How to get rid of a raccoon...

[Chicks Galore3]

There is a pretty long story leading up to my question, so please bear with me!
A couple months ago, a NASTY skunk-like smell arrived at our farm. I figured a skunk had set up shop somewhere so I wanted to set up the live trap. I set it where the smell was strongest. A couple days later, right before I had to go to town, I poked my head around a building, saw something dark colored in the trap, was hit my a major whiff of stink, and figured it was a skunk. With skunks, we have my uncle come over and shoot them. So I called him. He arrived that night after dark to do the job. I volunteered (hesitantly) to hold the flashlight so he could get a good shot. We went out there, and discovered...it was a raccoon. A really, really, REALLY, bad smelling raccoon. Now, in the past, we have just relocated them across the river. But this was the first raccoon we had caught since chickens. I knew they can travel back from really far distances, so I made the quick decision to shoot it. Not a fun decision. Long, disturbing story made short, it didn't want to die, (It took a good 10-12 shots.) and me, the young, innocent, flashlight holder was slightly traumatized.

I smelled a similar nasty smell last night, coming home late, so I'm thinking we have another raccoon. My question is - is there a different way to dispose of a raccoon, either before or after live trapping them? If worse comes to worse, I will shoot it again, but I would really prefer not too. (I will NOT be there if we do.)

 

[dgibson0604]

i would have you uncle set up with his gun and have a can of mackerel in an open part of the yard and when the racoon shows up to eat the mackerel boom no more racoon no more problems

 

[ozarkmomma]

Trap and shoot is what we do. Please do not relocate them to be someone else's problem. They are horrible predators for chickens.

 

[Kyanite]

Yes, Raccoons are terrible for chickens. Not only are they opportunistic little buggers, they are stubborn and determined... And they loooove chicken!
Don't feel bad about the multiple shots. I can tell you from personal experience that raccoons have a crazy neuro response. I have felt terrible many a time thinking I had a bad shot and the poor thing had suffered, only to find that I'd gotten a solid through and through head shot that was an instant kill.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've no idea what your shooting it with but it shouldn't take that much torture to kill it. A 20 ft-lbs of power air rifle is more than enough to go through the brain pan. Lights out. If trapped that's the humane way to kill it, one shot in the head with something that will penetrate the skull. If it's a distance shot than a 20 ft-lbs air rifle is still enough in .22 or .25 caliber making a lung/heart "boiler box" shot if distance is within 30 yards. Longer shots you'd probably want a 30 ft-lbs air rifle.

Hatsan is the only company I know that reports actual feet per second with lead pellets. All others report with light alloy pellets that are useless and shouldn't be used. Long story short of it is if your shopping around for an air rifle take away 200 feet per second minimum for actual speed in a light lead pellet. A lead .22 pellet of 14 grains traveling 800 ft per second will produce near 20 ft-lbs of energy. For instance an NP trail or Beeman that report 1000 fps velocity in .22 are really only 800 fps but that's still 20 ft-lbs. A Hatsan 125 reporting 1000 fps in .22 is 1000 fps with 13.4 grain lead which is 30 ft-lbs. Move that up to a JSB 18 grain pellet and it's moving a bit under 900 fps which will be your best accuracy and same ft-lbs of energy. The Hatsan 95 is much easier to shoot and a 20 ft-lbs gun. This is the same power plant as the cheaper Striker and Edge. I'd not go over 16 grain with that power. H&N makes a field and trophy 14.66 grain pellet that comes in different head sizes. Go with 5.53 mm and you wont be sorry. That pellet matches the Hatsan barrel and 20 ft-lbs of power perfectly. I don't suggest a .25 caliber unless your using the 30 ft-lbs 125 or 135 models.

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/H_N_Field_Target_Trophy_22_Cal_14_66_Grains_Round_Nose_500ct/31

Same place Pyramyd Air is best place to purchase new air rifles. Free shipping on orders over $100 and customer service/returns unmatched.

To get a refurbished Hatsan:

http://www.airgunproshop.com/shop/refurbished-hatsan-95-22-cal-airgun/

This is the spring version not the vortex ram. Same power but not as nice a cocking/shooting gun. But hey, for $100 that's quite a gun. If you wait they do get in vortex versions but they sell out fast.

At this pro shop you can pick up Vortex pellets. Made by H&N so if you get the 14.66 grain your getting the before mentioned pellet in Hatsan package.

 

[dgibson0604]

i would use a 22 mag or 17 Hmr

 

[Kyanite]

Oh, yes. I should have added. I'm using a .22 rifle. I guess I assumed that or something similar was being used.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

People use .177 air guns to point blank head shots when animals are trapped. Works perfect if the gun has enough power to get through the skull. Raccoon like bear have a thicker and sloped forehead. You need the power to penetrate and not deflect on the slope. England has a 13 ft-lbs limit on air rifles. I don't think I'd try killing raccoon with something so small. They do great on rabbit though.

I mention England's limit as I find it sad that a country can be so scared of it's populace they need to limit air gun power along with ban of firearms.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

And if your like me anxiously awaiting the Texan small caliber big bore air rifles to release then the wait is almost over!

Oh what you could do with a .358 Texan and HP Keith mold. That should literally explode fragmenting in first few inches of impact. Yup, I'm talking about a pre-charged 3000psi gun that will toss the Lyman 358439 Keith HP cast in pure lead (about 165 grains) 950 ft per second. It would put a 3 or 4 inch hole out opposite side of a raccoon. That's my hope anyway. May not be enough speed to fragment. What the bullet is designed to do for small game. It may only expand and if slowly will work for medium game like deer. So many questions and so much playing with casting and ballistic gel to do...I can't wait!

OK, I've got to wait until there's an extra grand laying around to get this new toy...sigh...

 

[bobbi-j]

As others have said - PLEASE don't trap and relocate. Not only can that now trap-wise raccoon become someone else's problem, you may be introducing or spreading disease in your area. Distemper is a biggie here, as is rabies. (Although my vet told me that skunks are more a carrier than raccoons here in the Midwest. Raccoons are more rabies carriers in the East.) You are also potentially putting them in another raccoon's territory, and leaving them where they don't know where to find food and water. It's actually more humane to just shoot them. Even if it didn't die right away, it suffered for a shorter time that it would have if you'd have dumped it somewhere. Not sure where your uncle was shooting it, or with what, but generally head shots are quick and effective if using the right weapon.