Golf

Coon Dog Cemetery

Many a time, solemn men in black coats and hip boots, carbide lamps on their heads, stood beside fresh dug holes in this thick wilderness to bury their faithful coon dogs. Almost 200 headstones-or sheet metal with scratched inscriptions-memorialize best friends like Bean Blossom Bomma, Night Ranger, Patches, Preacher, and Straight Talk'n Tex. Whether it's a cold nose, hot nose, loose mouth, squallin', grand nite champion, or pressure tree dog, the epitaphs say it all-He was a joy to hunt with . . .He wasn't the best, but he was the best I ever had . . .

Only blue-blood coon dogs lie in rest here. We have stipulations on this thing, says the caretaker of the Coon Dog Cemetery. A dog can't run no deer, possum-nothing like that. He's got to be a straight coon dog, and he's got to be full hound. Couldn't be a mixed up breed dog, a house dog. And, according to Key Underwood who started the whole thing in 1937 when he buried his buddy, Troop, you must not know much about coon hunters and their dogs, if you think we would contaminate this burial place with poodles and lap dogs.

Directions:
From Tuscumbia travel west on U.S. Highway Alt. 72 for seven miles. Turn left on Alabama Hwy 247 (There is a convenience store on the corner) travel for approximately twelve miles, turn right and follow the signs. Open daily during daylight hours. Free.

Eulogy to a coon dog: What is the woods without you there? I promise I will be with you soon . . .so we can chase them coon. The Coon Dog Cemetery honors 185 beloved coon dogs, several world champs.