.22 or Shotgun?

Lesson 25 of 36 · Module 6, lesson 1

Assumes the Hunting Primer. New here? Start there first.

Your objective

By the end, you'll be able to choose between the .22 rimfire and a legal shotgun load for a specific treed-raccoon situation, explaining the trade-offs.

Judgment ~7 min

The hound is planted at the base of a pine, chopping hard. Your light catches two bright eyes forty feet up in the fork. One hand holds the flashlight; the other has to pick up either the .22 or the shotgun leaning against the truck. Which one? Get this right every time — the answer changes with the tree.

Quick recall

Quick recall from the Night-Hunting Statute — what is the largest shot size you may legally use on a treed raccoon in South Carolina?

#4 shot (no shot larger than #4 is legal) #2 shot BB shot

Show answer

Correct: #4 shot (no shot larger than #4 is legal) — Right. SC law: no buckshot or shot larger than #4. The .22 rimfire is the maximum rifle caliber.
Not quite: #2 shot — #2 is larger than #4 numerically — and it is illegal for raccoon night hunting in SC. The limit is #4 or smaller.
Not quite: BB shot — BB is larger than #4 and is illegal for SC raccoon. The ceiling is #4 shot (or smaller numbers like #5, #6).

What SC law allows

South Carolina sets a hard ceiling on raccoon night-hunting weapons: no rifle caliber larger than .22 rimfire, and no shot size larger than #4 (buckshot is prohibited entirely). That narrows the choice to two practical options: a .22 rimfire rifle/pistol, or a shotgun loaded with #4, #5, or #6 shot. Everything else is off the table.

(Verify current SCDNR regulations before you hunt — seasons, weapons rules, and zone exceptions change yearly: SCDNR Hunting Regulations)

The why Why the low ceiling? The backstop problem.

Raccoon hunting happens at night, in timber, with dogs at the base of the tree. A bullet fired upward into a forest canopy has no solid backstop — it exits the tree, continues on a high arc, and can travel hundreds of yards before it comes down. SC’s .22 ceiling and small-shot limit cut the energy and range of any stray projectile. The rule is not about the raccoon — it is about everyone and everything below and beyond the tree.

The .22’s case: precision and pelt

For a stationary raccoon offering a clear head shot, the .22 rimfire is the better choice in most situations:

Pelt damage is minimal. One small-caliber entry wound does not blow out the hide the way a load of shot does at close range. If the fur matters to you (harvest value or pride in a clean skin), the .22 protects the pelt.
Accuracy advantage at range. A #6 pattern from a modified choke opens to roughly 12–15 inches at 25 yards. At 40+ feet up a tree on a small target, the .22 can hold a tighter, more precise point of impact — if the shooter can hold steady.
Lower noise and muzzle blast. In a close-quarters night-woods party hunt, that matters for dogs and ears.

The .22’s weakness: it demands a clear, steady shot. If the coon is moving, the light is shaky, the angle is awkward, or branches are screening part of the animal, a single bullet aimed at the head has little margin for error.

Edge case Does the .22 load matter?

Yes. Standard velocity solids (round-nose lead) are the traditional raccoon load — reliable cycling in semi-autos, adequate energy at 20–50 yards, and they hit hard enough to kill cleanly on a solid head shot. High-velocity hollow points expand more violently and increase pelt damage on a body shot. Subsonic rounds cycle only in bolt or manual actions. For treed coons: standard velocity solid is a sensible default. Whatever you carry, know its point of impact at your realistic shooting distance (rarely beyond 50 yards).

The shotgun’s case: pattern forgiveness

The shotgun earns its place in three specific situations:

The coon is moving — repositioning in the fork, jumping between limbs, or threatening to bail. A pattern is more likely to connect than a single bullet on a moving target.
The animal is partially screened — branches split the sightline and a clear rifle hold is not available. A shot charge can thread partial gaps a single bullet cannot.
Very close and below the canopy — a stationary raccoon in a low fork at 15–20 feet, with the dogs leashed or heeled, is a fair shotgun shot.

The shotgun’s trade-off: pelt damage at close range is significant. A #4 charge at 15 yards through the body will ruin the hide on that side. If you can hold the shot until the coon offers its head, pelt damage drops sharply even with the shotgun.

Visualizing the choice: two trees, two calls

Two tree diagrams. Left tree: a tall pine with a stationary raccoon 40 feet up in a clear fork, labeled 'use the .22'. Right tree: a lower oak with a raccoon partially screened by branches in the fork, labeled 'shotgun or pass'. — Diagram (not a photo). Left: stationary, clear head shot high up — the .22's situation. Right: moving or screened in a close fork — shotgun may be justified, or pass the shot.

The backstop question is non-negotiable

Before either trigger moves, answer: where does this shot go if it passes through or misses the raccoon?

A .22 fired upward exits the canopy and travels. On a steep upward angle with the coon directly overhead, the bullet arcs skyward and eventually descends — but horizontally it can still travel hundreds of yards. Any person, road, or structure in that arc is in the path.

A shotgun charge loses energy faster with height, but #4 pellets fired at 45 degrees or more can still carry well beyond the clearing.

Make the call

Decision

The hound is treed on a big white oak. The raccoon is stationary in a fork about 35 feet up, facing away, head clearly visible. No obstructing branches. Dogs are leashed 20 feet back. It is a calm, still night. Which gun?

Pick up the .22 — stationary, clear head shot

Good call. A steady .22 to the back of the skull is the cleanest, most pelt-preserving shot available. Take your time with the light, settle the sights, and press.

Grab the shotgun — why complicate it?

The shotgun will work, and it is legal. But you will probably put several pellets through the body, damaging the pelt. When the shot is clear, the .22 is the better tool. Save the shotgun for when the .22 can't do the job cleanly.

Decision

A second coon is treed 20 feet up in a dense-fork cedar, partially screened by branches. It is circling the trunk restlessly. You have both guns. What is your first move?

Keep the light on it, wait for it to pause and clear the branches

Patience. If it pauses with the head clear — even for two seconds — you have a shot. Waiting costs nothing. If it never clears, you make another decision.

Take the .22 shot now through the branches

The bullet deflects off a branch and wings the coon. It bails the tree, lands in the pack, and now you have a wounded animal and a dog fight on your hands in the dark. Never fire a precision shot through an obstruction.

Switch to the shotgun and fire through the screening

If the gap is large enough for the pattern to thread through without major deflection — maybe. But if several pellets are blocked or deflected, you still risk a wounding hit. Only take this shot if the coon is substantially clear and the range is close. When in doubt, wait.

Make the call — quiz yourself

Knowledge check

You want to preserve the pelt. The raccoon is sitting motionless in a clear fork 30 feet up, head fully exposed. Which choice best protects the pelt while making a clean kill?

.22 rimfire, aimed at the head Shotgun #4, aimed at the head Shotgun #4, aimed at the body — bigger target

Show answer

Correct: .22 rimfire, aimed at the head — Right. One small-caliber hole in the skull leaves the pelt almost undamaged. This is the fur-hunter's standard.
Not quite: Shotgun #4, aimed at the head — A head-aimed shotgun charge at 30 feet will still put several pellets through the neck and upper body. Better than a body shot, but the .22 is cleaner for pelt preservation when the shot is clear.
Not quite: Shotgun #4, aimed at the body — bigger target — A body shot with a shotgun at 30 feet will put multiple pellets through the torso, ruining the pelt on one side. If the pelt matters, this is the wrong choice when a clean .22 head shot is available.

Knowledge check

A raccoon is high in a pine, moving and repositioning in the fork, partially screened by branches. The .22 does not have a clear rifle hold. What should you do?

Wait for the animal to clear and offer a shot, or pass if it does not Fire the .22 through the branches — it will clear them Always switch to the shotgun when a coon is moving

Show answer

Correct: Wait for the animal to clear and offer a shot, or pass if it does not — Correct. Patience first. A raccoon that does not offer a safe, clear shot should not be shot at. Pass the shot and let the dogs work for another tree.
Not quite: Fire the .22 through the branches — it will clear them — A .22 bullet deflects unpredictably off branches. You risk a wounding hit, a bail, and a dog fight. Never fire a precision rifle shot through an obstruction.
Not quite: Always switch to the shotgun when a coon is moving — The shotgun helps on moving animals, but only when the pattern has a clear enough path. If branches are still screening and the range is not close, the same problem applies. Wait first.

Take it to the woods

Pre-hunt gun-selection checklist

0/5

Safety Confirm the shotgun is loaded with #4 or smaller birdshot — NOT buckshot. Read the box label. Do not assume.
Know your .22's point of impact at 25 and 40 yards — have you shot it at those ranges?
Before the hunt, review the property map: where are the roads, buildings, and neighbors? Know where shots can safely go before you tree a coon.
Set your personal default: stationary, clear head shot → .22; moving or screened at close range → consider shotgun; no clear shot → pass.
Safety At the tree, know where the dogs are before any gun comes up.

Sources

South Carolina Code § 50-11-710 — Night hunting prohibited; exceptions; raccoon weapon limits. SC eRegulations — General Rules
SCDNR Hunting Regulations (verify current season): https://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/hunting.html
Outdoor Life — “The Perfect Cartridge for Pelts” (fur-preservation and bullet selection): https://www.outdoorlife.com/perfect-cartridge-for-pelts/
Safe backstop principles — upward angle trajectory risk: Pyramyd Air — Safe Backstops
Berry Patch Farms — “Where to Shoot a Raccoon” (shot placement overview): https://www.berrypatchfarms.net/where-to-shoot-a-raccoon/

If you remember nothing else

SC law caps the raccoon hunter at .22 rimfire (rifle) or shot no larger than #4 (shotgun) — nothing bigger.
The .22 is the pelt-saver: one precise bullet leaves a small entry wound and no pattern damage.
The shotgun earns its place when a raccoon is moving, partially screened, or very close and a clean head shot with the .22 is not available.
An upward shot into a tree has no solid backstop — know where every shot goes before you fire.
Never fire if the angle, height, or screening puts dogs or people in any risk zone.

How ready do you feel?

How ready are you to look at a specific treed-raccoon situation and pick the right gun — or pass the shot — before you raise the muzzle?

Before you go — a quick look back

Distributed practice: one fast recall from an earlier lesson keeps it from fading.

Quick recall

From Target ID in the Dark — before a gun comes up at a treed animal, what must you confirm?

Show me the answer

Show answer

Correct: Show me the answer — Positive identification: the animal is a raccoon (not an opossum, owl, cat, or dog) and it is in a legal, safe shooting lane. You must confirm the target and what is beyond it before the muzzle ever rises.

Done with this lesson?

Mark it complete to track your way through the path. Saved on this device — no account needed.