While many area hunters use dogs to drive deer into the open — hoping for a trophy — Vicksburg coon hunter Mel Malone and his dogs have their eyes on a bigger prize: the American Coon Hunters Association World Championship.

“It’s the granddaddy of them all,” said Malone, president of the Three Rivers Coon Hunter’s Association in Vicksburg and ACHA hunt director. “There’s a lot of bragging rights involved, and the big thing is getting the ring. It’s like a Super Bowl ring.”

The ACHA World Championship — the oldest of four raccoon-hunting titles in the country — will come to Vicksburg for the first time in its 62-year history in late February. About 200 coon hounds from across the country are expected to be entered in the three-night hunt — which is one without gunfire.

“It’s just to find the best coon hound, and it’s very competitive. No animals are harmed, in fact, the dogs are penalized points if they catch a coon on the ground,” said Malone. 

The American Raccoon is a furry, medium-sized mammal native to North America. Known for a facial mask that makes them look like bandits, adults range from 8 to 20 pounds. They live in a wide range of habitats — from forests and marshes to urban settings — and dine on anything available, plant or animal.

For anyone who hasn’t witnessed a coon-hunting competition, the idea is pretty basic. With a judge on hand, a cast of four dogs is released into the woods and win behavior-based points. The goal is to pick up the trail of a coon and trap it up a tree for 5 minutes. The hounds can lose points for barking up the wrong tree, abandoning a tree with a coon in it before time elapses and other infractions.

“There’s a lot of speed involved. You have to have a fast dog to win, and you have to have a consistent dog,” explained Malone.

As for knowing one dog from another when they’re running around the woods howling and moaning, Malone said it’s not a problem.

“It’s like knowing your child’s voice from another child’s,” he said. “We spend so much time with these dogs that we know every sound they make, and can immediately tell them apart from another dog.”

Competitions are held in Warren County on a regular basis, said Malone, about 40 per year. The hound handlers have had to qualify in previous competitions to compete in the ACHA World Championship. Those who would still like to qualify for the championship will have several opportunities to do so in the Vicksburg area. A hunt being held on Dec. 26 and 27 is a qualifying event, and those interested can register by calling Malone at 601-638-1110. However, anyone who has not previously qualified can pay an extra $50 fee in addition to the regular $100 registration fee to compete in the championship, said Malone.

While the competition will be headquartered at the Vicksburg Riding Club grounds on U.S. 61 North, the half-dozen evening hunts will take place in Warren, Yazoo and Sharkey counties, as well as Madison, Richland and Tensas parishes across the Mississippi River.

Spectators are allowed at all hunts, and vendors will be at the riding club for the final night of hunting, Malone said. Hunts will begin shortly after sundown on three nights beginning Thursday, Feb. 26. The cast hunts last for 90 minutes, and each eventually whittles down the hounds to a group of 20 semi-finalists, and then the final four.

“The last world championship hunt we had was represented by 24 different states, and I think this one will be a little larger,” said Harry Harris, president of the ACHA.

Unlike other coon-hunting championships, the ACHA does not award its title to a winning hound, but one that must post a positive score. Harris said a world champion has not been crowned the past two years.

“We don’t give away a world champion title to a dog that doesn’t end up doing more things right than it does wrong in a night’s hunt. The past two years the dogs have made some mistakes in the final round. We’re hoping the world champion title will be given out” to someone from Vicksburg, he said.

Along with the world championship hunts, events also will include traditional bench shows, in which the hounds are judged on their physique and posture. There will also be a youth hunt and women’s hunt.

The Delta Sportsman Association in Tallulah, Northeast Louisiana Coon Hunter’s Association in Rayville and Jerry Clower Coon Hunter’s Association in Yazoo City will be assisting in all the events. Three Rivers Club submitted an application this year to bring the ACHA World Championship to Vicksburg, and the city beat out 26 others considered as the host site. 

“It’s been held in some large cities in the past. It’s a big deal for Vicksburg,” said Malone. “It’s like we’ve finally hit the big time.”  

Harris said Vicksburg was chosen for the abundance of public hunting lands in the Warren County area, as well as the attractions in the city. Competitive coon hunting has been on the decline in popularity. In its heyday in the mid-1980s, Harris said as many as 700 hounds would be entered in the world championship.  However, the demographics of the typical coon hunter are changing, and Harris is hoping this year’s world championship hunt in Vicksburg — the farthest south it has ever been — will help the sport regain some popularity.

“The Northern coon hunters have kind of declined in numbers in recent years, and the Southern hunters have really carried the ball,” he explained. “We think having the championship in Vicksburg could draw out a lot of hunters from Louisiana, Texas, Alabama and Arkansas who could be key to our growth in the coming years.”

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com