Would a decent air rifle kill a grey squirrel?
Discussion
Springer 0.22 and a mid range scope will do a solid job. Use prometheus hunting pellets and go for the headshot.
Its surprising how easy tree rats are to kill, I used to pick them off with my recoilless .177 target rifle which has a very weak spring but from about 20ft with Prometheus pellets an eye shot would see them off.
Its surprising how easy tree rats are to kill, I used to pick them off with my recoilless .177 target rifle which has a very weak spring but from about 20ft with Prometheus pellets an eye shot would see them off.
FlyingMeeces said:
Tonsko said:
Do greys affect pine martens? I know they're slowly starting to move down from Scotland.
They affect them by providing a very ready supply of very easy to catch fat and slow dinners, apparently. 
DMN said:
FlyingMeeces said:
Tonsko said:
Do greys affect pine martens? I know they're slowly starting to move down from Scotland.
They affect them by providing a very ready supply of very easy to catch fat and slow dinners, apparently. 
t scared and looking over their metaphorical shoulders for the apex predator, that they don't have time to find food. And thus, foxtrot oscar. Fine by me, as I'd love to see a Pine Marten in my local area before I pop my clogs.Timmy40 said:
EH? I shoot both on sight.
And yes Dromedary you're quite right it's sexual too. I wrap cellotape around them ( to stop them splitting ) once I've shot them then dry bum them.
Definitely made me laugh a bit too loudly in a quiet office. And yes Dromedary you're quite right it's sexual too. I wrap cellotape around them ( to stop them splitting ) once I've shot them then dry bum them.
Edited by Timmy40 on Thursday 26th May 12:52
I used to use an air rifle for pest control until I expanded the shotgun collection and had to sell, unfortunately shotguns aren't really good for the task. Most of the land isn't suitable for using them and when you do it tends to make a lot of mess.
My method now is the olde trap and bludgeon.... not sure what the sexual perversion guy would make of that but I do sometimes wake up wearing (only) a tutu and having no recollection of the night before
My method now is the olde trap and bludgeon.... not sure what the sexual perversion guy would make of that but I do sometimes wake up wearing (only) a tutu and having no recollection of the night before
Dromedary66 said:
A lot of people seem to write with glee about killing them, probably some sort of sexual perversion under the surface there as well. Do you get a little twinge in the nethers every time you off one? Make you feel all big and powerful?
Do you understand science, biology and diversification?It is officially a pest, it was brought here and now our native population is all but extinct. It didn't swim the channel.
Why do you think Australia is so hot on this subject? See what happened to Johnny depp?
But it is OK they are fluffy and cute in your eyes, so carry on.
Sanctimonious comment, life is not always fluffy and fairy land happy clappy.
Edited by stuart-b on Thursday 26th May 18:16
Might be some decent ideas to deter squirrels in this old documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY9Yf26J4ZM
(Not sure building an assault course is the answer though)
(Not sure building an assault course is the answer though)
Impasse said:
Tonsko said:
Dodsy said:
Springer 0.22 and a mid range scope will do a solid job. Use prometheus hunting pellets and go for the headshot.
I used to bullseye tree-rats with my .177 back home. They're not much bigger than two inches...
I used to bullseye tree-rats with my .177 back home. They're not much bigger than two inches...
DMN said:
Thats impossible, even for a computer.
In the '80s, as a teenager, I used to help my uncle with his pest control job for Verminex, so I've trapped, baited, and shot plenty of rats, pigeons, squirrels and rabbits, etc.
The pest status of the greys means I have absolutely no ethical objection to anyone getting rid of them, no matter how cute and fluffy they look.
I've got nothing to add in terms of advice, because the last time I shot an air rifle was about 1992, so I'm way behind the current technology available in this field.
The reason I'm posting is that it's not clear cut as to whether the greys are the good guys or the bad guys when it comes to theft of peanuts. For two years I've been finding whole peanuts in their shells in my front garden. I've no trees, and don't tend to see squirrels this side of the street, so I wondered if they were dropped by a bird of some sort. Plenty of corvids hereabouts and they're pretty intelligent after all.
The nuts weren't just dumped, neither, they were carefully placed in ground cover plants, and under flowers in pots. Most had obviously gone soft and spoiled after being out in all weathers, so no use to me for eating. Well our street is near the M3 motorway. The houses opposite have their rear gardens backing directly onto the trees growing in the 'no man's land' verge of the M-way, and there are heaps of greys living that side.
This year, I caught one of them in the act, confirming it was grey squirrels secreting their nuts in my garden. Along the top of the fence opposite, onto a brick wall, through an apple tree, down onto a low wall. Then, have a damned good look out for the neighbourhood cats, before going under the rock star's car, across the road, up my drive and into the "Snow-in-Summer" in the top border. Then it dug down through the plant, making a well for the peanut it was carrying, placed it at the bottom and adjusted the stems over it's stash. I saw another attempt to do the same, but that was interrupted by next door's cat launching itself up a tree after said squirrel - I've not seen either cats or squirrels move so fast before. It just amused me to see one of the 'tree rats' bringing me nuts instead of stealing them, after suspecting but not knowing for so long.
The pest status of the greys means I have absolutely no ethical objection to anyone getting rid of them, no matter how cute and fluffy they look.
I've got nothing to add in terms of advice, because the last time I shot an air rifle was about 1992, so I'm way behind the current technology available in this field.
The reason I'm posting is that it's not clear cut as to whether the greys are the good guys or the bad guys when it comes to theft of peanuts. For two years I've been finding whole peanuts in their shells in my front garden. I've no trees, and don't tend to see squirrels this side of the street, so I wondered if they were dropped by a bird of some sort. Plenty of corvids hereabouts and they're pretty intelligent after all.
The nuts weren't just dumped, neither, they were carefully placed in ground cover plants, and under flowers in pots. Most had obviously gone soft and spoiled after being out in all weathers, so no use to me for eating. Well our street is near the M3 motorway. The houses opposite have their rear gardens backing directly onto the trees growing in the 'no man's land' verge of the M-way, and there are heaps of greys living that side.
This year, I caught one of them in the act, confirming it was grey squirrels secreting their nuts in my garden. Along the top of the fence opposite, onto a brick wall, through an apple tree, down onto a low wall. Then, have a damned good look out for the neighbourhood cats, before going under the rock star's car, across the road, up my drive and into the "Snow-in-Summer" in the top border. Then it dug down through the plant, making a well for the peanut it was carrying, placed it at the bottom and adjusted the stems over it's stash. I saw another attempt to do the same, but that was interrupted by next door's cat launching itself up a tree after said squirrel - I've not seen either cats or squirrels move so fast before. It just amused me to see one of the 'tree rats' bringing me nuts instead of stealing them, after suspecting but not knowing for so long.
Impasse said:
Tonsko said:
Dodsy said:
Springer 0.22 and a mid range scope will do a solid job. Use prometheus hunting pellets and go for the headshot.
I used to bullseye tree-rats with my .177 back home. They're not much bigger than two inches...
I used to bullseye tree-rats with my .177 back home. They're not much bigger than two inches...
DMN said:
Thats impossible, even for a computer.
I used to shoot squirrels on the bird table with a .22 underlever. At 25 yards a head shot would drop the squirrel stone dead. If I missed and hit the body it would run, but never for more than 20 seconds or so before it died. A hit squirrel was always a dead squirrel and it never took long.
Obviously I tried to only go for head shots. Pest control is one thing, there's no need to make them suffer at the same time.
To answer the OP's question, yes a .22 will certainly do the job. I'd avoid a break barrel though, they're not as accurate.
Obviously I tried to only go for head shots. Pest control is one thing, there's no need to make them suffer at the same time.
To answer the OP's question, yes a .22 will certainly do the job. I'd avoid a break barrel though, they're not as accurate.
mikeveal said:
If I missed and hit the body it would run, but never for more than 20 seconds or so before it died. A hit squirrel was always a dead squirrel and it never took long.
That is what i was quietly suspecting, but didnt dare say, given that i dont have any real experience in the matterIf there is enough energy to take it out cleanly with a headshot, a hit to the torso will cause more then enough damage to vital organs that death will be quick.
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