Jean Piccard's twin was the grandfather of the current record-setting balloonist and author, Bertrand Piccard. Now, it should first be said that I would be the last person to defend raccoons in general. Still, there is a difference between having a strong dislike for all things raccoon and defending the coon hunt. Not surprisingly, South Carolina, the state that refuses to see a problem with flying the Confederate flag over the capital building, the state that ranks 50th and 51st in SAT math and verbal portions, the home of Strom Thurmond, and the state that proudly boasts of 24 hazardous waste sites, will happily host the biggest coon hunt in the country today and tomorrow. Dogs earn points for trailing and treeing raccoons, but the animals are not killed or harmed in any way.
Dogs compete for the best breed.
While the carnage could very well be limited in Orangeburg, the Orangeburg Chamber of Commerce is obviously unaware of, or in deep denial regarding, the way in which coon dogs are trained. Granted, most any dog will chase a raccoon if the opportunity arises, but to pursue one with such determination and in the middle of a winter night takes training. This is not accomplished by dragging a stuffed animal around and yelling sic 'em. I have not seen any raccoon who complies when told to pee in a cup.