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CoonDawgs.com Youth Essay Contest Winner

CoonDawgs.com is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2011 CoonDawgs.com Youth Essay Contest is 12 year old Chelsea Hatcher from Cave City, KY.

Chelsea won a subscription of her choice to either Coonhound Bloodlines, American Cooner, Full Cry, or The Rabbit Hunter and a Bushnell Backtrack GPS.

Here is Chelsea's winning essay:

quote:

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Hound Hunting Experiences

I have had various hounds or at least hunted with them. I have tried hunting Beagles for rabbits, Treeing Walkers for coon hunting, squirrel hunting mixed up hounds, and my personal favorite Redbone Coonhounds for both squirrel and coon hunting. My love for Redbones and all hounds started when my brother Adam purchased his Coonhound, Red.

Red can lay up squirrels like crazy! Then go hunt with the older dogs and tree coons with them. Me and my brother are different than other people. Where I live everyone has either a Walker or a Black and Tan.

The first time I went squirrel hunting I was almost seven, but as a girl growing up in South Central Kentucky it was nothing. We took a mixed up hound of mine and came home with a nice mess of squirrels. The next night momma cooked'em up. Yup! How fried squirrel hits the spot.

Then I seen how beautiful my cousin's Walker Coonhound was. His name was Boss. So I begged and begged to go coon hunting. My brother and other cousin were nice enough for “sissy” to tag along. It was a cold winter night. You could even see your breath. Then in the distance we heard the deep bawl of Wimpy treed, “Awoo, Awoo,Awoo, Awoo,Awoo, Awoo”. That coon sure did put up a fight. Then all at once like it started it was all over. We brought home a nice hide.

Well that hunt got my brother wanting a dog he looked and looked for almost a year then I heard “Sissy come here I found the one”. It was a Redbone Coonhound litter. They were adorable. A Breeder in Tennessee worked out a deal with him. We were lucky the blood went back to “Hoffmisters Red Bomber” and even farther to “Hoffmisters Rusty Red”. He got a male puppy and his UKC papers read 'PR' Hatcher's Rowdy Old Red.

Red is very loyal to Adam and a very hard tree dog on squirrels and a started dog on coons.

Just to show how hard a tree dog on squirrels he is; picture this it's a crisp fall afternoon and what the silence? The sweet sounding Redbone Coonhounds chop on tree. The squirrel went in his den but Red wasn't done with him, he started biting all the bark off the tree!! When my brother pulled him off his gums were blood red! Now that's a hard tree dog! Another time we shot one out on him they fought and fought, he sure does hate squirrels.

I feel sorry for city kids because they can't go hunting. I have learned almost as much in the woods with my hounds that I have learned in schools.

You learn patience – you have to wait for the dog to tree.

Respect – you respect your dog will tree for you.

Responsibility – If you don't feed your hounds they won't hunt.

That's just a few.

Now I'm from Hart Co. KY and my school LeGrande there is more girls that hunt with hound than boys! We are the real deal we wear all the American Outfitter Coon Dog shirts. People ask why do you like coon hunting/squirrel hunting? I tell them the thrill of the hunt. But I know they will never understand because I am a die hard country houndsgirl who loves coon hunting.

In my opinion more youth need to hunt with hounds. We the youth have to keep a American Tradition alive. HUNTING WITH HOUNDS. Please take a kid hunting!

Chelsea Hatcher
Age 12
Cave City, KY

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Congrats

Sounds like a very deserving winner. I really liked reading her story. Keep'em in the woods. You can't go wrong.

__________________
John Sapier

She did a fine job, you get a good idea of what it was like to be there on some hunts. Good job Buckshot promoting the sport and encouraging the kids to write a good essay.

Congrats

12 years old WOW great reading there young lady,,,all i can say is never,never lose that hunting SPIRIT that you have ,,once again congrats and thanks ,,Chuck West

Congrats! You can tell that's from the heart! Great job and keep up the hunting!

__________________
OAKS POINT KENNELS

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