Raccoons, belonging to the family of Procyonidae, are native to America. And they are considering as the intelligent animals among all mammals. However, another fascinating fact about raccoons is that they are very calm mammals as they don’t like fighting and attacking. But still, people keep hunting them, and there are no legal restrictions to stop their hunting. So ever you wonder that why do people hunt raccoons?
However, unfortunately, raccoons can cause a mess in your yard by turning your trash can and hunting your pets when they don’t have other food to eat. Not only this, raccoons can increase their population exponentially, which is not satisfactory for the ecosystem.
However, there are several other reasons due to which people hunt raccoons. And if you are interested to know about it, then navigate this article. As in this article, I’m going to expose all coon hunting reasons. So let’s start.
Why Do People Hunt Raccoons?
Raccoons are wild animals without any wild behaviour. Commonly they have thick grey fur, which is specifically black around their eyes. They are carnivorous and can eat both animal and plant-based food. Not only this, raccoons are scavengers as well. As they can eat food after scavenging the trash in your yard.
However, before starting the discussion at first, I want to explain that raccoons are very calm mammals. And they don’t like attacking and fighting with other animals in the wild. The same goes for humans, as they don’t want to attack humans.
But they can attack you when you try to come closer to their child, and also, a rabid raccoon can attack. Thus a raccoon doesn’t like to attack in their normal senses.
Now let’s discuss the hunting reasons of raccoons in detail.
For Their Fur:
As raccoons are furry animals with a thick amount of fur on their bodies. And this fur is useable to make winter stuff. That’s why people used to hunt raccoons for their pelt so that after selling them, they could get some money.
However, in the mid-nineties, it was a common practice to hunt raccoons for money. As a person can get a minimum of twenty-five dollars for a raccoon easily. Because of it, people make it as their earning source in the mid-nineties.
For Wildlife Management:
However, hunting raccoons for wildlife management is another reason. Wildlife management means that to keep control of the population of wildlife. An increment in a wildlife population can cause serious damage to the ecosystem.
And raccoons are one of those animals that can increase their population exponentially. So that’s why to keep a balance in the wildlife, people hunt raccoons.
To Eat:
However, many people around the globe used to eat raccoon’s meat. That’s why this is also a reason for raccoons hunting in the world. However, it is also a fact that fewer people like to eat raccoon’s meat. Because of it, raccoons hunting for meat happens at a lower level.
Other Reasons:
Now let’s discuss some other random reasons to hunt a raccoon in detail.
Firstly, raccoons are scavengers, and they can scavenge food from your trash bin as well. And during this process, they can cause a mess in your yard as well as in the area where they are living.
Secondly, raccoons are omnivorous and can eat small animals, including your pet cats and dogs. Because of it, people hunt raccoons to save their pets in a specific area. However, raccoons are opportunistic animals, and they hunt only when they have the perfect opportunity to hunt your pet.
Thirdly, raccoons are the host of several diseases like rabies. And they can transfer these diseases to humans when they come in contact with them. Not only this, the chances of a rabid raccoon attacking humans are higher. Because of it, people also hunt raccoons to avoid any uncomfortable incidents.
How To Hunt Raccoon?
However, raccoons hunting can take place because of different reasons, as mentioned above. Now let’s have a look at how to hunt a raccoon. As, commonly raccoons hunting is done with dogs who have the duty to find the trail.
After finding the trail dog, start barking, and in this way, you can find the place of a raccoon. Usually, raccoons live in empty, abandoned places, dens, hollow cavities in trees, etc. So after finding the raccoon, you can simply take down the raccoon with a small-caliber rifle.
However, there is another way of bringing out raccoons from their dens by using the electronic game. As, this game makes sounds of fighting raccoons which can grab the attention of raccoons and helps to draw them out of the den.
And then you can take down the raccoon with the small-caliber rifle.
Tip: During the way of raccoons hunting, keep in mind that they can attack you if you come closer to them. That’s why maintaining a safe distance from them. As don’t underestimate them because, at the end of the day, they are wild animals.
Read also: What Time Do Raccoons Come Out?
What Does a Raccoon Taste Like?
Raccoons meat taste like lamb’s meat, according to many people. But at the same time, several people suggest that its taste is like the meat of a dog but with a strong odour.
However, the taste of raccoon’s meat depends upon the fact that what they used to eat. As if a raccoon eats scavenge food, then its meat is not edible to humans.
However, raccoon’s meat contains essential minerals and nutrients like protein, fats, sodium, potassium, cholesterol, etc.
A Final Word:
However, raccoons don’t pose a threat to humans, then why do people hunt raccoons? There are several reasons for raccoons hunting. As their fur is in demand to make winter accessories. Moreover, many people hunt them to save their area from diseases. As raccoons are a host of many diseases like rabies.
And many people hunt them to control their population. As it is necessary to control the population of wildlife to keep the ecosystem safe. However, many people hunt them to eat their meat as well, and several people like to hunt for sport.