Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168

Okay guys, I'm NOT wanting to start a flame war here....actually just the opposite, I want to understand the whole "thin coon" point of view.

I've read a whole lot of posts lately debating the whole "thin coon vs thick coon" point of view and as hard as I try....I just don't get it. Now I realize that there is going to be an ongoing debate because we all have opinions. I'm not trying to dismiss anyone's beliefs, but how can you say that a dog that spends two hours beating around on the only coon track in thousands of acres is a "better" dog.

Hey, I'll be the first one to admit that I want a good, BALANCED, dog. That means one that can go hunting, find a coon (be it 50 yards, or two miles), trail, tree, stay treed...blah, blah, blah. And I normally have one that is as close to that as I can.....BUT

Having hunted several times in "thin" coon, I just can't get past the luck factor that is far more prevalent in thin coon populations I mean if you turn 4 dogs loose and they each go to different point on the compass, and they all hunt out well, and at the end of a two hour hunt only one of them has actually struck a track managed to trail it up and tree.....someone please tell me how that is the "better" dog.

Coon hounds are the only dogs that I've ever seen have this argument. I've never heard of a beagle hunt where they pride themselves in having a low rabbit population, I've never seen a bird dog field trial participant slap each other on the back because there was only one bird to be pointed, or a squirrel dog hunt participant proud because they treed the only squirrel in four square miles....

I once drove 14 hours south, hunted for two nights and hunted hard.....ended up getting in a cast and we turned loose in thousands of acres of three year old pine trees. The guide freely admitted that there were no coon anywhere close. The three local dogs in the cast consisted of a dog that made a bucket sweep, and never got out of our lights....got scratched for not hunting. The other two got struck on a diller, ran it for about 50 yards or so and shut up....the two participants owning those dogs stated that the dogs "trailed over the hill" and would not put the track time on them....we finally found them treed, about 4 miles from where we turned them loose along a river. Both dogs were treed on small trees that had some leaves on them, and despite the fact that they were slick...got circled. I found my dog three miles the other direction, still in pine trees and never even drew a bark......

Now, how were those dogs any "better" than the one I brought....???

Again, I'm not trying to start a flame war, I am seeking a better understanding for myself.

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I could give you my opinion of that Joe ,BUT really don't want in this war either !!!!! LOL LOL Call me sometime ! 765-825-6561

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why would you want 4 to go in the oppsite direction?i want 1
that can take the track away and beat the rest to the tree
and the 1 that trees 1st is the best track dog right?

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Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:

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Originally posted by Lee Currens Jr.
why would you want 4 to go in the oppsite direction?i want 1
that can take the track away and beat the rest to the tree
and the 1 that trees 1st is the best track dog right?

---

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quote:

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Originally posted by Oak Ridge
A track? Any track, be it a diller, possum, deer or sasquatch? I'm still trying to understand how a dog can hold 100 strike for two hours

I have dogs that go hunting, and are not concerned with what the other dogs are doing. Yup, I want em quick too....but how can you tell if they have to hunt for a half hour to find a track to "run"????

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Registered: Nov 2011
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I aint in this but I live in eastern NC and the coons are thin I'm not complaining about my coon population but I went to A.O. we hunted 2 nights pleasure hunting and man we were treeing coons left and right I aint saying it was easier but the tracks seem to be every where unlike here in NC thats all I'll say.......

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quote:

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Originally posted by Cashie Swamp
I aint in this but I live in eastern NC and the coons are thin I'm not complaining about my coon population but I went to A.O. we hunted 2 nights pleasure hunting and man we were treeing coons left and right I aint saying it was easier but the tracks seem to be every where unlike here in NC thats all I'll say.......

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Registered: Jun 2003
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I've been in both. Live where they are real thin. I'll take my chances where coon are fat and sassy and plentiful. Course I have zero for dog power right now. So I don't care where they have what.

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Well living in Iowa and spending 99% of my time hunting in the midwest I see no reason to breed for a "southern style" hound, nor do I expect a southern hunter to breed for "northern style" dog. Who gives a **** what type of dog we pack, pay your own feed bill and hunt what suits you. So sick of the north vs south dog comparison.

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I think those "thin coon" guys are just more sociable, They turn ol' spot loose an blue loose then sit around an bs for awhile, maybe even start a fire for an hour or so waiting and waiting and......there he goes he's treed,,,,over yonder JMHO

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lol micooner naw I just own dogs that check back after 30all minutes or so and move on to the next spot

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quote:

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Originally posted by Cashie Swamp
lol micooner naw I just own dogs that check back after 30all minutes or so and move on to the next spot

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Swore I'd never get in a dicussion on here again but there is some common sense involved in this north / south thing.First, if you hunt in thin coon you need a dog that is a little different in style than one hunted in thick coon. In thick coon if your dog covers another dog you can give him a good thrashing and send him on, make him independent as you want. In thin coon you are going to get your butt handed to you a lot of nights with this independent dog. Sure helps to have a good fast track dog that can take it away from the others and get first tree in thin places. To me, this is real competition. You just have to have a dog that will cover another dog. You might not get first strike but the right kind of dog will get you first tree and that pays more.
Second, the territory has something to do with it. Before I start I will say they are exceptios to everything and I've seem it go both ways. Take a dog out of the south that is used to hunting and running in swamps, green briars and cutover timber and teach him fences, take him north to the big open woods and he thinks he's in heaven. Now take that northern dog south to the thick and rough conditions and it makes a difference. I know, I've seen northern dogs fall right in and do good in the south but that is usually the exception. There are good dogs in both places that will look good in both places. They are called coondogs.

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what i can't figure out is why people from the south think there the only ones that have swamps, cutovers, briar thickets. hell i can drive 20 minutes in either direction of my house and hunt that. and i also can drop in a section where a dog will have to go 1/2 to 3/4 mile to get struck. my guess is virtualy every state has some chit hole hunting if you look for it. the bottom line is find out what the hunting conditions are and prep the dog for it. if you have a dog that looks good in thin coon, go enter. if you don't, dont waist your money. same goes for thick coon..if you don't prep your dog it's nobodies fault but your own. i just don't buy this north south crap.

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quote:

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Originally posted by yadkinriver
Swore I'd never get in a dicussion on here again but there is some common sense involved in this north / south thing.First, if you hunt in thin coon you need a dog that is a little different in style than one hunted in thick coon. In thick coon if your dog covers another dog you can give him a good thrashing and send him on, make him independent as you want. In thin coon you are going to get your butt handed to you a lot of nights with this independent dog. Sure helps to have a good fast track dog that can take it away from the others and get first tree in thin places. To me, this is real competition. You just have to have a dog that will cover another dog. You might not get first strike but the right kind of dog will get you first tree and that pays more.
Second, the territory has something to do with it. Before I start I will say they are exceptios to everything and I've seem it go both ways. Take a dog out of the south that is used to hunting and running in swamps, green briars and cutover timber and teach him fences, take him north to the big open woods and he thinks he's in heaven. Now take that northern dog south to the thick and rough conditions and it makes a difference. I know, I've seen northern dogs fall right in and do good in the south but that is usually the exception. There are good dogs in both places that will look good in both places. They are called coondogs.

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Dan Dogs this is just good ole conversation no hard feels to be taken (hopefully). Its interesting to see what folks think. Problem with my gunting is 95%a of it is in knee deep and deeper swamp I am not complaining just saying. Hope this thing dont get outta hand I enjoy good conversation with die hard hunters like my self

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Dan Dogs this is just good ole conversation no hard feels to be taken (hopefully). Its interesting to see what folks think. Problem with my gunting is 95%a of it is in knee deep and deeper swamp I am not complaining just saying. Hope this thing dont get outta hand I enjoy good conversation with die hard hunters like my self

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Walking behind good coon hounds is a passion of mine and I will pass it on to the younger generation.

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Earl Hoggard

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quote:

---

Originally posted by micooner
I think those "thin coon" guys are just more sociable, They turn ol' spot loose an blue loose then sit around an bs for awhile, maybe even start a fire for an hour or so waiting and waiting and......there he goes he's treed,,,,over yonder JMHO

---

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quote:

---

Originally posted by Cashie Swamp
Dan Dogs this is just good ole conversation no hard feels to be taken (hopefully). Its interesting to see what folks think. Problem with my gunting is 95%a of it is in knee deep and deeper swamp I am not complaining just saying. Hope this thing dont get outta hand I enjoy good conversation with die hard hunters like my self

---

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I hunted the first round(cast 18) and ended up with a dead cast.I was satisfied with the area that we hunted.It is typical for what I hunt.It was pine leading down to a nice bottom with hardwood,small creeks with some water.We saw coon tracks in the creek bottoms.We made trees but the biggest problem that we had were the leaves. I think that if a hunt is going to be in the south,UKC should consider a later time in the year.Im sure there would have been better scores if we could see the tree!

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Registered: Nov 2011
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I agree with that have the hunt with no leaves and stop all these circles unless its a legit hollow.

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Walking behind good coon hounds is a passion of mine and I will pass it on to the younger generation.

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i think the finals should be the end of march no matter where it is held.

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should be in spring or late fall with no leaves!!!
enter the coondog and eliminate the hot nosed tree dogs fast!!

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not all of us up north live in thick coons and when january comes around and its zero with the wind blowing 20 mph you ain't treeing crap with any dog i don't care how good he is your just going to get lots of fresh air and a den or two !

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