Is it safe to hunt racoons in backyard

[Outlwbadboy]

Hello fellow shooters..quick question..I was wondering what are my chances of getting attacked by a raccoon if I shoot them in my backyard,lol???

[Chris USA]

They will come at you if cornered. First, don't put yourself in a position/location where it can get you. Second, make sure it is dead before approaching and have another shot at the ready and/or, put another one in from a safe distance. Since they most always come out at night,... can you see it well enough for a clean and humane shot? If not, don't.

A coon is sizeable. Make sure you are using the right (enough) gun and place the shot well, preferably side head between ear and eye.

[Outlwbadboy]

Ty very much for your advice.im shooting from 25 yards away at ground level from my bench.im not elevated.ive done this before in the past and always got lucky with no incidents.i have a few pics you can see in my media files.im using a break barrel.benjamin trai np 2 in .22cal.about 1100 fps and between 17 and 19 foot pounds of muzzle energy..puts them right out..I was just wondering if one night would I be spontaneously attacked?lol,like if I missed etc....ty brother..

[Chris USA]

    I am sure there is no lack of surprise attack stories among the crowd here. So yes,.. in short,... there is always that chance. At which point,.. LOL becomes   

Be safe and have fun.

[Thane]

In my backyard I like to slow things down to no more than 750fps with .25 JSB 25gr.

It's quiet, hits hard and very limited pass through.

[Outlwbadboy]

Ty for the advice guys..stay safe

[nced]

Hello fellow shooters..quick question..I was wondering what are my chances of getting attacked by a raccoon if I shoot them in my backyard,lol???

With a hit "between eye and ear" or "back of head" was "lights out", even with my .177 HW95 as they were wrecking my bird feeders when I lived in West Virginia.......

At first I tried frontal "between the eyes" shots however the angular shape of the head tended to deflect the CPLs so they didn't penetrate the skull. With "between the eye and ear" or "back of the skull" hits I found that those "flat spots" allowed a 7.9 grain CPL to penetrate the brain. Well, I never took a shot past 20 yards for either raccoons or wood chucks, but as long as the pellet has enough "moxy" to penetrate the brain it's a good hit. Would a .177 CPL from a HW95 take a raccoon at 30 yards with a "between the eye and ear" or "back of the skull" hit, I really don't know but I suspect that it would.

Before using the "between the eye and ear" or "back of the skull" hit I never had a raccoon attack with the few glancing "between the eyes" hits I attempted but I'm pretty sure that it's posible if the 'coon feels cornered.   
   

[SteveP-52]

Living in NY, you might better read up on the small game laws. There's an actual season for them here. Any other time, you're required to use all other humane means aka have a heart traps or some such, to try and get rid of them before resorting to the section on nuisance animals and if all else fails, find the number for your area fish and game office and talk to them to see your options.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/81531.html

[wolverine]

i have the advantage of shooting them from a second story window.   i aim between the ears and have never failed to plant them were they stood.  we have a problem with them getting into the trash we have to keep the cans in the garage.  now they're tearing open the bird feeders.  i placed a trail cam out and discovered they come by at 9:30 every night.  when they're in season i'll leave all the backyard lights on and a motion sensor to warn me of their presence.  the .22 Benji Trail NP2 is next to the window and loaded with a polymag.  i've taken more with that setup than all my other guns combined. 


as for being attacked, my neighbor stepped out her backdoor to enjoy a summer night and a coon tried to climb on her lounge chair.  i heard the screaming and went outside with my 9mm.  that coon wouldn't leave her alone.  i tried to scare it away with a rake, but no dice.  i wasn't going to shoot it with a 9mm, so we went back inside and called it a night.  we don't have animal control in our county and the sheriff department told me to shoot it next time i see it, because it's strange behavior may be distemper.


my largest coon taken @ 27lbs.  taken with the NP2 and polymag at 15 yards.  18fpe at the muzzle

[Outlwbadboy]

I'm using the same rifle as you are,only mines in black synthetic..look in my album.there you will see a few of my kills and the rifle..your does well with polymags?I must try em..I'm having a problem attaching my photos

[Pelle]

  They get mean, I lifted a big mama out of a garbage can once.

[mrbulk]

Slo-mo raccoon shots begin right around the 3:00 minute mark:

[Altinator44]

I have taken multiple Racoons with my air rifle and have had zero attacks but I could see it being a possibility with a bad shot placement or one being cornered.