I grew up coon hunting with dogs my whole life. Over the last 10 years its getting harder and harder to go out wuthout getting shot at or having some kind of altercation with somebody bc you are disturbing them. Not saying it happens all the time but seems worse now than it used to be. Years ago if somebody seen a truck pulled over with a dog box in the back pulled over by a creek at night people never paid u any mind. Seems like its not that way anymore. People that havnt coon hunted probably dont care about the declining sport but its sad to me. Im not condoning trespassing by any means so lets dont turn this into coon hunters are outlaw trespassers. Im just curious to see yalls view points of why folks frown on coon hunters running their dogs.

Think this thread covered it pretty good

Imagine that the first response is the popcorn eating guy LOL. stxranchman whats your opinion???

They frown on them because they end up trespassing all the dang time, and when confronted, the excuse is always the same: "I don't have control over where the coons are going to lead my dogs."

You can say that you don't condone trespassing, but when it comes down to it, most people that run dogs absolutely condone trespassing via their actions, spoken word aside.

For the record, I have people run dogs across my place all the time and I've never made the first effort to press charges. Just hacks me off that they seem to believe it's their right to do so because they happen to be chasing a hog/coon/elf.

I think most hunters would love to have coons removed from the property they hunt. I think the problem is coon hunting is not going to really make an impact on the coon population compared to trapping them. A lot of ground being covered with dogs and potential to disturb other wildlife like deer in a negative way for the potential positives that come from it. If I was giving permission to a coon hunter I would be fine with them hunting in the off season for deer hunting but would not want it going on during deer season or within a month of deer season starting.

I'd be ok with them elf hunting tho. Might even ask to tag along

Why are you getting shot at or into altercations if you are on land you own or are allowed to be on? Why would someone care if you were pulled over near a creek that runs on your property?

My guess on the reason for the decline in coon hunting is because there are less land owners that want random people running their dogs on their property without permission, too many doggers not taking care of the property they entered illegally, and too many people getting into altercations when confronted by the land owner. Just a guess based on the numerous post I have seen on this forum alone and the attitude I have seen of the hunters/trespassers.

I don't mind coon hunters.

I dislike trespassers very much.

I don't mind coon hunters either. I DO mind coons! Kill as many as you can!

We have had properties on major creeks since I was a small kid and I did my part to keep the varmint numbers under control. Back then neighbors didn't mind you crossing their property and many times we stopped by their house and got a drink and something to graze on on the way back home. That all started changing in the seventies and eighties and it is now forbidden to enter properties without permission and can be dangerous. In recent years we have had several head of livestock killed by road hunters many which were just for fun I guess. Also had a rash of thefts of metals and anything that can be resold. End result is if you get caught now on one of our properties without prior permission you are going to jail.

I don't think there would be any issues if the coon hunters would ask the land owner for permission to coon hunt. But if a land owner says NO then that NO should be respected.

My self... I lease my ranch year around and pay allot of money to do so. So if I had coon or even hog hunters trespassing (not given permission by land owner) on the land I lease I would have a BIG problem with the them.

All fair answers and about what I figured most would say. Times are definitely not like they used to be.

Nope...don't forget about the liability and ability to sue for stupid things now. Someone gets hurt on your land, even if they don't have permission to be there, and it could cost you a lot of time and money. Times are definitely different.

Yep txshntr your right.

In Texas, doing stuff on folks property without being invited or expected, makes you, well, an un-invited guest intruding on their privacy, regardless of what your activities are - and certainly a terrible start to negotiating for permission. Ask first - I might already have plans for my coons!
Plus, my wife and daughters are well armed - showing up at night unexpectedly (when I'm not there) would likely not end well.

If I just pulled over by some random creek on the side of the road, grabbed my rifle, and commenced to killing a deer they'd name a new jail after me for all the money I'd pay. To a non-hunter a coon-hunter is "just another hunter" and eventually we all end up lumped together. If you're getting shot and yelled at there's a good chance you're doing something wrong. Not you in particular, just in general.

Guys I asked about coon hunting not trespassing. Should of known it would turn into a trespassing thread. No way a person is going to run dogs and not get on land they dont have permission to be on. Thats just the way it goes. Hopefully you stay on the place you have permission but if you dont all you can do is get your dog and get out. When I stated people used to not pay any attention to a truck pulled over at a creek I meant that it used to be a common thing. I wasnt saying the truck was pulled over there trespassing. THIS THREAD WAS NOT INTEND TO CONDON TRESPASSING!!!!

When I was a kid I use to love coon hunting. At 17 years old I joined the Army. Never coon hunted. All the above post are a good reason not to.

back when I went land wasn't broken up as much as it is now, the guy I went with knew all the farmers / ranchers in the area and had permission to hunt probably anywhere the dogs would have gone.

IF I was a land owner I wouldn't mind coon or hog hunters with dogs as long as they respected my place.... but I'm sure someone would mess that up and I'd hate them just like most people do now days.

I have no problem with a man running his dogs on land he owns or has permission to hunt. Zero issues with them doing whatever they want on their land. I trap my own hogs and coons since my place is not big enough to allow dogs or helicopter to take care of the problem without the possibilty of the "hunter" trespassing onto a neighbors land without permission. I prefer to be a good neighbor and respect others land as much as I respect my own land. The real problem is a few making it their right to do as they please where ever they want. That makes it hard on the good guys to keep their passion for running hounds alive.

Well said Master Obie

Even when I was a kid I knew that I had better have permission of all of the surrounding properties before we let the dogs loose. I knew I would be in deep "stuff" if I was caught where I didn't have permission.

So it's not about trespassing, but you can't run hounds without trespassing?

They dont always get off the property you have permission to be on but it does happen. Dang I shoulda seen where this would go. Good evening boys.