In my town in TX, it is legal to shoot a firearm on one’s property as long as the bullet from the firearm does not cross the property line of one’s property..If one has the permission of an adjoining landowner, then, it’s okay if the bullet crosses their property line.
I’ve been dispatching raccons, and possums for over twenty years, and my next door neighbor, and the neighbor behind me have given me permission to kill nuisance varmints on their property. I use a .22lr. I am always shooting in a downward trajectory, but I’ve never missed.
I have an antigun friend who thinks this is a sign of my scariness, and that it would be better to dispatch them by bashing their brains out with a shovel. I think the .22, per our game warden is the most humane effective way to dispatch a varmint.
I was very careful to explain to those touchy folks in highly urbanized areas (liberal paradiseos), that it can be done safely within a small confined area. Barring they don’t shoot themselves trying to kill the trapped squirrel, a .22lr or pellet should be the best (quick and humane) way to terminate the squirrel.
Yes, your description is more typical. In Texas, we still try to respect property lines and neighbors as much as possible. But there are lot of people (mostly liberals) who are ignorant about guns and have no common sense (or survival instincts). They never see the practical side of how we use our guns to protect our properties from being over run with unwanted varmits.
Notice, I avoided mentioning “rat killing”, no siree won’t go there.