Frankie's 1st coon!

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Dr. Kralenstein

Dr. Kralenstein

Member
Apr 14, 2022
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The Laboratory, United States
I've been after this one for a few weeks now. Always waits me out in the tree over the fence, hence why I never take the shot. Well, I took my chances this time since the brush is still light, and my shoulder injury is a solid 90% healed.

Walked out to about 30 yards away and let a polymag say hello to this gal's face. Using the red torch on top of the scope to spot them, and it doesn't spoke them.

Down it went, right over my fence into the abyss. I never usually recover the bodies from there because it's so dense with that vine crap that loves to entangle power poles and old trees.

I hopped the fence and dug around a bit, making sure I brought Frankie with me, locked and loaded. Found her at the base of the tree, not moving, but I didn't hear the death dance coons are notorious for. I didn't give her a chance to trick me, I just put the muzzle and inch from the back of her head and put another polymag in her brain.

Sure as hell, she started flipping and rolling, doing the helicopter tail, making all sorts of noise! I waited a good five minutes to let her settle down and she was done.

Next coon I go for will get a harder pellet, neither pellet made it out of her head but both went in. I'll check in the morning to see exactly where I hit the first shot, but I could see the pellet in flight and it was dead nuts in the forehead between the eyes.

Frankie did get a couple scratches on the scope sunshade from rubbing on the fence when I leaned him against it so I could hop over. I'd normally be upset, but this was well worth the battle scars!
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Good shooting on a fat raccoon. You may have just knocked it unconscious with the first shot, as those sloped foreheads ain't the ideal target, but you had to take what you were given, and it all worked out in the end!

When I've taken raccoons with a .25cal, I always used slugs, so I agree with your future ammo choices. A JSB King may be just the ammo for this job.
 
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N2 Shooter said:
Good shooting on a fat raccoon. You may have just knocked it unconscious with the first shot, as those sloped foreheads ain't the ideal target, but you had to take what you were given, and it all worked out in the end!

When I've taken raccoons with a .25cal, I always used slugs, so I agree with your future ammo choices. A JSB King may be just the ammo for this job.
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Thanks! I'm excited about it. Glad it was a female too, one less breeding out there. I also agree, I think it stunned it. She was up about 35 feet and I shot at an angle into that forehead. Glad I didn't just grab the tail and start walking!
 
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Ezana4CE said:
@Boostcreep Was there a noticeable hole in its forehead from the first shot?
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Nope. I checked it over this morning, and I didn't see one. I think it deflected off the forehead and just knocked it stupid. The 30 foot fall didn't help it much either. There was blood before the second shot, but I didn't get penetration. Polymags are soft lead AND that hollow dish aren't a good combo for thick skulls. She was a biggin too, a younger one I think it would've got in.

Next one will be with a domed pellet or baracuda.
 
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@Boostcreep I can see that. I had a coon that I put .22 Polymag shot between the eyes and I saw no blood. I heard it hit. The damned thing just growled and ran off. I was within 10 yards. I got after him and he ditched me in a thicket (he ran from one thicket to another). I’ve taken one out with a JSB King diabolo pellet from my Lelya. There's an old thread “Raccoon Headshot” in the hunting forum if you care to see it. I recommend domed pellets.
 
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Ezana4CE said:
@Boostcreep I can see that. I had a coon that I put .22 Polymag shot between the eyes and I saw no blood. I heard it hit. The damned thing just growled and ran off. I was within 10 yards. I got after him and he ditched me in a thicket (he ran from one thicket to another). I’ve taken one out with a JSB King diabolo pellet from my Lelya. There and old thread “Raccoon Headshot” in the hunting forum. I recommend domed pellets.
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That evil growl they have is something I don't like hearing in the dark when I go out to check my hens. This one was getting into my trash and started tearing out some wood on my hen pen, it was time. I tried a couple weeks ago with tuna for bait but it was on to me. I didn't hesitate this time.
 
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Vetmx said:
Polymag’s are a no go for coons. Expansion doesn’t kill them with our lame guns, penetration does. Just use a good dome that always hits exactly where you aim.
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Used a hades at 32 fpe in 22 last time and was DRT. This one with 38 fpe didn't do the trick. Same shot placement. Next time, they'll be getting a 25.4 king.
 
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I have some baracuda hunters and regular baracudas I will try next. They don't groups as well as the polymags, but good enough for the range I'd be using.

If I get less than stellar results next time, I will bust out my 55 fpe 25 cal jumbo that stacks baracuda and 33.95 pellets out to 75 yards. Just don't lug it around much, it's 39" long currently.
 
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Vetmx said:
Polymag’s are a no go for coons. Expansion doesn’t kill them with our lame guns, penetration does. Just use a good dome that always hits exactly where you aim.
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This is the reason I started using my Bulldog .357 with Polymags, because my 45fpe .25cal wasn't cutting it. And even with the Bulldog, I wasn't getting an exit wound. But the Bulldog with NSA slugs gave me excessive over penetration.

I'm hoping I can use my FX Maverick VP .30cal with JSB Knockouts for a happy medium ground tool, as it will be quieter, more accurate and more shots if I need it.
 
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