Farmyard pests

nqtfarmer

Hi all,
Considering getting a license and purchasing a rifle for pest control. Just curious whether you would recommend an air rifle or rifle for control of rats, crows and rabbits? Rabbit shooting would be in the field but rats, crows etc would be primarily in the farmyard.

tudderone

Air rifle, ideal tool for around the farmyard.

The pigeon man

tudderone wrote: »

Air rifle, ideal tool for around the farmyard.

Agreed air rifle would be perfect.

nqtfarmer

What calibre and price would you be looking at?

Pkiernan

I bought a new, synthetic Weihrauch for E230.

https://www.weihrauch-sport.de/air-rifles/hw-30-m-ii-hw-30-s?lang=en


I put an old Tasco 4x32 scope on it.

Its a great little rifle, and a small one too - so useful for teaching young shooters.

Mine was a 22 - its very accurate, but it is the junior model, so i'd only head shoot rabbits.

Since you have to go to all of the hassle of getting a real firearms license, I'd get the best you can afford.

When we out grow this, I'll be going to a Weihrauch HW 97 in synthetic.

https://www.weihrauch-sport.de/air-rifles/hw-97-k?lang=en

I'm a fan of the spring powered air rifles, though some of the bottled ones are amazing - but then youre looking at a grand at least for the full setup

no_4

Pros and cons with each option

Firearms licence required for either option

cost of good air rifle can be higher than 22, even S/H ones

Air rifle will be quieter than a 22 , even a suppressed 22

Air rifle pellet will do less damage in around sheds and farmyard than a 22, when they pass through birds especially

On balance if your interested in short range vermin quarry, eg 10-35 yards then air rifle is the right choice

tudderone

I subscribe to this lad up in Norn iron, and he gets a lot of shooting in around farmyards, pinging crows, magpies, feral pigeons, etc. No trouble knocking even scald crows around farms with an air rifle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWE7L4TGItE

Peppa Cig

100% Air Rifle. Preferably PCP.

Never take the .22LR out now for that type of pest control around the yard or out to 60 yards.

civdef

Air rifles cannot be legally used to shoot birds.

Birdnuts

civdef wrote: »

Air rifles cannot be legally used to shoot birds.

You are mistaken - the derogations allow certain species of crows and pigeons to be dispatched by rifles(including air rifles which I was informed of by my local NPWS ranger only last year)

Mississippi.

The pigeon man wrote: »

Agreed air rifle would be perfect.

100% right.

The full kit is more expensive than a .22lr set up though.

civdef

Birdnuts wrote: »

You are mistaken - the derogations allow certain species of crows and pigeons to be dispatched by rifles(including air rifles which I was informed of by my local NPWS ranger only last year)

Primary legislation is Section 33 of the Wildlife Act, says no air-rifles on birds.

Bogwoppit

civdef wrote: »

Primary legislation is Section 33 of the Wildlife Act, says no air-rifles on birds.

Do we really have to go over this again?

cookimonster

Bogwoppit wrote: »

Do we really have to go over this again?

Yes lets, let's go over this again, one more time with feelings............

Birdnuts

civdef wrote: »

Primary legislation is Section 33 of the Wildlife Act, says no air-rifles on birds.

The derogations are the final word on this matter according to the NPWS - I would assume they know the ins and outs of the legalities

BattleCorp

Fudbhi wrote: »

Lots of videos online to catch rats it's hard to shoot them

The fcukers can nearly breed quicker than you can shoot them.

civdef

Birdnuts wrote: »

The derogations are the final word on this matter according to the NPWS - I would assume they know the ins and outs of the legalities

That's fair enough as they'd be the ones prosecuting if it came to it.

tudderone

civdef wrote: »

That's fair enough as they'd be the ones prosecuting if it came to it.

There's fckuers out there poaching deer by the lorry load, literally, and nothing done about it. I think the chances of anything happening over a farmer protecting his livestock in his own farmyard, is slim.

cookimonster

civdef wrote: »

That's fair enough as they'd be the ones prosecuting if it came to it.

I think they'd have a hard time denying thier own publications signed off by the Minister over them-

meathstevie

I said it before and I’ll say it again, if it was illegal to shoot any birds with an air rifle not a single pest control company would have them licenced solely for that purpose.

Vegeta

Hey civdef, yes Section 33 does state that air rifles cannot be used for birds but subection (4) of Section 33 allows the Minister to change what can and cannot be used

(4) Subject to the foregoing subsections of this section, the Minister may make regulations specifying the type and calibre of firearms and ammunition which may be used to hunt wild birds and wild mammals...

So the above in conjuction with the derogations that the lads have posted are what allows specific birds to be hunted with air rifles.

tudderone

Vegeta wrote: »

Hey civdef, yes Section 33 does state that air rifles cannot be used for birds but subection (4) of Section 33 allows the Minister to change what can and cannot be used

So the above in conjuction with the derogations that the lads have posted are what allows specific birds to be hunted with air rifles.

So if you do buy an expensive air rifle/pump/bottles to control the vermin about the place, and the minister decides that nope, don't want air rifles used to shoot magpies and crows, so i'll disallow them, where does that leave you ? Apart from up the creek ?

BattleCorp

tudderone wrote: »

So if you do buy an expensive air rifle/pump/bottles to control the vermin about the place, and the minister decides that nope, don't want air rifles used to shoot magpies and crows, so i'll disallow them, where does that leave you ? Apart from up the creek ?

No point really worrying about it. if you want to buy an expensive air rifle/pump/bottles, then rock on and buy them. If the Minister wants to screw with shooting he can. Look at the SI that got rid of centrefire pistols back in 2009. It didn't even have to be voted on in the Dail.

cookimonster

tudderone wrote: »

So if you do buy an expensive air rifle/pump/bottles to control the vermin about the place, and the minister decides that nope, don't want air rifles used to shoot magpies and crows, so i'll disallow them, where does that leave you ? Apart from up the creek ?

Where do we stand with lead bans- no decent .22 ammo or pellets for air rifles, alot of shotguns possibly obsolete due to lack or cost of suitable cartridges.....

Where does it stop?, just enjoy it while you can, for as long as you can.

tudderone

cookimonster wrote: »

Where do we stand with lead bans- no decent .22 ammo or pellets for air rifles, alot of shotguns possibly obsolete due to lack or cost of suitable cartridges.....

Where does it stop?, just enjoy it while you can, for as long as you can.

Which won't be much longer :mad:.