Defense against racoons?

[Privateer]

They won't go far with a well placed body shot.
2 taken as fast as I could cock a .30 Evanix RainStorm with body shots.
Both dropped within 5 feet after getting lead poisoned!
The big one I got on the run at 25 yards.

 

[delooper]

I find a .22 at 900fps is fine for killing raccoons with headshots.

At least here, no lights or noise will scare the raccoons. Maybe in a more rural setting they'd be more cautious.

 

[carlos_hathcock]

Did you get him with a headshot or a vital shot? If the latter, is that like right behind the shoulder area?

Head shot from the side. Have to be careful because from straight on even a rimfire can glance up and over the top. I've had a few of these and I really take my time for good placement. I've had them run off after body shots. The last two jumbos were DRT with a headshot from the side and didn't move one foot.
If you really have a problem and really want to keep them away, zap one and let him lay as long as you can stand it. I popped one years ago and he ran off and disappeared in the ivy just off the lawn. The Mrs. came to me three days later and said, "Something is stinking in the front yard, you have to find it". I found him and we didn't have raccoons for two years though they were still in the area. Reminded me of when when my uncle said to hang one up in a tree and the others won't come around.

 

[Privateer]

Rimfire in .22 is traveling to fast and passes through. Don't dump the energy on the target.
And he did say a .30 Air Gun.
2 different things there.

 

[stanginthe11s]

man, not one comment about the coon being in his sunroom hanging out leaving presents? I had a vision of Kevin hart and his racoon joke.
anyway, above advice is solid. and if that bear comes around put a .30 just back from his jawbone. bear is tasty.

 

[HubenK1Sniper92]

Get a box trap, catch the trash panda, and then have one of the garbage cans filled with water to dunk the whole cage in, problem solved, or shoot them

 

[c_m_shooter]

I never thought of staking it down. That's a great idea. The other night when I was still 30 yards away, they saw my gun light and bolted into the woods. / Last night I left a light on shining outside and put a camera out until after 12:30am but they didn't come back. I think they're scared of the light out there. But if I approach at night with my gun light, they run. I guess I need a thermal scope. Now I just need a million dollars for one. haha

Red light.

 

[gfmiller58]

I never thought of staking it down. That's a great idea. The other night when I was still 30 yards away, they saw my gun light and bolted into the woods. / Last night I left a light on shining outside and put a camera out until after 12:30am but they didn't come back. I think they're scared of the light out there. But if I approach at night with my gun light, they run. I guess I need a thermal scope. Now I just need a million dollars for one. haha

My dad put a red bulb in his outdoor floodlights. Critters seamed unconcerned and would come right up to his house.

 

[timmah]

You could always set up some dogproof traps and bait them with cat or dog food. Then they're just sitting ducks.

 

[rangur1]

Could set a tray of peanuts/ marshmallows and for cost effective night vision, a PARD scope attachment. Economical night vision. A trail cam would prove very helpful in gauging their time tables of arrival.

 

[Vana2]

I live in a rural area right by a large beaver flood. Lots of raccoons around. We generally mind our own business but occasionally get a nuisance the needs to be eliminated.

The raccoons are active all night so waiting hours for them to show up is a waste of time - I need all the beauty sleep I can get I just use a conibear 220 trap in a box set put up where dogs can't get into it and get rid of the body in the morning. Coons will eat about anything. Good suggestions for baits in the other posts, canned catfood works well but the best seems to be scraps from Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I have shot them. A head shot (from the side, in-between the eye and the ear) or a double-lung shot (hit broadside just behind the shoulder) with my .25 Royale 500 (45 fpe) puts raccoons down easily. I'd avoid a looking straight at you "between the eyes" shot because unless you catch the angle just right there's a high chance the pellet will glance off.

Good luck with your problem!

Cheers!

 

[Airgunmann]

30 cal to the chest would take care of them if you were using a 22 I'd tell you to stick to head shots

 

[esingle]

Hello good luck with your new purchase. 30 is fine for raccoons I use a L2 in 22 cal with great results. As others have stated go for head shots and use a bait/kill station with a good back stop in case of pass through or misses. One thing I have noticed that after shooting single shot or non semi auto guns I have developed a bad habit of shooting and pausing for a moment and admiring my work, or lack there of instead of continuing to fire till the animal is down. The nice thing with the L2 and a good back stop once you acquire your target in your sights you can just continue to fire till the targets down. Well good luck and enjoy your new gun Eric.

 

[SHOMER]

I humbly submit a 40 watt green or red light around your wired to a firm anchored bait.
Also using a couple of drive way motion detectors to warn of their approaching numbers and traveling direction.
I find my .25 350mm L2 is perfect for engagements of multiple pandas with double tap head - upper body shots.
This is a great baiting trap setup https://www.ebay.com/itm/133691694678

 

[BlackICE]

Be warned dog proofs can also catch skunks. That can be a smelly problem!

 

[Goldwing]

If you don't shoot them dead they'll do this back at ya

 

[efem09]

.25 will do the job cleanly

 

[qball]

Might want to up your game to something much bigger, heard them coons are pretty dangerous.

 

[BabySherman]

I use a red light, motion detector and a plate of rice or something finely chopped so they can't run off with it.
I set it up so I can shoot from 15 seconds from when the alert sounds off. Always a body shot, I don't want raccoon brains in my backyard.
9mm Evanix Max.