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Shortwave, I too live in Ohio, and have seen an explosion in racoon overpopulations since the decline of the fur industry. I truly think its time to reclassify them, or at the very least, expand the season immensly.
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TimSr,
When talking to ODNR, I was told that the pelt bounty was going up to $20/pelt this year. Just not enough people trapping these days to keep the pests population under control. Your right...an extension of the coon season would help or flat classify them as a pest with open season.
There was a time in my life(teens and 20's) that when hunting with 'the fella's' ,it was a competition. Didn't matter if we were hunting rabbits, pheasants, grouse, woodcock, squirrel deer etc. Same when we went fishing...competition. Had to kill or catch the most and the biggest.
We had a lot of fun in those days but not near as much fun as I've had in my latter years. I release more fish now than I keep and let more game walk than I used to. I get much more enjoyment out of watching wildlife then disturbing it and find my early season scouting adventure's more enjoyable every year that goes by.
Was out a couple weeks ago in a five acre clover plot up on the ridge and got the opportunity of watching a doe fend off a small buck that was harassing her fawn. The buck would try and get close to the fawn and the doe would run him all over the field. A couple times they went face to face rising up on their hind legs like two prize fighters in the ring. Trust me when I tell ya that that doe 'out boxed' that buck ten to one.
A true pleasure to sit and watch.
I think sometimes, respect for all life increases as we get older. We see more of our family/friends pass...bury our pets... and as hunters, we've had a life time of killing.
I may have enjoyed the competition of the hunt in my early years with my hunting pals/family and today, still shoot what I need enjoying hunting still yet. But make no mistake...never have been one to kill something just for the sake of killing it.