Daytime Raccoon Hunting, share with me your tips and tricks.

[mcb]

Raccoon season is in until the end of February in TN and I plan on spending Sunday trying my hands at it. We see lots of raccoon at the feeders in the game cameras so I know they are about. I have tried it a few times before but always in late summer with no success. I have killed one raccoon opening day of deer season a few years ago never any other success and that was simply lucky happenstance.

I have an old Wester River electronic caller with several Raccoon calls (both fighting and young raccoons) loaded and a mojo critter decoy. I am trying to decide between a shotgun or a 22LR rifle since I will be shooting up into trees. We have lots of hollow trees I plan to target.

Any one have any special tips or tricks that increase your success rate calling raccoon during daylight?

 

[Patocazador]

Carry binocs and scan any large tree's forks. In warm weather they sleep in the crotch of big oaks, etc. I use a shotgun to bust them out and shoot them if they run. A .22 may kill the coon but it might rot in the crotch if you get lucky/unlucky with your shot. If you just want to kill them, it doesn't matter. However, if you want the hides, then blast them out.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I search for den trees especially along rivers or ponds. Once i find a tree that appears to have an active den, ( hairs stuck in the bark or tracks in the snow/mud) I place my call on the off side of the den hole and set up about 25-30 yards from the caller. I usually use the "coon brawl" call. If the coons are in the tree, usually within 5 minutes a coon will come out of the den hole to investigate and that is when I pop him with my .36 flint lock. By placing the call on the backside from the hole it forces the coon to come out and come to your side of the tree for a shot. I once shot 3 coons from one den tree.

 

[bersaguy]

Here in Florida, I think most of our raccoons are on meth....they seem to be kinda tall skinny guys and it's not at all uncommon to see them out and about during the day.
From what I can tell, best bait would be some day old taquitos from 7-11

 

[mcb]

Well, it was a beautiful day to be out in the woods but no racoons. Did five sets, two in the morning and three last this afternoon with no success. Got to figure out where they are denning during the day.

 

[alsaqr]

i've shot raccoons while watching a hog feeder. They usually came out after sunset. Something has happened to the raccoons in my hunting areas, i haven't seen one in six months. No photos on the game cameras either.

In one area that was previously overrun with raccoons i've seen two fishers. Fishers are vicious critters perfectly capable of killing raccoons.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Well, it was a beautiful day to be out in the woods but no racoons. Did five sets, two in the morning and three last this afternoon with no success. Got to figure out where they are denning during the day.

That sounds about like calling in any animal. Lots of calling, lots of days where nothing comes in. Often the most enjoyable days for me, is when other animals come in that I'm not hunting. Called two wolves in one day, they came within 15 yards! Just enjoy the hunt and being in the great outdoors.

Not sure about the .22LR unless you can place them in the head consistently. My father-in-law shot them with a .22WRF pistol, but only when they were treed. If you have access to a .22 Mag I think that would be "more better".

 

[mcb]

That sounds about like calling in any animal. Lots of calling, lots of days where nothing comes in. Often the most enjoyable days for me, is when other animals come in that I'm not hunting. Called two wolves in one day, they came within 15 yards! Just enjoy the hunt and being in the great outdoors.

Not sure about the .22LR unless you can place them in the head consistently. My father-in-law shot them with a .22WRF pistol, but only when they were treed. If you have access to a .22 Mag I think that would be "more better".

One of the problem so far is most of the larger hollow trees we have on the property are beech and they tend to rot internally from the stump all the way up so they don't leave any internal floors for the raccoons to lay on. They are just big hollow standing tubes. There is a bottom on the south edge of the property I am going to try next time. A larger creek and even more larger trees and more oak and less beech. Hopefully I can find where they are denning.

For Sunday I carried my 12 gauge Browning BPS with some turkey loads. 2oz of #5 shot seemed like more than enough to kill a raccoon. I do have a 22 WMR, an old Marlin 25MN bolt action, I have not shot it in several years but it killed a lot of groundhogs with it so I think, as you suggest, it would be a good option for raccoons, just have to be more careful taking shots up into the trees with it.

It was a nice day. Saw lots of squirrels, two deer, some turkey, but no raccoons. Maybe next time...

 

[Barbaroja]

Good luck on calling them. I usually will just go out spot lighting if I’m looking for them. Usually they find me as they are fond of my chickens.
I’ve been rather impressed by what a 1 1/4oz of #4 will do to them. That #4 has plenty of energy to make in through the skull.

 

[Chuck R.]

Cool thread, and I watched a couple YouTube videos, had never heard of coon calling till reading this!

I'm going to try it! We've got a shortage of old farm houses, but my northern neighbor has a bunch of old cars and junk that they inhabit. When my fruit tress ripen the little (maybe not so little) ^%$&*s wear a path from his place to my orchard. I've just got to download a couple waves for my Icotek. They've got about 10 different coon calls for downloading on the site.

 

[mcb]

One other thing I forgot to mention, Saturday I ran into the local Academy, they were having a sale, and I thought I would see if I could find any deals I couldn't pass up. I did find an good deal on a Fox-Pro Patriot caller. It is one of Fox-Pro's lower level calls but its sounds great compared to my old Western River. It also used half the number of AA batteries making it lighter to carry and yet it is still louder when you crank it up. The really nice part is I got it for only $70, they normal sell for $130-150. You might check your local Academy.

 

[jmorris]

Raccoons are seldom seen around here during the day, unless they are sick or trapped.

I use Fleming dog proof traps, and have had success with cat treats and just corn inside and around the base.

You need to set them far enough apart one raccoon can’t get caught in two traps at once.

The next morning you just walk up and take them out.



They have gone up in price a little but if you want raccoons without catching pets, they are $12 well spent.

https://www.flemingtraps.com/fleming-dog-proof-raccoon-trap-galvanized.html

 

[mcb]

We have trapped them before using conibear traps but they got smart to our trap sets. In addition its a fair drive to the hunting property for me and that makes it tough to check the traps frequently enough. Daytime calling, assuming I figure out how to do it successfully, would be a lot better than trapping.

 

[buck460XVR]

Raccoons are seldom seen around here during the day, unless they are sick or trapped.

Same here. I'm always alarmed when I see a raccoon out in the middle of the day. That said, right after sunrise or right before sunset would be the time I would attempt to call coons, if I had to call them during daylight. This time of year around here, a snowfall or temperatures below 20°F cause raccoons to retire to winter dens until warmer weather returns. First warm day after a period of low temps is also an option.

 

[jmorris]

In addition its a fair drive to the hunting property for me and that makes it tough to check the traps frequently enough.

I never set them unless I am on the property over night. The only traps that I leave set are ones I can monitor and trip with my cell phone but I don’t have any of those small enough for raccoons.

 

[Meeks36]

My buddy and I killed a raccoon once. Broad daylight coming to steal some of his paw paws apples. Have seen some in daylight eating out of a dumpster in FLA.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Here in western NC a lot of old timers hunt racoon's. I've never heard of daylight hunting though. Round here it's tradition to bay them with hounds at night. There's competitions for the best dogs. In fact folks around here generally presume one seen in day light must be rabid. This whole thing sounds interesting to me though. Believe I might give it a shot some time. My granddaddy used to eat the things... Don't think I'll try that

 

[mcb]

Here in western NC a lot of old timers hunt racoon's. I've never heard of daylight hunting though. Round here it's tradition to bay them with hounds at night. There's competitions for the best dogs. In fact folks around here generally presume one seen in day light must be rabid. This whole thing sounds interesting to me though. Believe I might give it a shot some time. My granddaddy used to eat the things... Don't think I'll try that

Growing up that was the way most people I knew hunted them, at night with hounds, or trapping. But watching some daytime coyote hunting videos I ran across video of guys also daytime hunting raccoon by calling (usually with raccoon fighting or raccoon distress sounds) near old hollow trees or old buildings that they suspected were their dens. I have an electronic caller (two now) and though I would give it a go.

I added some new sounds to my caller and am going to try again this Sunday.

 

[Rule3]

Daytime?

Look for the ones foaming at the mouth!

Only ones I see during the day are roadkill.

 

[mcb]

Daytime?

Look for the ones foaming at the mouth!

Only ones I see during the day are roadkill.

View attachment 1058873

I was the same way. But I have watch a heap of videos of hunters calling raccoon out of trees/dens in the middle of the day. The big males seem to get really aggressive toward decoy/callers playing raccoon fighting sounds. They often come down the trees fast and charge the decoy/electronic-caller.

 

[Appalachiannative]

Growing up that was the way most people I knew hunted them, at night with hounds, or trapping. But watching some daytime coyote hunting videos I ran across video of guys also daytime hunting raccoon by calling (usually with raccoon fighting or raccoon distress sounds) near old hollow trees or old buildings that they suspected were their dens. I have an electronic caller (two now) and though I would give it a go.

I added some new sounds to my caller and am going to try again this Sunday.

Dang you can add sounds to yours? I only have a cheap one made for calling coyotes how much yours cost?

 

[mcb]

Dang you can add sounds to yours? I only have a cheap one made for calling coyotes how much yours cost?

I bought a FoxPro Patriot, normally about $130-$150 but Academy had it on sale for ~$70.

 

[Appalachiannative]

That's pretty sweet. I'm gonna have to get me one. Believe I might try my hand at this type of hunt next year. Right now I'm too busy with work and hunting squirrels with dogs an a shotgun

 

[mcb]

Another long Sunday hunting. It was colder this weekend. Mid 20's when I got o the property at ~9:30 AM and probably never got much above 40 in the afternoon. Was back almost to freezing when I left just after sundown. Still no raccoons though I had a coyoted come to one of my young raccoon in distress calls. I had just stopped the caller to wait and watch and saw motion behind one of the trees I was watching. I just saw him for a few seconds skyline on the ridge above me He left and nothing I played on the caller brought him back. I doubt he saw me given where I was camouflaged on a fence line, and the caller and decoy were between us. but he may have crossed my scent given direction he was coming from.

I did shortly after the coyote encounter came across an armadillo that I whack at about 90-100 yards with the 300 BO. Subsonics are nice but don't anchor the armadillos as well as I would like. I hit him twice, he stopped on the first hit so I hit him again, he turned over and did the shaky leg for a second, and then a few seconds after that righted himself and came down the hill toward me like a torpedo under the leaves. It was impressive. The motion stopped at a stump and sure enough when I got to the stump there was a hole dug under it. No doubt he is now dead in that hole but I hate to not get a clean confirmed kill.

Anyway I did five sets again yesterday. Had crows, coyotes, and a hawk come to the call but no raccoons. And they are around, I found relatively fresh raccoon tracks in a dried mudpuddle on one of the trails right before I whacked the armadillo.

Hopefully better luck the next time I try it, still a beautiful day in the woods.



My 300 BO against a small hickory tree I found on the south edge of our property.

 

[Fyrstyk]

Are you sure that is a Hickory tree? Looks like a Tulip tree to me.