Raccoon hunting with dogs didn’t start as a sport or a competition, it started as a way of life. Long before scorecards, titles, or entry fees, people relied on good hounds to help put food on the table, protect crops, and manage wildlife. Early settlers in America quickly learned that raccoons were smart, adaptable, and mostly nocturnal. To hunt them effectively, you needed a dog that could trail scent in the dark, stay honest on a track, and locate game in a tree. That’s where the coonhound wa