Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

Hi,

Let me introduce myself. I'm Bodger and I live here in the UK, where I hunt shoot and Fish. I've been over to your country four times in the last few years and had a great time. Up to now, I've always gone to up state New York. I got back from my last trip just over a week ago. Once again I had a very enjoyable time and on this trip I managed to take in two nights coon hunting. I've never done anything quite like it. We have woods and forests similar to NYS but havent got any coons other than the ones in zoos and they might complain a little bit if I had a go at them.

Here's a report of one of the nights out that I put on a British countryside forum when I got home.


Right lads, this is what happened last night. Five of us met up at my friends place and got kitted up.



I know we look more like cavers than hunters, but as you can see, most of us were the wrong shape for that:ROFL:

We only used the one hound, this is Natalie and she is whats known over here as a Treeing Walker Hound. She's registered and when I came here last April, her and her owner won the State championship, so she's pretty good.



The land around here is mostly arable with lots of blocks of broad leaf forestry in between. The night was pitch black with a fantastic display of stars, it was pretty still and my guests described it as perfect for racoon hunting.We stood in the middle of the woods, a million miles from any worries and the dog was released.
That dog went off hunting like a train, she had only one thing on her mind. You could hear her questing for scent, the booming bark could be heard echoing around the woods. If you had a headache, believe you me, you would not want that dog within a million miles of you :-) Some people referr to the sound of hounds baying as music to their ears, but to me it was just a bloody racket. :-)
The guy who was running the dog was a real expert and he could tell what the dog was doing from the way it barked and to be honest, it didn't take me long to get the idea either. Natalie got onto the scent of the first racoon within a few minutes and a further ten minutes saw he tree her first racoon of the night. This was uncommonly quick, as some hunts can go on for a few hours.
I must point out here, that we were definately not alone in the woods. :smt103 From all around us for most of the night, came the blood curdling crys of coyotes and some of them were pretty close at hand at times.
With out headlight torches on we made our way towards the constant baying of the dog and this is how we found her. Her barking was incessant and deafening.






We shone the light up into the tree and eventually right up high in the tree in a small hole I could make out a racoon. The animal was quickly despatched with .22 rifle and on we went to the next hunt.

We had a further three hunts and got another two racoons, the night was a first for me and I could see the attraction of it.

Heres one of the racoons that we got last night.



Ignore the double chins ops: ops: ops:

I also managed to shoot this yesterday.



Their red fox are identical to ours.

Last edited by Bodger on 12-03-2007 at 01:17 PM

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: ALABAMA
Posts: 5183

Welcome aboard. Great pics and story.

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

After four trips over here, I've made a great circle of friends, and i mean real friends, its such a great shame that we are seperated by many thousands of miles. If I was ten years younger I'd seriously consider moving over to live in America.

They gave me a great night out on my last evening there.

Last edited by Bodger on 12-03-2007 at 01:27 PM

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Registered: Nov 2005
Location: New Market Va
Posts: 4670

I wish you would take those darn Reds back with ya the UK.. lol

I so glad you had a good Time !! I spend a little time on the UK, German and French Hounding Sites like "Liam's Hunting Dir." And when I try to explain Coon Hunting alot of fokes just Don't get it..
LOL

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

I would have cheerfully gone out every night, but also had to fit in time for deer hunting, fishing and helping out on my friends trap line in the mornings.

I would have been as fit as a gypsies dog if I'd spent a few more weeks doing all that exercise.

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Registered: Oct 2005
Location: dodge center mn
Posts: 3268

Look's like it was a great time. Ya might have to get your self a nice hound and visit more. That would make it harder to resist comming to hunt. lol.

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

I'm already planning for next year, but I have a fancy to see some of the southern states. I have a mate through chicken keeping who lives in West Virginnia. I take it thats a coon hunting area as well ?

Last edited by Bodger on 12-03-2007 at 02:43 PM

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Registered: Sep 2007
Location: Occupied TN CSA
Posts: 1877

Great pictures looks like you had a great hunt. Welcome.

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 19374

Your story was a Great read! Always really neat to see a new perspective on coonhunting! Glad you've made such great friends! You're LUCKY you have no raccoons over your way... they make chicken keeping a bit harder! They sure do like an easy meal.
Hope your next visit is even better! Happy Hunting! Heather

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Registered: Nov 2006
Location: Mayer, MN
Posts: 920

Tell your fellow hunters and outdoors friends that lots of us in the US would enjoy taking them out and seeing them enjoy the resources we have in many of our states. If you keep track on here there are frequent posts of those who are looking for someone to hunt with. If you have good hunting partners it makes it so much more fun to be out. When you do something like fall down its only funny if there is someone else there to laugh at or with you.

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Bodger,Really enjoyed your picture's & the reading!! Like BCD said,it's alway's refreshing to get a new comer's perspective of our sport.

Hat's off to you & hope you get many more opportunities to see what comsume's us about the tree dog's.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: West Kill, NY
Posts: 2047

Don't know where in NY you were--don't recognize the dog or the hunters--but we are sure glad you had a good time coonhunting. I split my time between the big city and upstate, and can tell you we have lots of great hunting here. Next time you're on this side of the pond, we'll have to get you to an organized competition event. If you think hunting with one hound is fun, you should go out with four! Hound music is best in chorus!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Bodger
I'm already planning for next year, but I have a fancy to see some of the southern states. I have a mate through chicken keeping who lives in West Virginnia. I take it thats a coon hunting area as well ?

---

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

quote:

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Originally posted by Emily
Don't know where in NY you were--don't recognize the dog or the hunters--but we are sure glad you had a good time coonhunting. I split my time between the big city and upstate, and can tell you we have lots of great hunting here. Next time you're on this side of the pond, we'll have to get you to an organized competition event. If you think hunting with one hound is fun, you should go out with four! Hound music is best in chorus!

---

Last edited by Bodger on 12-04-2007 at 11:28 AM

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Registered: Oct 2005
Location: dodge center mn
Posts: 3268

Here's what it look's like with 4 hound's in the wood's for a hunt. Pic's like this will probably intice you to get back to New York sooner for a hunt. lol.

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

I don't need any enticement Jeff. I'll definately be coming back for some more of the same. I love the dogs.

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: rochester,ny
Posts: 388

glad you had a fun time. i don`t recgonize the people either, but the pub looks like flaherty`s. i live about 15 minutes from stanley. if you ever want to come back for a fox or coyote hunt with hounds your more than welcome.

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

Cheers hondo.

The pub was Mc Gregors . We had a fantastic English style fish supper there. The fish were humungus. They even had vinegar for me to put on my chips to make me feel as though I was back home.

Better point out that in the UK our frys are called chips and that our chips are called crisps ! I hope that makes sense.

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
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The Tanheath Hunt club hunts across the Street from us. One of the lucky clubs that gets to do a little live hunting instead of just drag. They have an odd group of hounds. Bunch of Ticked ones. When my husband was young they had mostly Walker Colored dogs(I can't remember the actual names of strains cause I'm brain injured).... Bob fox hunted tons and his step father is on Tanheaths website as one of the Masters...LOL... Ugly rotten man.... I don't like him a bit! I broke my back the year I was to foxhunt the first time (1975) and Bob got the honors of hunt the pony "Cherrios". Our camp, Glean Maura Farm had lots of pony & horses imported from the UK. Mostly Ireland. Horses and hounds was my life before brain injury.... We were first taken out coonhunting at that horse camp. A city girl from Boston...I was HOOKED! Bob and I went out in OCt or Nov. from my first hunt in almost 30 yrs... It is Amazing and Awesome to be back!
We live in Wrentham, MA... The Wrentham in SUffolk, UK is MUCH more charming in my opinion! LOL... I'd love to visit the UK someday.... Bob has foxhunted thru Ireland...I forget if he's been to England.
I hope you have many more great visits here and LOTS of coon hunts! HappyHunting! Heather

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

Here are one or two pictures of English Fox Hounds that I took at a point to point race meeting that my OH and I went to last summer.





This is the rider of the horse that I backed making his way home

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 19374

I've had breeches that looked much like that! Beautiful hounds! Love the one standing up on the man! The hounds are nice and sturdy. Gotta love it!
We have some fun when they're hunting across the St... if we have our BlueTick outside he confuses the daylights out of them with his voice....LOL... last weekend one of the men got to hear him upclose and was pretty stunned by the coonhound voice. It was funny because Wyatt was baying his horse...LOL... We were trying to help them locate a lost hound at that point. They have one who prefers to stay out and make them look for hours I guess... I assume he eventually came in? Hard to find them when they are silent. They use tracking collars and it's only 250 or 350 acres... so you'de think they could find them easily. I dont' know much about the tracking collars. They didn't have them when we hunted and we're beginners now starting all over....
Nice Pix, keep them coming! We have SO little countryside left here in MA so I love the pix. I'm a bit housebound most of the time too and this is Truly my window to the world
Thanks for posting them! Heather

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: North Wales in the UK
Posts: 26

Heather.

Have a look at this www.overthegate.com

Myself and and my wife run this countryside forum, there should be enough to keep you occupied for months. There are loads of pictures.

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
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quote:

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Originally posted by Bodger
Heather.

Have a look at this www.overthegate.com

Myself and and my wife run this countryside forum, there should be enough to keep you occupied for months. There are loads of pictures.

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THANKS! I went right to the Chickens! LOL... I have GOT to get Holiday cards out... it's Hanukkah already and...I'm late! BUT....I'll put the link in my favorites and look at EVERYTHING! AWESOME! LOL... (I sound like such a kid...)

Thanks again!!!!!! Heather

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: rochester,ny
Posts: 388

they certainly have a large selection of beer at mac gregors. those are some nice looking fox hounds.

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 51

I live in the southern part of the state near Greenbrier county, if this is close to your friend in the chicken buisness, give me a call, & I'll take you with a couple class act Redbones.

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