Shot Big Fat Coon Today with Pardner

[HuntenNut]

I was out with my beagles today when they hit a brush pile pretty hard. I thought there was a rabbit in there, but within seconds, a big fat coon climbed up a tree in the middle of it.

I normally am using light 7-1/2 target loads for rabbits, but I carry a couple #4 high velocities in case I get a long shot at a squirrel.

I swapped the 7-1/2 for the 4 and dropped him. He has a very nice coat for this time of year. Very thick with no mats or blemishes.

Took him to the Taxidermist for mounting and he says its one of the biggest he's seen from state land.

[Mohawk]

Was it a 12ga? Did the #4 shot work pretty well at putting him down? I'm always looking for a good shotgun coon load that doesn't mess the pelt up badly. Give us more info!!!!! :lol:

[HuntenNut]

Mohawk,

The load was 2-3/4" 12ga Federal #4 high velocity 1-1/4 ounce copper plated shot from my pardner with 28" modified barrel. I use this load for long range squirrels if I see them far off (another advantage to these guns--easy to change loads to meet the situation).

This was a very big coon, one of the biggest I've seen.

Shot was about 25yds. He was climbing a sgraggly little tree about 4" diameter above the brush pile my beagles went into. There was no cover at all for him so he took every bit of the load. He fell into the brush pile and I immediately went after him cause my dogs were in there and I was worried if he wasn't down good, he'd tangle with em. When I got to him, the dogs were licking up the blood.

I couldn't tell that there was any hide damage at all, and my taxidermist thought he looked to be in very good shape.

[Mohawk]

Good Deal HuntenNut!!! I know those copper plated pellets are bad news for critters. I've always had good luck with the Remington #4 1-1/4 oz load out of my Topper 12ga modified choke. These are straight lead though. Never had a rabbit or sqirrel escape them.  Congrats on the coon!!

[HuntenNut]

My new beagle is turning into more of coon hound than a rabbit hound.

This is her 1st year out and 2nd year for my male. He has never chased a coon trail that I can tell.

She led him after the one I shot yesterday, and she treed 2 more this morning.

By the way, the 2 this morning were both shot and together didn't even equal half the size of the one from yesterday.

I'm having the big one mounted. Not sure what to do with these 2 smaller ones. I've never skinned one out, but a coon skin hat might be interesting.

I'm only shooting them because they are at nuisance levels around here and they prey on baby rabbits, squirrels and many of the birds in the area. They have no natural predators.

[Mohawk]

I know what you mean. That is the way the skunks are here.

[Markus]

Theys good eating too! You have to cook it with lots of carrots and potatoes to soak up the grease. The meat is dark and sweet. I used to coon hunt a lot when I was younger. I don't know anyone with dogs any more. I have many fond memories of runnin behind those black and tans. I never remember any of the beagles hooking up with one though. Rabbit season doesn't start till November here so the season might make the difference and the coons around here are pretty much exclusively nocturnal. I remember getting a big one like that once. I remember the sound when it hit the ground.

[HuntenNut]

Markus,

I eat most of what I kill, but coon just seems a little questionable to me.

I know people eat them, and possum too, but I don't know if I could knowing what kind of stuff they eat.

I think I'll just skin them out, and probably bleach the skulls for the den.

[Markus]

There's not many people left around here that eat them but I do know one little small town store that has a fresh coon meat sign out every now and then. The same store sells muskrat too in season.