Shoot Rabbits with AirRifle?

dbar

Lads,
Quick question, Is it legal to shoot rabbits with an Air Rifle? Friend of mine gave me a call to give him some advice on an Air Rifle - he is plagued with rabbits on his lawn - lives in the countryside. His wife wont allow a rifle but a "pellet gun" is acceptable seemingly.
I think I remember a thread about it being illegal to shoot some animals (Birds maybe?) with an Air Rifle.

Cost wise, rang the local dealer (Jeffers Bandon), got 2 suitable - both BSA SuperSport (16 PSI), one practically brand new - 285 , one seconds with a scope (cheapo I suspect) - 280.
Im a bit out of the loop with regards cost - does this seem OK?

foxhunter

dbar wrote: »

Lads,
Quick question, Is it legal to shoot rabbits with an Air Rifle? Friend of mine gave me a call to give him some advice on an Air Rifle - he is plagued with rabbits on his lawn - lives in the countryside. His wife wont allow a rifle but a "pellet gun" is acceptable seemingly.
I think I remember a thread about it being illegal to shoot some animals (Birds maybe?) with an Air Rifle.

Cost wise, rang the local dealer (Jeffers Bandon), got 2 suitable - both BSA SuperSport (16 PSI), one practically brand new - 285 , one seconds with a scope (cheapo I suspect) - 280.
Im a bit out of the loop with regards cost - does this seem OK?

I've shot plenty of rabbits with an air rifle and as far as I know there is nothing illegal about it.
The bsa supersport is a good little air rifle and always gets good reviews in magazines.
You should be able to pick up a new one with scope and all for around the €400 mark.

firefly08

Came across this a while ago while researching the licensing process:

"Air Rifles....These weapons are dangerous and can only be used for target practice purposes; they can never be used to shoot small animals, birds or protected species of wildlife"

However it doesn't cite any particular act to back this up.

foxhunter

firefly08 wrote: »

Came across this a while ago while researching the licensing process:

"Air Rifles....These weapons are dangerous and can only be used for target practice purposes; they can never be used to shoot small animals, birds or protected species of wildlife"

However it doesn't cite any particular act to back this up.

Paper never refused ink.
If that link is correct every pest control company in the country is acting illegally.

foxhunter

There is a short and sweet previous thread on it [URL="[http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055031640[/url]url]"][http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055031640[/url]url][/URL]

foxshooter243

foxhunter wrote: »

Paper never refused ink.
If that link is correct every pest control company in the country is acting illegally.

are you sure?

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2000/en/act/pub/0038/sec0041.html#partiv-chapii-sec41

foxhunter

foxshooter243 wrote: »

are you sure?

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2000/en/act/pub/0038/sec0041.html#partiv-chapii-sec41

Can't argue with that then foxshooter so every pest control company is breaking the law then according to that .
I also see on the second page of that link that the whole larsen trap and snare situation is illegal aswell.
Next we wont be able to use dogs for hunting game.

foxshooter243

foxhunter wrote: »

Can't argue with that then foxshooter so every pest control company is breaking the law then according to that .
I also see on the second page of that link that the whole larsen trap and snare situation is illegal aswell.
Next we wont be able to use dogs for hunting game.

im not so sure the pest control boys are operating outside the law, I think, but not positive, that they can make an application to the minister to use one, anyone else enlighten us?

IRLConor

foxshooter243 wrote: »

are you sure?

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2000/en/act/pub/0038/sec0041.html#partiv-chapii-sec41

I don't read that as a prohibition on shooting rabbits with an air gun. It bans shooting wild birds with an airgun but rabbits, rats, etc should be OK, no?

jwshooter

i would have more a problem with the wife not letting him have a gun ,

training gone wrong some where along the way

lordarpad

IRLConor wrote: »

I don't read that as a prohibition on shooting rabbits with an air gun. It bans shooting wild birds with an airgun but rabbits, rats, etc should be OK, no?

Yes. The wildlife act only applies to protected animals, not 'vermin' species like wabbits.

syklops

I suppose it depends on the calibre and the power. A .22 rifle is fine for Rabbits in that a hit in most parts of its body will incapacitate it enough for you to get up close and put it out of its misery, if the first shot did not do the trick. IMO, anything smaller than that, or similar calibre in an air rifle is not going to pack enough punch to humanely dispatch the animal, unless it is a headshot.

Now I am assuming your friend is something of a novice at shooting, as he had to ring you for advice. If he is ex-SWAT, or is an experienced marksman, then you can ignore my comment, but, assuming he is a novice, my fear would be he would be injurying rabbits and not cleanly killing them, and they would either be in pain for a long time and die a short time later, or be in pain for the rest of their lives.

Why doesn't he get a shotgun. I think that is the most humane way for a novice to kill something as large as a rabbit.

And if you ask me, if his wife is not happy with him getting a shotgun, then he should tell her to ring pest control, rather than machine gunning down dozens of rabbits and not killing any.

My 2 cents.

foxshooter243

IRLConor wrote: »

I don't read that as a prohibition on shooting rabbits with an air gun. It bans shooting wild birds with an airgun but rabbits, rats, etc should be OK, no?

I was reading "a practical guide to the wildlife acts", on this and i would agree its okay to use an air rifle on any non protected species, seemingly the classification of vermin is now history:)

IRLConor

lordarpad wrote: »

Yes. The wildlife act only applies to protected animals, not 'vermin' species like wabbits.

As of the 2000 Act that's no longer true. Several rules were extended to all wild animals not just protected ones.

IRLConor

foxshooter243 wrote: »

I was reading "a practical guide to the wildlife acts", on this and i would agree its okay to use an air rifle on any non protected species, seemingly the classification of vermin is now history:)

Not birds though. Shooting any wild bird, protected or not, in season or not, with an air rifle appears to be prohibited.

foxshooter243

IRLConor wrote: »

Not birds though. Shooting any wild bird, protected or not, in season or not, with an air rifle appears to be prohibited.

correct, i left that bit out:o

foxhunter

Maybe one of our resident rangers could clear this up because I've read it 20 times now and in section (2) in the table of contents it clearly states that it is an offence for any person to hunt or injure any wild bird or wild animal with a spring gun.
No mention of protected wild bird or animal.

IRLConor

foxhunter wrote: »

Maybe one of our resident rangers could clear this up because I've read it 20 times now and in section (2) in the table of contents it clearly states that it is an offence for any person to hunt or injure any wild bird or wild animal with a spring gun.
No mention of protected wild bird or animal.

Yeah, but none of the air rifles I've used have been a spring gun. No PCP one would be either right?

foxhunter

IRLConor wrote: »

Yeah, but none of the air rifles I've used have been a spring gun. No PCP one would be either right?

I'll have to check what it says on my licence later on if its restricted to target use or subject to any other restriction.
Most shooters that I know all have spring powered rifles and most got licences for vermin control on farms .
So if it is illegal to use one on any animal or bird the licences should state this in my opinion anyway.

Pkiernan

See attaced (detailed ) plans for an effective, humane, and silent solution to your friends rabbit problem.