Racoon 9mm

[GT350]

Hi guys. I got a Leshiy 2 in 9mm and a thermal scope (AGM Rattler TS25-384) to help deal with Racoons damaging my property. This is my very first time I've ever turned a weapon on an animal and I wouldn't have done it if they didn't keep wrecking my screens trying to get into my sunroom (where there is no food, garbage, etc.).

That said, I didn't really feel bad about it because I heard they can spread deadly diseases and when they decided to leave a huge pile of poo and pee in my sunroom and then proceed to rip my screens, I knew I had to reduce the population.

So I put some food out in my yard and put a camera up and watched on my cell phone. When one came up, I put my crosshair on the spot just behind the shoulder blade (where my research told me to). It was only about 15-20 yards away. Clear shot and I thought impossible to miss.

I used a silencer so it wasn't too noisy. When I fired, I heard the shot hit and the medium-to-big racoon ran down my hill and off into the woods and I heard it running into the woods. I have the Raptor regulator tuned to just under 900 FPS and I used a Diabolo 81 grain 9mm pellet.

I'm shocked the racoon didn't drop. So I went out and searched for a blood trail the next day and I didn't see a single drop of blood. There is no way that pellet didn't pass clean through. They shoot through metal pans, etc. The evening before, to make sure I was ready, I had just shot a small hot potato (for thermal) right where the racoon would be to make sure I'd hit the target. Blew up a small potato (maybe two inches tall and thin).

So I'm wondering. Did I somehow miss the racoon... Or do you guys think it could take that nasty Diabolo shot and then run off into the woods? If so though, I'd expect a trail of blood. /

I guess I'll try again later but a bit disappointing for my first time hunting. I'm a bit stressed what if I shot too low and wounded it and it's suffering somewhere (although still I'd expect to see blood).

What are your experiences with racoons?

 

[Sqwirl57]

It very well may not have passed through. All that fat and fluff gives a ton of room for the projectile to dispell energy. Unless you hit it in the brain raccoons tend to run off when shot with low power guns. It will probably be dead soon assuming you hit heart/lung though. Raccoons are tough SOBs though so who knows. I always go for the brain to guarantee a quick kill.

That being said, even if you do hit the brain, prepare yourself for 30 seconds of wacky break dancing moves. They twitch for a disturbingly long time after taking even deadly levels of brain trauma. They are as dead as can be though so rest assured they are not in pain.

 

[ram2jeep]

Did you see any blood with the thermal when you hit it?

 

[WorriedMan]

GT,
Doubt you missed if you heard shot hit. Some animals have a strong survival instinct and run on pure adrenaline, even if hit solid. You did your best, ample power, practiced for accuracy, knew the target and can't think of a more justified response to badly behaving raccoons. Don't stress, put it behind and plan for next encounter. WM

 

[Florida_Man]

Through experience from shooting raccoons, and nine years as a crime scene investigator I can give you some information.

Body shots that hit a major part of the heart (typically aorta and pulmonary artery) will cause internal bleeding and limited to no blood letting. Humans and raccoons can run 50 yards and the blood will pool in the torso cavity without leaving the body.

 

[dmacrae]

It has already been explained what might have happened, but I would add one thing. Most people who I have seen over the years are very shocked the first time they go out on a hunt, especially with an airgun. The animal just does not fall over dead. But now you know the reality you can adjust your expectations.

 

[N2 Shooter]

Well, maybe you did hit it, but you didn't hit it where you needed to. It was 15-20 yards away, but where did you zero the airgun? If you zeroed at 50 yards, then you probably hit it low, if you hit it at all.

The Leshiy is on the lower power end of the 9mm/.357 cal airguns. I have taken a fair amount of raccoons with my Benjamin Bulldog .357, all with bodyshots. I have also used both Pellets and Slugs, as it's possible to hit the scapula which can deflect the shot from the heart/lung. I mostly use 110gr slugs shot at 880fps, and they will traverse a 40 pound raccoon easily, but you may also want to look into the JSB Hades, as its design can deliver more damage upon expansion. Take a look at the videos I recorded below.

 

[BlackICE]

If you want to minimize the chance that a dead coon ends up in your neighbors yard I recommend only brain shots, unless you are using at gun with more than 300 fpe and expanding projectiles.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

I had to shoot a racoon 7 times in the head with a 24 fpe tuned 22 cal with crosman premier 14.3 hp at 30 yards. Not my most shining achievement, and that will never happen again.

Hit him in the sweet spot, behind the ear, and he just shook his head and hunkered down to the tree. It was a bloody mess, and he just sat there, til shot 6, and then he fell out, still alive, but hung up. He had some trappers hand trap on his paw, and the chain wrapped up in the tree.

Sent another pellet into the head from under the chin, and it was over. It's STILL hanging there to this day, just skin and bones.

I will never go less than 50 fpe now for them, or not hunt with an airgun for them. I felt horrible over the pain thay thing went though. I felt confident on the rifle I had doing the job, it took one before with just one shot. Just bad luck, and a thick skull.

 

[BlackICE]

Even with 24 FPE at the right location the shot Would the old instant death.However if you have the wrong angle that low power pellet can easily deflect or you can miss the brain entirely. Sometimes mistakes are made, because of that I use 34 grain 25 caliber pellets at 60fpe to the brain. My last shot was not good. I was experimenting with the behind the ear shot that many take but in my case he ducked his head just as I pulled the trigger so I got the top of his neck and he ran off. I think I'll stick to the side profile shot between the eyes In the ears and the frontal shot between the eyes but slightly above.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Even with 24 FPE at the right location the shot Would the old instant death.However if you have the wrong angle that low power pellet can easily deflect or you can miss the brain entirely. Sometimes mistakes are made, because of that I use 34 grain 25 caliber pellets at 60fpe to the brain. My last shot was not good. I was experimenting with the behind the ear shot that many take but in my case he ducked his head just as I pulled the trigger so I got the top of his neck and he ran off. I think I'll stick to the side profile shot between the eyes In the ears and the frontal shot between the eyes but slightly above.

Yeah, I was on the ground 30 yards out, and he was up about 50 foot or so. Not optimal angle at all. I waited for him to turn his head and tool my shot. I was in disbelief and thought after each shot that he wasn't going to die. Like I said, never again.

 

[BlackICE]

Since I lack experience with shots at different angles and holdovers at varying distances I only take shots at baited locations where I previously zeroed the rifle.

 

[GT350]

Did you see any blood with the thermal when you hit it?

No. (

 

[GT350]

GT,
Doubt you missed if you heard shot hit. Some animals have a strong survival instinct and run on pure adrenaline, even if hit solid. You did your best, ample power, practiced for accuracy, knew the target and can't think of a more justified response to badly behaving raccoons. Don't stress, put it behind and plan for next encounter. WM

Thanks brother.

 

[GT350]

Through experience from shooting raccoons, and nine years as a crime scene investigator I can give you some information.

Body shots that hit a major part of the heart (typically aorta and pulmonary artery) will cause internal bleeding and limited to no blood letting. Humans and raccoons can run 50 yards and the blood will pool in the torso cavity without leaving the body.

That makes sense. Thank you. Probably explains why the racoon hasn't come back in two nights.

 

[BlackICE]

I used to be naive and you only shooting I ever seen we're in the movies or TV shows. After watching some hunting shows and seeing a deer shot through the heart and both lungs with a 30-06 and still ran 40 yards a realized that very uncommon for a shot to yield instant death unless the brain or spinal column is hit near the head. Even then one can question if it's instant death since there's the death dance in the case of raccoons that can last for well over 1 minute even though the brains are blown out. I asked a friend who shot a raccoon in the head with a 9 mm hollow point from a Glock definitely blowing up the brain and it still did the death dance.

I have video proof of rats caught my rats traps with increased spring pressure where it completely crushed its skull with the eyes popping out of the head. The rat's still does a death dance for over 30 seconds.

 

[GT350]

Well, maybe you did hit it, but you didn't hit it where you needed to. It was 15-20 yards away, but where did you zero the airgun? If you zeroed at 50 yards, then you probably hit it low, if you hit it at all.

The Leshiy is on the lower power end of the 9mm/.357 cal airguns. I have taken a fair amount of raccoons with my Benjamin Bulldog .357, all with bodyshots. I have also used both Pellets and Slugs, as it's possible to hit the scapula which can deflect the shot from the heart/lung. I mostly use 110gr slugs shot at 880fps, and they will traverse a 40 pound raccoon easily, but you may also want to look into the JSB Hades, as its design can deliver more damage upon expansion. Take a look at the videos I recorded below.

Thank you for sharing those. Wow now I see how tough they are. I can't believe they can still move after being hit with that force.

 

[GT350]

I had to shoot a racoon 7 times in the head with a 24 fpe tuned 22 cal with crosman premier 14.3 hp at 30 yards. Not my most shining achievement, and that will never happen again.

Hit him in the sweet spot, behind the ear, and he just shook his head and hunkered down to the tree. It was a bloody mess, and he just sat there, til shot 6, and then he fell out, still alive, but hung up. He had some trappers hand trap on his paw, and the chain wrapped up in the tree.

Sent another pellet into the head from under the chin, and it was over. It's STILL hanging there to this day, just skin and bones.

I will never go less than 50 fpe now for them, or not hunt with an airgun for them. I felt horrible over the pain thay thing went though. I felt confident on the rifle I had doing the job, it took one before with just one shot. Just bad luck, and a thick skull.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[rcs9250]

You need to work up a dope sheet for yardages you will be hunting at so you know exactly where to hold. I sight in my rifle at 10 through 50 yards in 5 yard increments. I carry the sheet with me and reference it after I range the target.
If you are baiting at a specific set distance make sure you are dead on for that distance.
The photo references point of impact on my scopes reticle. I prefer it to dialing because in the heat of the moment I might forget the dial setting.

 

[GT350]

I used to be naive and you only shooting I ever seen we're in the movies or TV shows. After watching some hunting shows and seeing a deer shot through the heart and both lungs with a 30-06 and still ran 40 yards a realized that very uncommon for a shot to yield instant death unless the brain or spinal column is hit near the head. Even then one can question if it's instant death since there's the death dance in the case of raccoons that can last for well over 1 minute even though the brains are blown out. I asked a friend who shot a raccoon in the head with a 9 mm hollow point from a Glock definitely blowing up the brain and it still did the death dance.

I have video proof of rats caught my rats traps with increased spring pressure where it completely crushed its skull with the eyes popping out of the head. The rat's still does a death dance for over 30 seconds.

Wow that is crazy. Now I think I know what happened. He must have ran into the woods and died. I just thought that around 130FPE would have dropped him instantly. But lesson learned! Now I'm going to go for head shots. I've been waiting two nights and no more racoons. Maybe they finally got the picture!