Basic Air Gun Question

[Hokkmike]

Is it lawful/practical to use an airgun to dispatch small game such as squirrels?

If it is, what would be the right (not too expensive) tool for the job?

Thanks.....

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, it is highly practical.
I have taken probably 30 squrrils out with my .177 Beeman in the last couple of months.

If you live in a city, it is most likely against the law though.

I can't suggest a brand of air rifle, but I prefer spring piston types as they are much quieter then pump-up pneumatics.

I would also prefer .22 caliber over .177 for anything larger then nuisance birds.

However, my Beeman R7 .177 is incredibly accurate, so head shots are no problem.

rc

 

[kBob]

Well in the US there are 50 states each of which make their own laws.

Most of those states allow smaller units of them selves like town cities counties whatever to make ordinances that have the strength of laws so the proper response is a definite "I don't know and likely neither does anyone else not living in your area"

Where I am on my own property some times maybe. Might not be so where you are.

Have you ever killed the vermin you are after before? Tain't like in the movies or the idiot tube. The FWB 124 I was using usually dropped tree rats like stones if I did my part.......but sometimes did not and the poor things were only hurt and had to be chased down and dispatched on a more personal level.

Having been raised to not kill anything that wasn't trying to kill me or something of mine, unless I was going to eat it, it became worrisome when the spousal unit did not want to clean and cook the little critters. So I have generally stopped.......on the other hand the figs and pecans ARE ripening.

--kBob

 

[rcmodel]

I am the same.

But they ate the engine wire harness off my Dodge RAM three times last year, to the tune of $1,000 in repair bills.

So it's personal now!!!

I'm running a scorched earth policy when it comes to squirrels now.

rc

 

[Hokkmike]

This would be in defense of $$$ spent on bird feeders for my wife.

 

[jmorris]

Well in the US there are 50 states each of which make their own laws.

And countless local laws. From an early age I have found them practical for the job though.

 

[rcmodel]

We had an animal control officer out here a while back taking care of an injured deer in the neighbor's yard.

She noticed the 2 Conabear traps under my truck and ask me what I was up too?

Oh Boy! Here it comes, I thought.

I told about the Squirrels eating my truck wiring every time I turned around, and I was trapping or shooting every one I saw now with an air rifle.
Then ask her if I was getting a summons?
(honesty is the best policy, right?)

So she said 'Kill'm all!! And we don't care how you do it as long as it isn't with a real shotgun or rifle.

Told me they were eating the police car wiring right & left in the Law Enforcement building parking lot too.
They hate them!!!

rc

 

[Chevota]

You might consider Aguila Colibri 22LR ammo, assuming you have a 22, and who doesn't... The hard part is finding said ammo. They're quieter than most airguns and easily take out squirrels at airgun ranges.
Otherwise I suppose I'd get a break barrel of however much $ you want to spend. Let us know more details and we'll try to help, like $, target range, noise level, scope or open sights etc. Some places to check out are Pyramid Air, Airgun Depot and Airguns of Arizona.

 

[Kookla]

Definitely check your local laws.

For years I used a Crosman 2100, but kept my shots under 20 yards.

 

[kBob]

rc,

Had to borrow room mate's infrequently used little Nisson sedan to take the kids to school couple of years back and it stopped in another school zone in heavy morning traffic.

They had eaten the wiring from the alternator clean through and the insulation off a lot more.

After a jump start from nice passer by I finished the last three blocks to kid's school and it died pulling in the parking lot. Did a temp/fix with wiring from Christmas tree lights at The Boy's school.

War then involved air rifles, .22 rifles with CBLong and big board type rat traps......what worked though was silly......

The Girl had issues with nail biting so we had a bottle of that makes the kids nails (and finger food) taste awful stuff. I painted the wiring on the vehicles with that stuff and do so twice yearly and have had no issues since.

-kBob

 

[EmbarkChief]

Tree Rats.

One time some of them got into our little camp house at the farm and ate the following:

Candles
Speaker Wire (ALL OF IT)
Antlers on mounted White Tail Deer
The electrical cord for the vacuum cleaner (ALL of it)

We have an old Jeep Cherokee out there, just like RC they ate about $800.00 worth of wiring out of it. After these experiences I show them no mercy. These days around the house in town I use a PCP air rifle in .25 caliber for control. I haven't had one run off yet. At the farm it's whatever is handy.

 

[jmorris]

I made them rides before.