• Raccoon hunting is great practice for bigger game.raccoon image by masteraz from Fotolia.com
  
  Raccoons are animals that you don't usually think of when the word hunting is bandied about. However, in Texas, raccoons are legal furbearing animals and anyone with a hunting license may shoot one raccoon per day regardless of season. Many people practice their hunting skills on raccoons for bigger game, but there are some methods for raccoon hunting of which you should be aware.
  
  

Time

• Raccoons are nocturnal creatures, so when you decide to go raccoon hunting, it's going to be at night. As such you should stake out your area during the day so that you're familiar with it, and that you know where things are. Running around in the dark can be dangerous, and you should make sure you bring flashlights and other light sources just in case. Also, adjust your sleep schedule so that you're awake during the night. You don't have to wake up as the sun goes down, but sleepy hunters make mistakes that could be dangerous.
  
  

Territory

• It's best to find the raccoon territory during the day time. Since raccoons are so varied in their appetites and diet, you can find them all over the place. One good bet for raccoon hunting is to find sweet corn... it's a favorite of raccoons, and they always seem to find it, according to Rockdove.com. Other than looking for raccoon tracks, it's best to ask around and see who has seen raccoons around. Farmers tend to have raccoon problems a lot, as do ranchers, because the raccoons can easily slip in and take food meant for livestock.
  
  

Dogs

• Though it isn't necessary, going raccoon hunting with dogs can make your hunt that much easier. If you have dogs that can "tree" prey (chase them up a tree and keep the prey there), then you're good to go. Typically, dogs who will chase squirrels will also chase raccoons, turning them into an easier target. You can train your dogs to chase raccoons, but many times a well trained dog won't need extra training to go after that prey. There aren't any special breeds of dog that are better than others for this type of hunt either, so keep an open mind.