The Grand American Coon Hunt in Orangeburg County draws thousands to enjoy the sport. A raccoon hunter reflects on how the sport has changed.
ORANGEBURG, SC – Coon hunting is a sport that draws people from across Orangeburg County to its annual Grand American each year. Ray Conrad has been a salesman there for over 30 years and has seen the sport develop.
“I hunt raccoons. My dad coon hunted. My grandfather hunted raccoons before him. Almost every friend I have is some raccoon hunter,” Conrad said.
He says part of this evolution has been seen in the way humans hunt raccoons.
“The guys started hunting with carbide lamps like you light it. You put things in it, you light it, and it’s just a flame with a mirror behind it that’s projected. Then they went to a light called the dim light, which is commonly used in the coal mines,” he said.
Conrad owns Bright Eyes Lights, where he sells lighted hats that hunters can use when trying to keep an eye on their dogs when searching for raccoons at night. Over the years he has seen the lights get lighter and more advanced, such as: e.g. LEDs.
He says new gear makes it easier to keep track of your dogs while you hunt.
“Now we all use Garmens, GPS tracking devices, so we know where their dog is within just a few feet all the time, so people never lose their dogs again.”
As for the future of the sport, he is optimistic.
“I don’t see it going away anytime soon. I would think it would continue to thrive.”
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