PKC allows you to register any dog, as long as it has coonhound characteristics. It is not required that you know the parentage.
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is thought to be one of the oldest and most well-known dog registries. It was established in 1898 and registers dogs from all 50 states and 25 additional countries.
The UKC has a strong emphasis on family friendly, educational events. In addition to the competition hunts, they also offer programs such as obedience trials, agility trials, dock jumping, drag races, and bench shows. Instead of cash prices, the UKC awards points. Points accumulate to boost your dog’s class, or title.
The UKC also differs in that emphasis is placed directly on owner handlers. Professional handlers are ineligible to compete with dogs they do not own directly. Full emphasis is placed on the dog’s ability, not showmanship.
All dogs participating in UKC events must be UKC registered. The UKC does not currently support single registration, so parentage must be documented.
You can find register and learn more about local events here: http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/WebPages/DogEvents/Home
What to Expect at a Competition Hunt
After you’ve researched each kennel club and verified that your dog is eligible, you are ready to start competing.
You will complete your registration and check in upon arrival. After you have registered, you will be divided into casts. Each cast is a group made up of four or five hunters and their dogs. They will then travel with a guide to the hunting grounds.
The members of each cast are lined up and the dogs are released at the same time. The cast members will listen closely for their dogs. Because no two dogs sound alike, it’s easy for the owner to recognize his dog’s bark. Once the owner hears his dog pick up the scent, he must yell ‘Strike’. The judges will award points to the first dog that strikes.
They will then wait for the dogs to tree the coon. Each dog will have a different bark when they tree as when they strike, but the owner will easily recognize it. The owner and the judges will then go to find the coon. They will receive points if they can find it in the tree with their lights, but will lose points or face a possible scratch if the raccoon cannot be located. No raccoons are killed during a competition hunt.
Once the hunt is completed, the scorecard must be turned into the judges before the deadline. If you miss the deadline, you will be disqualified. The scorecards are then tallied and points and prizes are awarded.
Competition hunts provide an outlet for owners of all ages and levels to showcase their dogs. Choose the style of event that best fits your goals and the abilities of your dog.