Gun Dog Forum

raccoon tries to drown Brittany pup

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia ... og-raccoon

Gotta love that lady! In high school I used to go out coon hunting with my buddy and his dad. They always worried about a coon getting a dog in the water.

Brave woman but Coons don't "lure" things into water to kill them, its their last chance of survival, they basically have their backs against the wall and are in flight or fight mode. No different then having a back to your wall. Myths continue though.

Simmonds, at five-foot-four inches tall and 120 pounds, was larger than her opponent, but was not equipped by evolution with the claws or the fangs of the raccoon.

So she turned to her advantage as a Homo sapien in her moment of need — she used her brain.

She pushed the raccoon underwater for a moment before letting it go.

“It popped up, gasping for air, and swam off,” said Simmonds.

good thing she kept her senses

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:Brave woman but Coons don't "lure" things into water to kill them, its their last chance of survival, they basically have their backs against the wall and are in flight or fight mode. No different then having a back to your wall. Myths continue though.

Not convinced. Saw it too many times. Seems to me that if a coon just wanted to flee , it would climb the nearest tree.

Sharon wrote:

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:Brave woman but Coons don't "lure" things into water to kill them, its their last chance of survival, they basically have their backs against the wall and are in flight or fight mode. No different then having a back to your wall. Myths continue though.

Not convinced. Saw it too many times. Seems to me that if a coon just wanted to flee , it would climb the nearest tree.

Same here. I've seen coons dang near bait a dog into the water - retreating right up until the point the dog is clearly and literally in over its head and then seemingly flip the switch from defense to offense.

I trapped them for a living. It is just a myth that they "lure" a bigger animal into water .... They are comfortable in water and use it to escape but if pursued into water they have their backs against the wall and there is only "fight" left in the fight or flight instinct...Sorry to be the myth buster but it doesn't take away the fact that the lady was still brave.

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I trapped them for a living. It is just a myth that they "lure" a bigger animal into water .... They are comfortable in water and use it to escape but if pursued into water they have their backs against the wall and there is only "fight" left in the fight or flight instinct...Sorry to be the myth buster but it doesn't take away the fact that the lady was still brave.

There are a lot of just as experienced coon hunters that will refute your opinion.

ezzy333 wrote:

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I trapped them for a living. It is just a myth that they "lure" a bigger animal into water .... They are comfortable in water and use it to escape but if pursued into water they have their backs against the wall and there is only "fight" left in the fight or flight instinct...Sorry to be the myth buster but it doesn't take away the fact that the lady was still brave.

There are a lot of just as experienced coon hunters that will refute your opinion.

So tell me why would an animal who's number 1 predator is K9's would "ask" for confrontation? AKA "lure" ???? They DONT
If anyone can show me evidence, I would love to see it. I'm not talking about "my uncles cousin who had a Grandpa told me"...

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:

ezzy333 wrote:

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I trapped them for a living. It is just a myth that they "lure" a bigger animal into water .... They are comfortable in water and use it to escape but if pursued into water they have their backs against the wall and there is only "fight" left in the fight or flight instinct...Sorry to be the myth buster but it doesn't take away the fact that the lady was still brave.

There are a lot of just as experienced coon hunters that will refute your opinion.

So tell me why would an animal who's number 1 predator is K9's would "ask" for confrontation? AKA "lure" ???? They DONT
If anyone can show me evidence, I would love to see it. I'm not talking about "my uncles cousin who had a Grandpa told me"...

I have no idea why your opinions and experiences are always so much more accurate than anyone else's. I do not believe that any of us have to quote some long gone relative since we still have coons, coon dogs, and coon hunters.

I do agree coons do not go out looking for some animal to drown, but when pushed into a corner that has few escape routes they are smart enough to try and choose the way out that they have some advantage in and that is in water. They are smart and cunning and naturally will choose their playground rather than just say "Come get me". With some experience I am sure most of us have seen this occur. However, since neither of us can read their mind, they could be thinking that they don't want to fight their No. 1 predator so they decide to just go for a swim.

maybe 'luring' isn't the right word, it is probably giving the coon too much credit, but I would bet that a raccoon knows that it can drown an attacker and has to be part of the reason they take to water when facing a dog or other predator. I am sure they would be just as happy if their opponent gave up and didn't follow them in. I used to coon hunt with my WV-born grandfather, and while we never had coon try to drown one of our hounds, if given the chance they were dangerous to both dogs and people.