This can't be true... can it?

[Third_Rail]

Today I was told (by my father) that shooting squirrels/rats/mice with a pellet gun is illegal, even if they are on your property or in your house.

I know it's illegal to discharge a firearm within city limits in MA, but I also know that BB guns and pellet guns do not fall under that heading.

I believe that it is legal to kill rats/mice/squirrels with a pellet gun, but my father insists I would be breaking the law.

Can anyone show me something to prove it one way or the other?

 

[Thumper]

I don't know...rats and mice probably not.

Something you should be aware of, though. In some states, squirrels are considereda a game animal, and you must be licensed to hunt them. It also has to be in the proper season.

 

[Thumper]

More info here:

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwrec.htm#HUNT

As you can see from the .pdf, depending on if you live in the Eastern Zone or the Western Zone, you can kill grey squirrels from the day before the AWB ends until January.

You can kill flying squirrels or red squirrels anytime you want. You can also kill other pests like woodchucks, skunks, porcupines and weasels anytime. It would be hard to believe that mice and rats are protected.

 

[Third_Rail]

Oh boy.

So if a rat gets into my house I can legally shoot it with a pellet gun.... but if it's a squirrel I need to be licensed?

Great. :banghead:

Chapter 269: Section 12B Air rifles; possession by minors; shooting

Section 12B. No minor under the age of eighteen shall have an air rifle or so-called BB gun in his possession while in any place to which the public has a right of access unless he is accompanied by an adult or unless he is the holder of a sporting or hunting license and has on his person a permit from the chief of police of the town in which he resides granting him the right of such possession. No person shall discharge a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle or so-called BB gun into, from or across any street, alley, public way or railroad or railway right of way, and no minor under the age of eighteen shall discharge a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle or BB gun unless he is accompanied by an adult or is the holder of a sporting or hunting license. Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, and the air rifle or BB gun or other weapon shall be confiscated. Upon a conviction of a violation of this section the air rifle or BB gun or other weapon shall, by the written authority of the court, be forwarded to the colonel of the state police, who may dispose of said article in the same manner as prescribed in section ten.

Seems to me that I'd be okay shooting mice and rats by reading this, but it doesn't mention anything about squirrels.

Except as provided in rules and regulations made under authority of this section, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person shall not fish, hunt or trap or have in his possession any fish, bird, reptile, amphibian, mammal or carcass or part thereof, but this section shall not be construed to prohibit the hunting, taking or possession of any English sparrow, crow, jay, starling, chipmunk, fox, flying squirrel, red squirrel, porcupine, skunk, weasel, wildcat or woodchuck whenever such hunting, taking or possession is otherwise lawful.

EDIT: Hmm... so maybe it is legal? Laws are so confusingly worded.

 

[Thumper]

Looks like if you don't kill grey squirrels out of season you're ok.

A kid can't have a friggin' BB gun in Massachusetts? Good Lord...

 

[Third_Rail]

.....So I have to kill them in season. Wonderful.

I'll just tell my friend that he has to deal with the squirrels until September, when squirrel season starts. And that he needs to plunk down $100 for an FID and $75 for a hunting class to be able to kill them.


:banghead:

 

[boofus]

Buy a big mean nasty 20 lb tom cat. It'll keep the squirrels away.

 

[BeLikeTrey]

Better suppress that BB gun

 

[Third_Rail]

Looking again, it seems that the law states that if the squirrels are "pests" and if a "firearm" is not used it's legal as long as you aren't actually looking for meat.

Pellet guns and BB guns don't fall under firearm for MA law, so I guess it's okay. I think a quick phone call down to the police station will clear it up, though.

 

[Diggler]

If they're causing damage, do what you have to do (carefully and discretely) and hush up about it. I ain't telling.

It's a squirrel, it's not like you have to dispose of Jimmy Hoffa or anything...

 

[Third_Rail]

I'm just rather surprised that everyone tells me that I should leave the "poor innocent" squirrels alone and that my friend should just buy a trap..... when state law expressly says that traps or nets of any kind are illegal, regardless of season.

Pests are pests, and squirrels are just fuzzy rats.

 

[FJC]

If the squirrel is in your house, just claim it made a threatening movement and you had to kill it in self defense. Just hope it doesn't fall back out the door or you'll have to drag it back inside before the police arrive.

(kidding - I'M KIDDING!)

 

[SoCalGeek]

As you can see from the .pdf, depending on if you live in the Eastern Zone or the Western Zone, you can kill grey squirrels from the day before the AWB ends until January.

Perfect timing, that...

 

[Rebeldon]

After you shoot the squirrels, shave their tails.

 

[Diggler]

If the squirrel is in your house, just claim it made a threatening movement and you had to kill it in self defense. Just hope it doesn't fall back out the door or you'll have to drag it back inside before the police arrive.

Ever see that South Park episode?

"IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US!"

Uncle Jimbo: Boys, lookee there. That there's a rocky moutain black bear, one of the few remaining of its kind. Isn't it beautiful. By God, it coming right for us!

(Shoots the Black Bear)

Stan: Hey, it wasn't coming right for us. It was just sitting there.

Uncle Jimbo: Shhh, not so loud. Now that there's just a technicality.

Kyle: What do you mean?

Uncle Jimbo: You see boys, the Democrats have passed a lot of laws trying to stop us from hunting.

Cartman: Democrats p*ss me off!

Uncle Jimbo: They say we can't shoot certain animals anymore, unless they're posing an immediate threat. Therefore, before we shoot somethin', we have to say 'It's coming right for us.'

Stan: Wow, you're smart Uncle Jimbo.

 

[Third_Rail]

Yeah, but since they're being pests NOW, and not in two months, what am I to do?

I think I may just take the quick route and then clean up post-haste and not worry about it.

 

[ravinraven]

The question is...

..can we shoot destructive political pests?

"It would be hard to believe that mice and rats are protected."

Hmm... I suppose if rats and mice are protected, politicians are too.

rr

 

[VaniB.]

Sounds like your Dad is possibly the crux of the matter. My Dad back in the 60's when I was a kid, had me convinced that it was illegal to have a rifle where we lived.

(Yea, I came to realize years later that it was forbidden only in his house and OK everywhere else)

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

S S S !

 

[MP5]

I'm just rather surprised that everyone tells me that I should leave the "poor innocent" squirrels alone

Why indeed should you shoot them? What harm or threat are they causing, or do you actually need to kill them for food or something? There's gazillions of them here where I live, and people don't run around shooting them. The kind we have (grey squirrels?) don't do any damage to people or property but just each nuts from trees. It's not like termites eating up your home or a bear threatening to rip your head off. Of course, firing off any type of gun in the suburbs here wouldn't go over too well, anyway

Laws are so confusingly worded.

That's so only the politicians and lawyers and cops can figure them out to keep us ordinary folk in check, so to speak

 

[Mr. James]

squirrels aren't harmless, MP5

They get a wild hair, they can destroy your roof. Not just the shingles, but the actual roof itself. They can also tear up siding and gnaw holes in your exterior walls trying to gain access to your attic.

Once inside, they can damage interior walls, tear up insulation and even chew through electrical and phone lines.

http://www.nuisancewildlife.net/squirreldamagephotos.htm

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uh096.pdf


They can also kill ornamental trees, if weather conditions damage fruit crops.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/2303.html

S3, Third_Rail.

 

[MP5]

They get a wild hair, they can destroy your roof. Not just the shingles, but the actual roof itself. They can also tear up siding and gnaw holes in your exterior walls trying to gain access to your attic.

Point taken, though I've never seen or even heard of those things happening around here--and I've been living amongst squirrels, so to speak, my whole life. Presumably it varies by species and locale. I know their natural food supply (acorns, hickory nuts, etc.) is extremely abundant here, even amongst the 'burbs.

 

[Selfdfenz]

In some areas Animal Control will come live trap and relocate them. If you have just one or two getting to you house I recommend calling AC and see if they will trap them or loan you the traps.

Not sure the SPCA will do the same but it might be worth a call.

If on the other hand you are just seeing them in your yard or running on the roof that's just basic squirrel behavior.

S-

 

[DevilDog]

"Innocent squirrels... innocent o' what?"

Actual, squirrels, not unlike prairie dogs can be bad news if their numbers get out of control and start spreading disease. Usually an urban environment controls their population (cars usually) enough that it isn't a problem.

But just to do my part to keep their population under control, I discovered how useful an M4-like firearm is for resting out my open passenger window (14.5" and 16" both seem to work, and a 20" even works okay out of a full size pickup) to take shots at those little buggers whenever I have stop at a red light. Red dot type optics for their eye relief really seem to be the ticket here since often I have to take a shot as the light turns green and traffic starts to move. I just have to remember hearing protection and to pick up the cases out of my back seat when I get home.


[/joke]

 

[RED-DOG 40]

"Pests are pests, and squirrels are just fuzzy rats."

...Yeah, but they are sure good eatin....