Why does a hunter need to be persistent? How does Billy show persistence when he is hunting during the competition?

In actuality, the dogs are the hunters, thus, Billy has to trust their instincts. On the final day of the competition, Billy returns to the swamp where the dogs got their last coon, and Ann and Dan seem to clearly understand the task in front of them. Their previous experience allows Billy to predict the first coon's actions perfectly..... once he is treed, he moves out of the treetop and makes his way to the river where Ann and Dan fight him in deep water. The other hunters are afraid the dogs will drown, but Billy puts his faith in the dogs. As a result, they get their first coon of the night.