New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06
COON HUNTING IN CONNECTICUT

GREAT NUMBERS OF RAoCooNs CAPTURED IN
VARIOUS PARTS OF THE STATE.
Norwich. Dec. 5 (Speclall.-The coon crop is always
Of the largest grown Connecticut and this
season II is bigger and better than before. SO
plentiful are the animals 1t is not necessary to hunt
them exclusively at night. Many have been shot
BY bird and squirrel hunters in the middle Of the
day. The nocturnal hunters however, bag the largest
ones, and more OF Them In few hours hunt In not
few instances band OF hunters have knocked from
two to five of the beasts of single tree. One Of the
most successful hunters In this part Of the State Is
Job o. Brainerd, of Wmantc, who shot twenty four
coons In the last two months. DR.. w. W. Horton
also Is enthusiastic coon hunter. lie has taken
twenty eight this fall. Last year the doctor killed
eighteen and had their hides made into a $50
robe which he has exhibition In Plumbs Market In
Bristol. The Comstock brothers. OF Chapel Hill. in
the southern part Of this county. have one of the
finest dogs In the State and very proud they OF
his record. The dog has been In at the death Of
eighteen coons, four foxes and thirty smaller fur
bearing animals. At North Grosvenordale the other
night Dr. and Merton Williams got three coons In
few hours. and the doctor had lively brush with
big fellow at the top OF pine tree forty feet
from the ground. The doctor crawled upon the
animal In the darkness. and the snarled and
pranced about In the tree crotch and pretty soon at
tackled him. The hunter hanging to bough with
hand, defended himself with the other. and
after sharp and desperate battle shook OF
his enemy, which shot downward, crashing from
limb TO limb, and falling in heap on the ground.
There the dogs speedily dispatched it. The doctor
narrowly missed going along with the coon. lie was
badly scratched, his clothes were torn, and he wai
breathless with excitement and his exertions.
One Of the best coon hunts Of the year was that OF
John Daley, william Merritt and Walter Clark. OF
Bristol who quit that village the other day for three
Mo @,r Of ri ropn cficut
They had fine pack Of coon dogs, and when they got
back into Bristol they had Just thirteen fat f. W.
Olds OF North Ashford got big fellow the other night
that weighed twenty -one pounds. The best two
nights hunts made by the fox hunters Alden F.
Miner and William Maine, near their homes In the
wids of North Stonngton. On the first evening they
took four from oak and next night got hve
more from single tree.
few days ago Messrs A. W. Chase OF West Stafford,
and George B. Cady, Of sOmers while hunting squirrels
In the afternoon got the track OF coons, and few
minutes later their dogs barking and eaping In
wild style about the foot Of monster oak. The
hunters perceived game in the tree, so they got
neghbor, Young Mr.. Avery, TO Chamber up the oak.
As soon as he reached the tOpmost boughs he sung
out You bet your life this tree Is Just full of coons
Send up the gum" One Of the men had a long cord
he fastened one end Of 1t about pebble and flung the
stone to Mr.. Avery. who hauled up the gun. There
upon Avery began to shoot and coons tumbed out OF
the oak lie killed three coons with three shots, and
two that In the tree top. startled by the
firing scrambled down the trunk and leaped among
the dogs. Old Major fine squirrel dog dispatched
both Of them. Another successful coon hunter Is
Dennis Rich, Of Birmingham, who processes to be the
champion coon hunter In the State and backs up his
claim with record Of forty coons killed by himself
since october l. In the same time he has also bagged
several foxes Frank Hill and Gus Potter quilted home
shout 10 O'Clock night were absent from 1t not
more than four hours and were not four miles away
at any time; yet they captured five that weighed
about ninety pounds.
The East Mountain Raccoon Club Of Forrestvie, Of
which Elijah Monroe is president, took jaunt after
few nights ago, and In six hours killed five
fat Observation Mountain. At Glendale, near
the border Of Rhode Island sportsman lately got
FIVE coons willie hunting birds in the afternoon In
swamp. George Champlin, Of Columbia, also had a
curious encounter with while looking for
featheed game. He sroled out Of his house late and
In passing under giant oak on the outskirts OF his
woodland, espied coon In lofty fork Of the tree
that lay perfectly moonless and gazed at him with
wide-open and Wild looking eyes. Champlin had only
small shot in his cartridge Jacket and he fastened
back home snatched up his rife. and quickly returned
TO the coon-tree At the first shot he tumbed big
fat coon out Of the treetop that dropped to his feet
dead. At report Of the rifle another coon popped
into sight, and the sportsman instantly put bullet
into that fellow, which also came Gathering to the
ground Then another coon appeared in the tree,
and with two more balls Champlin fetched that fellow
to the earth Then he gathered up his load Of cOons
which weighed than forty five pounds and trudged
home. All that done in the middle of the day,
though usually 1t is that one chances upon coon
except after nightfall.
Ben" Barber and Caleb Bates of Voluntown east Of
this dty have done some tall contributing, too They
hunt mostly In the thick forests Of western Rhode
Island. Up to yesterday they had captured eighteen
coons, all fine fat fellows. Frank Buddington, OF
Centre Gr0on, south OF Norwich, advances his claim
OF being the champion coon hunter OF this county.
He has taken about twenty skins this fall, and In
the last three years has bagged less than fifty Of
the animals He makes money by hunting thcm
The hides he sells to fur dealers for dollar
EACH and the coon himself to rural epcures who call
In their friends and have banquet OF roast coon
More than two score suppers have been served
I'm the State this fall. City hunters almost invariably
take their game home with them. They have a skful
CITY caterer roast their cOons, send handsome inv
tatiOns to their business other acquantances, In
viting them to coon supper" on certain night
at club restaurant, and the jolly party eat
COON wash ii down with champagne or other drinks,
make speeches, euogzing the merits Of coon meat
crack Jokes and have great time generally There
have been two more coon suppers In Hartford,
Norwich and other Connecticut cities this fall Baked
coon is fat and Juicy, and tastes like roast young
pig A full grown coon weighs from ten to twenty
bounds Now and then big fellow is taken that
weighs thirty pounds moro dozen thirty Founders
uora killed In Connecticut last wear.