Markets in Everything: Raccoon Meat in Detroit
DETROIT NEWS -- Glemie Dean Beasley (picture above), a 69-year-old retired truck driver who modestly refers to himself as the Coon Man, supplements his Social Security check with the sale of raccoon carcasses that go for as much $12 and can serve up to four. The pelts, too, are good for coats and hats and fetch up to $10 a hide.
A licensed hunter and furrier, Beasley says he hunts coons and rabbit and squirrel for a clientele who hail mainly from the South, where the wild critters are considered something of a delicacy.
Hunting is prohibited within Detroit city limits and Beasley insists he does not do so. Still, he says that life in the city has gone so retrograde that he could easily feed himself with the wildlife in his backyard, which abuts an old cement factory.
He procures the coons with the help of the hound dogs who chase the animal up a tree, where Beasley harvests them with a .22 caliber rifle. A true outdoorsman, Beasley refuses to disclose his hunting grounds.
MP: Be sure to watch the 8-minute video about Glemie. Thanks to an Anonymous tip.
9 Comments:
I have actually had BBQ raccoon and squirrel and it isn't bad. My step dad used to hunt both in the woods north of Big Rapids. They went coon hunting all the time and had tournaments for their dogs. A good coon hunting dog is hard to come by these days.
This has motivated me to kill either a squirrel or coon and eat him!
At time when my father was unemployed he would trap Racoon and sell the hides. He had paid his rent multiple times doing this.
Money is out there to be made, do you have the creativity to do so?
-AC
ExtremeHobo,
Hunters eviserate their kills immediately to ensure that the taste of the meat is not spoiled.
Be careful what you wish for.
I believe that selling game meat is illegal in MI. You can legally sell the fur.
I'm sorry that this industrious man will likely have the DNR on him, while he is trying to take care of himself, instead of sponging off the social support systems.
Thanks for trying Glemie!
When I was a kid (early 1960's), I set rabbit traps during the winter. We ate the rabbits. I occasionally caught a 'possum, and sold it for $0.50. Thanks for bringing back a great memory.
QT, I had to look up eviserate. Havent killed my squirrel yet though.
Coon is a delicacy in the South? God bless your idiocy.
I would like to get in touch with Mr. Beasley. I would be one of his best customers. My uncle used to ship dressed raccoons to us every year stuffed with sweet potatoes on dry ice from Missouri to California. My dad would roast them around Thanksgiving. Great memories & good eats. I would love to introduce my husband and children to raccoon meat.... I have stories in my family from the time of World War II when food, rubber,etc was being rationed. My grandfather, dad & uncles used to hunt and barter the meat to keep their household afloat. We are so spoiled today.
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