Youth raccoon hunting series opens Saturday in Georgetown

A series of youth coon hunts that begins Saturday in Georgetown will lead to the crowning of a state champion in late February.

Nine hunts will lead to state-championship hunt

A youth coon hunt will be held in Georgetown on Saturday, Dec. 8, sponsored by the Hell Hole Coon Hunters Association. It’s part of a series of nine youth coon hunts being held around South Carolina through February 2013, sponsored by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and the S.C. Coon Hunters Association.

These youth coon hunts serve as regional qualifying events for the State Championship Youth Hunt. They are designed to teach ethics and sportsmanship through low-intensity competitive events. The top two hunters in each age bracket (6-12 and 13-17) and Sportsmanship winners will qualify for the annual South Carolina Youth Raccoon Hunting Championship at the Webb Wildlife Center in Hampton County, scheduled for Feb. 23, 2013.

For more information on the Georgetown youth coon hunt, contact Floyd Lambert at 843-264-8093. This is a UKC Youth Hunt.

Youth can hunt in as many youth coon hunts as they want, and all events are free of charge. These are non-harvest events, and guns will not be allowed. Each potential participant should contact the sponsoring club for information regarding specific hunts. Each applicant is also responsible for bringing a coon dog to the hunt and should be able to tell when his or her dog strikes and trees with minimal help from the adult.

For more information on the youth coon hunting series, call 803-734-3609 in Columbia.

Other youth coon hunt locations, dates and contacts are:

* Jan. 12, 2013 – Bowman, sponsored by Orangeburg Coon Hunters Association. Contact: Allen Shuler at 803-533-1370. AKC Youth Hunt.

* Jan. 26, 2013 – McConnells, sponsored by York County Coon Club. Contact: Don Cassidy at 803-984-9798.

* Feb. 2, 2013 – Ridgeville, sponsored by Summerville Coon Hunters Association. Contact: Ed Kimmons at 843-619-5265. Limited to 24 entries.

* Feb. 9, 2013 – Barnwell, sponsored by Salkehatchie Coon Hunters Association. Contact: Dallas Zorn at 803-671-2359. Limited to 24 entries.

* Feb. 23, 2013 – State Championship Hunt – Webb Wildlife Center, S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Contact: Jay Butfiloski or Patty Castine at 803-734-3609. Hunters must qualify at one of the regional hunts to participate.