Tough 'coons ...

[86er]

Raccoons are notoriously tough. Maybe tenacious is a better word. Whatever, they tend to take a quite a detrimental wound before succumbing. Last week I shot one with a .50 Cal muzzleloader. It literally flipped over and flopped around for a few seconds. When I went down there (about 70 yards) there was a pool of blood 8" round and thick - but no coon! I found it in the morning about 60 yards away. The bullet went into the shoulder from the rear and exited between the front leg and neck, leaving a gaping hole about 2" across! I shot one with my bow using a Rage Broadhead (only for small game - I don't like them on deer or bigger). It cut a hole 1.5" across in the entry and exit. That masked critter rolled around screaming for 30 yards. Then it was quiet so I waited for something else to show up. After about 40 minutes it was dark so I retrieved my arrow and went to look at the coon. Imagine my surprise when he got up, hissed and tried to walk off! I put a 45 in his head to end it quickly. Yesterday, I hit one at 90 yards with a 45-70 shooting a 350gr Kodiak @ 2200 fps. It flattened out and was still for about 10 seconds. Suddenly, it righted itself and made a mad dash into the brush. It got dark so I couldnt find it. There was blood, tissue, and hair thrown around the impact site. How did it go anywhere? This morning I wore my Superman T-Shirt in honor of the raccoons when I went to go look for him. This one went 50 yards and was hit straight across the back just under the spine. It was split open on both sides, at least 3" on the entry side and 2" on the exit side. I'm sure a well placed shot with a fast bullet would have an immediate affect and of course a head shot should be instantaneous too. But, as the title says, "Tough 'coons!"

[Streetstar]

My wife wants a coon for a pet -- good grief.


Sweet Underoos shirt man

[Malamute]

I shot one out of a tree with a 44 mag 240 gr SWC and medium/mag level loads. It hit the ground with a thump, and was gone when I went over to see it.

[shooter]

My wife wants a coon for a pet -- good grief.


Sweet Underoos shirt man

We had a few for pets when I was a kid. You have to childproof everything, and that still doesn't work. They're neat critters, but take tons of patience. They can also get mean from time to time. Never can really tame them, I suppose.

Back to the OP....I have had several instances where it took 5-10 hits with a .22 or .22 magnum to put the coon away. They don't die easy unless shot in the head, and even then it's iffy. One morning when heading back from the stand I saw one running across an oat field. I put 4 rounds from a .357 in it from a little more than 20 yards. My cousin had been wanting a skin to learn how to tan it with the hair on because he wanted a coonskin cap. I went to get him and go back and get the coon, and I found one mad coon when we got back. I shot him straight through the head with the .357, and he still wasn't done. Took another round to put him away for good. I guess, in short, I totally agree with you Joe, those coons are tough critters.

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

Growing up shooting coons and possums out over hounds, I'll tell you that a .22 cb in the head will make Mr.Coon shake hands with you real quick!! .DT

[.45colt]

As a Kid I got a large home-made box trap somewhere.it was a 2x4 frame covered with 1/4" welded&galvanized hardware cloth. really heavy and well built.the farm where I grew up was overrun with coons when the sweet corn was comeing in. caught several coons in it and one day went to check it and Mr Coon had ripped and chewed a pie-plate hole thru that wire and escaped. ............... they are one tough critter.

[Griff]

We must have a really poor strain around my house... dispatched all four around here earlier this year with one shot each with a .17 cal air rifle.

[Old Ironsights]

ZOMBIE -'coons! Headshots Only!

[Dave]

Pound for pound the coon is one of the toughest customers out there no doubt

[Old Ironsights]

Try pulling them out of a town dumpster with a catch-pole sometime.

Had to do that a couple of times a year at my old place in Indiana.

[M. M. Wright]

Had a Rott/Lab bitch that dispatched coons in seconds but managed to get her head inside a plastic bag and couldn't get out. Sure miss that dog.
Only thing I've killed that was in the same league with coons was a badger. They are tough critters.

[Mac in Mo]

I have had similar experiences with Armadillos. Shots to the body with 45 Colt, 44 mag and 44 spec have resulted in lots of thrashing and running around, and follow up shots to finish.
The only one that I was able to kill instantaneously was one I hit through the body with a two blade broad head from my bow. This one jumped about three feet straight up on impact and was dead when it hit the ground. Weird.
They are always burrowing under our deer camp bunk house and out buildings. What a pain they are since they have started showing up.


Kevin

[madman4570]

That's were the big slow penetrating bullets don't work well on things like chucks/coons etc.(or looks like arrows either)
Seems like unless you head shoot em with that type ammo(they seem to have some steam left)??

Bet if you popped em with a 22-250 or say a 75gr HP 6mm (he would have bought the farm right then)

Learned that back when I was about 14years old shooting a chuck sitting up dead center body shot at about 80yds with my open sighted Marlin 336 .35 Rem 200gr and he ran back to his hole leaving all his insides along the way,which he made back to the hole.
Then I got my .243

[FWiedner]

I'd think that anytime you try to kill a big rat-like critter with a sharp stick interesting things might happen. Seen some racoons so big that I wouldn't shoot 'em at close range with a small bore for fear I'd just pizz 'em off.

I've been on some summer night 'coon hunts using a spot with a red filter and a good .22 and shot 20 or more in a night. Wasn't just 'cause. These varmints needed killin'. Had a friend down around Centerville and the racoons were ravaging the bird nests, playing heck with the turkey population. We had several nights like that. This place was infested. Many many dead coons on the gut-pile which lead to increased fun shooting coyotes trying to get to that wonderful smell.

Kinda fun.

Shine the light up in the trees and look for the beady-little glowing eyes. Aim directly between the glowing dots and bingo.

[jeepnik]

Never tried a CB, but a .22 short will do at close range. Those darned things can make one heck of a mess and destroy almost anything.

[Marlin32]

I am wondering if maybe you took that shirt off the coon???

I unloaded my 1911A1 commander into a rabid coon once, even had to go back, put more in the mag and come back out and get close enough to shoot him straight down through the head before he died. Made me rethink the 45acp, that is for sure!

[Richardx]

Caught a coon in a hav-a-hart trap once using an alumium cat food can to hold the bait, when I removed the former coon from the trap I realized the can was gone. Curiosity got the better of me used my folder to open the former coon up and there was the can, chewed all to hell.
Another coon "dispatched" at close range with a .22lr, came to as I digging a hole for it, seven overhead blows to its head with a square point shovel allowed me enough time get a 12 ga. with #4 shot.
#4 shot has become my close range friend!

[Hobie]

I almost didn't recognize you with the smile!

Yes, even diseased coons can be tough.

[Old Ironsights]

Brrrrraaainnssss!

[765x53]

Does everyone on this thread realize that they are throwing away ten dollar bills or more?

[gcs]

unless your coon is a much better grade, $10 is optimistic, plus they
are worth exactly zero in the summer.
All the years I sold coon, I could only avg.a little over $6 per coon. Thats the average, mix those $1 coons with your $20 coon and see what they're really worth.

[765x53]

"Coons are worth exactly zero in the summer."

That is exactly my point!
As well as being out of season in many states.

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

I'll say one thing about this thread that is even true around some of my pals, it is the importance of where the shot hits, is the key to every dead critter. I have friends who are life long successful hunters and they still don't get it. Hit it in its lungs or in its head and you got it. I have pals that put down certain cartidges because they shot some critter poorly and bad mouth the cartridge. I've said it on other fourms about assorted cartridge chamberings but it goes like this.... If I shoot something through the lungs and it lives, I'll quit and take up golf! BTW I've killed Mr.Coon with bow and arrow too 86er, Fred Bear recurve on a cool November morning, threw him on the smoker, then on the plate and et him .DT