In South Carolina, “Coon Hunting” Is Real

And soon, residents may have the license plates to prove it.

By Jamilah King Jan 04, 2011

South Carolina lawmakers have introduced bills that would allow the state’s DMV to issue over a dozen new license plates, including ones baring tea party slogans "Don’t Tread On Me", "Second Amendment", and "Coon Hunters." That last one isn’t really a tea party slogan, but probably should be.

The bill is among two hundred measures that were pre-filed by state lawmakers before the end of 2010, which means that it’s not exactly a shoe-in just yet.

And as Talking Points Memo points out, while the "Coon Hunters" plate may raise some obvious eyebrows for its apparent use of a racial slur, it’s actually meant to celebrate the state’s long history of raccoon hunting. Revenue from sales of the plate would go to the South Carolina State Coon Hunters Association Youth Fund. And if you take a look at the group’s website, they’re serious:

The SC State CHA was established in 1982 to promote the sport of coonhunting in our state…We work constantly with members of our General Assembly to insure that our hunting privileges are not infringed upon.

No word yet from newly minted Gov. Nikki Haley.