Converting Predator Carcasses into Chick Feed

[SueT]

I doubt if a BB or pellet gun would kill them

I saw with my own eyes this morning, a big coon I trapped, quickly killed by a 0.177 pellet gun. See previous 2 pages. This model air gun sells for less than $100. For those of us who are aren't ready to take the next step of buying a firearm, this is a good alternative.

 

[FredsGobblers]

The pellet gun posted about by @Chickassan will do the job on a critter in a trap. You may have to do a second shot if not placed just right. I have an older model of same pellet gun I kill rabbits and squirrels with it at 25 yards with head shots. Imagine a line from eye to opposite ear forming an X that is your shot.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

The "taste" of revenge is bitter sweet.

 

[123RedBeard]

I've shot critters in a live trap ... align barrel muzzle with wire opening, resting barrel on cage, point barrel at critters head ... like said above I've always drawn the "X" from ears to opposite eyes ...

Don't do this with skunks though! STINKY! I take skunks away from house, and let them out of the trap, they usually only bobble out about 25'-40' then stop and look back ... While I use the scope on my Gamo .177 (1000 fps) waiting for them to stop ... one stopped at about 5' once ... I just stomped my foot, it ran off farther away ...

My pellet gun has easily killed rats, chipmunks, red & gray squirrels, skunks, and woodchucks ... don't see why a raccoon would be any different ... ???

 

[Chickassan]

With enough fps and correct caliber ammo it will do the job just fine.
These aren't the sort of pellet rifles that just leave a welt. They're designed for small game at a distance, and pretty much anything point blank unless it is something with a ridiculously thick skull.

First of all Raccoons are MEAN and have very sharp teeth and claws! I doubt if a BB or pellet gun would kill them. I would choose a 22 rifle and use hollow point ammo. If you don't want to buy a gun try a livestock guardian dog. We own a Great Pyrinsee dog which protects our goats and also guards the chicken coop.

 

[123RedBeard]

Yes, a hunting pellet rifle will do the job ... I got mine after my C02 pellet pistol would just bounce the pellet off the head of a chipmunk, it would just shake it's head, then run off!

While I had "real firearms" where I was living at the time did not allow discharging a firearm in the town ... the Gamo has what it takes ... will turn a pigeon into a cloud of feathers ...

 

[centrarchid]

Getting past the dispatching which has not been identified as a problem for this effort, the first tweak has been identified.

Too many maggots are falling to ground with the juice. Enough that carrion beetles appear to be shacking up on the ground to harvest the maggots as food for the larval beetles. To fix I will place nylon window screen between the welded wire and carcasses to keep most maggots from falling down to ground prematurely.

A Turkey Vulture flew up wind to find site by scent. I scared him by just standing there. Soon we may have the more aggressive Black Vultures walking on roof of house.

 

[aart]

Too many maggots are falling to ground with the juice. Enough that carrion beetles appear to be shacking up on the ground to harvest the maggots as food for the larval beetles.

Wouldn't any amount of maggots on the ground attract the carrion beetles?
And wouldn't the beetles and/or their larvae also provide food for chicks?

 

[centrarchid]

Wouldn't any amount of maggots on the ground attract the carrion beetles?
And wouldn't the beetles and/or their larvae also provide food for chicks?

I will try to photograph the carrion beetles to show why I think the chickens will not find them palatable. Multiple species and all are striking.

 

[Chickassan]

If you could shield the carcass from sight the black vultures wouldn't be such a nuisance since they hunt by sight rather than scent.
You'd still have the turkey vultures though.

Getting past the dispatching which has not been identified as a problem for this effort, the first tweak has been identified.

Too many maggots are falling to ground with the juice. Enough that carrion beetles appear to be shacking up on the ground to harvest the maggots as food for the larval beetles. To fix I will place nylon window screen between the welded wire and carcasses to keep most maggots from falling down to ground prematurely.

A Turkey Vulture flew up wind to find site by scent. I scared him by just standing there. Soon we may have the more aggressive Black Vultures walking on roof of house.