Raccoon Calling

BBK

BBK

Well-known member
Because variety is the spice of life, this hunt is:
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Having a pretty good year so far. Held off on doing it too much until the fur was a bit better, but now it is prime time. Upgraded my setup a bit for the 2025/26 season, picked up a foxpro hellcat pro and a bear creek 22wmr upper. So far the 22mag AR is the best gun for this, you never know if you are shooting them at 10 feet or 100 yards (sometimes one 6-7 trees over pops out for a look). Im running a 3-12 compact scope and a 45deg micro red dot. Shooting 45gr FTX rounds, have not had an exit yet and they flip upside down when the energy dumps. And they shoot right at MOA at 100yd.

Calling is fairly easy, you just set the call about 15-20 feet from a brush pile or den tree and stand off to the side. The females will come out and charge the caller while barking/growling, the young ones will pop out and look to see what is going on, and the big boars will sneak out and try to wind ya then take off running if they see/smell you. Be sure to set the caller right on the path leading into a brush pile, thats where they want to come out. And on a den tree you will place it on the back side of the tree so they cannot look at it from their hole.


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popper43 said:
22LR any good for this?
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Its hit and miss (not literally). If they are stationary, looking at you, then you can put it right in the head and it does absolutely fine. If they are moving and you hit anywhere else (they dont move slow!) then they will get away on you. The mag gives a little more energy dump and is better at breaking bone and causing internal damage on the ones that charge in or run and you hit the neck or vitals. They will take a 22lr to the neck or heart/lungs/ass and keep right on going until they find a hole to crawl in or make it back to their brush pile. Smaller southern coons may be different and easier to bring down, i dont know. When i used a 22lr i used cci stingers.

Another option that works really well is a shotgun with lead BB or 4B, it blows them right off the side of the tree and they dont twitch
 
Thing about den calling is when they come out it's either get away or join the fight, so they are hyped up. Been doing it for 20 years, settled on 17WSM semi auto or 17 Hornet, still keep the 22mag around in case something happens to my other rifles. Most coons at one place was 17 and wished I'd been able to film it. Son was working his single shot 22 as fast as he could, he was about 10yrs old and first rifle. These coons were coming up out of ground holes and running up to the caller and then back towards there holes. We were able to kill and collect 10, but lost several others that made it to the ground holes. At the time there was about 2 foot of snow on the ground. The hollow tree we had set the caller against didn't produce any. Talked to land owner and found out a ravine had been filled in with concrete and old cars and covered with dirt.
 
John56 said:
Thing about den calling is when they come out it's either get away or join the fight, so they are hyped up. Been doing it for 20 years, settled on 17WSM semi auto or 17 Hornet, still keep the 22mag around in case something happens to my other rifles. Most coons at one place was 17 and wished I'd been able to film it. Son was working his single shot 22 as fast as he could, he was about 10yrs old and first rifle. These coons were coming up out of ground holes and running up to the caller and then back towards there holes. We were able to kill and collect 10, but lost several others that made it to the ground holes. At the time there was about 2 foot of snow on the ground. The hollow tree we had set the caller against didn't produce any. Talked to land owner and found out a ravine had been filled in with concrete and old cars and covered with dirt.
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Until you see this happen you cannot fathom how chaotic it is when they start bailing out of a ground den or brush pile. That is why i carry the AR, i have 23 rounds and ive almost needed them all. It is madness and an absolute riot. The hard part is remembering where you killed them and how many to look for as they are coming out of every direction.
 
Chaotic is kinda an understatement at times, I hate when I hear one hit the ground behind me and come running in with in almost touching distance. I'm using the Savage A17 WSM and carry 4 extra magazines.
 
K22-hornet, I'll start with coon pups in distress for a minute or two and then switch to boar fight for a minute or two, if i have one looking out the hole but won't commit to come out, will switch back and forth between the two. Funny to watch them when they are debating do i stay or do i go, Some times it doesn't matter what sound is playing they won't commit to coming out.

sleddog1, I've had times that I would go for up to a week of den calling and not even see one looking out. Just have to keep hitting den locations till you find some.
 
John56 said:
Chaotic is kinda an understatement at times, I hate when I hear one hit the ground behind me and come running in with in almost touching distance. I'm using the Savage A17 WSM and carry 4 extra magazines.
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tell me about the a17wsm. I have the a17 and it is my main coon and squirrel rifle. I have an ar15 with 17hmr upper for thermal coon control. The a17wsm would be a hoot to shoot.
 
K22-hornet said:
That sounds like a lot of fun!

Are you using Coon Fight for the sounds?
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I start with foxpro raccoon fight for a minute or two and if nothing comes out i switch to raccoon distress. If some come out to distress i will switch to young coon distress and that sometimes brings one back out or a holdout to come join his dead friends. I dont go any farther than raccoon distress before changing locations, youll know within 5 seconds usually if theres one willing to come out.

I dont random call coons like coyotes, i dont just call an area of timber and try to get them to come outā€¦ that never works for me. You have to have the caller at the base of the den. And BLAST the volume, 3/4 to full volume, ear splitting at times.
 
"I dont random call coons like coyotes, i dont just call an area of timber and try to get them to come out"

I tried the random calling late last winter, with no success.

I guess I need to find den trees.

Do you see coons using the same den trees year after year?

Even after you have killed the current residents?
 
Been hitting the same dens for the last 20 years. I also hit them several times during the season. Seems there always coons that take up residence at some time. I think to some extent boar coons are on the move checking for where the sows are for when breeding season starts. Like BBK I don't random call coons like coyotes.
 
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K22-hornet said:
"I dont random call coons like coyotes, i dont just call an area of timber and try to get them to come out"

I tried the random calling late last winter, with no success.

I guess I need to find den trees.

Do you see coons using the same den trees year after year?

Even after you have killed the current residents?
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There will be more coons in the den the next day if its an established den. I can call the same string of trees/brush piles each weekend and kill coons almost every time, you can never get them all. They will just get smart on you and start growling or barking (go away!) instead of coming out šŸ˜† and then you know to give it a rest for a few weeks.

I killed 11 from one brush pile so far this year, it just keeps getting replenished from the neighbors timber and thereā€™s a new raccoon or two each time. Whenever i am nearby i stop and set up the caller for a couple minutes and shoot a raccoon
 
This thread has been very educational. I was blind calling them and wondering why I couldnā€™t get any to respond.

I have tried day calling and night calling- havenā€™t seen a single coon yet. My area is loaded with cooks, I can get them in Dog proof traps with my eyes closed.

The entire deer season I am out on the property I mark trees that have a hole in them that look like den trees. I have been to every one of my marked spots and nothing.

I donā€™t think I am finding good den trees.

I am in Virginia - a mix of pine forest and oaks/swamps.
 
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