Prod for Raccoon?

[GoldenFrog]

Hello Everyone,

I’ve got a Prod that I’ve been using with great success on big rats and a few skunk. Most of my shots are from around 15’. I don’t have a cronograph so I can only guess at what speed it’s shooting. It has a bigger hammer spring and inlet port, and from 300-150 psi it shoots sixteen shots. 
From what I’ve read .25+ cal is recommended and a minimum of 25 fpe. The Prod is .22 and since I don’t have a cronograph I’m unable to calculate the fpe. I’m hoping the raccoons just stay away but we have a covered pond with fish, a rabbit hutch, and a chicken coop. I have a live trap that I caught a skunk in once and I let it go in the park. I could use it on the raccoon but there’s three of them in their group and I’m not sure how far you have to relocate them. And I’m kind of afraid that the raccoon might turn on me when I try and free it. I read about putting a tarp over the cage and a car tail pipe and killing it with the exhaust. I’m not sure if this method is for me. I guess I might need to pick up a .25 cal gun with more power. 
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Matt247365]

If the live trap is small enough you can dunk it in a trash can filled with water.

 

[GoldenFrog]

Yeah it would fit in a trash can. I’m okay drowning rats (I haven’t done it), but bigger critters like skunk and raccoon I’d feel bad drowning. Thanks for reminding me of that option. 

 

[Yo]

If the live trap is small enough you can dunk it in a trash can filled with water.

ADD MANY DROPS DISH DETERGENT to break the water's surface tension drown them quicker. Prevents mosquito larvae from surfacing and breathing too.

 

[Yo]

Yeah it would fit in a trash can. I’m okay drowning rats (I haven’t done it), but bigger critters like skunk and raccoon I’d feel bad drowning. Thanks for reminding me of that option.

Put that trap with your live pests in a garbage bag ziptie seal it to your running car exhaust pipe. They die quicker and more humanely than drowning them.

 

[wyshadow]

IMO I think a prod is under powered for a raccoon but it's all about shot placement. I think a stock prod is about 18 ft-lbs. If you say you could get 15 feet and have a steady rest, you could try it and see what happens. Years ago I was able to get a raccoon at 20 yards with a .22 r10 putting out about 30 ft-lbs. I got him right behind the eye but I still had to put an extra shot in him when he went down. 

 

[Yo]

Learnt that one myself even before I was old enough to drive. I used to live on a farm at my adoptive abusive parents home and put live rats and mice trapped into glass bottles to watch them suffocate to balance out the pain of being subjected to daily abuse but had the darndest time unscrewing them DAMN bottles after they die. 

 

[Skydivingmiami]

I've gotten raccoons with a 22 maurader. shot placement was key. Anything bigger than 22 wouel be best. 25 is perfect.

 

[cea1960]

I've taken a half dozen or so with a 15fpe .22 Brocock Contour and dozens with an 18fpe .22 NP Trail. However, none over 20 yards, and yes as always, shot placement is key.

If you can shoot from an upstairs window, a shot to the top of the head is easiest.

 

[GoldenFrog]

Sorry about your rough upbringing Yo. When I was a kid I lite a smoke bomb and dropped it into a glass jar. I though it would be cool to have a container filled with smoke. Luckily it cracked early before the pressure built up too high. 

 

[GoldenFrog]

Yep. I have a motion detector that wakes me up. I sneak out to our front deck and have a perfect shot from 15’ above them. The big skunk dropped with one head shot, of course it sprayed. Is there a “lights out” spot on the head of raccoons?

 

[Yo]

How about a broad tipped crossbow?

 

[Guest]

I too have used the exhaust of a car to kill a larger animal. It was my pet cat, and it was in pain because it had been attacked pretty gruesomely. I couldn’t find a vet to put it down as it was the middle of the night. Anyway, I used the muffler trick and was even able to comfort the cat right before and during. She went out very peacefully and I am just glad she didn’t suffer more. Minimizing animal suffering is always a good we can achieve, though sometimes it isn’t through the ways we want it to be achieved. Sorry Yo about your experiences early in life, but the good news is you moved on.

 

[GoldenFrog]

I have a Coldsteel blowgun that I managed to get accurate with. I have a pack of razor tip broad head darts. If I personally had to get hit by the Prod or the dart I would be more afraid of the dart. 
I’m looking at the TalonP Carbine. But like I said earlier, I’m hoping the raccoons stay away. I only see them when I experiment With bait and try a glazed donut or candied nuts. 

 

[Guest]

I have a Talonp. It will put down a raccoon on full power pretty easily. Though I would go for a semi auto for follow up shots if it was me.

 

[cmatera]

A head shot on a skunk is a guaranteed spray. A body shot in the middle of his body and low is best (double lung shot). Stay off the shoulder! Shoot back of there.

 

[GoldenFrog]

Here?

 

[boscoebrea]

Prod is not good,crossbow is good,better yet is a CB Short Rimfire in a bolt action rifle....

I made the mistake of buying the one way traps,should have spent more and got the traps that open on either end....Hay I still am able to release the animals,I just need to be too careful.....The proper way of killing brings no suffering to either parties.

 

[GoldenFrog]

Yeah semiauto would be great! I love the looks of the Leshiy 2. 

 

[cmatera]

Yes there.