Best way to kill raccoons and opossums?

[JimmyJames]

Have a raccoon and an opossum that terrorize the neighborhood (kids playing and neighbors have outdoor cats). Found the raccoon out in the open today and shot it with my crossbow, but only have mechanical heads and field points. Wanted to avoid shooting it with a firearm as I'm literally on the other side of the street from the edge of city limits, but as I suspected it was too small for the shock collar to break - broadhead didn't expand properly and now I have a fence slat to replace on top of losing an expensive bolt. Ended up having to shoot it anyway. Field points wouldn't be ethical even on a lung shot since it wasn't sufficient with the mechanical broadhead, so I'm wondering what I should do about the opossum. Would a fixed broadhead work, or is it still too much overkill with a crossbow? Should I just bite the bullet and invest in an airgun or something?

 

[krotsman]

You could probably trap them pretty easily, especially if they are accustomed to eating around the neighborhood. then you could dispatch or relocate them at your convenience. Traps are under $50 on Amazon.

 

[pandabear]

.22 CB.
Out of 20 inch barrel. It's completely quiet

 

[LaBelle]

I'd leave Mr. Possum alone. Can eat its weight in ticks, immune to rabies, an omnivore and NOT aggressive, no matter how sharp its teeth look!

 

[Magdump]

Yeah, I gotta go with the .22 crowd on this one. Live walk in traps baited with a little sardine will get you all that and an occasional cat. 4” spring traps work too but for everything with paws. Caught one of my ducks like that and broke her leg. Poor thing. She was very tasty.
Please don’t try poisoning them. I’m not saying you had at all considered that, but others may suggest it and there are too many ways that can go sideways.

 

[Magdump]

I'd leave Mr. Possum alone. Can eat its weight in ticks, immune to rabies, an omnivore and NOT aggressive, no matter how sharp its teeth look!

We had little baby male take up residence above our tack room when I was a kid. My dad would not let me bother him. He called him “Uncle Enos” and hand fed that nasty fat bastard. I’ve yet to ever see even a ghetto possum get bigger. He never bothered anybody.

 

[krotsman]

We had little baby male take up residence above our tack room when I was a kid. My dad would not let me bother him. He called him “Uncle Enos” and hand fed that nasty fat bastard. I’ve yet to ever see even a ghetto possum get bigger. He never bothered anybody.

Ghetto Possum is my next band's name. Thanks Mag!

 

[AustinBR]

Yeah, I gotta go with the .22 crowd on this one. Live walk in traps baited with a little sardine will get you all that and an occasional cat. 4” spring traps work too but for everything with paws. Caught one of my ducks like that and broke her leg. Poor thing. She was very tasty.
Please don’t try poisoning them. I’m not saying you had at all considered that, but others may suggest it and there are too many ways that can go sideways.

Very good advice here ^^

I also would see about just relocating the possum.

 

[Gator 45/70]

Hey noticed an arrow stuck in one of my cedar fence boards, Anyone know anything about it?



not really lol

 

[SwampyDog]

I don't blame you on the raccoon, but the possum isn't going to hurt anything but itself unless you've got eggs from hens. I'd leave that one be. Relocating isn't a great option either because possums don't do well having to find new sources of food and water and will likely die as a result. They don't live terribly long, even in captivity so nature will likely solve it for you anyways
I've found that if you're using a live trap the report from a .22 rifle at near contact distances doesn't make much of a report at all. I doubt anyone would even notice if they were inside.

 

[MetalVendor]

Please don’t kill either one.

 

[Manimal]

No poisons please, and opossums are great little neighbors to have unless you're a horseman with a poorly maintained tack room & hay barn.

I'd go with live traps & relocation or baiting with cat food & CB/Subsonics.

Opossums really get a bad rap. They don't live more than 3.5yrs even in captivity, and they are basically completely non-aggressive unless you really mess with them hard, they are impervious to most snake venom and eat snakes and rats (mostly nests since rats are so fast), as well as the previously mentioned ticks & clintons.

And thanks to MetalVendor for the reminder, they are not rabies vectors.

 

[pandabear]

I'd leave Mr. Possum alone. Can eat its weight in ticks, immune to rabies, an omnivore and NOT aggressive, no matter how sharp its teeth look!

I'm no expert, but not so sure about immune to rabies. I caught one in my trap while back walking bow legged, and completely hairless. Unless it's a completely different species!

 

[Rodog]

get a box of 22lr name the box kindness and then you kill them with kindness.

 

[Rodog]

real talk I want a pet Raccoon or Squirrel.

 

[JimmyJames]

Thanks for the the replies everyone.

Yeah, I gotta go with the .22 crowd on this one. Live walk in traps baited with a little sardine will get you all that and an occasional cat. 4” spring traps work too but for everything with paws. Caught one of my ducks like that and broke her leg. Poor thing. She was very tasty.
Please don’t try poisoning them. I’m not saying you had at all considered that, but others may suggest it and there are too many ways that can go sideways.

No I wasn't planning poison. Again, pets and kids in the neighborhood.

I don't blame you on the raccoon, but the possum isn't going to hurt anything but itself unless you've got eggs from hens. I'd leave that one be. Relocating isn't a great option either because possums don't do well having to find new sources of food and water and will likely die as a result. They don't live terribly long, even in captivity so nature will likely solve it for you anyways
I've found that if you're using a live trap the report from a .22 rifle at near contact distances doesn't make much of a report at all. I doubt anyone would even notice if they were inside.

I do have chickens, as does a neighbor (whose rooster keeps getting in my yard), but that's not been a concern. The neighbors' cats apparently picked a fight with it, and it's fought back injuring two of them.

Please don’t kill either one.

Raccoon is already taken care of, sorry. It was dispatched humanely with a single shot to the head once I confirmed the broadhead didn't expand.

I suppose I can try trapping and moving it, though I'm probably as likely to catch a neighbors cat.

 

[Manimal]

I'm no expert, but not so sure about immune to rabies. I caught one in my trap while back walking bow legged, and completely hairless. Unless it's a completely different species!

That's just Mange, put Ivermectin in a food source (up to 10 appropriate doses over a month) & give them time, they'll grow back a healthy coat and live a happy life.

People treat deer with Ivermectin similarly, to get rid of parasites and mites, ticks, worms, etc..

I'm not a vet, and this is not medical advice, just an online comedian.

 

[krotsman]

I do have chickens, as does a neighbor (whose rooster keeps getting in my yard), but that's not been a concern. The neighbors' cats apparently picked a fight with it, and it's fought back injuring two of them.

That's pretty shocking that a cat and a possum tangled. The only fights I've ever seen between the two was just pushing each other out of the way at the outside food dish. And even then, they just got over it and ate head to head...

 

[dantheman]

New Study Says Possums Don't Like Eating Ticks

Many think that opossums eat thousands of ticks. According to a 2021 peer-reviewed study, opossums may not eat ticks at all.

www.fieldandstream.com

 

[twinin]

Cuffs are cheap and work well on raccoons