Noah Ireland, 8, of Edgefield, and his dog “Money,” representing the Red Hills Coonhunters Association, garnered the win in the Junior Division. Noah qualified to hunt in the state championship hunt by taking second in his age division at the Edgefield regional youth hunt.

Thirty-nine young coon hunters braved a cool steady rain recently to participate in the 11th annual South Carolina Youth Raccoon Hunting Championship at the Webb Wildlife Center in Hampton County.

The Feb. 25 event was was Co-sponsored by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the S.C. Coon Hunters Association. Nine regional events were held statewide to determine who would attend the state championship hunt. All participants must first qualify in a regional hunt in order to be invited to participate in the championship event.

Read more about the 2006 South Carolina Youth Raccoon Hunting Championship.