Gun Dog Forum

Took Pull out with a friend of mine that recently got a GWP. He wanted his pup 8mo. old to run with my dog for a little experience. We went to two different private properties that were mainly creek lines between cornfields. At the first property Pull went on point with his tail wiggling like crazy. I figured this was a mouse he does that when there are no birds. Walked the brush in front of him kicked nothing up. Released him to see what I missed and he dives his head into a hole I did not see and starts yanking on something. I'm yellin at him while letting his collar "bite" him and he drags out about 25lb. coon. It was frozen solid. Hunt the rest of that property only to kick up a deer and two rabbits which he did much better about not giving chase to.
We go to a different property same type of set up with creek line between cornfields. My friend starts bragging about how my dog is working as we see him lock up on point this time at a clump of grass covered with 8 inches or so of snow. I walk up to the grass and step on another racoon! This one was still alive and Pull and this coon start going at it. Me yellin and shockin and worried about my dog my freinds young GWP doesn't know what to think. I start puttin the boots to this racoon and it takes off. Pull nearly pulled my arm off trying to go after him. Put him on a CC and walked about 50yds away before letting him off and we start to hunt again. Not long and Pull is on point at a downed tree. I get up to him and see nothing say to him what did ya find? He lunges in this tree and pulls out another coon!!!! This one got the upper hand and had bit Pull on his top lip giving me just enough time to put the CC back on and yank him away. I for one was done for the day! I really felt for my freind as this probably was not the experience he was looking for to show his young pup what we were out there for. I told him it was his fault for bragging about my dog only after he said "your dog must have some coon-hound in him"

Anyone else have dogs that will point coon?

I have not run into coons yet, but my dogs will point just about anything living at least when in the yard. Out hunting it seems that they know we are after flying things.
One morning they were both on point and I had to go outside to get them, they were pointing a mouse trapped in the basement window well.

Too bad fur prices aren't higher.

I'm hoping to hunt feathers as well as fur with my gun dog so I'd be pretty happy if that happened to me.

Sounds like he's got an axe to grind. My older dog has pointed a muskrat, and just about a month ago, she pointed a dead mink. We haven't run into a raccoon yet, and I kind of hope not to, with worries about distemper and coondog paralysis.

To answer your question, no my dog doesnt point them (he is a lab). But my old Lab has faught and killed many many coons over the years. I wish i had broke him off coons when he was young, but once they learn to fight a coon look out.... I dont guess he is any worse for the wear other than split ears and scars on his neck and one good one between his eyes, but at the end of the day i wish he would pay no attention to coons. I would dare reach in and try to break up a fight with a coon and a dog, those coons are nasty and when they fight, they dont fight fair. Most of the times the racoon will ball up on the dogs head, they use their rear legs (and claws) to scratch at the throat area of the dog while they use their arms and mouth to bite the top of the head area, the dog cant see much during this and will need to figure out how to slam the coon on the ground and bite. When they are balled up on a dog, there is nothing to shake off. Bootm line, unless you want to deal with nasty fights in the field, try and break him off coons pronto. I have seen border collies really get hurt by a coon.

I would be lookin to get a rabies booster if your dog was bit.

My little Brittany pointed 2 skunks on opening day of quail season this year before she got out of sight for a few moments can came back with a squirt right to the eye. She was hacking and coughing pretty bad. What can you do? I was glad I was in my new truck and not my old suburban. Didn't even get the e-collar off until I had gloves on at home. Will they learn to leave skunks alone? I sure hope so. The dog is fine but I don't know if that collar will ever smell the same. Neat stories, thanks for sharing.

Shot a grouse once just before dark. My Brit was hunting "dead bird" when it pointed a rotted tree stump. Thinking my grouse had hidden in there I peered in the hole. I reached for that dead grouse which turned out to be a raccoon. Don't know who was more startled, me or the coon. Never did find the grouse.

birddog1968 wrote:I would be lookin to get a rabies booster if your dog was bit.

Guess I did not think of that being he just turned two and his last shots were not that long ago. I also kinda figured if this coon was rabid or ill the last two weeks of -20below weather would have done in any sickly animals. Or is that not a good theory?

My dogs all engage fur and point feather. I always know what they have based on that. I just have to keep a close eye and only hunt one at a time in Porky country. Skin those suckers and buy the dog a treat and yourself some shells with the cash.

Well that is to be expected with our versatile hunters. I even saw a picture of a GWP in Germany that had bayed a bear and others that were used to hunt boars. I will be getting my first GWP next year and am planning on hunting him on fur and feathers.

The only time I really get concerned about a coon fight is if there is water. The coon will get the upper hand EVERYTIME! I am there most times to lend a helping hand also.
I know that some of my hunts have ended because of the coon fight, seems they then go lookin for the coon more than the bird!