My Raccoon Hunt ???

[Big_Bill]

Hello All,

I just thought that I would let you know of my recent progress with the Wiley Raccoon.

Around two weeks ago, I noticed that my trash bags were being ripped open by some critter, so I readied my new, beautiful, and accurate .20 cal. Goldfinger ! I didn't want to waste time, as in the past as Raccoons can easily change their schedules so that they don't coincide with ours.

On the first night I observed two raccoons checking out the cuisine in my round plastic animal feeders. Well I readied my air rifle, and proceeded out the side door, disengaging the safety as I approached the side of my back gate. The two Raccoons were not even aware of my presence yet, I raised my rifle, thinking pleasant thoughts, and found the larger one in my scope, well it became a job, as this raccoon would not hold still, every time I started to apply pressure to my trigger, he would be moving up and down, in and out, and side to side. I never ran into a Raccoon that moved so much, and this went on for several minutes. Now running out of oxygen, I started to shake, and had to give up the hunt. I could have tried for a quick shot, but he was moving so quickly, that I was afraid of making a very poor shot.

It sure made me appreciate the skill that Jeff and Ed exhibit on their hunts ! The difficulty making those very tight, eye - ear shots on moving game is extremely difficult !

Now when I used a .22 powder-burner, body shots were much easier, but with the air rifle, accurate head shots are almost necessary, and standing holding a medium weight rifle for any time, has become much more difficult to me .

Well this problem persisted until today, as the Raccoons are watchful, and ready to leave at a moments notice. I don't want to take a body shot due to the very heavy fur these fellows have grown. Very little of the body is visible under their heavy coats. I know their anatomy well, but don't want my critters dieing in someones front yard !

Even a poor hunt is enjoyable ! And I am starting to enjoy the challenge that these two provide me, ...perhaps ifI build blind to shoot from ????

I'll keep you informed in my progress, when I have some...

Bill

[Splash]

Hey Bill, you can't gettem every time. I have started to practice taking quick shots at my target, as I can't hold a rifle for very long anyway. I can get better groups with a quick site and shoot, instead of trying to hold on target until all is good. Sometimes you just have to trust your abilities and equipment. Setting up a blind would be a good idea, if you can put it in a spot so you can see most of the area. I have something by one of my pecan trees that works quite well. I was in it the other day and here comes a nutter, he stopped to see what it was stickin out of the hole, so I showed him. Then 5min later here comes his buddy to see why he fell off of the tree, he found out the hard way,hehe.

Mike

[longislandhunter]

Hey Bill,

Great post buddy,,,,,, felt like I was in your yard with you,,,, I could almost see them digging in the trash  :)

Sounds like you're gonna have some challenging hunting ahead of you,,, those critters can be pretty wiley as you already know.  

I think building some sort of blind would work out well.  It'll give you a good comfortable shooting location and should make it easier to catch them unaware.  

Keep us up to date on the hunt Bill....   I'm looking forward to the progress  :)

Jeff

[Gene_SC]

It won't be long Bill, your patients will prevail in the end..:) It looks like those pesty devils are pretty happy with all the good smellin stuff you are fillin those plastic trash bags with... hehe..... Maybe a tall or short bipod would help you as well. In the sitting position it would help relieve the weight of the rifle as well..:) Will be looking forward to pics of your final Victory on those coons..:)

Gene

[Big_Bill]

Hey All,

Last night I placed a small stool in a very good position to observe the Raccoons should they arrive, and covered myself with an old military O.D. mosquito net that I have had laying around for years. I left a yard chair in place so not to disturb the profile of that section of the yard, and used a rolled up towel to rest and protest my rifle.

This all was set into place long before dark, in anticipation for tonights hunt ! At 7;30 P.M.I made my way to my makeshift blind and covered up, and getting comfortable and into position for my prey. Time passes slowly as you wait in anticipation of your prey, and every noise sparks your attention. Around 8:00 P.M., I was wishing for a soda and pizza, to help me pass the time, but still no raccoons. Many noises in my yard have attracted my attention during the past hour, and I was now becoming a little cold. I couldn't see what was making all this racket, so I kept still and watched and waited.

Around 8:40 P.M. I heard the back gate rattle, and then the motion sensor light came on, I prepared myself for the kill ! As I released the safety, I could see the smaller of the two approach the first trashcan, smelling the area as he approached, he stood up on his hind feet to get a better smell of the yard, and then proceeded to the cans. I waited for the larger one to make his entrance, but as of yet, he was a no show. At around 8:50 P.M. I decided to take out the smaller Raccoon, and hope his larger friend would still return another night.

As I began to press my trigger, and a commotion erupted, as the larger Raccoon attacked the other, he appeared suddenly out of no were, and in a verybad mood ? At this point the two were spinning and twisting, knocking over two of my trashcans, and the smaller Raccoon was running for its life. The larger Raccoon ran after him, all of this happened in less than 2 seconds, as I watched with my mouth opened ! WTF !!! I believed these two were buddies ?

Well as you may have guessed, that ended my hunt for the night ! Perhaps I should get "Take-Out" to better get their attention ??? Or a Pizza !

Oh well, tonight's another night !

Bill

[longislandhunter]

That's too funny Bill,,,,,, the big raccoon saved his buddies butt by kicking  the stuffings out of him   :)

Your quest to rid your yard of these masked bandits is getting more interesting with each hunt.     Only way it could get better is if we had video  :)

Hang in there Bill,,, Sounds like you've got the thieves patterned pretty well, and your shooting blind sounds like it's gonna work out just fine.  

Jeff

[shadow]

Just a matter of time buddy you'll get em, check your wind direction cause they have a keen sense of smell and good luck. Looking forward to a story with pic's of your baby and her trophies. Ed

[only1harry]

Good story Bill, I enjoyed reading that.

BTW, I would not be at all surprised if the smaller racoon was not the same "buddy" of his you saw the previous time.  Let me explain.  When I owned a Deli there were 2 racoons that frequently raided one of the dumpsters in the back that belonged to Domino Pizza (their store was right next to mine - we shared the building).  The kids that worked at Dominos often left the dumpster door open and sometimes drop pizza dow and other food on the ground that didn't make it into the dumpster.  Well these racoons got very bold and started coming out earlier for a meal or soon as it got dark.  I would always see 1 or 2 of them together when I took my garbage out.  After having talked to the Domino's store owner and complained about them leaving their dumpster open several times, they agreed to hire someone to catch and relocate the racoons.  They only hired the guy after a couple of residents complained to the health dept. and town inspector that the racoons now frequent the garbage cans at their homes because of the Domino's Pizza store and my Deli (I never left mine open).  Their homes were right behind a small wooded area in the back of our building.  Anyway the guy comes and sets down 2 traps.  He ended up catching 6 racoons on the 1st night and another 3 the next!  9 racoons in total!  I too had heard them fight often back there and wondered how they could get along one night feeding together and fight the next.  They were apparently not the same racoons I saw every night.  They had gotten so bold that after a couple of weeks of their appearance,  they wouldn't even scatter or leave until I got within 6-8ft of them.  They would stand at the top of the dumpster and look at me, or run a few feet and stop to see if I 'd go back inside.  What sucked was that my deli was in a neighboring county and near a very busy street (like main street) with a residential area in the back, so I couldn't shoot them with a .22LR or an airgun as the Dominos guys were in and out of the store until 1-2am.  The town and county (Westchester, NY) also had very strict firearm laws.  You can only hunt deer with bow & arrow in that county just to give you an idea.  I thank god every day I don't live there or in New Jersey  :-)