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Hunting with the leaves on?

What’s the percentage you think of coons found in big leafy trees? Shining here in this part of the world is difficult at best with thick 20 foot tall under brush then huge thick oak trees. Looked for 30 minutes the other night to find the coon as I was walking out. I can’t blow a squaller and make them look for sheit.

Our leaves are as thick as any. It always gets me how fast we find them WHEN THEY ARE THERE.
One guy with good eyes, 75%. Four dogs on a tree, 90%. I know many will think that is way too high but many years of observation, I believe it is accurate. Maybe subtract 10% on bright full moon nights.

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UKC Nite Champion Stylish Harry's Trixie - 2017 World Hunt Qualified - Owners - Sizemore/Martin
PKC CH/UKC GrNtCh Stylish Kate - 9/12/08 to 9/23/2016 R.I.P - Owners Sizemore/Martin
AKC/UKC NtCh Sizemore's Timber Jam Jeff 5/2/2000 to 1/22/2012 R.I.P.
AKC/UKC GrNtCh Sizemore's Timber Jam Jessi 12/21/04 to 1/21/2011 R.I.P.

I don't look very long for a coon when pleasure hunting a minute or two on big leafy trees. I would say 75 % will be found if the coon is there in two minutes. I just feel squalling and messing around a tree encourages more slicks if the coon isn't there. Why look and look if your not getting the coon out. Send them on or load up and go tree another.

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I go to Black and Tan Days every year and hunted there. In the Midwest most of the time you will find the coon within a few minutes. Here in eastern NC you often will look five minutes just to find a spot where you can see more than the first ten feet of the trunk of the tree. Tonight I spent close to 15 minutes finding the coon AFTER it looked. You could only see the tree through a few holes in the understory.

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Bill Harper
Washington, NC
252-944-5592

It is my opinion that here in SE Ohio, Hilly and hardwoods with many clear cuts. In the summer time I believe I only see about 1-3 coons that are treed on big trees in the summer time. I say that because, I find way more coons with the leaves off than I do with the leaves on. Now that is me hunting the same spots, with the same hounds, year in and year out, winter summer spring and fall, for over 45-50 years. some dogs I have owned and hunted in these same spots for 10 years or more.

I have read these comments many times that they are much easier to find when they are there, which is of course "true". But you won't convince me my dogs are suddenly 60% more accurate in november than they are in may or june. I cannot by that argument either.

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Dave Mayles
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Dave Mayles

Spot on! There is a big difference where one hunts when the leaves are on, as to how many one will see. Fence rows etc offer a much better chance of finding coons than dies hunting in thick under growth, where it's hard to see into the tree due to under growth. My hunting partner is one if the best in finding coons and it takes patience and time to find coons with the leaves on in these mountains. Dave

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quote:

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Originally posted by Rocketman55
It is my opinion that here in SE Ohio, Hilly and hardwoods with many clear cuts. In the summer time I believe I only see about 1-3 coons that are treed on big trees in the summer time. I say that because, I find way more coons with the leaves off than I do with the leaves on. Now that is me hunting the same spots, with the same hounds, year in and year out, winter summer spring and fall, for over 45-50 years. some dogs I have owned and hunted in these same spots for 10 years or more.

I have read these comments many times that they are much easier to find when they are there, which is of course "true". But you won't convince me my dogs are suddenly 60% more accurate in november than they are in may or june. I cannot by that argument either.

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C.JONES

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill(Chew)
I go to Black and Tan Days every year and hunted there. In the Midwest most of the time you will find the coon within a few minutes. Here in eastern NC you often will look five minutes just to find a spot where you can see more than the first ten feet of the trunk of the tree. Tonight I spent close to 15 minutes finding the coon AFTER it looked. You could only see the tree through a few holes in the understory.

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Let's go huntin

I guess I should qualify my comments above by explaining that I never shine a tree more 8 or 10 minutes. I just don't have the patients for more.

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UKC Nite Champion Stylish Harry's Trixie - 2017 World Hunt Qualified - Owners - Sizemore/Martin
PKC CH/UKC GrNtCh Stylish Kate - 9/12/08 to 9/23/2016 R.I.P - Owners Sizemore/Martin
AKC/UKC NtCh Sizemore's Timber Jam Jeff 5/2/2000 to 1/22/2012 R.I.P.
AKC/UKC GrNtCh Sizemore's Timber Jam Jessi 12/21/04 to 1/21/2011 R.I.P.

When hunting these young dogs I like to know for certain before I correct, if it’s getting late and they got em I’ll head on home if not I’ll correct and see if they can’t figure out the right tree. I don’t have much trouble finding them in winter but the heck with this 10-30 minute looking, i for one don’t have the patience. BUT my mindset the dog did it’s job mine is to find him. Needless to say I’m ready for the leaves to come off.

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I think just like we work with our hounds and make them more sure of themselves and accurate. That coon hunters also strengthen themselves in the way of the woods and finding game. It is a learning process and in different parts of the country the methods may be somewhat different. Any coon out on a single limb moving around and looking at you can be seen by just about anyone. Unfortunately those don't seem to be the coon you tree in a competition hunt or when working that young dog.

I am not saying this is the norm but I will use as an example. I always look at the top of the trees. My first trip to IL. several years ago and I was amazed to see so many coon in the lower part of a tree. Generally in the first fork.
I see people all the time on face book squalling coon from a den but my experiences with dens are thankfully a lot less and I generally don't have much luck getting one to move around in a den and have it look out.

There are three areas to consider. The light combination you are comfortable using. The squaller and how your dogs is treeing and what kind of track took him to the tree.
I will say that if you hone your skills in those three areas then you will have a comfort level of knowing what is up there even if you don't see anything. It's a learning process and like many things in life as you get older and learn thee things. Your eyes seem to get worse and its still a struggle. Just a different one.

Some people are just good at finding coon. One night me and a buddy had went to a tree about 100 yards off the road. About the time we got there we heard another buddy pull up on the road that was going to meet us. We were searching the tree and had been for maybe 5 minutes when he arrived at the tree. We had not found the coon yet. Our buddy that just got there looked up the tree and said you seem him right. We said NO and he then proceeded to show us the coon he found in 10 seconds that we had been searching five minutes for.

Hone your skills, know your dog and in most cases you will walk away in the right mind set, that the coon was there or not.

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I'm a firm believer that is a coon is there 90 percent of time u find it. its all in the dog lol

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Stylish Lacy

Bruce, it's often the angle you are looking. In thick stuff sometimes seeing the coon or not may be one step over from where you were.

Seriously, here you often can only see portions of the tree. It gets better after the leaves fall but you still have wads of vines in some trees.

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Bill Harper
Washington, NC
252-944-5592

I've got to the point where I can't even trust my eyes with the leaves off. I finally bought a FLIR its not foolproof but it helps a bunch. Now with the cooler temps and leaves falling I'm much more likely to correct mine and put the finishing touches on him.

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