Air Gun Home :: View topic - pest control

blip01 · Member

I figured my first post should be bloody. Shocked

I just picked up a Gamo BigCat 1200 to take care of some squirrels around my property that have gotten into the attic. I let them be for awhile but recently one of them scratched through the sheetrock of the ceiling in my daughter's room. That was a mistake. Twisted Evil

I wish I could say I took this guy out at 50 ft., in a strong wind, crouched in the bushes, while it was raining, but the truth is he was only about 3 ft. from me when I shot.

I put some peanut butter out by the trashcan, about 30-40ft. from my kitchen window, because they're always hanging around it and have eaten through a couple of lids. This little guy runs up to check it out after about 5 minutes, sniffs at it, then proceeds to run right at my kitchen window, hops up on a 4X4 post that holds up some lattice around our air conditioning unit, and sits there right in front of me. This seems to be the route they take to get up to the roof and then the attic. Laughing

I'm in a development of homes with 1/4 acre lots so I can't really go walking around the yard with a gun, especially here in New Jersey, Rolling Eyes

so i have to crack the kitchen window and poke the barrel out a bit. Seems to work so far.

I sighted the 4x scope in down in the basement and the gun seems spot on at about 40 ft.

It's interesting to note that here in NJ you have to fill out just as much paperwork when buying a pellet gun as you do when buying a shotgun or rifle(I own a Mossberg 500 SG and a little 9MM carbine also). Don't know if it's like that in many other places.

Anyway here's the first victim, with many more to follow. I believe the pellet went straight through.

**bloody picture below**

The pellet entered on the squirrels right side, just below his ear, I guess that's the exit wound in the pic.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Looks like a pretty clean kill. Mind-you at 3' I guess there wasn't too much "challenge" involved! Wink

Have you found where they are climbing into your roof and blocking it off?

And- Welcome to AirGunHome.com!

blip01 · Member

Yeah, not much challenge in that shot, but hey I'm doing it for pest control so I'll take it! Laughing

Though I guess there is a certain amount of skill involved in using a scope to shoot something at 3 ft. when the scope has been sighted in for 40 ft. LOL! I could have shot really low if I didn't compensate. Laughing

The squirrels are entering through the ridge vents in the roof for the most part, but I bet there are other entrances as well. Most of the ridge vents are easy to get to, but one is going to be a real pain as I have to crawl out to the end of the joists in the attic and through a small passage to a separate part of the roof. Who knows what's hanging out up in there.

My concern with just blocking all the entrances is that since they've been using the attic for so long (my fault) that they will be very determined to get back in and they'll start chewing through siding or chewing up the ridge vents and causing leaks. Not to mention the damage they've done to my trashcans.

Thanks for the welcome Eric.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Yeah, if its for pest control then distance or level of difficulty don't matter. I shoot for food and for sport, and its often at less than ten yards as well. It's still challenging because I shoot from indoors as well and am careful not to "spook" the neighbors.

You'll find that for pests like squirrels, you can kill them faster than they can repopulate your attic. In addition, once you shoot them for a while, it will be known that your house is a "danger zone" and other squirrels will be reluctant to frolick there as they did in their hay day.

No restriction on AG's in my state. You can just walk in and buy one off the shelf like its a pack of bubble gum.

Bhargav · Veteran Member

Yeah.. that was a clean kill.

well no restrictions on AGs in my state too.. you can buy one off the shelf Smile

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

I get off on that--the clear distinction between airguns and "firearms", especially when it comes to the regulations.

I was at the shooting range a while back and let me tell you, the guys running it are like safety nazis. Everything there had strict rules and these guys would yell at you like you were a kid for even the slightest misfraction.

They announce on the p.a."Do not handle or touch your firearms during the break." So, during the break when everyone gets their targets I went and picked up my airgun to adjust the scope. A guy quickly came over and in a stern voice said "Sir, do not handle your gun during the break!"

And I was like "Whoa there buddy, the guy on the p.a. said not to handle "firearms", and clearly this is just an AIRgun."

He was not as amused by this technicality as myself, however.

blip01 · Member

Got another one tonight. This was a 40 ft. shot at about 6 pm, so it was dark and I had to rely on my security lights to illuminate the target.

He stopped by my paper plate of peanut butter I set out by the trash can. I was actually in the middle of making dinner when I noticed him running across the yard, I ran to the basement grabbed the gun and 2 pellets and ran back up to crack the kitchen window. Luckily my daughter was busy playing upstairs at the time, if she catches me taking out squirrels I'm done for!

The first shot left him flopping a little bit so I reloaded ASAP and was able to get another head shot that finished the job. I don't want to make them suffer.

I'm very impressed by the accuracy and power of the Gamo Big Cat. A head shot at 40 ft. is about all I'll need out of the gun and it seems to be more than capable. I know from reading around the forum that Gamo is probably a lesser quality brand, but it's doing the job so far.

Roger, I'll keep working on my "danger zone" from the kitchen window! Laughing

blip01 · Member

You know I'm not surprised to hear you can grab an AG off the shelf like a loaf of bread in other states. You can all probably buy, *GASP* beer, at the grocery store!

Squirrels are probably a protected species here in NJ. Rolling Eyes

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

The Big Cat has the same powerplant as my Gamo Shadow 1000, so I know its fully capable of downing squirells at 20 yards or less. My Gamo killed so many birds that I got tired of using it and bought some new rifles to use. I think that squirrel problem is getting better by the day.

blip01 · Member

Bhargav · Veteran Member

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

Bhargav wrote:

Bhargav · Veteran Member

when i shoot M1 Garand matches, the protocol is to unload the gun, open the action, put the safety flag and that should be visible to the range master, step away from the gun then the range master will check everybody's safety flags in the chamber and then will order "Firing like safe" Mr. Green

but which is a very good thing to do.

I have come across some bozos who after shooting couple of rounds, pose for their girl friend holding a 44 magnum in a James bond style Shocked

its creepy.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

I'm not sure about these "safety flags"? What do you do, stick them in the breech or something to show that its open?

My range was so dumb. I brought my own target, a shoebox, but wasn't allowed to use it. Instead they made me use one of their own 2x4 framed cardboard targets. Luckily, I brought my own sticker targets and began attaching them to the card board. The safety officer had the nerve to come out there and first told me the target was "backwards". This made no difference at all. Then he started telling me that I was sticking the targets too close to the edge of the frame. I was doing it intentionally so I could see where the pellet was hitting if it missed the target. The middle of the card board was so riddled with holes I'd never be able to see where my misses were landing.

I eventually realized that all of their procedures were based around firearms and not airguns. They don't want you to shoot through the frames and break it, but obviously a pellet couldn't do that.