That Is It!

[woodmort]

Quote:
Frequently a lot more than a half mile, for example the .22LR ammo I have has a warning on the box it says Caution Dangerous within 1 1/2 miles.

Assuming you're not shooting out of an airplane, after half a mile friction and gravity pretty much takes over--at least on level ground.

 

[Pine Grove]

Quote:
The OP said 22 magnum, that will take out coyotes at 100 yards with proper bullet placement

 

[aprophet]

A .22 is plenty I use .22 shorts for dispatching many times a week it works well on yotes and smaller.

 

[fowled-out]

Good Morning! Guess how many opossum me and my uncle shot? 8 out of 10. The other two didn't offer a clean shot so we called it off. I was using .22 MAGNUM rimfire which is 2x more powerful than .22lr. I was using CCI Maxi-Mag, the most powerful for this type of cartridge. The neighbors 2 miles down the road called the sheriff, he stopped by to see what all the shooting was about, turned out he's a victim of chicken thieves too! We were out of city ordinance so it was "fine" as long as we were doing "predation" hunting. We also found out how the opossums where getting into the coop, they chewed a small enough whole in a corner of the coop that is near where the feed barrel is and I couldn't see it. I didn't get any eggs this morning, the chickens did not get any sleep last night and were scared half to death with all the gun fire and squirming lifeless opossums. They probably need some peanut butter sandwich counseling after such a horrific trauma, hehe!

 

[Ivywoods]

I've killed many, many, many varmints with a .22, (short, long or LR) never had to use a .22 mag. Of course all the rules of gun safety apply (and I am a certified hunter ed instructor) but with ANY gun, shot placement is just about everything.

You get a double lung shot on any animal, and it may run off, but it is going to die.

We went out one night before we moved here, when we heard a ruckus out by the chickens. TWELVE raccoons had ripped their way into one of the pens and were having a chicken ripping party. I belive that between hubby and me we got all of them. Even though several ran off, I think they were mortally wounded and they never came back.

My old favorite varmint gun is the old marlin 39A. I believe the old ones with ballard rifleing and heavy sights were about the most accurate .22 ever made. Shot placement was never a problem.

Be safe and good luck eliminating your varmints.

 

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
Congrats on your successful varmint eliminating episode. Keep a watchful eye, however. Somehow those things seem to be able to "smell chicken" from miles away.

 

[farmerwnb]

Good job!

We have possum here, but their numbers totally exploded in the last 15 years. They are non-native here and guilty as charged in the chicken enthusiast community. The only other top natural trouble maker is the Coon. Those critters have been making it a habit of killing local cats, sea gulls and occasionally small dogs. Cute little bandits though. My three mutts are good critter deterents, but unfortunately much better chicken killers than any varmints could be

 

[Tiss]

Ahh

I dispatched the possum yesterday then an hour ago when I got home from the grocery store, I found a coon in my run!!!!

He's just joined the possum under the hickory tree. At least he didn't get anything but a couple of eggs. The .22 LR worked again.

 

[Ivywoods]

Those raccoons are tough. I've had them pull out staples and get in through welded wire. One time they ripped through the screen door to get at some dog food on the back porch.

The old saying is, "Build your fences horse-high and hog-tight." Building a chicken coop that is "Coon-proof" is another story, but it can be done.

 

[Robo]

Shoot them thangs!!