Raccoons keep us from being overrun with pheasants & ducks.
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SO MANY funny people here !
Went to my lease last weekend , had my model seven 308 in hand when I walked to the feeders -hoping there might be a hog around. Didn't see any -then saw something grey in color up on my hanging feeder -turned around and sneaked back to the truck to get my suppressed cz 22lr. I thought it was a squirrel -but turned out to be a small coon maybe 10lbs. -I've never seen any real big ones down here.
I stalked up close maybe 15 yards and waited for a good shot making sure not to shoot my feeder thrower . The coon was hanging upside down with all four legs getting corn chewing with its mouth open -corn steadily falling out of its mouth like it was wasting it on purpose. I put the crosshair on it's neck and dropped it -I stepped out away from the edge to get a better look and another small coon was already looking at the shot coon . As I drew a bead on it a bigger coon ran out raising cane -growling- and bit at the shot coon that was making noises . Bang -got it in the neck and down into the heart/lung -chambered another -bang- hit the one I initially saw looking at the first shot coon -3 dead now .
Took a couple of steps and saw movement in a tree only 15 ft. up bang -bang still moving load in a couple more rounds quickly -3rd bang out of the tree it comes. 4 dead coons in less than a minute .
My feeders should have still had plenty of corn in them -but all were empty -these buggers will come and spend all day and night spinning corn out of the feeders. My night lights were so muddy from the coons that I had to get a rag and water and clean them off .
I once saw eleven coons at another spot on my lease and shot a few of them with the CCI Quiet 22 ammo -it is quite under powered for coons.
Anyway they sure make a suppressed rifle worth having & are great sport for a Bow , of which I fine tuned mine today .
I didn't have any ice with me or I would have peeled all of them.
Look on youtube for instructions on how to clean a coon --yes they are very good to eat if cooked right , just clean them immediately .
I gave two city-slicker women a piece last winter and they loved it .
Possum is just as good .
