The sun., 1895-05-05
GENUINE COON DOGS
Not Worthicss Ours, bat Hioodcd. Keen
Scent, Intelligent, md Tireiess.

Not Worthless Ours, but HIoodcd. Keen OF
scent, Intelligent. md Tireiess.
"A volume might be written on the coon dog"
said John Foster of New Hampshire. the best of
authority on coons, coon hunting, and coon dogs.
Every hunter at some time or other has his
ideal dog. and the genuine coon hunter never
wcaries of recounting incidents of the past, aud
especially does he love to extol the exploits of his
old dog
Contrary to the general opinion. the coon
dog cannot be good for much unless he has all.
or nearly all, OF the best qualities Of the dog
family. He must have intelligence, courage.
patience, endurance, and. above all. the
strongest power Of scenting four-footed game.
AS these clements are rarely all developed in u
dog. Of necessity good coon dogs are rare Some
coon dogs run still on the trail. That is. they
do not bark, reserving their voice as
an unerring signal that the game is freed.
There are advantages in this class. The coon.
having no notice that he is pursued. has not the
warning TO avoid danger. or to choose lodges,
bad trees. or water for the trail, as the coon is
pretty sure TO do before barking dog. My ex-
perience and observation have been. though
that the still running dogs are, as rule, the
weaker-scented class. and consequently not to
be preferred to the stronger scented, barking
dogs. TO this rule, II IT be one, there is singu
lar ana important exception. have known tho
best, ,blooded and bcst-scented hounds, nat urally
track BARRIERS. to adopt, seemingly AS the result
~ ToaHohinR pTUCesS, tHc IlhpIt VI SUI
No matter how hot or how cold the trail
Ia"d may be when spch @ % dog hRdr it. nat a, a
tho % ground % he giides Ikea ike a shadow ro through
the dark forest. AS he draws nearer TO
his game his muscles grow tense He
steals like a cat on his prey, UNTIL suddenly.
with rush and rear he is upon 1t. Then the
great caution OF the willy. game succumbs TO
quarry Il apt to pe-are instantly stampeded, and
forcrd t9seek the nearest tree be il large or
sometimes secured, Still. | prefer the music of
the barking dog in the chase He Is n more en-
tssrsininF animal in the woods Than his silent;
more successful Of the two in the end.
The retreat OF All old coon before a barking
planned with del Iteration and skill, 1t is con
duc'ed with the intent to puzzle and retard the
Over ledCes, along the tops OF stone walls and
rnil RAJ fences the coon jumps and skips. Now he
ray rss not onr es to @ to the
tho ground again. making wide break in tho
.ra nd He wnars os, brooks pnnges into swamp.,
around and around the driest knolls. repeating
on such a track as this that the Ocst test of the
coon dog is made. Here is where the cross
ss the a
nnd secures the prize at last.
"A great mistake coon hunters almost eIi-
VersnHy make is letting their dogs. after lie
animal until il i, Killed, Sethlnr, wears ont .
anxious Tor a fight when the times comes That
j. his reward for hif long and PERSISTENT chase,
He should have the fight. 50 be ready with good,
strong rrOtched sticks. When the coon falls TO
tho ginund. get n crotch over him as soon Rs
possible aud hold him down. Let the dog have
a few grips with him, and then you despatch
the coon. This viii be perfectly satisfactory To
and coon.
"A coon should never be left in tree by
hunter nfter his dog has succeeded In putting II
up He should bay at tho tree until morning II
necessary, and exhaust every device to get that
coon before he gives him up. Nothing 40 encour-
ages n dog 10 see and know that you are willing
To work rs hard as he to get the game. Nothing
discourages him more than t. lose the game
after he has brought it 10 bav. The hunter must
be true to his coon dog n he expects the dog to
be true To him, he is satisfied of the sincerity
and earnestness OF his master, the dog will work
all the harder on the trail. and when he trees
the coon he will stay at the trek until morning
Ii his master does not get there before that"