Raccoons skunks

Yes, I used to use Prods for everything but with the 15.89’s and Polymags.

At 15 yards the only thing I think he needs to worry about is pass through/ricochet. Other than making sure to hit the right spot for a quick clean kill.

For the raccoon make sure you get a good hit on the brain with the pellet hitting nearly perpendicular to the skull. For the skunks you want a heart/lung shot to minimize them spraying, but they still may spray. So IMO 15 yard is too close if your nose is working!

Pull the trigger and be ready to run like yell !

Ok thanks we have the pass thru and ricochet figured out. The range will be 15 to even twenty five yards from a very good hidden position overlooking his backyard. My main concern after safety concerns is quick humane kill and being considerate to the neighbors. Sadly one neighbor thought it was a great idea to feed them so now property and gardens are being destroyed. Thanks again!

Mark

Click to expand...

You too can feed these guys, just feed them lead instead!

For dispatching raccoons..aim for the ear. That’s a quick kill. They will do the chicken dance for a while so watch for that. 


how fast are your pellets flying?

Ok thanks we have the pass thru and ricochet figured out. The range will be 15 to even twenty five yards from a very good hidden position overlooking his backyard. My main concern after safety concerns is quick humane kill and being considerate to the neighbors. Sadly one neighbor thought it was a great idea to feed them so now property and gardens are being destroyed. Thanks again!

Mark

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

There is always "one neighbor" that feeds 'em. There is usually another neighbor that has them living in their walls/attic/basement.

You are doing that community a service.

700 FPS and 18gr is ~20 FPE. That's not much, and that's at the muzzle. It's only going to go down from there. IMHO, that seems a bit light for the task at hand.

700 FPS and 18gr is ~20 FPE. That's not much, and that's at the muzzle. It's only going to go down from there. IMHO, that seems a bit light for the task at hand.

Click to expand...

I agree with this. An 18gr JSB .22 pellet at 600 fps will bounce off the skull of a raccoon a high percentage of the time. That is at close range, inside of 5 yards.

30fpe would be my minimum for a raccoon. They are tough.

30fpe would be my minimum for a raccoon. They are tough.

Click to expand...

They are very tough critters. I mainly use 25 when dealing with these guys now. Eventhough my 1st coon was taken with a 22 maurader years ago. But I had the high ground and was able to put a 22 jsb into the back of his head where the spine met his noggin.. so shot placement is key. 



Can you turn up the fps? 

Years ago I would take raccoons with a .177 Webley or TX 200 springer. I had to be so precise to take them clean. Having to be that precise because of being underpowered borders on being unethical so I finally started using a .22 then a .25 pcp. Even with much more powerful guns, you still have to hit them in the same spot or they are gone. I have a Prod but never used it on a Raccoon. You will have to be precise with your shot and hope it doesn’t move a little as you squeeze the trigger. A skunk at 15yrds? That could wind up being like jumping on a hand grenade. Hope you have a good poker face if you set off a spray bomb and the neighbors get pissed. 

Just make sure you setup a good backstop and you can use either the redwolf or the sk19. Old logs work great, I've also used boxes filled with old towels/ old newspaper for a nice quiet stop. 

I think that is the right choice - more powerful gun. My stock Prod was closer to 13 fpe. Less than 700 fpe with a 14.3 grain. I have it tuned up into the 700s with 14.66 FTT and it takes squirrels cleanly with any reasonably shot placement (16-17fpe). But even tuned up I would worry about a skunk or coon. I would use my 45 fpe Avenger 25.

At stock power levels my Prod would not shoot through a squirrel even with a heavy pellet. I hung a couple from a tree and tried it (they were dead). With the retune they will - but only broadside shots. Brain shots did not go through at stock power levels either but were reliable for dropping them. Body shots were not. With the retune, if I shoot them diagonally through the body they do not come out but penetrate so far the squirrel still drops. Remaining energy after pass through on a broadside shot would be quite low.

With a retune I think a Prod could kill both but I don't think it would drop them on the spot raising the risk of them wandering into other peoples yards. Coon would definitely require a brain shot with even a retuned Prod IMHO. Skunk would probably expire from a body shot but I don't think there is any risk of a pass through and it might move a significant distance before expiring.

Years ago I would take raccoons with a .177 Webley or TX 200 springer. I had to be so precise to take them clean. Having to be that precise because of being underpowered borders on being unethical so I finally started using a .22 then a .25 pcp. Even with much more powerful guns, you still have to hit them in the same spot or they are gone. I have a Prod but never used it on a Raccoon. You will have to be precise with your shot and hope it doesn’t move a little as you squeeze the trigger. A skunk at 15yrds? That could wind up being like jumping on a hand grenade. Hope you have a good poker face if you set off a spray bomb and the neighbors get pissed. 

Click to expand...

This is funny as hell, but true.

Raccoons are certainly the heavier of the two animals. I have taken several with a Nitro piston shooting 14.3 CPHP @ ~23 fpe. None have taken more than a step or two. 20-30 ft shot. The buggars are defiant at times.

Skunks have the addition of HazMat, and I'd rather run them off if possible. So far I've been successful at it. My neighbor? Not so much. He has the disadvantage of two heelers that think they need to play with the striped kitties.