recently come under scrutiny as being harmful to wildlife, ignorance of tracking through public then private land, and an unfair hunting practice in general. Prominent California Redbone breeder, Dee Gunter, has said that contrary to popular belief, a properly-trained coonhound is never allowed to kill its target.Outside of hunting, the Redbone is also used for seach and rescue. In an area traditionally dominated by Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, and Bloodhounds, some handlers have begun using coonhounds. Joan Brehm, Ph.D., president of Illinois Search Dogs, a nonprofit volunteer organization in Bloomington, Indiana, uses Redbone Coonhounds for SAR, remarking that she is "consistently amazed by the high sensitivity of their nose and their ability to locate the target odor in the smallest amounts and over extended periods of time and distance, They do not give up hunting for the target odor until they find it, no matter what.” Notable Redbone Coonhounds Where the Red Fern Grows is a story about two Redbone Coonhounds ("Old Dan" and "Little Ann") and their owner Billy Colman. The book was written by Wilson Rawls in 1961, then turned into a movie in 1974. The Hound That Thought He Was a Raccoon is a story about a young coonhound puppy raised by a family of raccoons. The film was made by Walt Disney Productions in 1960. The Outlaw Josey Wales picks up a Redbone Coonhound, who accompanies him on his path. Arthur Ownby, one of the main characters in Cormac McCarthy's first-ever published novel, The Orchard Keeper, owns a three-legged Redbone Coonhound named Scout. The dog accompanies him as he attempts to escape the authorities after a shootout at his cabin, and is later shot after Arthur is sent to live out the rest of his days in a mental hospital. Ryan Steele, one of the main characters in VR Troopers, owns a Redbone Coonhound named Jeb who gains the ability to talk like a human. See also Dogs portal List of dog breeds References Scent hounds Dog breeds originating in the United States