I shot that raccoon... sorta

[IA_farmboy]

I have a raccoon making a mess of my property. I thought I had everything all buttoned up so they no longer had a warm place to sleep but those little ****s tore a hole in my roof. Earlier tonight I waited for one to poke its little head out where I could shoot it. I loaded the rifle with CCI CB Longs as I didn't want to make too much noise or otherwise cause harm or suspicions with the neighbors.

My first shot was too high and the **** ran off scared for a bit. I went back in the house and waited until I heard it moving around again. I heard it moving around and this time I took more careful aim. I had cross-hairs right between its eyes. Well, one of us flinched and some how it ran off. I chased it down with a flashlight (I need to get a revolver for future situations like this) and I was able to see that it was bleeding from the hip before it went out of sight.

Here's a couple questions for those more experienced with hunting little critters like this. What are the chances it will bleed to death? Would it be possible that the bullet would cause lead poisoning?

I'd rather get a clean kill but dead now or dead tomorrow is better than it coming back to cause more damage. I used to have a live trap for these critters but since I hadn't seen one in some time I had returned the trap to its owner. I'll try to get the trap back. I'll also look for it again tomorrow as it's too late to try shooting it tonight.

 

[dakotasin]

bleed to death? eh, not real likely.

possibility of lead poisoning? anything's possible, but i'd say the likelihood in this case is extremely limited.

what you have is a wounded coon. it will be back soon, but smarter.

you need to get the live trap.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Use a .45.

That's what I used last time I disposed of a racoon. Then again, this one had rabies and I had just pulled out of my driveway to drive to the little place that I use for target practice. I had my S&W 625 in the seat next to me, and when I was pulled around a corner there it was, sitting on its haunches on the side of the road just looking at me. It looked a little "wobbly", and I got out of the truck and walked over to it. It looked up at me with a dazed look in its eyes, then started to hiss.

That's when I took the initiative to put it down.

Moral to the story? It didn't run away after I hit it with a .45 XTP.

 

[Sunray]

CB Long's are too light. It's not going to bleed to death unless you managed to wound it in an artery. Lead poisoning is a long and painful death that isn't likely after wounding a game animal. You may find that shooting it, especially at night, is illegal too.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Coon hunting at night may be legal in his state. Best to check regs.

 

[Blackfork]

Havahart trap and cat food.

Forget shooting up the neighborhood. Get a box trap and bait it with cat food. You don't have ONE coon. There is no such thing. After you kill four or five, shut it down for a while.

Careful, even caged coons lash out. Bodies go in a trash bag in the trash.

 

[ocharry]

so ahhh deer hunter after you shot that RABID coon ,, what did you do with the carcase??? leave it by the side of the road or did you take the time to dispose of it??

ocharry

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Next time load your .22 with subsonic h/p. Before you shoot at anything living, see where your rifle is grooping and adjust accordingly. Coons are tough critters. I would not be suprised if he came back to "nurse" his wounds. He's gonna be harder to kill now. Just hope he doesn't decide to up and die in your attic. That would be problematic. If you're lucky enough to kill him and have the capability of building a fire, burn his carcas just in case he was infected by rabies.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I disposed of it, don't fret.

 

[Joe Meyer]

Use enough gun.

 

[W.E.G.]

I shot a possum with a .22 short on the upstairs porch of an upstairs/downstairs duplex back in '81.

That sucker bled like you would not believe. Looked like a massacre had happened. Ended up spending the rest of the night washing all the blood off the stairs and the downstairs landing.

He died.

 

[Selfdfenz]

Vote number 2 for subsonics. Especially the CCI product with the giant hollow point. Not much louder than the CB long (about 700 fps in my testing)but more effective (about 1000 fps) and more accurate in my testing.

BTW
Wal Mart sells a product back in the Arts and Crafts section called Tulip Glow in the Dark Paint. Comes in a 1.25 oz squeeze-type bottle. In my testing it makes an excellent paint for ersatz night sights. Stays on very well but it's easy enough to get off when you want or when the nighttime target practice is over. Pretty sure a bottle costs less than $2 and of course you'll have enough to do about 500 rifles and pistols. This set-up does require that you hit the paint with a brief burst of light just before you shoot. I have a couple of techniques charging the sights that preserve your night vision if you are interested. I don't work for W-M or the Tulip Paint company.

Best

S-

 

[Harley Quinn]

Any thing new to offer about this raccoon and his plight Or maybe it is a momma Sounds like you need to catch them in a trap .
Do you live in an area that is considered populated and if so are you willing to go to jail over this

I have been reading, some like the slow moving 38 special for these kind of critters..

 

[IA_farmboy]

I checked the Iowa DNR website, raccoon hunting is legal at night... just not in September.

Raccoon hunting season opens in November. Until then I'll refrain from shooting them until then. I'll make exceptions only if one appears rabid or injured.

Shortly after my original post I heard more noises and went to take a look. I saw TWO of those little ****s. I made arrangements to get that live trap back even though I haven't heard anything indicating a raccoon in the area last night or tonight... yet.

I patched the hole in the roof, looks real fugly right now. I forgot to check for more holes this morning and it got real dark real quick tonight since a storm rolled through. I'll try to remember to check the perimeter in the morning.

There seems to be some concern about my choice of weapon. I don't want to use anything bigger since my backstop is usually my roof. I'm not concerned about a 1/4 inch hole in a roof I intend to replace in about a week. Also, I use what I got, and what I got is a .22 long rifle.

I had the rifle and scope bore sighted when I bought it several weeks ago. I shot a few rounds out of it weeks ago and I'm satisfied that the sights are reasonably accurate. One problem is trajectory, the scope was sighted out to 100 yards and I'm shooting much closer than that. I need to adjust my aim appropriately. My first shot was high because I didn't take the drop into account. My second shot should have landed in the raccoons forehead but it must have jumped right when I pulled the trigger. Since it was looking straight at me its body was covered by its head from where I was shooting there is no other way I could have hit where I did unless it moved, and did so very quickly.

I'll not worry myself about my aim or the rifle scope for a while. I'll likely have a trap tomorrow night. I'll likely have a new roof next week, and I'm not putting holes in a new roof.

 

[Dr. A]

Waiting for coon control is a new notion to me. Unfortunately in my community, the current logic is if we leave it alone, it will move on. I kill an average of 10 coons a year, and have them invading my home on occasion. I have several beloved neighbors that feed them store bought dog food, and they must figure I must be a contributor as well. The live trap is the way to go. I spent money buying high powered pellet guns, which do work, but require perfect shots. The CB caps will also work, but require a behind the eye, or eyeball shot for a quick kill. Lead poisoning does not occur, and regular scarring is what usually occurs. Many of the coons suffer from distemper and rabies around here, so I take it seriously. There is always at least one guy in each neighborhood this distastful animal control falls to and it sound like it should be you. Good luck, and don't waste your time trying to shoot them. Too much movement, too dark, and too much time watching for them. I can eliminate a coon colony (except for the smartest of the bunch) using outdated catfood, tuna, or what have you thrown in the trash can. Its then time to use the next to useless CB caps and finish them off point blank. Hunting here is not possible as its an urban setting. Its either them or me...

 

[gbp]

Raccoon

What you really need is an "Airforce Condor" in 22 Cal. with an "Air Hog Shroud". I have shot probably 30 raccoons with this rig and all but two have been one shot kills. It's quiet (wont bother the neighbors), highly accurate, has the velocity of a 22LR. Everything you wouold want to dispatch those unwanted pests.

 

[IA_farmboy]

I haven't seen a raccoon in many days now. I have the live trap set and baited with a favorite of past raccoons, peanut butter and pop-tarts. Nothin'. Maybe I should try the strawberry flavored pop-tarts.

While I haven't seen a raccoon in some time there has been quite the odor in and about my garage. I suspect the raccoon died of its injuries or of starvation since there was no way to be sure all the raccoons were out of the building before I patched the hole in my roof. It was probably a bit of both injury and starvation since the raccoon could reach the trap from the hiding place it had but it would mean climbing down, probably difficult with a busted hip.

While I am quite glad that I haven't seen a raccoon in some time I am also concerned about what I will find once I start tearing down the roof to make proper repairs. The odor hasn't been too strong lately, I suspect the cooler weather we've had killed off some of the rot.

I've asked a friend that runs his own handyman business to make an estimate on repairs and shingles. He was a no show on Friday. Disappointing but not unexpected since he has been quite busy lately. I'll have to call him again to set up a new time to meet.

Any way, just an update for those curious of the outcome.

 

[MudPuppy]

Well, this doesn't sound like "hunting", it sound like defending property from damages--which likely falls under a different legal status.

I prefer to let animals go there own way too, but sounds like this one aint content to to mind his own business and is tearing holes in roofs.

I'd likely try a live trap myself--you'd probably be better off calling fish and game and letting them know whats up and maybe they'll come haul him off once his caught? Or, he'd be easier to dispatch in trap. But, sounds like the issue may be solved...sort of. Stinky coon in the attic, blech.

 

[hounddog]

egg traps are nice as well.

 

[Harley Quinn]

I haven't seen a raccoon in many days now. I have the live trap set and baited with a favorite of past raccoons, peanut butter and pop-tarts. Nothin'. Maybe I should try the strawberry flavored pop-tarts.

While I haven't seen a raccoon in some time there has been quite the odor in and about my garage. I suspect the raccoon died of its injuries or of starvation since there was no way to be sure all the raccoons were out of the building before I patched the hole in my roof. It was probably a bit of both injury and starvation since the raccoon could reach the trap from the hiding place it had but it would mean climbing down, probably difficult with a busted hip.

While I am quite glad that I haven't seen a raccoon in some time I am also concerned about what I will find once I start tearing down the roof to make proper repairs. The odor hasn't been too strong lately, I suspect the cooler weather we've had killed off some of the rot.

I've asked a friend that runs his own handyman business to make an estimate on repairs and shingles. He was a no show on Friday. Disappointing but not unexpected since he has been quite busy lately. I'll have to call him again to set up a new time to meet.

Any way, just an update for those curious of the outcome

Really, it is to bad the raccoon was not allowed out of the attic.

Not a good deal IMHO...
Now you are going to leave it up to the roofers to clean up

This was not a real good decision on your part. If you shoot it you need to eat it, or bury it IMHO...

 

[IA_farmboy]

Really, it is to bad the raccoon was not allowed out of the attic.

It had an out. All it had to do was take the bait in the trap. Sorry if I didn't make that clear before. Even though I didn't know if there was a raccoon in the building or not I still set the trap to catch any still inside after patching the hole.

Now you are going to leave it up to the roofers to clean up

I'll be the one cleaning up the mess. I just need someone that knows what they are doing to patch things up once I'm done. So I won't tear into the roof to clean up until someone is here to fix it up after me, otherwise I might have rain damage to deal with.

 

[Evocatii]

I just caught a raccoon about one hour ago. This one is a monster coon that has been escaping capture for some time. It has torn up the insulation under my home. This coon is done sir done. Good thing coons are still in season where I live.

 

[BIGR]

Had about 17 coons around the house here in December. Just seen one or two lately. Oh wiley coyote has got a few of them. They can be a problem for sure near a house.

 

[Bartkowski]

Has anyone else heard that ex lax will kill small animals? I forget if it was ex lax or something else, but I overheard a pest control crew talking to a friend of mine. They said that if you put a few ex lax in a can of anchovies or a hot dog that it will kill the animal when they eat it since it does something to its blood pressure.

 

[islandphish]

+1 on defense of property. Some states draw a distinction and you can hunt, trap or poison year round, night or day without a license. Best to call your local PD or Game and Parks.