A question was brought up on another thread asking what causes a bald area on the backs of the neck on some coon. In the fur business this is called Bad necks.
This bald area oft times leading to open wounds on the back of the neck and head, is caused by the coon rubbing and scratching at a lice infestation. This louse is seasonally specific and goes so far as to be sex and age class specific in choosing its host. By seasonally specific I mean this condition appears toward the end of the season, the end of February into March. How long into the summer it affects the coon I don't know, but by fall the area will have a new covering of fur. By sex and age class specific it only effects the older boars. The sows and younger boars will carry this louse, but it will not get to the point of causing the host to rub itself raw as it does in the older boar.
It stands to reason that the higher the coon population the more individuals are afflicted with this condition. But, that being said, I don't consider it caused by over population. This louse is always present in the population.
The main result of coons fighting coons are bobbed tails. Or, on skinning, teeth marks are found in the tail.
