An important part of coon hunting, as in mountain fox chasing, is listening to the dogs bark on trail, although some hunters prefer a silent dog, often a cur, that can ambush a raccoon, forcing it to tree sooner. Either way, the dog is expected to bark when the coon is finally treed, to call the hunter to the site.
Raccoons have well-developed senses of sight, hearing and smell.
Raccoons are omnivorous (they eat both animals and plants) and opportunistic; their diet is dictated by seasonal protein and energy needs and food availability.
Raccoons face a wide variety of diseases and infections. Disease is most prevalent in populations that become too abundant for their habitat. Disease is more likely to occur in residential areas and in parks where hunting and trapping are prohibited than in rural areas where hunters and trappers help reduce overabundance of these animals.