In Minnesota you are required to carry a .22 pistol for dispatching animals. They recommend shooting them in the ear. Will this lower the value of the Pelt?

Does anyone know of a website that teaches beginners how to properly use a drowning set? I have seen a few but none where tailored for the beginner.

Thanks.

Scott, a head shot using a 22 caliber cartridge wil not usually affect the value of a pelt. I would however recommend that you use 22 shorts instead of long rifles in your firearm. A 22 short well placed will most often remain in the skull leaving no exit wound to sew up. There is sometimes a problem with placing the bullet in the ear of an animal because a live animal held in a trap will almost always face you to see what your'e going to do to it. If you try to get around to it's side it will simply move to face you again. A better choice is to draw an imaginary line from the left ear to the right eye and from the right ear to the left eye forming an X. At the center of the X is the brain and a shot here is much easier to locate. As with any head shot, in the ear or forehead, there will be a lot of blood flow. Be prepared to wash out or brush out bloodied areas.

Being from Arizona and not being a water trapper, I can only hope fellows that like to get wet will answer your second question.

After you shoot your catch most of the bleeding will take place while you are remaking the set. To avoid getting blood on other areas of the critter, pull a plastic bag over the head and zip it up. Yes you will have to wash off the head, but this is pretty easy; the blood will of have dried hard before you get home to skin. Or, you can leave the bag in place while skinning.
Hope this helps some.

This website has lots of info in archives...and get involved with local trapping org. and someone will show you...LOL

I find that a well placed shot right between the eyes works best. If you get the right angle the bullet enters between the eyes, travels through the brain cavity, into the neck. On smaller critters the bullet may travel further into the body cavity or actually exit somewhere in the chest area. This is my experience with .22lr. Haven't used shorts yet.

I tried shorts and was not pleased with the dispatch, I moved to CB Longs, and they work well. If you hold the animal with a catch pole you can place the bullet in the ear canal and it produces a immediate dispatch , the method of between the eyes is the method I use most and have not had any problem with the sale of my fur.

I’m afraid we may have a little trouble with terminology or perception -- one or the other.

The CB Long is not as powerful as the .22 Short. From the CCI tables: The CB Long generates 33 ft-lbs at the muzzle. The High Speed Short generates 83 ft-lbs at the muzzle -- more than twice the power of a CB. However, if it is just the plain old .22 Long you are talking about, that generates 90 ft-lbs at the muzzle.

-- Hal

Any fox or coyote can be quickly and easily dispatched by a sharp blow to the bridge of the nose, (which renders unconscious immediately)then stand with your heel on the chest behind the front leg and stop the heart. The process takes 3 minutes and is very effective.

I haven't dispatched a fox with a .22 in years except a few that I wasn't sure of a solid hold. A tap to the nose and then chest compression works quickly with little or no bleeding.
When I do use a weapon to dispatch I aim for the lungs right behind the shoulder. This shot is lethal within a few minutes and very little or no bleeding. Head shots are very bloody and can be a pain clean up for a remake. With fox and yotes the fur is out and the size of a .22 hole will not get you downgraded. I've even shot coon in the same manner and haven't been downgraded for the holes in the pelt. The only problem with lung shots is skinning. When you pull down around the shoulder area there is a lot of bleeding from the bullet hole. All I do is put a piece of towel in the hole on either side. Just another option.

Dated for search.