Bluetick Coonhound

The Bluetick Coonhound is a cold-nosed American trailing hound built to unravel a faint, hours-old track and announce it in a deep, ringing bawl. Bred for stamina over speed, it works raccoon by night and locks onto bigger game when asked.

What it was bred to do

Developed in the American South, especially Louisiana, from English Foxhounds crossed with French bleu de Gascogne hounds and regional curs. Named for its dark, mottled "blue" ticked coat, it was bred as a cold-nosed coon dog that works older trails other hounds pass over, treeing raccoon and doubling on bobcat, boar and bear.

In the field

Slow-and-sure rather than fast. Nose down and methodical on a cold line, it bays up as the trail heats, hunts wide and independent, often out of sight, then marks the tree with a locate bawl and steady chop so you can walk in. At home in thick cover, swamp and water, mostly a night dog.

Temperament and trainability

Easygoing at home but single-minded on scent. Determined, loud and stubborn, it thinks for itself on a track, which reads as low biddability to a first-timer. High stamina and a real need to work; without a job and daily exercise it turns bored, vocal and destructive. It settles indoors, but the voice never turns down.

Best game and conditions

Best on raccoon at night and cold, faint trails through timber, bottomland and swamp; strong on bobcat, bear and boar with the right handling. Not ideal for tight-quarters living, close upland flushing, or anyone needing a quiet, off-lead-reliable dog near roads.

Health and honest notes

Long ears, a deep chest and a short, dense coat that sheds and takes heat better than hard cold and wet. Coonhounds carry the usual large-hound considerations. For choosing a pup, conditioning or health questions, lean on reputable breeders, professional gun-dog trainers and your veterinarian.

What you get

A tireless, weatherproof nose with a bugle you can hear across a ridge - a dog that stays with a cold track long after others quit and tells you exactly where the game went.

Common mistakes

Expecting obedience-trial biddability from an independent hound. Under-exercising it in a suburban yard, then being shocked by the noise and chewing. Turning it loose near roads when a hot line pulls it away.

FAQ

Is a Bluetick loud? Yes - a deep bawl on trail and at the tree, and it sounds off at home too. Not a quiet-neighborhood dog.

Good for a first-timer? It can be, but the independence and drive test beginners; guidance from experienced coonhound folks helps.

Can it hunt big game? Yes - many run bobcat, bear and boar, not just raccoon.