Raccoon Hunting Tips?

[catfish]

If you hit him he's dead there someplace, 22 is fine fine for coons. You need to look around for him so he doesn't start stinking.

One note on trapping coons. Don't laugh but its true.

Build a box, wood with a hole just smaller than a quarter, lay a quarter in the box by the hole. Coons are VERY CURIOUS and LOVE shiny stuff. He'll reach in to grab that quarter and won't be able to get his hand out. He will not let go of the quarter, They hate to loose, you walk up to him, and hit him on the head. One dead coon and undamaged hide.

 

[Miltonchix]

Just because he's been hit does NOT mean he is dead. I've hit cats in what I thought was an excellent hit, watched cat go down only to have to shoot it again 2 weeks later. A wounded coon may be as "friendly" as a wounded bear. Be careful. Under 50 yards, a clear headshot should be easy. Especially if you have a good scope that has been bore scoped and set. A word of advice on the scope. If its set, and is accurate to 50-100yards DON'T bump it against anything (scope that is) they can be knocked out of alignement fairly easy. Myself, I prefer a Ruger 10/22 with iron sight. I can put a gnats eye out at 100 yards.

 

[bluey]

My shot was pretty easy, well inside 30 yards. The raccoon responded like it was given a jolt of electricity and fell 10 feet with a thud on it's back. Not being a hunter, I was amazed when it got up and scurried slowly into the woods. It had the cover of darkness where it fell unfortunately, not really allowing me a high percentage second shot. I guess I naively believed that it would roll over dead and that would be that, you know, just how it happens on TV.

I will look for him today after work. The last thing I want is a stinking carcass.

 

[Kentucky]

BYC group:

O' My, my and I thought I was the only cold hearted person that would use lethal force to protect the wife's chickens.

Thus far nothing has been able to breech the security of the fortress.

However, chickens now get to be out of their pen in the morning and evening for a little free range, bug hunting, green stuff foraging, which seems to be great fun.

Of course, I'm also there on constant vigil with my cup of coffee and the Remington 1100, 12ga, just in case something else tries to join the group.

Actually this morning there were two hawks that I thought were going to try their luck but apparently wisely decided against it. Unfortunately they never came within range.

So far, so good.

Kentucky

 

[ivan3]

Kentucky wrote
O' My, my and I thought I was the only cold hearted person that would use lethal force to protect the wife's chickens.

Everyone on BYC uses lethal force (from antivirals to hyper-velocity rounds), we just differ with one another over which areas of the phylogenetic map we feel justified in erasing in order to protect our flocks. That said, I've yet to run into a cold hearted member.

Now, to maintain the warm familiarity of my babe, I could easily reach a boil at absolute zero.

Remington Nylon 66 and ice water, here...​

 

[panner123]

Quote:
Good Lord Kentucky, DO NOT shoot a hawk. owl or eagle, they are all protected. If you have read any of my post, you will know that I am the first one to say shoot first then think about it. But all birds of prey are off limits. We do not need a vacation in the cross bar hotel. Figure a different way to kkep them from your chickens.

 

[nautical_bouy]

Bluey, I'm about an hour away and if you like I can ask my buddy if he wants to get his Walkers out for an early traning session?

 

[patandchickens]

I would just like to comment that this is not the best time of year to be hunting/trapping/relocating/shooting/whatever, raccoons or most other things, since this is the time of year when there are likely to be babies out there who will starve unpleasantly

I am not against predator removal when it's needed, but it's awfully good if you can arrange to do it either BEFORE the young are born, or AFTER they become independent. (Before has obvious advantages over after

)

JMO,

Pat

 

[bluey]

I think I'm okay for now. No sign of raccoons last night. Thanks for the offer though!

And as far as babies go, am I supposed to postpone killing my raccoon until it can produce viable replacements? That is just utter nonsense.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
It depends on your attitudes towards what you consider unreasonable cruelty.

But if you're not, then it is a real good idea (and required by law in some places) that you think ahead to take care of the problem BEFORE the babies are born.


Pat