Why do people kill chipmunks?

I was walking around Lowes the other day and the two sweetest looking elderly couples were standing next to me talking. And then once I heard the conversation, well they were talking about the best way to kill the largest number of chipmunks. Wow, ok so at my new place we are OVERRAN with chipmunks. What kind of damage can they do? Other than the many tunnels I see, I told my dh its even more important to use the small gauge on the coop otherwise I'll be housing chipmunks!

they destroyed my neighbor's garden, dug holes in the foundation of her shed and flooded it, dug up her entire flower bed......

We have one that lives under our back steps. He's been there for over a year, so he's good at avoiding the dogs

My cousin had chipmunks eat their way into her house. Got between walls and chewed through wiring.

They are basically mice that happen to look cute.

I just spent $500 to replace the control module on my air conditioner due to mice eating through the wiring.

They destroy gardens. They will ruin an entire fruit crop. They get into the attic and pee in the insulation and chew the wiring.

They will eat the chicken's food and carry away what they can't eat. Feed costs are high enough without 90% of it going to wildlife.

Chipmonks are very destructive, they get under the air filter in my truck and deposi acorns all around the engine.They will try to build a nest under the hood of my truck.One time a nest started burning under the hood...! They alo trash my strawberry crop.Yes, they are cute, but still a destructive rodent.I don't try to kill them, but let my cat do her thing, she pretty effective...

I was overrun by them last year. They ate about 1/3 of the birds' daily feed allotment, ripped over $200 worth of bulbs out of my garden, got into the coop and kept stealing eggs, and built nests/food caches in my snowblower, ATV, truck, grill and husband's classic car. I actively try to destroy any chipmunks that have the nerve to show their face. I am pretty tolerant of most wildlife, but the chipmunks and ground squirrels have worn out their welcome.

I have to laugh....just yesterday I was out watering the birds when I noticed my youngest (new hunter) cat with something. I looked over and saw it was a chipmunk...didn't think too much of it and kept doing what I was doing.Well, the next thing you know, my Rooster noticed it...and walked over to see what the cat was so interested in.I stopped what I was doing,curious to see his behavior...he proceeded to pick it up by the tail and "toss" it. I felt bad for it at this point but was going to just let them do their thing.After two tosses...it caught the attention of one of my younger hens..and she started towards it.THAT CHIPMUNK RAN STRAIGHT OVER TO ME AND CLIMBED UP MY LEG!! He must have thought I was a tree!I felt so bad for it then I rolled my eyes,sighed "Why me?" and picked it up. I put it into an empty cat litter bucket after putting Blu-Kote on it's ripped up thigh (DD said we HAD to do something for it )My DD nursed that poor thing for hours last night...gave it some bird seed and some water...the poor thing died this morning but Sheesh....the crazy things that happen in the country!!

My cats have always been fascinated by the way their tail moves and when the cats "break " the currant one they are playing with the cats normally will find another to "play" with

What they all said above! Plus..they are notorious predators of game bird eggs, partridge, quail, etc. Probably any other bird eggs in nests they can find and reach. But they game bird eggs are on the ground, so readily available for them.