Don't know about Alabama, but in Texas, firearms discharge laws are city ordinances, class C misdemeanor, punishable by fine. You can get cuffed and stuffed, though, for it, spend a few hours in a holding cell til the judge gets there so you can pay your fine. But, think traffic ticket as your record goes. However, I don't discharge firearms at the house unless I'm being attacked by something bigger than a snake. LOL I live on the edge of town, woods around the house and behind the back fence and a big corn field back there. It's a small town. So, I have vermin here. Friggin' possum got into my kitchen the other night, ran out a small hole under the cabinet I guess from the back porch that I blocked off with a chunk of 2x4 to keep him out. Haven't seen him back. I couldn't get on him quick enough with the NAA .22 mini revolver I had in my pocket. I thought I had rats, thing was eating bait on the back porch, kept eating it. Seems rat poison don't kill possums. LOL Was a young one, after my cat's food in the kitchen and found a way in. If the wife woulda seen him, she'd still be screamin'. LOL
I've got critters around the yard at night sometimes. I'll try to run the coons off, but occasionally I'll shoot a possum. If it's on the ground, I've been known to use a .22 rifle and CB shorts. My .177 Crossman spring gun will kill possums, though, with a couple of head shots at close range.
My neighbor across the street has a huge yard and their land goes down to the water on the bay. There's about 10 acres of woods across the street next to their house, old owners used it for horses, belongs to them. Then, there's about 20 acres undeveloped next to that with a city ditch that runs down to the water. Lots of critters. Before the Walmart went in down the street, used to be feral hogs roaming the land behind my house at night along that ditch. So, my neighbor told me the other day, they have two red foxes running around down by the bay they've seen in their lights at night. Kinda cool. I'm sure there's bobcat back there, too. Lots for 'em to eat. It's kinda like country living here, sorta, but in town inside the city limits. Rattlers come with the territory. But, I've killed three out of the yard in 30 years, so it's not THAT big a problem. Now, on my land out in the boonies where I deer hunt, don't tread without the snake boots, especially on a crisp, bright sunny day in spring. I've walked 300 yards down there and seen FOUR snakes in that 300 yards before, and that's the ones I saw! The grass is tall, not grazed, and the scrub oak brush is thick everywhere. You really have to be careful.
