The Gun Thread

[Coops Dad]

No, I have the kill cone screwed about 4' off the ground to a telephone pole that's about 10" across. The bird's head ends up about 3 feet off the ground so I'm firing at a horizontal/ever-so-slightly downward angle into the pole. I've been doing this for close to 5 years and there's probably a pound or so of .22 projectiles lodged in the wood. One or several will occasionally become dislodged, and there's always a few laying on the ground beneath the cone.

Without going through a chicken head, the .22 aguila super colibris have barely enough powder to bury the bullet in a live sycamore- the bullet's butt is flush with the bark. After passing through a chicken head, the bullet will sometimes hit the pole and fall to the earth because it didn't have enough energy to get buried in the wood.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

No, I have the kill cone screwed about 4' off the ground to a telephone pole that's about 10" across. The bird's head ends up about 3 feet off the ground so I'm firing at a horizontal/ever-so-slightly downward angle into the pole. I've been doing this for close to 5 years and there's probably a pound or so of .22 projectiles lodged in the wood. One or several will occasionally become dislodged, and there's always a few laying on the ground beneath the cone.

Without going through a chicken head, the .22 aguila super colibris have barely enough powder to bury the bullet in a live sycamore- the bullet's butt is flush with the bark. After passing through a chicken head, the bullet will sometimes hit the pole and fall to the earth because it didn't have enough energy to get buried in the wood.

So after you shoot it, how do you bleed it?

 

[Coops Dad]

So after you shoot it, how do you bleed it?

I cut off its head and give it to the dogs. It's the easiest thing at that point.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I cut off its head and give it to the dogs. It's the easiest thing at that point.

Thanks.

 

[Sally PB]

@BigBlueHen53, I had to cull two cockerels that had become terrors to the girls. I caught each one in a fishing net. I took them to a sandy spot of dirt, put a .22 revolver to the back of the head, and fired. The bullet exited the bird and went safely into the dirt. Contact shot, so you can place it right where it needs to go.

I was not prepared for the death throes on the first one. The second one, I just walked away until he was still.

If you ever need to use a fishing net for this, get one with large holes so you can see what you're doing.

 

[puddleglumWI]

I got into PCP air gunning a few years back. Picked up a .30 cal Evanix Rainstorm recently that may be called upon to do predator duty here at the farm. It generates 100 FPE at the muzzle, so similar energy to a 22LR, but since it is a 50 grain pellet it slows down faster. Still will do the job at farmyard distances, and quietly.

 

[KsKingBee]

I got into PCP air gunning a few years back. Picked up a .30 cal Evanix Rainstorm recently that may be called upon to do predator duty here at the farm. It generates 100 FPE at the muzzle, so similar energy to a 22LR, but since it is a 50 grain pellet it slows down faster. Still will do the job at farmyard distances, and quietly.

I need something like that for sparrows around the runs so I don't scare the peas.

 

[puddleglumWI]

I need something like that for sparrows around the runs so I don't scare the peas.

I have been zapping spatzes (House Sparrows) that have been trying to nest in the bluebird house outside my office window.

This is a Taipan Veteran Short in .25 cal, zipping along a 25 grain pellet at 890 fps. It is my squirrel gun, not that I have gotten a squirrel with it yet... Major overkill for sparrows, but it is handy in the Deathgrip tripod, and very accurate.

 

[Hayden Goseek]

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@BigBlueHen53, I had to cull two cockerels that had become terrors to the girls. I caught each one in a fishing net. I took them to a sandy spot of dirt, put a .22 revolver to the back of the head, and fired. The bullet exited the bird and went safely into the dirt. Contact shot, so you can place it right where it needs to go.

I was not prepared for the death throes on the first one. The second one, I just walked away until he was still.

If you ever need to use a fishing net for this, get one with large holes so you can see what you're doing.

Thanks. When I have to cull, I just take them off the roost at night. No chasing, no catching, no struggle. I'm too old for all that!

ETA. However, I really like the rest of your advice and will probably take it, thanks!