I have seen some discussion about the size of coons
I have seen some discussion about the size of 'coons. The largest
'coon I ever caught weighed 30 pounds. He measured from the tip of his
tail to the end of his nose, 4 feet and 4 inches. I caught another one
last winter that weighed 25 pounds and measured four feet and 2 inches
from his nose to the end of his tail.
I catch a good many that weigh over 20 pounds. Another thing I want
to tell you is this, in over 20 years of 'coon hunting I have never cut a
tree down to get a 'coon. There is too much of that kind of work done.
Where are all of the 'coons going to stay when you get all of the den
trees cut down? I want to ask you where is the land owner that wants
'coon hunters cutting his timber down? Think of cutting a fine, large
tree down because it has a hole in it with a 'coon inside. If I get a
'coon in such a tree and can't climb it, I just call the dogs away from
the tree and let him go until some other time. I make it my business to
go that way again some night, and the chances are I get that same 'coon
in such a tree and can't climb it, I just tree a head of Mr. 'Coon if I
can, and he goes up some tree that I can get him out of when he sees he
is cut off from his den tree, and the tree is left for the next 'coon
that comes along. So, brothers, please cut the tree cutting out, as it
is for your own good to let those kind of trees stand if you want to
hunt 'coon. When you go around thru the timber destroying it, some one
is going to call a halt on YOU, and on the other hand it is not at all
necessary to cut the timber to get the 'coon, and the tree is
undoubtedly worth more to the man that own the land than the 'coon is to
you.
Of course, if the owner of the tree gives you permission to cut the
tree, that clears you on that score, but after the tree is down, you
will never find another 'coon in that tree.
Source: Dogs Manual