Raccoons for food

[Mortblanc]

Had a query so here is the answer.

Raccoons are considered wild game and not domestic. They can not be kept in captivity without some serious license and permit fumbling from the Department of Wildlife Resources.

Most that get such permits are rehab shelters for restoring wounded or orphaned animals.

Raccoons are one of those animals that are borderline efficiency in their food conversion. Meaning that it takes more food to get them to eating weight than they provide at butchering. It is therefore better to allow them to forage on their own and take them when one can.

They are also mean little critters and not he cuddly toys Disney productions make them out to be. Not like keeping rabbits or chickens, which can do little damage past irritating you. I have seen them kill hounds, eat housecats for lunch and I know of at least two people that spent several days in hospital after unfortunate encounters with the little fellows. (neat story about that which needs whisky and a campfire for proper appreciation!)

Their dangers and problems surpass their food production potential.

A grown one will go 20-25 pounds and they will tear a trap or a well built cage all to pieces to get out of it. I caught one in a live trap last spring and it walked the trap all the way across the garden like it was walking inside a barrel, then tried to destroy the cage after it stopped against the fence.

It requires a precisely placed 22lr round right between the eyes to kill one with one shot and they soak up body shots and run off to bleed out where you can not retrieve them. I have hit them with killing shots and had them run 100m before expiring many times.

They are nocturnal animals so getting a good clean precise shot is not like popping a target. It is dark, they are moving, and they are tough, that is not a good combination for clean kills.

I often wonder what the world of today would be like if we had evolved from the raccoon side of the genetic tree?

[Scythe13]

Nice information MB, that's good to know. Who was the query from?

[bigpaul]

no racoons in the UK-outside a few zoo's maybe??

[Tartar Horde]

Thanks for that Mortblanc.

[Mortblanc]

(21 December 2013, 09:51)Scythe13 Wrote: Nice information MB, that's good to know. Who was the query from?

TH brought it up over in the Livestock section and SD requested that it be answered as a separate thread.

[Scythe13]

(21 December 2013, 18:12)Mortblanc Wrote:

(21 December 2013, 09:51)Scythe13 Wrote: Nice information MB, that's good to know. Who was the query from?

TH brought it up over in the Livestock section and SD requested that it be answered as a separate thread.

I've not read that thread. Cool, thanks.

[Jonas]

Mort, possum tastes better anyway!

[bigpaul]

anyone know what the Brit equivalent is? I'm guessing either Badger or Squirrel ?

[Mortblanc]

Neither one!

We have both badger and squirrel over here and the raccoon is like neither. Raccoon would be closer to a Tasmanian Devil once you cornered or trapped it. Nice and cuddly from 50 yards.

The possum is a distinctly American critter too. Ugly beast left from the dawn of mammal creation.

One positive thing about the possum is that a human can outrun one. You can chase them down and kill them with a stick, but it has to be a good stick! I once clubbed one with a 2x4 and had it chase me into the house! My kids got a real laugh out of that. Still bring it up every time I mention a hunting trip. "Hope you are not going after possum Pop!"

That is one of the reasons that eating possum was connected strongly to the southern black culture in the old days. Possum was an animal the slaves, who were deprived of gun ownership, could hunt without a firearm.

Possum skin is the original covering used for the banjo head and it also makes excellent boot laces.

[Tartar Horde]

Thanks Mort,
I watched a programme on cable about a guy at the West Virginia road kill event where they cook all sorts of weird beasties and this chap was raving about Woodchucks/groundhogs. These look to be of a good size for a feed.