Posted on 01/02/2013 11:18:54 AM PST by GraceG
Ok, I have a squirrel problem, and I am needing some recomendations for what to get to shoot them with, namely I want to use a pellet/bb gun. I want to get one that is powerful enough to put them down quickly but not too expensive. Any recomendations?
Live trap ‘em and drown ‘em. Bag ‘em and throw them in the regular trash. However since the coyotes moved in the neighborhood, they are under control. The rabbits are gone as well but we’ve got to keep an eye on the little dogs.
The Sheridan 5mm was a great varmint gun, but Benjamin bought them out. I have a Benjamin .22 and it works pretty well. I would recommend .22 over .177 if you are going after rodents larger than rats.
We are seeing more coyotes and coydogs, which are worse. I’d take an army of squirrels over them.
A mouse can squeeze through a 1/4” or smaller crack. I’ve seen small ones wriggle through the holes made by carpenter bees. Squirrels and rats need a larger hole, barely. I’ve seen them get into old bluebird boxes with a hole no more than 1-1/8”.
About 20 years ago I lived on a 58 acre horse-boarding ranch. There were ground squirrels everywhere. One day the ranch hands decided it was squirrel shooting day and dozens were killed with .22 rifles. But a piece of one of the bullets ricocheted and embedded into a horse, hundreds of yards away. So even if you are acres away from your neighbors you could still end up putting lead into someone or something you don’t want to. Stick with the pellet or bb guns, they’ll do the same job and you won’t get sued by your neighbors.
I know a few squirrels, woodpeckers, opossum, to mention a few that would beg to disagree after seeing the business end of a cheap crosman .177. I have to admit the .22 is clearly superior but you must be more careful.
On second thought, anything supersonic is going to be real loud so if that’s an issue maybe a .22 with lower velocity may be more practical. In this case a maim is as good has a quick out.
You get what you pay for however. I had an old Sheridan and it was dynamite on pigeon.
If you don’t practice, however, it’s really a moot point.
I was thinking about the 200 yards as I was reading further down...I mean, 200 yards?? That's half of a football field!...(I think)....hahahaha!
FMCDH(BITS)
Will smack a pellet through 1/2" plywood, so a rat/squirrel would be no problem, and it is quiet enough so the next door people should not suspect much.
I thought I was the only one that ate squirrel. Mmmn, Mmnnn good.
No food stamps, thanks, God gave me plenty of squirrel and feral pigs.
/johnny
First: if this is an urban setting with neighbors who can see what you are doing, then the question becomes difficult with or w/out a pellet gun “rifle”. If you are a good shot, maybe not.
If you are rural, the best option for a squirrel “problem” (rural types would not ‘waste’ one in general but would shoot to “harvest”)—
22 Long Rifle Shotshell (a small 22 cal “shotgun” shell if you will- fired from a 22 rifle or pistol— will not have enough charge to chamber another round in a semiautomatic 22 pistol, take note).
Brand: in Wally Martland— they sell CCI 22 LR (long rifle)
Shotshell
1000 Feet per second, 31 grain small pellets
and lists 250 yard range.
Usually, no questions asked— “I got rats...etc.”
Called this “rat shot” and use it to shoot fruit rats off o power lines in orange groves (again, rural use). Doesn’t hurt the power line either.
Issue as pointed out is if the “oh horrors” neighbors see you with a rifle and firing it, etc. report to police, etc.
and a world of unneeded trouble.
If you can fire cleanly- from within the house or darkened room, a makeshift sound suppressor can be made from a small plastic soda bottle with the bottom cut out. The “shot pellet column” will not have spread out to hit the sides of the bottle and the sound (which is lower by far than a 22 solid round anyway) muffled effectively.
BTW, squirrels will get caught in rat traps, the traditional kind— bait it with peanut butter and put a few peanuts,carefully around the bait tab (watch your fingers). They come in to the whole peanuts, and go for the butter and “whamo”.
I second that , Crosman Pumpmaster 760 , $33 at WMT (I paid $28.88).. hits hard ,, sinks BB’s deep into my backstop (wood fence) at 100+ feet.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-760-Pumpmaster-.177-Caliber-Air-Rifle/16536173
You can get a Crosman Pumpmaster 760 for $35 ($50 with scope) and it will dispatch a rat or squirrel just fine. Anything else starts costing money, $150 and up. There are some very fine air rifles that are competition accurate, but you won’t get one for $100 or under.
So what happens when you feed them unshelled, unsalted peanuts every day? I live in prarie dog country so squirrel hunting is a mystery to me.
Years ago my brother came visiting for a couple weeks, and he set up his travel trailer at a nearby campground. One afternoon they heard a little commotion between campground owners and one of the customers. A man in his campsite was sitting at his picnic table coaxing nearly tame squirrels up near him with peanuts, then he’d club them over the head and break their necks. After he got a few he’d dress them out for the cooking pot. The squirrel lovers around there were too upset and they threw the guy out.
Knew a guy who’s mom fed them macadamia nuts. He said they were almost too fat to climb the deck railing for more.
Funny how darn near all these Gamo/Cros/Benji guns are based on the same or nearly so platforms from China. Oh well, no way I can justify the cost of a modern RWS or Feinwerkbau these days......I do miss my old Hammerli side lever rifle though, could have had it rebuilt.
Is that the trap made by Dr. Doofensmerf!!!!! “inator” ha! Use a good air rifle, Red Rider might kill a bird but will just piss off a small animal.There are many great air guns out there, just take your time to find the right one. I personally don’t like to be trapped by CO2 cartridges. PS barbecued squirrel is pretty tasty!
.22 CB rounds don’t have enough power to rocochet off. No gunpowder is used; just the cap.
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