When most hunters think of raccoon hunting, they imagine the howling of a Black and Tan in the distance, hot on the trail of a coon. Hunters with lights strapped to their heads running through the woods trying to catch up with the treed dogs. Yes, that is the norm of coon hunting. Unfortunately, many hunters are missing out on the excitement that revolves around calling coons.
The dying-rabbit call works on most predators, but the one exception is the coon. The reason for this is simply that coons do not eat rabbits. They eat things like fish, insects, crayfish and, birds. It did not take long for a call imitating the shrill of a wounded bird to hit the market specifically for coon hunters. Both electronic calls like the FoxPro CS-24 and mouth-blown calls work well for calling coons and can be purchased at most larger sporting goods stores, or they can be found on the Internet.
The best time to call coons is at night, when they are out prowling for food. With other predators the dark of the moon is best, but with coons it makes no difference. A moonlit night is just as good as a dark one. In fact, on a bright night you can bring them on in without the benefit of a light, depending solely on the moon for illumination. But the truth is coon can be called in effectively even during daylight hours.
You can call coons like you would other predators. The basic technique is the same. You follow the same rules of strategy such as putting the wind to your face, remaining concealed and motionless, and you call steadily, about 10 or 15 minutes. If one is going to answer your call it comes fairly swiftly, not as fast as a fox perhaps, but still within a short time. A raccoon is not as inclined to come as far as a fox to the call, but you are more likely to find a number of them together, in the same general area.
The coon population has been on a sharp rise in recent years. Several factors have contributed to this. The foremost, maybe, is a decline in fur prices, where many trappers do not see any reason to trap them. The sport of chasing coons with dogs has diminished somewhat, due to a general swing in urban living. Because of all of this, raccoons have thrived and multiplied as never before.
Although this black- masked critter with the dark-ringed tail is expanding its range all the time, and is continually moving westward, they are found predominately from the Midwest eastward, from Florida to Maine and southern Canada, and even in Alaska, where they have been introduced, and seem to be doing quite well. The average size of a typical coon ranges from about eight to eighteen pounds.
When calling coons, it is important to move at least a half-mile or more between stops. Under optimum conditions, or a perfectly calm day, the call will travel for almost a mile. Any wind tends to muffle the call, which means that you need not move as far between calls on a windy day as you would in still conditions. Calling with a light prevailing wind is not much of a problem, but when the wind speeds are more than 10 mph or higher, you are in for a challenge. Not only is it more difficult to call a coon in the wind, but the animal, even a curious coon, is more jittery and cautious.
When choosing a calling location look around creeks, rivers, and lakes, as coons love to eat aquatic creatures. But, the type of food they are eating varies throughout the season. They could be found eating wild fruit one week; the next they could be found in a cornfield while still later they could be found eating ripening nuts. Master the food situation, and you have half the bottle won. Coons leave distinctive tracks and droppings, and a little searching through an area will quickly ascertain whether they are present in huntable numbers.
The best time to hunt raccoons is when there is a shortage of natural foods. This is usually late December through the close of the season in most states, since a lot of food will be buried under snow. During this time coons will move to any stream, lake or farm pond with open water looking for something to eat.
At night you can prowl a stream, shining a light around until you locate the telltale glow of eyes, then pause and go to work on the call and bring the animal to you. When one is up a tree, effectively hidden from the hunter below, a sharp blowing of the call will prompt it to reveal itself.
But coons are comfortable in groups and for that reason you will usually find them in plentiful numbers within a limited area, once you pinpoint their present source of food. That’s why you should — after shooting and retrieving a coon — return to the identical spot where you made your shot. It will not be long before another coon is moving through the area, and if it hears your call, it will come.
These methods might seem a little strange to the coon hunter that has relied on hounds for so many years. Go ahead and keep running your hounds, as I do. But for a change of pace, I occasionally call coons with success. It is a bit more laid back, but the action can be quick.
As this video will show, calling coons during the day is also a productive way to harvest the animals. It’s catching on across the country as more and more hunters take part in it.
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