Black Cat Thickett wonderings.

[RKrodle]

Went up to our (86er, CRS, Jim and myself) Black Cat Thicket hunting property this evening to check the hog feeders. We’ve been having a big problem with coons eating the corn. I set out some traps and thinned out a few of the coons but for the last few days there has been nothing in the traps. I decided to walk on further to check another feeder and stopped by the pond on the way. I saw our resident wood duck hens and the one duckling, also for the first time saw a beaver there. There is a lot of old sign of beavers but as yet we hadn’t seen one. I also caught a glimpse of something moving away from the water on the far side but couldn’t tell what it was. The pond is heavily wooded on all sides with just one small clearing were I was standing. Feeling good about all that I had seen I continued on to the second feeder. As I came up on a small rise about 20 yards from it I see something moving under it. I realize it a coon and throw my Winchester 94 Trapper up to my shoulder and squeeze the trigger. The 250gr XTP pushed by a big dose of H110 whacked the coon hard but it was still moving, I send a second shot screaming at the struggling coon and then all is still. I move over closer to inspect it and find my first shot was a little far back and I had gut shot it. The XTP traveling at 1700 fps was devastating having blown a huge hole, the second shot exited out the side of its head and there simply was nothing left of it. I disposed of the carcass and turn to leave, as I’m walking back by the pond I hear a strange noise and creep up the bank and look over to see another coon followed closely by three young ones crossing a dead tree laying in the pond. I take aim and dropped the lead coon from about 50 to 55 yards, the younger ones reverse direction on the log and head back the way they came. I aim and drop the lead coon and the second in line, the third one goes into the water and after three shots I manage to take him also. All in all I managed to reduce the coon population by five. It’s a good start and will help the young wood ducks to survive also. I was curious how the XTPs would work at the speeds I running them in the trapper. I was pleased with them on the coons, simply devastating, but I think they’re moving to fast to be useful on anything bigger. I believe I will need to move up the XTP MAG for a heavier constructed bullet. I may also try some of Swifts 265gr bullets as I believe they will hold up quite well at these speeds on heavier animals such as hogs.

[rjohns94]

Great post and conclusions. Awesome - 5 coons in one day. Only time I ever came close to that was on possums in an apple tree, got 4 that day

[cnjarvis]

Have you given any thought to the 240gr XTP Mags? I had excellent results on a 200# hog using 27.5gr of H110 with the 240 XTP Mag @ 1900fps. Will post pix later this evening.

Great story.

ETA: Pix!

The hog in question


The bullets (as recovered from a dirt embankment)



250gr XTP was at 1600fps, 240gr XTP MAG was at 1900fps. Distance was 50 yds.

PM me with an email address if you'd like the more graphic photos of the internal damage.

[Ysabel Kid]

Saw a coon in the backyard this afternoon. He's been stealing tomatos for the last week or so. Got to figure out a way of taking him quietly, as the neighbors would object to me doing so with a firearm...

[mescalero1]

Boy, have I got a job for you!

[horsesoldier03]

Saw a coon in the backyard this afternoon. He's been stealing tomatos for the last week or so. Got to figure out a way of taking him quietly, as the neighbors would object to me doing so with a firearm...

Just make sure you use a broadhead and plenty of a bow. Dont want no NINJA COONS trapsing the neighborhood with an arrow with target points in him!

As you can tell thats a voice of experiance! NOT MINE THANKFULLY, my best friend!

[86er]

Stay on their tales Ricky! It is getting to be hog hunting time followed closely by deer hunting. We can't afford to feed the varmint population when we're trying to assess the resident big game. It sounds like good shooting! Ever since you got a real gun your marksmanship has notably improved!

[Ysabel Kid]

...real gun...

[Old Ironsights]

Saw a coon in the backyard this afternoon. He's been stealing tomatos for the last week or so. Got to figure out a way of taking him quietly, as the neighbors would object to me doing so with a firearm...

BTDT...

180gr pure lead .357 - HP if you can manage it - driven to about 500fps from a 20" gun. About 100ftlbs IIRC.

With the gun zeroed at 100yds with OEM ammo those cat-sneeze loads will roll a 'coon to POA at 25yds... and make less noise than coughing.

[BrianSH]

Ever since you got a real gun your marksmanship has notably improved!

Hey Ricky, 2 shots?
So whachur' sayin' is dat yur 45 Trapper is barely addy-quate for killin' coons

Muss be some big 'uns in yor neck of da woodz.

*********

But this does sound like a good test medium for some Nasti-Nose HP testing.

- Brian

[cnjarvis]

Ever since you got a real gun your marksmanship has notably improved!

Hey Ricky, 2 shots?
So whachur' sayin' is dat yur 45 Trapper is barely addy-quate for killin' coons

Muss be some big 'uns in yor neck of da woodz.
- Brian

BTDT too. I shot one twice, center mass, with a Win 94 Carbine in 45 colt w/ 250gr LRNFP's at point blank range. The durned thing just sat there and looked at me as if to say "what the heck do you want?". It took a head shot to seal the deal. Those coons are TOUGH.

[RKrodle]

Ever since you got a real gun your marksmanship has notably improved!

Hey Ricky, 2 shots?
So whachur' sayin' is dat yur 45 Trapper is barely addy-quate for killin' coons

Muss be some big 'uns in yor neck of da woodz.

*********

But this does sound like a good test medium for some Nasti-Nose HP testing.

- Brian

Hey they're Texas coons you know, I didn't want to mention how big they are here for all the disbelief it would cause. But, they are the reason we don't have bears around here .

Ever since you got a real gun your marksmanship has notably improved!

Great post and conclusions. Awesome - 5 coons in one day. Only time I ever came close to that was on possums in an apple tree, got 4 that day

Actually it was all in less then about 5 minutes. That's the first time I've run across that many in one area. Our game cams are showing we have a real problem.

Boy, have I got a job for you!

Have Gun, Will Travel

[crs]

Ricky - good show!
sounds like a good place to use my new 9422 mag. Or maybe the .357 with 125 gr hollow points. Those are effective on close range varmints too.

When our move to Farmersville is done, I will have a short drive there sort of like you do today.

[Modoc ED]

Saw a coon in the backyard this afternoon. He's been stealing tomatos for the last week or so. Got to figure out a way of taking him quietly, as the neighbors would object to me doing so with a firearm...

Kid -- Go to your neighbors and tell them that you've seen coons stealing tomatos out of your garden and that means they are probably in their gardens too. Tell em you'll be glad to get rid of the coons and that you'll use nothing more powerful than a .22LR. The .22LR has accounted for probably more coons than any other round on the palnet.

Anyway, maybe your neighbors will relent if they know or think their gardens are in jeopardy.

If the neighbors say no, look into one of those .308 or 9mm airguns by Quackenbush.

[Old Ironsights]

Good luck on getting a Quackenbush before Universal Entropic Heat Death...

[Sixgun]

Neat story Ricky! Hogs are the one thing we don't have up here in Pa. (other than game farms )
We sure do have a lot of coons though, but good for me, they mostly inhabit the city areas. ---------------------Sixgun

[piller]

On the hunt back in April, BrianSH used his .45 RedHawk on a coon. It took 2 shots, and his big hog only took 3. Those Texas coons are amazingly tough. I have some 325 grain hard lead bullets in .452 if Ricky wants to try them on the coons. Might finally get the bullet to go all the way through.

[Sixgun]

On the hunt back in April, BrianSH used his .45 RedHawk on a coon. It took 2 shots, and his big hog only took 3. Those Texas coons are amazingly tough. I have some 325 grain hard lead bullets in .452 if Ricky wants to try them on the coons. Might finally get the bullet to go all the way through.

You can't shoot 'em in the head----I hear they are like concrete. You have to go for body shots--------------------Sixgun

[JerryB]

sixgun are ya'll talkin bout the same coons?

[GonnePhishin]

Nice shooting and story. I have a big ground hog living under my shed out back and have tried to trap him but he won't bite. Too bad I live in the city otherwise I'd wack him with my marlin 1894.

[Sixgun]

sixgun are ya'll talkin bout the same coons?

I think 4 legged

[Travis Morgan]

Saw a coon in the backyard this afternoon. He's been stealing tomatos for the last week or so. Got to figure out a way of taking him quietly, as the neighbors would object to me doing so with a firearm...

Use a "Gobbler Guillotine" broadhead; it'll kill him and quarter him in one shot!

[Travis Morgan]

Saw a coon in the backyard this afternoon. He's been stealing tomatos for the last week or so. Got to figure out a way of taking him quietly, as the neighbors would object to me doing so with a firearm...

Kid -- Go to your neighbors and tell them that you've seen coons stealing tomatos out of your garden and that means they are probably in their gardens too. Tell em you'll be glad to get rid of the coons and that you'll use nothing more powerful than a .22LR. The .22LR has accounted for probably more coons than any other round on the palnet.

Anyway, maybe your neighbors will relent if they know or think their gardens are in jeopardy.

If the neighbors say no, look into one of those .308 or 9mm airguns by Quackenbush.

If the neighbors have any African ancestry, you might be careful how you word that; I've had to quell a near riot or two when some idiot overheard me talking about coon hunting and mistook my intentions.