Vocabulary in Where the Red Fern Grows

The smell left behind by an animal that a hunting dog follows on the ground or in the air to track its prey.

A raccoon; in this story, the wild animal that Billy and his dogs hunt through the Ozark hills at night.

A dog bred specifically for hunting, known for its keen sense of smell and loud baying cry when it picks up a trail.

The long, loud howl or cry a hound dog makes when it picks up or follows a scent trail during a hunt.

Low-lying flat ground alongside a river or stream, typically fertile and often wooded; the terrain Billy hunts through.

A large hardwood tree common along Ozark riverbanks, recognizable by its patchy white and gray bark; central to a key challenge Billy faces.

A troublesome or destructive wild animal; used in this region and era to refer to creatures like raccoons that are hunted or trapped.

The pelt or hide of a raccoon after it has been killed and skinned, which Billy sells to earn money.

Loyal, steadfast, and dependable without wavering; used to describe the unwavering devotion of Billy's dogs to him.

A portable light enclosed in a case, typically fueled by kerosene, used by Billy to see during his nighttime hunting trips.

A heavy chopping tool with a metal blade on a long handle, used by Billy to chop down trees during hunts to catch treed raccoons.

The act of a hunting dog chasing an animal, such as a raccoon, until it climbs a tree and then barking to alert the hunter to its location.

A formal hunting competition in which dogs and their owners compete for the title of best coon-hunting team in the region.

A legendary raccoon in the local area that is said to be uncatchable, having outsmarted every hunter and dog that has ever tried to track it.

A large wild cat, also called a cougar or panther, that attacks Billy and his dogs in the climactic confrontation near the end of the story.

A sacred plant in Cherokee legend said to grow only where an angel has planted it; in the story it grows over the graves of Billy's two dogs as a symbol of their bond.

A small flat wallet used to carry paper money; Billy carefully saves his earnings in one over the years to buy his dogs.

Shouted or called out loudly; a regional, informal past-tense form common in Ozark dialect used throughout the novel.

A railroad station where passengers board trains and freight is loaded or unloaded; Billy picks up his puppies here.

The skin and fur of a hunted animal, especially a raccoon, which can be sold or traded for money.