Suburban Rabbits

[Norsesmithy]

You can get a little electric fencer for like 20 bucks that will more than do a garden's worth of fence.

To keep out Coons, a wire 6 inches off the ground is what you want.

A typical 20x50 garden can be fenced in this manner for less than $40 including all the poles and stuff.

It's still more satisfying to shoot them.

[Grandpa Rex]

The fact that the cats have learned to use the dog door has kept the yard free of bunnies for a year now. They harrass them only as far as I know...they only leave mice and moles for us as gifts on the dining room rug!

The Crossman pump pistol does a good job quietly from under 20 feet or so.

[Joe Camo]

Thanks Joe. When you use eggs, do you use the whole egg or just the yolk or whites?

Personally I've never used eggs so I can't give you any first hand advice, but others have said they work. Do an internet search for "brain tanning", "smoke tanning" or "bark tanning", you'll find lots of good info out there on traditional/alternative tanning methods. FYI - bark tanning will give you a rigid/stiff leather (belts, holsters) whereas brain will give you softer leather.

JC

[FJ540]

Rex, I've got a 1000fps pellet rifle. It does a number on 1/2" OSB, so I'm thinking coons won't be a problem.

Thanks Joe, I've done some reading on tanning, but I've been hoping to encounter someone who's done it. If I get monster bunny, I'd like the pelt to remain soft and the fur intact.

[mnglocker]

Rex, I've got a 1000fps pellet rifle. It does a number on 1/2" OSB, so I'm thinking coons won't be a problem.

Thanks Joe, I've done some reading on tanning, but I've been hoping to encounter someone who's done it. If I get monster bunny, I'd like the pelt to remain soft and the fur intact.

Racoons are not that easy to kill. At least quickly. I've got a neighbor who uses a .308, he got sick of them twitching after using a .22 for many years.

[FJ540]

I know, I used to have a 600fps air rifle and shot them square in the head with little effect.

[mnglocker]

I know, I used to have a 600fps air rifle and shot them square in the head with little effect.

I've shot them square in the head with a .22 and had little effect. But it was a pistol, perhaps I had too much velocity loss.

[FJ540]

I worked at a summer camp many years ago, and along with the bears eating out at the dump (we tried the electric fences with little success), we had coons getting into and then dumping the trash cans around the facilities. We weren't allowed to have firearms unless they were locked up with the range guns and then only fired at the range (.22 range), so sadly the air rifle and sling shot was as good as it got.

[Norsesmithy]

It'd take a very serious electric fence to deter a bear. I would probably want to start at 10,000 volts and plan on upgrading.

[FJ540]

I wasn't involved in the fence issue, just got to help pick up after them in the morning on occasion. I think the biggest issue was the fence was an afterthought and wasn't well built to begin with. The bears would push over a corner post and then simply walk over the wires.

Covered dumpsters would've been a far more effective solution.

[Greg]

Rex, I've got a 1000fps pellet rifle. It does a number on 1/2" OSB, so I'm thinking coons won't be a problem.

Thanks Joe, I've done some reading on tanning, but I've been hoping to encounter someone who's done it. If I get monster bunny, I'd like the pelt to remain soft and the fur intact.

Racoons are not that easy to kill. At least quickly. I've got a neighbor who uses a .308, he got sick of them twitching after using a .22 for many years.

CCI Stingers in the .22 and they won't twitch, if YOU do your job!

I don't shoot Racoons since I like the little guys but any Woodchucks that come around the garden get Stingered!

[1911fan]

I have killed somewhere north of 300 raccoons, at times as many as 15 in a night, an old Marlin 39 with a 26 inch barrel and standard speed .22's works find, shoot them in the ear or the nose and they go down. My parents live half the year in Door County Wisc, that little thumb part that sticks out into Lake Michigan and for what ever reason, the peninsula is crawling with raccoons and my parents are avid bird feeders. The ringtail thieves show up like clock work an hour after dusk and try to steal all the bird food and fruit from the fruit trees as they can.

I have used a buckmark with a can, and several other .22's but now that they have neighbors, using the long barrel marlin seems to be working and I can hit better with that I can with the buckmark at longer ranges.

[Joe Camo]

As a kid the preferred varmint gun on our farm was (and still is) a lowly Marlin .22Magnum with a 4x scope and 40-50 gr hollow points. Great on anything up to 'coon size out to about 150 yds. and 'yotes out to about 100 (if you're lucky enough to see them that close). Down side is the loud report for a rimfire. Obviously not for town folks - the high velocity air guns at short ranges work better there (just get a solid head shot)!

JC

[FJ540]

I'm only 70' to the property line from the back step, and I don't think our privacy fence would handle a miss with my pointed pellets out of the rifle, so I'm strictly looking at on the ground shots - backdrop is vital around here. Down and into the dirt is the only safe option.

[Joe Camo]

Or just use a #1 Victor long-spring trap with a bit of lettuce on the pan ... quick, quiet & on the job 24/7.

JC