Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Stories! As hunters and outdoors people that seems to be a common thing we all have lots of. Join your amateur guide and host on this channel Ken as he gets tales from guys and gals. Chasing that trophy buck for years to an entertaining morning on the duck pond, comedian ones, to interesting that's what you are going to hear. Also along with some general hunting discussions from time to time but making sure to leave political talks out of it. Don't take this too serious as we sure don't! If you enjoy this at all or find it fun to listen to, we really appreciate if you would subscribe and leave a review. Thanks for. checking us out! We are also on fb as Hunts on outfitting, and instagram. We are on YouTube as Hunts on outfitting podcast.
Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Ken's Journey into the Dark: Raccoon Chases and Hound Skills
Ever wondered why deer aren’t scared of coonhounds, despite their noisy presence? Join me, Ken Marr, and my co-host Dalton Patterson, as we unravel this and much more in our latest episode of the Hunts on Outfitting Podcast. We kick things off by sharing my personal journey into the thrilling world of raccoon hunting with hounds, from my first adventure in New Brunswick, Canada, to training my own remarkable coonhounds, Greta and Houdini. This episode is packed with stories that highlight the excitement, legal intricacies, and nighttime adventures that make coon hunting a unique experience.
We then dive into the amazing behavior of our hounds and their fascinating interactions with wildlife. Unlike the predatory presence of coyotes, our coonhounds’ noisy enthusiasm leaves deer completely unfazed. Through vivid personal anecdotes, we recount heart-pounding chases and the challenges of spotting raccoons high up in trees, emphasizing the hounds' incredible focus on their quarry. We paint a clear picture of the intricate dynamics between hunting dogs, deer, and other wildlife, bringing to life the thrill and precision of the hunt.
Finally, we explore the dedication and camaraderie within the hound hunting community. From the nuances of training techniques, like using goats to deter hounds from chasing deer, to the shared struggles and triumphs of night-time hunts, we celebrate the supportive spirit among hound hunters. The commitment required to train and maintain hunting dogs is immense, but the rewards—both in terms of successful hunts and deep friendships—are invaluable. Tune in to experience the passion and dedication that defines coon hunting with hounds, and get a glimpse into a niche community bound by a common love for this thrilling nocturnal pursuit.
Check us out on Facebook and instagram Hunts On Outfitting, and also our YouTube page Hunts On Outfitting Podcast. Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!
this is hunts on outfitting podcast. I'm your host and rookie guide, ken meyer. I love everything hunting the outdoors and all things associated with it, from stories to howos. You'll find it here. Welcome to the podcast, alrighty. Welcome to Hunts on Outfitting Podcast, the only podcast brought to you by the National Coon Hunters Dating Site, coon Hunters. We do it all night long. Alright, thanks for that. If it's your first time listening in, welcome. If not, welcome back. We appreciate you tuning into this. All that we ask is that, if you enjoy it in any way, shape or form, share us out, leave us a review. Appreciate it very much. It helps a lot.
Speaker 1:Uh, this week on the podcast we are going to be talking about coon hunting. Uh, help me on this. Co-host is, uh, dalton patterson. If you've listened to the podcast before, you'll recognize dalton's voice. He's had, uh, some buck hunting stories on here and has helped co-host several times before, so he's going to be doing that again on this one. Thanks, dalton. We get into some coon hunting, how I got into it and some stories about it, and you know those of you listening. You can reach us on Facebook at Hunts on Outfitting, or Instagram Hunts on Outfitting. Send us a message. Want to be on the show, let us know. All right, well, let's get to it. Welcome to the podcast, dalton. Thanks so much for coming out and helping me with this one here.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me Good to be here.
Speaker 1:Good. So this podcast, we're going to be talking about something that is near and dear to my heart and that is raccoon hunting with hounds. Um, now there's a time there where I thought you know, maybe I don't like hunting that much anymore because I just I get bored easy. I don't like being quiet, I don't like staying still. Then I get into the hound world and I realize, no, I love hunting, I just don't like still quiet hunting and luckily with the hounds it is far from it. So I um, how I got started in this would be with uh went out with the.
Speaker 1:Some people from my area here in New Brunswick, canada, and there's not many people that do it in our province I'd say there probably is hardly more than 10 that would do it consistently. Really needs to be a lot more went out with them, absolutely loved it and uh, less than a year later I got my first coonhound, which is a she greta. She is a treeing walker, blue tick cross, a lot of grit. I got her as a pup and uh, youtube videos and reading trained her up. But she had really good instinct in her and then we ended up getting a rescue from Wyoming Houdini. He is a full blue tick male and just kind of went from there. Now, dalton, you've been out on some hunts. Yep, it's a lot of fun. The first thing that you asked me, which a lot of people do, is Is this legal?
Speaker 1:Is this legal? Yeah, thing that you asked me, which a lot of people do, is is this legal? Is this legal? Yeah, because it's pitch dark out middle of the night and we've got flashlights out and all that, and I said, yes, it's 100 legal. Um, as long as no one comes out here, and if it was daylight and it was deer season and we were hunting deer, this would be perfectly legal. No, it is legal.
Speaker 2:It's the only animal that we can hunt here at night I'm gonna say for the record ken told me it was legal and for the first, probably two or three hunts, I thought there's no way, there's, there's honestly no way like this just doesn't even feel right, like it's dark.
Speaker 1:We have a gun and a spotlight like this is literally rule number one of what not to do right and yeah, you think that and I, yeah, people have called and all that because no one knows about it anymore here and they hear gunshots and stuff at night and they figure, you know, and they've called the Rangers. I guess the Rangers asked do you hear dogs? Like, yeah, they're, like it's coon hunting, it's okay, it's all right.
Speaker 1:Things I love most about it is the fact that you know most people they're home, they're sleeping, you know, just not doing anything. We're out there hooting and hollering, the dogs are barking and going fighting, cooing and all that. Just we're getting. You're getting so much more out of the day. That's probably one of my favorite things about it is you know you're not home, like waiting for the sun to come up and all that. You're not rushed after work or anything. Uh, you're just getting that extra bit. You know out of the the 24 hours that some people already kind of have it right off as soon as it gets dark yeah, exactly like we have it.
Speaker 2:We have it fitting into our schedules really nice. So we both work shift work. We work the same, the same days, like I rotate days and nights, but but our days off. So we'll get two or three days off in a row and then you know we do our farming stuff during the day or whatever, right. And then you know the kids go to bed, you know the old ladies in bed, you're like oh, see you later. Have a good night.
Speaker 1:The night after the old trash pandas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no-transcript.
Speaker 1:nice that way yeah, and you just get so much more out of the day and um, and yeah, it's a lot of fun. Yeah, it is a lot of fun, um, getting into it. Yeah, I mean the hounds. It's amazing how much they love it. My hands are inside, you know. Greta sleeps at the foot of the bed every night and houdini sleeps on wherever the hell he wants really in the house. Um, you know, some people don't bring them in. They're wondering if they're as good as hunters if you have them in the house. But absolutely so. I find they're better because you have that better bond with them and they hunt, you know, for you yeah, it doesn't seem to bother greta's aggression any no one's uh, she's a teddy bear in the house and then she's just a cold-blooded killer because you asked the first time we were out.
Speaker 1:You're like, how do you deal with them at home? Because, like, when we're out hunting, they're just not like a bat out of hell and I was like, oh no, they're big babies at home. And they are. They have their blankies and their pillows and they're, you know, curled up on the couch or whatever. But yeah, you people don't believe it when we're out hunting because they're nuts and they're bloodthirsty, real bloodthirsty.
Speaker 1:Because I got lucky when I was training greta when she was younger. I had a cage coon and she was, I don't know, probably five months old at the time and she, she's, you know, introducing her to it. She's, barking at it and all that. She got a little too close and got bit right on the lip and some dogs you know you'll hear about that can turn them off. They're like, no, I'm done, this isn't it. Then her is funny. I'm like, oh shit, maybe I ruined her. She got bit and she pulled back and wave of rage wipe across her face and she just turned ugly and she was really barking and going then like she wanted to kill it. So it's like so ever since then she's had a incredibly strong hatred for raccoon, like she doesn't just love hunting them like she wants. She wants them in her mouth. Yeah, she wants them down from that tree in her mouth.
Speaker 2:Incredibly ferocious which, yeah, she bites the bark off the tree and just get one yeah, snaps branches and goes like she.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, it, it's, it's personal to her, which is good. Great attributes to, uh, you know, an excellent coonhound, and then houdini, he doesn't like him either, but he's not the same pages he really hates cats mainly.
Speaker 1:He knows what his job is and he does it, but he's not quite, as it's not really personal thing yeah, yeah, and I find just greta, having that treeing walker in her, which were bred for competition, coonhound hunting, where she's half that she does have that high intensity level. Houdini is too, but he's a little more laid back but she's just really really intense and ferocious in her, her hunting, which I I think it is because the tree and walker, yeah, yeah, they um, yeah, but they absolutely love it. It's a lot of fun. We're lucky.
Speaker 1:Around here we live, there's cornfields everywhere and you go and talk to the farmers and, uh, ask about hunting coons and there's not a single one. That's like you know, I've kind of gotten used to having those furry little friends around and I'd rather just leave them alone. Like, no, all of them are like, absolutely, shoot as many as you can and if you come across any bear, let them have it too. Of course we don't because we're hunting at night, but during the day, absolutely. So, yeah, they do cause a lot of damage and it's too bad that the furs aren't worth anything anymore and some people are listening to this like, well, the first not worth anything, why are you killing them? But I mean they, aside from carrying rabies, they do a lot of damage. I mean, if you guys love your ground nesting birds, especially areas bringing in turkey and all that they're they're eating their eggs, they're taking them well, if they're, they're eating our food indirectly too.
Speaker 2:Right, like all this stuff they're. They're just.
Speaker 1:They're just wreaking havoc on crops and and, honestly, everybody's garbage box, like everything and I mean at the, you know the farmer's fields, the price of corn, you know they, uh, it does cost a lot of money and the damage that they do, not to mention you know, people's vegetable gardens and all that. Or even, you know, I'll get calls during deer season of, uh, people ask me to come out and, um, you know, run them out of their deer area and shoot them and stuff, because, uh, yeah, they don't really have any, they don't really have any natural predators. They're tough, tough animal, yeah, and I mean a coyote or something like they'd.
Speaker 2:They'd really have to be thinking sideways to latch on to one and mess with them a coon is a very, a very timid animal until you get them cornered or they're they're coming close to the end of their life, like there's a whole different beast inside of them when you get dogs going after them and we'll talk about that later. But we've had a few scenarios where, like they're, they're scary little trash pandas, like they're. They're not nice, they're not cuddly.
Speaker 1:No, they um, yeah, they're vicious, they're really strong too, and uh, but yeah, no, it's fun. I mean I run beagles too and that's a lot of fun. Beagles after rabbits, no shoe hair. And then I always say, you know, the bad dogs come out to play at night, and that's when I I got the crazy coon hounds go and yeah and uh, yeah, but I mean they're an animal that really does need to be managed. Yes, because they will populate and they're so destructive and they'll, they will wreak havoc on your people. That keep, you know, chickens and stuff.
Speaker 2:Or they got feed in the barn or vegetable gardens, the corn all that there's so much for them to eat and there's all these old barns kicking around and there's just, there's endless habitat for them. That's just that's. All they want to do is live in an old barn on a little bale of hay and go eat corn, and I don't want to see them eradicated.
Speaker 1:Obviously I love hunting them, but they're definitely an animal that needs to be kept in check and with fur prices so low, I mean no one's really going after them, so it's good for me. I've got lots of areas to go after, chasing them and everything we normally get. So our season here is from August, the start of August, to around December, but we usually don't go much past the middle of november. They're not really out. I don't find a whole lot. Then they're more around houses and stuff which we're not hunting around houses. Um, so I mean we're usually getting about 80 a year with the hounds. Yeah, so it's, it's pretty good. I mean, some nights you have work, the next day or whatever you know you'll shoot one and be like that's good, good night and away you go. But uh, yeah, come hunting season. It's great because I'll have people call me like you know, are you hunting coons still? Like, yeah, sure, I am. Like, well, can you come out to my deer stand, because the minute the sun starts to go down, they're eating up all my bait and it's costing me a fortune, like yep. And so I'll do that.
Speaker 1:And which brings me to a very big misconception with people that are ignorant and uneducated. And a little stupid is the fact that the coonhounds have absolutely zero impact on deer hunting. They really do. I mean, I've gone out to as soon as the sun goes down. I've gone out to people's deer stands and they can see on camera and all that. The coons come in me, go in there at the coon hounds, we'll tree a few, shoot them and all that and then could be like two hours later not even there's deer in there. Yeah, you know, we've had it.
Speaker 1:The the hounds are not interested whatsoever in the deer because if they chase them which they haven't, but they'd get shocked and there's no reward, they're not getting, they're not going to get it. Yeah, you know they're not. It's not going to be shot down from the tree and then sink their teeth into it. There's just no, there's nothing in it for them. And I mean, uh, I was telling you, dalton, before you came. I was out last night and we're in this newly seeded alfalfa field and the dogs were going through the field and then they got on the scent and they were just in the tree line there and then the whole time they're barking and going. There's a buck not far away, bedded down. Nice big eight point buck Didn't even get up. Yeah, didn't get up at all. Some people like, oh, you know the dog scared and all that Like if you think the dog scare them.
Speaker 1:There are so many coyotes in our area that are in, you know intensely hunting deer. Yeah, and the deer is still there. Oh, and the coonhounds, they and they know, they can tell, I think, quickly that that the dogs don't give two shits about them, they don't care, they're not after them so you know there's nothing sneaky about a coonhound no, you can hear them from a mile away, before they even get out of the back of the truck, right like there's.
Speaker 2:I I honestly believe that and this is not a deer hunting episode and I won't go too far into it but I honestly believe that the easiest way to not really scare a deer is to make as much noise as you possibly can and then if, like, if you know you're gonna scare him, just make all the noise in the world and just come right back out yeah, same thing you drive through with a, with a piece of machinery or something, you know they might run away, but they're back out there five minutes later, right?
Speaker 2:well, yeah, exactly so I I think that has a lot to do with the two where a coyote is a very sneaky animal and they still don't leave the area because of them. I agree with you 100%, ken.
Speaker 1:People are like, oh, they're scaring the deer off. No, these coyotes are in the woods in that area and actually hunting the deer and going after them. The deer don't leave. The coonhands are there, sometimes say one, two nights a week in a certain area, depending on what I'm doing, and I think the deer can figure out quickly like they're not after me. If they're after me I think it'd be a lot more noticeable. It doesn't affect them at all. And a lot of guys think that like, oh, you know all the coon hounds, you know it's at night too, they're running the deer and they'll scare the deer out. Like well, they don't at all, the deer don't care. If people believe that, then they've got bigger issues with the amount of coyotes around. Yeah, so just wanted to get that out of the way and cleared up with. But uh, yeah, so don't.
Speaker 1:You've been on some hunts. You've been on probably one of my better hunts. I mean this one time we both had work the next day and we got out, parked the truck and uh, sometimes greta her nose. It's good and houdini when you're trying I've got them, uh, leashed up and like I'm trying to put the collars on them. Yeah, and uh, you know they're barking and going on and going nuts and all that. Like I was like they got a scent now and they'll bang, hit one right from the tailgate. They'll get going, and it's that night that it happened.
Speaker 1:So I'm trying to get the collars on. They're going nuts and all that. I'm like I think they can smell one already. Finally got the collars on them, let them go boom right out of tree. So we went up there and we're looking and, um, finally spotted it. And then, for those people that don't know, I mean, the coons are hard to spot, they're really hard to spot. They'll go right to the tip, tip top of the crown of the tree and if you have a white light, I find they're not looking at it, they're going to bury their face in there and they are extremely difficult to try to see. Yeah, what gives away for me? If I can't see the eyes? I'll see a bit of the tail somewhere.
Speaker 1:I'm looking for that bit of tail I'm looking for a solid piece of brown, but but even then, I mean, no matter what you're looking for, they're, they're hard to spot I mean we've had before, we've had four in the same tree, yeah and um, we're worth 10, 15 minutes trying to spot one, yeah, and then we realized there's four, yeah, but we're that not even that big a tree, some of them yeah, so that night, yeah, so they basically get out of the track and they were.
Speaker 2:They were on to something. It really seemed like it. I mean, watching Ken wrestle a coonhound is actually quite entertaining. The only thing better is two of them at the same time. They took off and they treed one right there. We were five minutes from my house. We were 30 seconds into the hunt and we had a coon treed.
Speaker 1:We were on a tree line. There's two cornfields and there's this little tree line going between them, and how long would you say that tree line was?
Speaker 2:I don't know, 150 yards maybe.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's hard to say. It wasn't that long though.
Speaker 2:Maybe it was less. It's very hard to say in the dark, but I'd guess somewhere around there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we were in October maybe. Yeah we October maybe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we must have been in October. It was a cool night, very cool night, a couple years ago now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was last year. So the coon, they go in there and finally we spot it, and so the coon are so high up and we try to Do a kill shot on the coon, being ethical but it's damn hard.
Speaker 1:They're way up there. I used the 22 magnum because I started off with the 22, just the 22, and it wasn't enough gun. We've got some big ass coons around here. They're way up through all these branches and everything. Yeah, switch to the 22 mag. You gotta have that extra whack to it, um. So we try to kill them, but they're so. They're tough. They are incredibly tough.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they don't want to die. We've had a few scenarios where this has happened. Was that the coon that was not completely dead?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that happens a bit, so you can always see them way up there. Try to make a good shot. Hit them before you can get another round into them or something. If the first shot wasn't super duper, they'll hit the ground.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they'll start falling and they'll just beat off branches on the way down. It is pretty cool to watch.
Speaker 1:Some, but they a lot of times. Not a lot, but maybe 50% of the time they'll hit the ground. They're very alive, yes, and the hounds live for that, and they're going, going in after it and then I'll try to haul them back if I can and get another shot into it. But Greta's learned quickly.
Speaker 1:She'll dive right in there, get them by the back of the neck, just below the head, and you know where the neck's located and you know she'll, she'll try to end them pretty quick, her and Houdini, but yeah, so this one here that hit the ground oh, and I might add too when they hit the ground.
Speaker 2:Oh, and I might add too, when they hit the ground, there's an unmistakable thud that I can't explain, but it sounds like you just dropped a house on the ground. It's quite a smack. When they do finally hit the ground, I don't even know how to describe it on here. But anyway, continue, Ken.
Speaker 1:Well, it's weird too. Something else about the dogs I do not know how so're like trying to see the coon and all that before you shoot. And then you see it, you're getting the gun up to shoot and they'll go completely silent. Yeah, I don't know how they know you're going to shoot, but they'll. They'll go dead silent because they're waiting to hear that coon come down. Yeah, but they'll be like the whole time we're trying to see it. They'll be barking, barking, barking, barking, going on, and then you're looking, you're looking, then you get the gun up, click the safety off and then, I don't know, they could be in there.
Speaker 2:They couldn't even see you yeah, you could be like standing in a cornfield there in the woods you'll just hear them, just dead silence yeah because I don't, I do not know how they know, but but it's very cool.
Speaker 1:So then, yes, this particular coon here has a huge coon shot, so we had shot a couple times originally, and then I think, if I'm not mistaken, Ken correct me here.
Speaker 2:I'll try to get through this. I believe we didn't reload the gun after the first coon. I think is what happened. We didn't reload the magazine. It was our mistake and I'm pretty sure we took two or three shots at the second coon and when it finally come down we had no more bullets in our magazine.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so they got one right away shot. That one that was a good clean shot Came down and then we were going by this other tree.
Speaker 2:And you said I think I see eyes.
Speaker 1:You're like, oh no, maybe not. And then credo went by the tree, gave her a sniff and she said it's going off. I'm like, yeah, you must have seen eyes. Yeah, and uh, yeah. So the first king was, you know, pretty cut and dry. The second one, yeah, so hit it, I think, twice up in the tree. It came down, hit the ground. I'm going in to look like, oh man, it's still alive. I said it wasn't hit that good and the dogs are fighting and all that. And the thing was giving them a fight because it was so big. So I'm like I hand you the guy and I'm like, here, take the gun. So I'm going to reload the clip real fast. So I'm starting to try to reload the clip and all of a sudden the coon, what it came running like at you. Yeah, so you, you, you didn't want to kick it because you were scared the dogs were going to bite your feet, because the dogs were going at it yeah.
Speaker 1:And then you just whacked it with the gun.
Speaker 2:I hit it with the gun stock. I just kind of like one stepped in and like it was like I looked like a Viking, almost like not near as cool, but I looked like a Viking, like I just one stepped and smacked it on the head.
Speaker 1:Like a real clean shaven Viking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly shaving viking. Yeah, exactly exactly 100, anyway. Uh, yeah, so I I had, I had smacked it with the rifle because, quite frankly, we didn't have any, any, uh, ammo, and it's not like. The problem is, I don't want the dogs to get hurt and I also don't want to get myself hurt, so I don't want to put my leg in that situation, but but I guess I guess, yeah, that's so I'm trying to reload the clip that was my fight or flight response, I guess. Well, at least you didn't scream and run.
Speaker 1:So I mean that's good, um, but yeah, the dogs are going at it and I think by the time I did get the clip reloaded and put it back in the gun ready to go, I think they had it dead.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that thing was giving them one hell of a fight yep, and quite honestly, I might have just knocked it in the head enough to slow it down, and then they finished. It would be my guess, I don't know. I don't think we ended up shooting it again, no, but that's why I have two.
Speaker 1:I mean one because one dog can't hunt, fine, but around here we have a lot of coyotes, yep, and these two they'll, they'll take on a coyote. You know, in a lot of areas that we hunt in, along cornfields and all that, that's coyotes territory, yeah, and they. There is a lot around. There's some big packs and they've had some scuffs with them and, uh, the two of them together I'm not worried about it. They can really hold their own.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and also, yeah, I mean our first year when greta was I think she was about 11 months, 10, 11 months at this point. Yeah, I was with my friend denver and we shot a giant of a coon and um had some good shots into it and it hit the ground and she, you know, dove in there face first to get it and it was latched onto her and then Houdini had jumped in there and got it off her and he was on top of it. We can get in there and give him everything he had and I pulled him off and was able to shoot it again and ended it and it was huge. So this coon went back the next day and weighed it after realizing, like, how big it was.
Speaker 1:We're like talking about that night Like man that was big and it was 48.2 pounds and this is way out in the middle of nowhere in this cornfield. I mean massive.
Speaker 2:I've seen bears smaller than that killed.
Speaker 1:Well, we got in there, we could see it up in the tree, we could tell it was really big. And then, yeah, when we're in there looking at it, the dogs are like looking at it too after we're like man, that's big, like huge.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's remarkable, really, like for these remote areas, like I shouldn't say remote, but rural areas. They're not really eating a lot of garbage, they're just eating corn.
Speaker 1:And they're huge, a lot of it, yeah, but this corn, yeah. So, yeah, 48.2, and I just couldn't believe it. We're just staring at this like man. It's big, but I mean our average coon that we're shooting here, a mature one, I mean, you're looking at 35, 37 pounds. Yeah, really they're. They are big and, uh, if I didn't have two dogs, I'd have some higher vet bills, yeah, yeah. So I remember that night we ended up getting another one after that and Greta was still hunting and everything, and then I never noticed until we got home. She's just inside and then you can see this flap of skin hanging down. I'm like, oh shit, it got her. Good shit Ended up getting, oh, it's like four stitches in there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that coon was nasty, nasty.
Speaker 1:Didn't deter or any, but they aren't the dogs, so they go in there face first, every time ready to go.
Speaker 2:One on each end.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're nuts but they just live for it, they love it so much. But yeah, that's another thing with the coyotes is it's good having two, because I mean we've had nights where we uh friend of mine, denver we went out to this field and let them go and it's I don't know, it was late at night and there's one coyote in the field and the dogs, just for fun, they went off. After that coyote gave us some bites and all that and put the run to it and, um, so we were hunting, you know, we kept hunting and they treed one and further down this field, along the edge of it, and, you know, shot that and everything. And then, um, after that we went to this other area and and that field just a little further up is a really large field and shot a coon there. I'm like, oh, you know it's good and we're talking normal, not being quiet at all. And then we're almost back to the truck and I got the dogs on a leash and then, uh, you know the coyotes I was telling the story, I guess, in the last podcast.
Speaker 1:The coyotes just kind of got going and everything and luckily I had the dogs leash and we've had it where the coyotes have come in like, yeah, they'll get the dogs good, good run for their money, fighting wise and stuff, and it's just. If I had one dog, I think I'd be. Yeah, I'd have some higher vet bills.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you, uh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'd have some higher vet bills yeah, you almost need two dogs and you need, you need to have two people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because it helps. Yeah, when you get in them scenarios where you've got a rifle and you're you're trying to get those dogs off of a coon that's really still alive to shoot it, that you know that's a lot for one person yeah, yeah to try and get two dogs off. So really like two and two or three people and two, two dogs is good too.
Speaker 1:Helps a lot, yeah. And then I remember you know it's another, hunt last year is fun. So there's a. We didn't realize there's there's two coons up this tree but I only saw one. So the dogs, I'll have a friend run the spotlight and whoever we bring along we'll let shoot and bring a lot of new people out just to experience it and all that. And it is really cool and they always find that it is neat too, and so, anyways, they shot.
Speaker 1:And then all of a sudden I hear this thing hit the ground and go a little ways off and I'm like, oh, I said I think it's still alive. I heard it run. They're like, no, no, the one that we shot is in the tree, dead. It gets hung up in the branches. There's a live one up there that jumped out and ran. I'm like, oh shit. So you can hear the dogs like, wait a minute, so that you know. So them. So they're running through the woods going after this thing.
Speaker 1:This thing comes out to a beaver bond. And I've heard people tell me this and I've heard I've read it in magazines and all that that the coons, how smart they are and everything, they'll lure the dogs out into water and then they'll try to jump on their heads and drown them. And I thought that was crazy. And then sure as shit. So I was like what? So that one's not hit at all? They're like, no, that one doesn't have a bullet in it. I'm like, all right, he's big and the dog's going after that.
Speaker 1:So we go out and we're in this beaver pond and sure enough, it's on this alder out there in the water and the dog's like swimming out, trying to get it and all that. And the thing is like jumping and hitting at them and everything. Yeah, trying to get them in the water. Yeah, they're in the water, like trying to jump on their heads. So, anyways, I was like holy shit. So I, I jump into there and I was built up to my waist. I got a picture of it after, of us with the Coonies, see the water line up to my waist, and I was like gun, gun, gun and they, they throw me the gun.
Speaker 2:I grabbed the gun, get in there, and the things like fighting the dogs and all that in this water and there's a bit of a current and everything and I shoot that and yeah of it, and you don't have to be quiet or anything and yeah, I really enjoy the social aspect of it, bringing people out, yeah, yeah, you see, like you see all these people getting to experience it for the first time and and yeah, it's a fun experience because you really never know what you're going to get yourself into well yeah, it's the fun, like they're not knowing.
Speaker 2:I mean I know that's hunting in general a lot of the times, right, I mean most of us are deer hunters, but but uh, yeah to to go out and you know you could have a really good night or your season could go like my hunts are going with you this year, just dry, but that's just with even bad luck this year, because the other night, I know last night we got a few and yeah but uh, you know we'll turn that around.
Speaker 1:It's rare though in the season, I mean I'd say the past few years, each season, you know we go about twice a week, I'd say it's no more than two or three times that we don't get one. Really, I mean we go to.
Speaker 1:You know. Just, it can depend on the night for scenting and all that. But I'll tell you the dogs will definitely try their best, but it's rare. We don't get one. It's quite rare. But, um, you know, when people ask you like you know about training them, and how did the dogs not write anything else? Like I said, you know the hounds, if they got it in them, they're like a wind up toy that you just pull back and let go and you point in that direction and, uh, you know they'll figure out quickly. You teach them, like you know, coons coons is what you want, that's what mine are after and they, if they've got the instinct, they're going for it. Yeah, you know, my grandfather had this thing here and beagles and he used to bring them. Beagles are good too. They're same any hound, right they're. I find they're pretty easy to train if you've got the instinct.
Speaker 1:He kept goats, though for this part of it. For this reason, he used to bring them in to the goat pen with a bunch of baby goats. Kids and the beagles be like chasing after them and having a great time, like, oh, this is fun running them, yeah, and then he'd let the mom in. She'd go in there and kick the shit out of them. Yeah, and that way, when they're in the woods and they come across a deer, they're like, nope, that wasn't fun last time that was not fun at all, because goats and deer are quite similar yeah, scenting, smell and all that, and um, yeah, so that's how we. You know, I've never had trouble either. I have sheep and I've had when she was gretta puppy younger around the sheep and I just let her go near them and then I chalked the shit out of her with her collar. And no, they don't, they don't pay attention at all no, no, they really don't seem to deviate like we.
Speaker 2:we had a. I think it was actually the first night I went out with you. Skunk there was a skunk that we saw. Yeah, we saw it right in a wide open field, so they definitely knew it was there.
Speaker 1:They ran by it.
Speaker 2:And they ran right on by it. They didn't even pay attention, which I was quite impressed by. Yeah, because everything gets into skunks. Yeah, they went right by it.
Speaker 1:Most dogs get, yeah yeah, even last year I was out with my friend ryan and the dogs were going on working the scent through the this cornfield and all that. And then he he's like, oh, I see a porcupine, I'm like what. And then we're like, oh shit, like that's what they're after. And then they're running by and going. Then I realized, like this thing's hardly moving, the hounds they're with you one minute. You blink, they're 600 yards away. If they want to catch this damn porcupine, they catch it. No, they're after coon. They weren't paying any attention to it at all, which is, yeah, it's lucky, yeah, but that's just how hounds are. There's just a lot less training, more instinct, just you know.
Speaker 2:Time in the field yeah, yeah, a lot of it's instinct, like you can see the difference in that between your two dogs, right yeah, yeah like greta's, is very nasty coon driven, and houdini it's more.
Speaker 1:He was a cat dogdog originally, but he's into coons too and he'll do that. He's just good backup too. He's good muscle.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, he goes on some adventures once in a while, but he always comes back, yeah.
Speaker 1:He's there, he's ready to fight. When there's a coon, he's always got her back with anything, but especially the coon. Yeah, but, yeah, yeah but yeah, it's a lot of fun, it's good to you know, take a lot of people out every year. Take, try to take as many people out as I can and people are really interested in coming out and seeing it. And I don't really expect any of these people to get their own dog. They love coming but they're, uh, their commitment. The coonhands are a lot of dog yeah, hunting dog is a huge commitment the coonhands are a lot, but uh, it's.
Speaker 1:You know people come out and at least see that they're educated in it and just kind of spreading the word about it, because sometimes there's some misconceptions about the industry and the sport per se. But it is really neat and everyone that I've brought out has always said you know, I'm ready to come back anytime, which is awesome. I'm like, absolutely, you know back anytime, which is awesome, like absolutely, you know it's fun, you can bring, you can have as many people as you want really, and I just have one gun and then I always, you know, let someone else carry it if they want or whatever, because I'm running the spotlight and the dogs and then I carry the clip in my pocket and we don't load the gun until we're absolutely ready to shoot. Keep everything you know real good and safe, and the gun, unless we're immediately about to shoot, it's always empty. Yeah, not even clipping it, nothing.
Speaker 2:Well, you're beating through brush and you're you know. It's just not a good environment to have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the dogs, you know, just try to keep it as safe as possible. And yeah, no, it's, it's a wanted to. You know, do a little podcast on and say that's, that's my main thing, that's what I do for hunting, I do the hound stuff, the beagles with snowshoe hair, and also, you know, the coon hounds is what got me into that hound world. And then you get realizing that the hound world is quite small and a really good, close-knit community across north america, I find, which is really awesome.
Speaker 2:Well, it seems to be an environment like I'm not in it, of course, but it seems to be an environment like. I'm not in it, of course, but it seems to be a very encouraging environment. It doesn't seem to be like a lot of other facets of hunting where there's so much competition and so much jealousy between people that are in any industry, I guess. But anyway, I don't think two whitetail hunters are going to be sharing a lot of their, a lot of their tips and tricks, but I don't. I don't never seen hound hunters be against that kind of thing.
Speaker 1:No, no, I find that is really good. Community within it's a dying sport, like anything. I mean the dogs are a lot of commitment, a lot of work and not as many people are doing that. So the people that are still in the industry and all that I find are really, yeah, they're encouraging, they're helpful and, like you know, let's keep this, keep this going. And it's not that people I find are more against it, they're just, yeah, it's not, it's not willing to put in the time and the commitment yeah, 100, so I'm one of those people it's uh, but it's good to see people coming out and all that and yeah and stuff.
Speaker 1:So yeah, dalton, thanks for coming on and talking about a coon hunting, and we will definitely have another podcast on this again yeah, thanks for having me ken appreciate.