No, not at all. I was emphasizing that this particular method is humane as well as various others. Sorry, I should have been more clear on that.

I have found that if you are trapping near water it is simple to take a forked stick and hold the head of the coon underwater this leads to them drowning with no blood

I don't want to open a can of worms as far as dispatch goes, but coons are tough critters. I use a firearm to dispatch all coon that aren't already at the end of the drowner. I urge a word of caution to all younger/inexperienced trappers who plan on using blunt force on coon. They are faster than they appear, and do "wake up" once in a while. The quickest way to ruin a fun day trapping is to get yourself roughed up by a mad coon.

I had great results with 22 short hollow points. You have to remember a coons brain is not between the eyes, it's between his ears so shoot the coon between the ears on a angle that the bullet if it exits at all will exit under the bottom jaw. This is the fastest and most humane way to go. Coons are tough and head trama is not the way if you have lots of traps to check.

Heny Fitzgerald, you wrote "Head trama is not the way to go if you have lots of traps to check" I do have lots of traps to check and lots of animals to skin. I've long ago given up on having bloodied up pelts to clean up from using a gun. Now, I'm not knocking those who use a firearm for dispatching, but blunt force followed up by steady chest compresion works very effectively no matter how many traps you have to check.

My first season also, I have trapped several racoons...

Don't carry a firearm.

Blunt force trauma works well, just have to calmly take a good aim, and use the proper amount of force. A catch pole works well in holding the racoon still.

Since racoons frequent water, and I primarily water trap, I have set everything up to Drown. Rinse 'em in the water, hang up to dry overnight. Skin, Flesh, and put up the next night. Seems to work well for me.

I have an assortment of coon traps, and next season they will all be attached to drowning rigs. Including my L'll Griz Getrz (which I plan to get more of). My 1-1/2 CSs for coon will be mostly used with PVC sets. I plan to signifigantly increase my coon catch utilizing a canoe. You can move faster, if the animal is already dispatched when you arrive at the set.

The last few years now I use a tap on the forehead to stun the coon. I then use a 22 short with a pistol and hold the end of the barrel about 1 inch from the skull. I usually try to have the entry poing in the middle of the forehead. Most times I get no exit wound, instant kill and very little bleeding. Many times I stand on the coon just to hold them still while they are tensing up just before succumbing to the wounds.

Bryce

Dated for search.