Pellet Rifle For Dispatch

[FWS]

Who has used a pellet rifle or pistol for dispatching fox or coon ?

Might have to look at this option for dispatching gray fox in cage traps in a couple areas.

[foxtail]

I have done it one time and while it did work, I found it to be a rather difficult and tedious dispatch. The coon was killed in a rather humane manner, but it took so long to get the coon to hold still in a position where it would allow me the appropriate shot that I abandoned it as a method of dispatch.

Pellet guns are fine, in my opinion for the smaller species such as rats, pigeons, squirrels, and the like. I do not believe that anything less that a true firearm is adequate to provide the quick and easy death we owe to our prey.

I partly base this opinion on quite a few years of hunting every thing we could as kids with air guns which were far superior to current garbage out there. Also the number of shots it took to kill the critters we killed.

[SteveCraig]

Depends on the Pellet Gun,

John, I use one in 22caliber. I have shot both greys and coyotes with mine, as long as the shot is not over 30 yards. They are deadly accurate, and come in several calibers. I know guys that are hunting deer with the 25 and 30 caliber.

These are not the toy crap that is out there, but real hunting weapons.
Try this site, it is where i bought mine:

www.airgunsofarizona.com/

[mustelameister]

Had a chat with a fella years ago at a trappers convention who apparently had a felony conviction in his past and had discovered dispatch with a pellet rifle was an acceptable way to go for him.

[FWS]

Part of the reason I'm looking at an air rifle is that I trap some in "The Condor Zone", which will now require lead free projectiles for non game and big game. Non game includes furbearers.

I can use a lead free .22 Mag, that I pull the bullets and decrease the powder charge then reseat the bullets for about 950 fps. Not a big deal really. 2000 fps is a bit much for dispatch, hence downloading the factory load.

Another reason is I have some gray fox and cat rich veins of habitat where stealth and silence is the best policy.

Interestingly, air rifles and their projectiles, lead pellet or not, are not included in the lead bullet ban. Got that in writing.

I was thinking a Benjamin pump in .22 with the "heavy" 21gr pellets at 650 fps should put a grays lights out.

[northof50]

In Canada if it's over 450 ft/sec it is classified as a firearm, so check your local regs on what is classified as a firearm,
Shot placement is very important for area of brain to immobilize the CNS.

[monstertom]

For dispatching at close range one key I have found is to load the pellet in backwards it will flatten out and expend all of it's energy in the skull. This also works for close range pigeons and squirrels where pass throughs may be a problem.

[foxcatcher1]

I think most states in the US classify a Firearm as being powered by fire or explosive gases set by spark.

I have thought about this too. A friend of mine uses a .32 ACP on coyotes and I'm thoroughly impressed with how little blood there is. I wonder what velocity you would need to be humane.


FWS for the quiet areas please note that some of the high velocity air rifles are louder then you think. Take that baby to the range before you go sneaking around with it.

Don

[SteveCraig]

Don,
I have called and killed many coyotes with mine in and around towns and city limits. They make pellets these days just like the balistic tips used for firearms. I have 3 very good friends in Indiana that are using air rifles. one of them is shooting over 1200 fps. They dont use anything else for their squirrel hunting. Mine does just over 1000 fps. The pneumatic air rifles are quiet for the most part. The ones with a suppressor, you can not here them past 30 feet away. The Springers(non pneumatic) are very loud. The larger the caliber, the louder they are. The Daystate brand are probably the finest air rifles in the world, but VERY expensive.
I use an FX.
I love mine.

I had a friend out here a couple years ago, and we were calling foxes. We were setting only 20 yards apart, and during the stand, I saw him get up and start walking around. Couldnt figure out why he would do that on a good calling stand. He walks over to a dead grey fox that i never saw come in, AND never heard him shoot!

[rk660]

Yes, those bengiman air rifles, or the sheridan 5mm rifles would be a good close range dispatch tool at close ranges. shot both as a kid and both are plenty powerful for what you want to do.

[GUTPYLZ]

Some of those new Air Rifles are heavy duty. I wish I would've had one when I was a kid.

[rionueces]

I have a one pump RWS that delivers a .177 pellet at around 1000 fps. This works well on coons at close range...

[JWarren]

i wouldn't get a sheridan for trapping, why pump it up when you can get a spring piston that will give more velocity without having to pump, I have a 1000fps spring piston that will get the job done but i've only done heart shots with it