Up to 8,000 coon hunters at fairgrounds

Monday, April 16, 2007

The Deer Creek Coon Hunters Club will host the 49th annual Walker Days Thursday through Saturday at the Putnam County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Coon dogs and handlers from up to 48 states are expected to attend the event, which could draw up to 8,000 people.

All dogs and handlers will be hunting for approximately $10,000 in prizes in addition to trophies for both the bench show and the night hunt.

Close to 250 dogs and handlers will participate each evening.

A bench show is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday and a night hunt for 8 p.m. A dinner is planned for 5 p.m. Thursday as well. Dinner tickets cost $8 each and are available.

At Thursday's bench show, all dogs will show in Registered Champion and Grand Champion classes. Winners will compete for Supreme Male and Supreme Female.

There will also be a Senior Old-Timers Hunt for those 60-over Thursday evening.

Entry into the fairgrounds is set at $10.

On Friday, two separate UKC licensed night hunts are scheduled with hunting judges on all casts.

Entries will be take at the site at a cost of $50. The entry deadline is 4 p.m.

On Saturday, a UKC licensed bench show is scheduled in addition to a night hunt.

The deadline to signup for the bench show is 8 a.m. at a fee of $20. The deadline for the night hunt is 4 p.m. at a cost of $25.

In addition, the annual membership meeting will take place Saturday at noon. Memberships will be checked at the door.

Steve Sheldon is the current president of the Deer Creek Coon Hunters Club, an organization that has existed in Putnam County for close to 75 years.

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