Is it Legal to Shoot Squirrels with an Air Rifle?
It depends. In many states, you need to have a permit to shoot squirrels with an air rifle. Since squirrels are classified as pests, you are allowed to take them out during hunting and trapping season only if you have the permit. Also, you are not allowed to kill squirrels off-season unless they are a nuisance and have caused great damage to your farm or property. In such a case, you’ll still need to have a special permit.
But in some states, it’s legal to shoot red and flying squirrels at any time, without any permit. However, you are restricted to shooting these pests in your compound or property only.
Getting a Permit
The process of getting a special permit to kill squirrels is very easy. First, you’ll need to identify why you are killing the squirrels. If you simply want to shoot squirrels to eat them, you’ll be given a hunting permit. However, you’ll be restricted to hunting them in the hunting season only.
If squirrels have become a nuisance in your backyard or have done damage to your farm, then you should apply for a nuisance wildlife permit. The process of applying for this permit is different from one state to the other.
How to Get Rid of Squirrels without Shooting
Getting rid of squirrels without shooting them saves you time and the hassle of looking for permits. Here are some tips you can use to get rid of these animals.
- Get rid of their food source
Squirrels visit your property mainly because they have found a food source there. As long as there is food, they will never stop coming. If you feed your pets or birds outdoors, you may need to find another alternative. If you have a bird feeder, you can either remove it or replace it with a squirrel-proof one.
This technique has proven to be effective in most homes. When the squirrels find that there is no food anymore, they’ll migrate to other places in search of food.
- Use Scarecrows
Planting a scarecrow on your farm can help scare away the squirrels. You can use a raccoon, fox, or human scarecrow. The majority of gardeners have used this technique for years to safeguard their farm produce from different types of pests.
- Use Traps
Traps offer the most humane way to get rid of squirrels. There are many different traps available on the market today. Traps are easy to set up and reliable as well. But they are not suitable for homes with pets or small kids as they might fall into them.
- Use an Arrow and Bow
You can also use an allow and bow to shoot squirrels. With this technique, you’ll still need a permit to kill gray squirrels. But with the red and flying squirrels, you can shoot them anytime with no permit needed.
- Use Poison
Lastly, you can get rid of squirrels by poisoning them. An efficient squirrel poison will kill many squirrels when put in the right place. This technique requires less effort and time from your end. But make sure that the poison is out of reach of children and pets.
Final Thoughts
If you are tired of the destruction and nuisance that squirrels cause on your property, it’s time you found the right technique to eliminate them. If you prefer taking them out with an air rifle, make sure that you have the necessary permits. That way, you’ll get rid of them and be on the safe side of the law.
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