Just got back from putting out some sets. We have a temp change coming. Wanting some opinions on what temp you guys quit chasing coon? I've always usually have stopped setting for coon by now because for the past 10 years all I've pretty much set was public land and only had a certain time to run it.

It was In the teens the last few nights and we caught 3 coon In our 330 beaver sets. It takes some prolonged days of cold weather to put them In their dens. But Get a few warm days and they are right back out again.

Also here fairly soon the "rut" starts. Ive ran a walker dog most my life. There's been plenty of nights in the teens I was treeing coon in January and February. Fur quality starts getting spotty though. I've had some beauties...but also had a lot of rubbed necks and shoulders. Some nasty open sores from either bugs or fighting. But generally don't see much for small coon...


We always used 30 degree nights as the cutoff for when we expected good night's with lots of coon down.

Colder nights we still always do pretty well if we start closer to dark and not hours later.

I think it depends a lot on where you are and what the normal temp ranges are. From seeing posts on here, it seems that up north where the temps are lower and stay that way longer, coon will move at lower temps. Down here, I rarely catch a coon when the night time temp is under 25 degrees.

If it doesn't get 10 degrees at night for a few days you should be good. You just have to change your sets so they work during the cooler nights.

Depends. Like you and I we get acclimated over time. 0 to 20 warmup in january, I get coons. 20 to 40 in december get coons.
Watch for warmups and go hit em when you see a 20 or so change off the recent lows.
Jim

I have caught them at below zero temps in the January rut but thats not the norm. My catch rate goes up greatly on the warm fronts . Its been low teens most nites here in the northeast I am getting one here and there but big warmup coming this weekend with rain should get them moving good.

My coon do not really hole up except for fresh snow or day time temps around 20 for a few days, I have caught a lot of coon day time temps 30 and night time 10 or below if no wind. Jan has to be deep snow for them not to move.

I’m with Jonesie. It’s more about snow. How much and consistency. Later in the season they catch best where they live.

Drifted spots between den sites will pound off traveling boars

I've noticed from game camera on beaver carcass that if it is above 20 raccoons will be active

As a hound hunter my observations are that below 20F my coons lay up, as a rule. and anytime the temps rise to freezing they will move. Though they will get out on an unusually warmer night and especially if warm and wetish. "Pet" coons kept for dog training have stayed in bed as long as three weeks, not eating nor drinking apparently. A den tree, over a five week period of snow cover showed one time out of the tree and almost immediate return to the tree- the tracks went 8-10' to a scat and back to the tree.
I imagine that farther north coons become more acclimated to cold and stir at lower temps, but I suspect those sensitive paws that soften in water don't like snow.

I've discussed this with a lot of folks and I think it comes down to what is normal for your area.

Around my parts, if it's below 25 or so, I don't see coons (other than maybe a big male once in a while). However, if you go upstate in PA, that's a more normal temp and they might not shack up until it's sub 15.

I think this theory holds true based on the replies above.

Anything below 25, don’t see much movement here in western Pa.,except when mating in winter....boars will be active on colder nights.

Ours stopped briefly with 5-6 foot snow drifts maybe a day or two. Then it was full on coon running again. It's a shame they aren't worth much. The snow made it easy to pattern them, and it would have been easy pickings. I've been catching them on nights anywhere from 5-20 degrees. At least here they don't stop for very long or due to low temperatures. The amount of ground they cover seems to decrease from their dens with the cold.