Pest Control Airguns Pest control with airguns is different then hunting to us. We draw a line at size and type of pest for example, we consider the field mouse up to squirrel with the squirrel being very border line for pistols should be removed by air rifle. Air pistols just do not have the capabilities feet per second, kinetic energy and not accurate enough to place a humane shot for pest control of a squirrel.. Although at real close range if needed like an attic, roof or over hanging tree limb a pistol can do the job. We have selected the air pistols below because they are single shot. Single over a multi shot is because a rotary clip does not have the same power and can misfire and the power is not consistent by bypassing the clip a long with restriction of air through the clip. The hunting page can fill you in on a lot of the rest of the information you should know pellet choice, feet per second, kinetic energy and more. Please check with local codes pest control with and airgun only certain birds and animals are considered pest. For some pest descriptions {See below}
Below are some of pest can be taken by Airguns Information by: JONGERS AIRGUN PAGES
The most common pest the rodent: most people encounter is the House Mouse "Mus Muscus" closely followed by the Brown Rat or Norwegian Rat "Ratus Norwegicus". Both of these are fairly common in this country though the Brown Rat tends to attract more attention due to its size and the historical bad reputation rats have (the plague) and it is still a serious threat to health, being responsible for spreading Weils disease "Lepto Spirosis" in its urine. So it should be remembered that you should never pick up a dead rat with your bare hands, and you should beware of putting your hands in puddles beside rivers or other places that rats frequent. There is another rat that is now much rarer, the Black or Ships rat "Ratus Ratus" but being so rare is not liable to cause a problem The House mouse on the other hand has a cuddly image (thanks Micky) but it can also be a threat to health due to its dirty habits, it urinates and defacates whilst eating and its usually doing that in the packets of food in your cupboards. All the same it is still a nuisance because of the damage it does.
Another rodent that can cause problems is the Grey Squirrel their problems tend to be due to them finding their way into buildings and causing damage there whilst building a drey (nest). Outdoors they can cause problems for tree plantation owners and game keepers who need to control the numbers to keep the damage they do to a minimal amount. All rodents need to gnaw to keep their constantly growing teeth from getting too long, and this is the cause of much of the damage that they do in buildings, including the possibility of starting fires by gnawing through electric cables. Rodents are controlled by using Poison baits based on anti-coagulants, which generally cause them to die from internal bleeding due to the normal knocks and bumps they get. By trapping which can be a live trap, or as in the mouse trap can be designed to deliver a swift fatal blow. And finally by shooting which is an instant kill when carried out by an expert marksman.
RURAL PESTS Rural pests are usually pests that affect farms and farming though any urban livestock or pets can be at risk in certain circumstances. Rats and Mice can be serious pests especially on grain producing farms as pest contamination can ruin a stored crop, likewise grain weevil and beetle infestation will ruin a crop.
Collared Doves and Feral Pigeons can also cause contamination with their droppings, and their nests contain ticks and lice. The Corvids are by nature carniverous and will prey on the young of other birds and animals so their numbers need to be kept in check or they can decimate the local population of song birds etc.
Wood pigeons can eat a tremendous amount of grain or cereal crop especially when there are large flocks of them.
Rabbits dig holes that cattle and sheep can break their legs in, and eight rabbits will eat the same amount of grazing as one sheep, as well as gnawing at the base of young trees which will kill them. Foxes are a traditional Rural pest, because they will not just kill for "a meal" they get a killing frenzy and will kill every hen in the hen house and just eat the one, which is why they have such a bad reputation. Now a days they have found easier pickings in urban areas where they scavange dustbins but pets in garden hutches are at risk all the same, and many a child has woken up to find their pet rabbit or guineapig gone.
