Don’t forget to check your state’s hunting laws before you start taking out the Varmint Cong. Your best bet would be using a trap, as previously mentioned.
And don’t forget to have a sturdy pair of gloves on when you let ‘em loose.
In addition to the other deterents already mentioned, I’d like to note that I used a electric eye motion sensing sprinkler to control some deer. It has worked well.
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.
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”.
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.
S&W Model 500 pistol should do the trick.
BBookmark.
WARNING to kids and soft-hearted people: GRAPHIC SLOMO!
Don't watch this if you are fond of the furry-tailed little monsters:
Or, if you just want a few laughs, build one of these:
Squirrels, exterminate the species.