A point to remember...
IF you are attacked (by any mammal) and you get bitten (or scratched) and you kill the animal in self defense, try and preserve the brain. The animal, not yours!
In other words, unless you have no choice, don't shoot it in the head!
Rabies is a nasty thing, and very fatal to mammals, including us. And it can be carried by about any mammal, coyote, dog, skunk, even bats, etc. Animals can be rabid (or carriers) without showing the classic foaming at the mouth, rabid dog symptoms. In fact, in many animals, especially smaller ones (like skunks and racoons) the symptoms might only show as a lack of fear of man, and generally stupid, disoriented behavior.
This can be very bad, particularly for children and foolish adults, who think the animal is just "being friendly", ...until they get bitten!
The test for rabies is done using brain tissue (again, the animal, not yours
), and if there is no brain to test, or not enough tissue (like splattered all over by that nice JHP you used) then you WILL get the RABIES SHOTS, as a preventitive precaution. Not fun, so everybody says, but better than getting rabies and dying. As I hear it, once rabies takes hold, there is no sure cure.
So, if Wile E. Coyote (or the neighborhood stray dog) or a nice friendly skunk or racoon (or any other animal) breaks your skin, particularly with a bite, zap 'em through the chest, as many times as it takes to anchor them. Otherwise, say hello to MR Stomach Needle!
And don't bite the heads off any bats, either!