There was a Raccoon walking through our yard this morning.  It appeared to be drunk, but I just assumed it had been injured or was poisened.  I thought it was strange to see one during the day, as I thought they were more active at night, but I didn't  put anymore  thought into it.

It was walking very clumsily and fell over a few times.  I thought for a second that maybe I should dispatch it, but didn't  know  all the legal aspects of doing that.

It just now dawned on me that maybe it's  strange behavior was caused by rabies.  How do  raccoons with rabies behave?

Like you just described. But there are other diseases and old age that can make them act like that. Either way that coon was sick or injured. If you see it again call Animal Control.

They are active during the daytime. Normal 'coon activity is nocturnal

If he was stumbling/bumping into stuff your best bet is rabies

It could be distemper or something lose, but it's best to go worse case scenario for that

I killed a possum in my neighbors yard about 20 years ago (with a shovel), stumbling around at 1 in the afternoon, he turned out to have rabies

Depending on where you are you may be good to go, but if your in the city it's likely that discharge ring a firearm will end poorly.
Serious Airgun or bow may be options, but it depends on your neighbors

You described how they act when they have Distemper. We had prob 50 calls like this last year and the Human Society/Animal Control advised that it was Distemper and NOT rabies, which have a different set of symptoms. At any rate the raccoon is dead on its feet and can still be dangerous with distemper.

J-

I don't care what they have, if there's a raccoon in my yard-I'm shooting it. If its on the road I'll swerve to run it over.     I hate those destructive bastards.

 

#1 raccoons are cool  but yes they can be destructive.

The raccoon strain of rabies is not in MI. MI raccoons with rabies have usually gotten it from a bat.

The one you describe likely has distemper. Some raccoons with a good food source, like if people feed them, will come out during the day.

Distemper will kill them slow and painfully.