[jbee]

Will a .177 BB head shot kill a raccoon at 12 feet distance at 550 fps?

I have seen their skulls and they do not look that thick.

I have one tearing up my roof, getting inside the attic, and taking on my much smaller cat at night on the roof. I am worried about the rabies for the cat (she has her shots) and myself, otherwise I would go after it with a shovel.

I live in the city, but, have about 200 feet of woods behind my house where the shot would go if I missed, so the BB gun is the most responsible, as tempting as the .22LR Ruger would be. Besides, discharging the firearm might be illegal within the city limits (DeKalb county GA ).

If I have to step up to an air rifle I could, but, if I have to do this in the attic, I like the pistol a lot better.

It is about nose to body about 24 inches long and his head is about four inches long and probably weighs about 12-15 pounds.

I have had a hard time killing injured squirrels with a shovel after dropping trees so making it humane counts.

Thanks.

 

[Davers]

I bagged my first two game animals (Squirrel & Rabbit) with a pellet rifle at age 12.

 

[bsn]

With an air pistol it's possible, not likely-but I wouldn't consider it humane. A couple of shots to the butt every time you see it might convice it to hand out elsewhere. Many cities have restrictions on firing an air gun within city limits also. Call animal control and see if they can loan you a live catch trap. Some counties require any raccoon captured be put down, if not you could take it way out in the country away from any bodys house or barn.

 

[slim 60]

yep it probably would..but it might be after he drug around the woods
a while.. if you are in a city ,see if animal control will trap it,or loan you a trap..good luck solving you re problem..

 

[MikeG]

Almost certainly with a rifle. Get 'penetrator' pellets that have a steel BB in the tip. First shot may just stun it depending on angle, presentation, etc. Put a second one right behind the ear at the base of the skull before you pick it up by the tail!

I've killed larger animals than that with an air rifle, although sure wouldn't have been my first choice.

 

[Mike Buchanan]

No experience with raccoons but have shot many groundhogs with a .177 air rifle at 1100fps and it kills them quickly if you shoot them in the side of the head. The important part is "the side of the head". Frontal shots seem to just stun them temporiarly. I don't think the pellet always penetrates but skips along their scalp. I would think you might run into the same issue with a raccoon.
Mike B.

 

[tseaburg]

YES, it will.

 

[BrowningBoy710]

Shot my first squirrel at 50 yrds with a .22 pellet rifle. All I could see was his head, and I hit him right in front of the ear, in and out. The damage was impressive for an air rile.

Granted it was a .22 cal, if it had enough power at 50 yrds to go through a squirrel skull, I'm sure you'll have no problem if you can hit it behind the ear.

 

[jbee]

Thanks for all the advice, this is my last ditch effort!

I am going to cut down a 20 ft holly tree I think the raccoon is using for access and if I can't get him trapped for free (they charge $75+ for squirrels) or removed to the state park, I will shoot him after giving him a warning.

> With an air pistol it's possible, not likely-but I wouldn't consider it humane.

It seems like the .22 pellet rifle would be the thing then. I have been meaning to buy one anyways.

 

[langenc]

Put it into the ear or from the rear into the 'back' of the skull. Dont do it in the attic-too much mess. Wait till it is outside.

 

[blackhawk45lc]

I've seen ***** take multiple shots from a 22lr,and still have plenty of fight left in them ! I wouldnt use a pellet gun...................... JMHO

 

[hogcowboy]

I've seen ***** take multiple shots from a 22lr,and still have plenty of fight left in them ! I wouldnt use a pellet gun...................... JMHO

You must have seen me. I have shot ***** multiple times with a .22LR and they still keep fighting it. But since you got a problem......you gotta do what ya gotta do. Shoot the darn thing with what ever ya got as many times as it takes. Good luck.

 

[Darin115]

Killin a ****

I **** hunted for years. I gave it up when I got married because all my friends lost interest. In our guns we used CB Longs in our 22 rifles. They have very little report and will kill them if hit in the head. We could see the bullet at night in the light when shooting at *****.

I seriously doubt you will get any complaints if you pop him in the head with a CB Long by the neighbors. Don't get the CB shorts. They have more power and are louder.

Or if you prefer you can go get a cage trap and catch him and haul it off and turn it loose. Or you can take it out of the city limits and shoot it. Or shoot him over and over and over again in the head with your BB gun until it is dead. Or put the trap with the **** in it in a rubbermaid garbage can and put the lid on. Then spray about a half of can of starting fluid in the can and leave the lid on. It will die quickly. I got this idea from a guy I work with that does not like killing things. He caught a mean cat in his trap and used this method. Said it works great and they go to sleep and don't wake up.

If you go the trap route I would bait it with a can of sardines or a piece of loaf bread with honey on it. They can't resist it.

Darin

 

[fcfirearms]

Don't know about *****.... dpends on shot placement I suppose. As far as these guys shooting ***** multiple times with a .22LR... shot placement. I've never had to shoot one more than once with a .22LR, but then I always put it between their eyes. This is real easy in the dark with a light attached to your rifle. The eyes light up real good. My Ruger Airhawk .177 puts hunting pellets out at 1000+fps. It drops squirrels like a rock. I'd like to try a **** with it. The first pellet I ever shot from it went through both sides of a steel tomato can at 25 yards.

 

[BarkBuster20]

Well i can see a lot of things going horribly wrong if you try shooting a 2 foot long male **** in your attic with a BB gun, for example, you getting the crap bitten out of yourself. Stray cats are tougher than nails, a racoon is even tougher.

 

[MikeG]

Bayonet mount for backup!

 

[MikeG]

One of my buddies has a good raccoon story. He used to have a cabin up in Canada and one night a **** gets up on the porch. He takes a .22 of some sort and proceeds to empty a clip in it. **** just waddles off, he shakes his head and goes to bed. Wife gives him some grief about being the great hunter, etc.

Couple of weeks later.... back at the cabin.... neighbor comes over and asks if he knows about anybody shooting *****? "Uh..... no, why do you ask?"

"Because somebody shot one and it crawled up in my boat and died!!!!"

I don't think I could have kept a straight face......

 

[BarkBuster20]

One of my buddies has a good raccoon story. He used to have a cabin up in Canada and one night a **** gets up on the porch. He takes a .22 of some sort and proceeds to empty a clip in it. **** just waddles off, he shakes his head and goes to bed. Wife gives him some grief about being the great hunter, etc.

Couple of weeks later.... back at the cabin.... neighbor comes over and asks if he knows about anybody shooting *****? "Uh..... no, why do you ask?"

"Because somebody shot one and it crawled up in my boat and died!!!!"

I don't think I could have kept a straight face......

lol, good story. By the way, it might really be a good idea to maybe attatch some type of bayonette to the guys BB gun for he goes into the attic.... maybe give him a football helmet too.

The last racoon i shot wasnt even two feet long and weighed around 20 lbs, not bad teeth either. racoons can definitly be dangerous...