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| Coon Hunting Dogs | A coon hound is an American member of the ScentHounds
group that was specially developed for the unique
types of quarry and terrain found in the United
States. They were bred when it was discovered that
European hunting hounds were not suitable for hunting
animals that climbed into trees to escape their
pursuers. Some of these animals were bobcats, cougars,
opossums, bears, and raccoons. As a result, breeders
began to breed another type of dog more suitable for
"treeing" prey. They displayed an incredible sense of
smell and could track an animal even if it climbed
into a tree to hide from them. These hounds had the
distinct ability to pursue and tree any number of
animals without the benefit of human commands or
instructions. A good coon hound would tree an animal,
and keep it there until the hunter arrives to shoot
it. Often times, the hunter will not chase the hounds,
but will wait to hear the distinctive sound a coon
hound makes when it has treed the prey, and follow the
sound to the tree in question. Coon hounds can hunt in
a pack, or by themselves. Though they are called coon
hounds, when properly trained, they are useful in
hunting all kinds of animals as well. There are
several breeds of coonhounds, such as Blueticks,
Plotts, Redbones, Black and Tans, Walkers, and English
coonhounds, to name a few.
Curs are more of a type of hunting dog rather than a
breed. Curs are often used to hunt larger prey such as
boars and cougars, but also raccoons. There is no
accepted breed standard for the cur. Originally in
England the term "cur" meant any hunting dog thirty
ponds or heavier. The Catahoula Cur is a fine example
of a cur coon hunting dog.
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