please HELP me with these raccoon hunting questions

[hillbillydruggist]

these are just things I always wanted to know and I cannot find a good answer for.

1) does a racoon pup distress call attract racoons? or just predators?
2) does white light scare raccoons?
3) do you have to wait till a freeze to eat raccoons?
4) does human scent scare them away?

thanks for any input!

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

these are just things I always wanted to know and I cannot find a good answer for.

1) does a racoon pup distress call attract racoons? or just predators?

If you want to call them, use raccoon fight sounds.

2) does white light scare raccoons?

In the suburbs, no. In "the wild", I don't know.

3) do you have to wait till a freeze to eat raccoons?

No. You do have to wait until you are really hungry, though.

4) does human scent scare them away?

Not if you smell like a hot dog.

A Generous Man Happily Feeds a Group of 17 Hungry Raccoons Gathered on His Back Porch in Nova Scotia

James Blackwood, a wonderfully self-described "Raccoon Whisperer" and retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constable, hauled out a giant bucket of

laughingsquid.com

But, seriously,

 

[hillbillydruggist]

If you want to call them, use raccoon fight sounds.



In the suburbs, no. In "the wild", I don't know.



No. You do have to wait until you are really hungry, though.



Not if you smell like a hot dog.

A Generous Man Happily Feeds a Group of 17 Hungry Raccoons Gathered on His Back Porch in Nova Scotia

James Blackwood, a wonderfully self-described "Raccoon Whisperer" and retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constable, hauled out a giant bucket of

laughingsquid.com

But, seriously,

LOL thanks

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

LOL thanks

FWIW, I live in the suburbs. CB caps and a Ruger Single Six get the job done.

 

[HandgunHTR]

1. It depends. If it is a sow that currently has or recently had kits, it might bring her in, but as posted, fighting sounds brings them all in, as does the sound of a feeder going off.

2. In my experience, it depends. Most of the time, they will freeze and maybe run off, sometimes they don't. Movement makes them bolt faster than anything.

3. No you don't have to wait for a freeze for any small game. That is an old wives tale. Take care of the carcass just like you would for any animal (cool it quickly and keep dirt out of it). Raccoons, just like other animals will tend to taste better if their diet is made up of ag crops. For those that live near creeks, they can pick up a "fishy" taste. True trash pandas are best not eaten.

4. Not in my experience. Movement will spook them more than anything.

 

[msinc]

these are just things I always wanted to know and I cannot find a good answer for.

1) does a racoon pup distress call attract racoons? or just predators?
2) does white light scare raccoons?
3) do you have to wait till a freeze to eat raccoons?
4) does human scent scare them away?

thanks for any input!

Been a coon hunter {with hounds} all my life, and I am also a predator hunter. I will give you my answers in order asked...raccoon kitten sounds do not attract adults. It will make them look at you, but will not make them come to you {at least it never did for me}. White light doesn't "scare" them, but it hurts their sensitive night vision eyes. I have seen them put their head down and cover their eyes when treed and we shine to find them. I prefer an orange tinted light to find them. They will look at it and it doesn't seem to scare or alarm them at all. For calling I like night vision, but red or green light will work fine.
Raccoons carry many parasites. A very common one is round worms {ascarids}. A freeze will not kill them and they can and will migrate through the raccoons body. I have seen many of them just under the hide in their feet when I skin them. It is very important to make sure you properly cook them, 145 degrees F at least.
Human scent does not scare them away. I find that they pay it no mind. This is strange because, while they don't have the nose of a bear, they can smell very good. Smoke hurts their nose and they will freak out and run away from it.

Edit: as far as calling them, they are not a "run down and kill it" type predator so you cant really call them any great distance, like a coyote or fox. Move quietly into an area and call, if you don't see one in 15 or 20 minutes move to another area. To call one in I always had to be in fairly close proximity to begin with and even then many would just walk away. It always seemed like I had better luck with bird distress sounds but they will come to a rabbit. Honestly, you are better off to put out a piece of fresh watermelon or cantaloupe and just sit and wait, you'll be more successful. They will risk anything to get to those smells/flavors.

 

[Bangs OH]

Coon hunting wth dogs used to be big around here; not so much anymore. A local civic club's "raccoon supper" is still held every winter. It's usually highlighted by a speaker of modest fame, none of which I'd be willing to eat a coon to see.

 

[rayporter]

rumor has it that not everything is coon in Danville's supper.

 

[H2OBUG]

Just put you a corn feeder out. Get you a Streamlight TLR-1 Game spotter light in green and install it on you Savage A22 or A17 Auto rifle.

 

[msinc]

Just put you a corn feeder out. Get you a Streamlight TLR-1 Game spotter light in green and install it on you Savage A22 or A17 Auto rifle.

Everything is right but the choice of gun....I can see it all now, you got the feeder full of corn {helps to throw in some dry grape Kool-Aid powder, drives 'em crazy} you got your nice green light and here comes a coon....you pull up on him and click....what ta hell???? There's no magazine in the gun, that fell out 1/4 mile down the trail because that stupid ridiculous cheesy plastic strap that is supposed to hold it in the rifle don't!!!!!!! Axe me how I know!!!!!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have not had a raccoon exit a tree or building and come to pup distress, they will look out of a den tree hole even come out on a roof to look. Raccoon fighting sounds(bird distress also)will bring raccoon in. White light works for locating(I set my headlamp to a donut shape, makes seeing an eye easier) and shooting treed raccoon. At baits and calling it seems to alert them at minimum, and may run them off. In my area carbohydrates based baits work better in the fall, after raccoon have been sleeping thru extended cold weather, a protein based bait works better for trapping and bait shooting. Muskrat and fish are tops in Jan/Feb and I mix some muskrat glands in trapping bait. Not on my list of proteins, after all the trapping and dog work. If you choose to try it, well done is safest. Raccoon are less wary of human scent than most other commonly encountered wild animals. Raccoon can transmit both feline and canine distemper, rabies, and other diseases. Handle sick or strange acting animals very carefully, in some areas local governments want to be notified about sick animals.

 

[yotehater]

Curious little things.
They make night hunting fun.
Never thought about eating them.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Here's how to hunt coons:

 

[NA Woody]

shoot in here amongst us....
That's just classic.....

 

[hillbillydruggist]

rumor has it that not everything is coon in Danville's supper.

I don't get it

 

[rayporter]

i heard a lot of cats disappear and a ground hog or two.

 

[RegionRat]

these are just things I always wanted to know and I cannot find a good answer for.

1) does a racoon pup distress call attract racoons? or just predators?
2) does white light scare raccoons?
3) do you have to wait till a freeze to eat raccoons?
4) does human scent scare them away?

thanks for any input!

My answers match the ones above.
1) no, I would recommend coon fighting calls.
2) no, but they do see it and shy from it some. Use red.
3) freeze isn't enough, so see the explanation above on worms by msinc.
4) not really but coon hunting is often based on abandoned structures and orchards where I hunt so they are used to and aware of humans.