{"id":167131,"date":"2022-08-01T15:31:04","date_gmt":"2022-08-01T19:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=167131"},"modified":"2024-08-31T11:15:51","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T16:15:51","slug":"hunt-365-simple-gourmet-hunting-eating-desert-raccoons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt-365-simple-gourmet-hunting-eating-desert-raccoons\/","title":{"rendered":"Simple Gourmet: Hunting & Eating Desert Raccoons"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Although these critters are adorable, they can also be a pest and a delicious dinner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Raccoons were not historically found in the deserts of the Western US, but they have followed agricultural development. Now, my dairy-farming neighbor has a significant problem with raccoons eating his feed grain every night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been working to help control their population and have learned a lot about hunting them. The first thing to know about hunting desert raccoons is that you can\u2019t tree them\u2026because there aren\u2019t any trees. These critters live in piles of broken cement, piles of old tires, and the cliffs surrounding the farm. The only water nearby is in the tanks used to water cattle. The little guys are in hog heaven, eating cattle feed each night.<\/p>\n\n\n

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This Ruger 10\/22 Competition rifle<\/a> with a Mission Silencer’s suppressor places .22LR bullets on target at 100 yards without a problem, but it still takes several shots to stop a large raccoon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

They are nocturnal, but in the warmer months, they are more likely to be active before sunrise than after sunset when the night is still warm. I\u2019ve found them with a thermal scope before dawn and have seen them playing with young even after the sun rises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve used .22LR (best luck with CCI mini mags), .22HMR, and .223 REM to hunt. The .22LR is ok, but it usually takes more than one shot to stop them before they drop back into a hole. .22 mags are pretty good, but the .223 Rem is the way to go to stop them in their tracks. Go for head shots or heart\/lung shots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, their pelts in the summer are not full and plush like they will be in the Fall. Also, the warm temperatures mean the hair is likely to slip quickly. It\u2019s very hard to keep a pelt in the summertime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not worrying about the pelt, however, makes it much easier to harvest the meat. I like to use a gutless method, opening the skin down the back and removing the hams and shoulders without gutting them. <\/p>\n\n\n

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As with most predators, it’s best to remove all the fat from raccoon meat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve removed the meat from the carcass, you should remove all the fat. In critters like coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and other predators, any funky flavor will reside in the fat. When you remove it, you ensure the meat will be tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Trimmed of fat, this meat is ready to cook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Also like most animals, there are glands in the armpits and hind legs that have to be removed before you cook. They look like fat, but they\u2019re not as white as fat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the meat is small, you\u2019ll keep the whole leg together and cook it all together. Use any recipes made for tough cuts. Also, because raccoons can be scavengers, you should cook the meat to at least 160\u00b0F throughout to kill any microbes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did a slow-cooker roast here, but using your pressure cooker<\/a> or doing a classic pot roast would also work well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I took this to Sunday Dinner at a friend’s house. 16 people ate it and they all agreed that it tasted like a beef roast \u2014 what do you expect when it eats the same things as cows each day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Need<\/h2>\n\n\n\n