HankB wrote:In terms of hunting with airguns, Beeman's published an article quite a few years back addressing this, with their recommendations of appropriate minimum power levels to hunt various critters - here's a link: http://beemans.net/field%20use.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
According to their chart, a squirrel requires about 3 ft. lbs, with an impact velocity of ~415 ft/sec for a 7.8 grain .177 pellet.
Probably a reasonable guideline, but IMHO it's like the 1000 ft. lb recommendation some gunwriters say is required for deer - there's an awful lot of "hand waving" in the numbers. (And since a .357 Mag handgun is a reasonable deer cartridge at close range, it's clear that 1000 ft. lbs. is not really needed.)
For dangerous game, like squirrels, the more kinetic energy the better.
Beeman's is an excellent source of information for airguns.
MeMelYup wrote:Question: what is a flying squirrel?
Biden in Air Force 2...
would be nice to try and get of some the ones in the backyard..... lost a good supply of pecans due to them..... but city ordinance prohibits the firing of any type of gun in the city limits.... including air guns, sling shots and such... cant even light fire crackers on the 4th... can carry them... cant shoot
"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward. Freedom will be defended!"
-President George W. Bush, September 11, 2001
MeMelYup wrote:Question: what is a flying squirrel?
Biden in Air Force 2...
would be nice to try and get of some the ones in the backyard..... lost a good supply of pecans due to them..... but city ordinance prohibits the firing of any type of gun in the city limits.... including air guns, sling shots and such... cant even light fire crackers on the 4th... can carry them... cant shoot
RetNavy
This PVC tube squirrel trap is useful for getting rid of pest squirrels and also for trapping wild squirrels for food. This trap is humane, in that it doesn’t kill or harm the squirrel once caught (providing you check it regularly). It’s up to you, if it is a pest squirrel, you can either re-home it somewhere else, or you can kill it. Obviously if you are using the trap for hunting, you’re going to kill it.
All you need for this trap is around a five foot length of 6 inch PVC tube. You also need an end-cap or something to securely plug one end of the tube.
Once you have your length of PVC tube with the end capped off, it’s time for bait. I think it is a given that peanut butter works best; smear a little around the open end of the tube and then keep adding a little more down to around an arms length down the tube. I also got a slice of bread (which I covered in peanut butter) and dropped it down to the bottom of the tube.
Ok, so now we have the baited tube/trap, it’s time to set it. Set the trap where you know there is squirrel activity. You want to set the plugged end on the ground and rest the open end against a branch etc. You don’t want the tube to be fully vertical, as the squirrel won’t go down the tube. You want to set it at around 60-70 degrees. This way the squirrel will go down after the food, but cannot escape due to the slippery surface of the inner tube.
A few tips -
You can spray or smear some cooking oil around the inside of the tube, around an arms length down. This will make it doubly difficult for the squirrel to escape.
If you are planing to dispatch the squirrel, the easiest way to do this is to hold a hessian/burlap bag over the open end of the tube and simply tip the squirrel out into the bag. A heavy whack with a piece of wood etc should kill the squirrel quickly and humanely.
If you are hunting squirrel for food, make several traps and set it in several locations
My neighbors couldnt bring themselves to kill the squirrels so they would come get me. After a while I gave them a can of starting fluid (ether) and they put the squirrels to sleep for a looooong time.
“In the world of lies, truth-telling is a hanging offense"
~Unknown
