Our Benjamin Trail NP, XL & NP2 Review. While similar in size and shape to the Eastern grey, the Western gray has a gunmetal gray dorsum and pure white underbelly. The chart below does not give distances, but it does provide target sizes. You can even legally shoot coyotes, but that takes a hellacious air rifle. Thank you. Nests are traditionally constructed in trees. North of this Limited Firearm zone, you can legally hunt deer with a wider variety of firearms. Nevertheless, this all assumes that there are no otherwise applicable laws which you must comply with (e.g., wearing a blaze orange vest for safety). You can quickly kill a squirrel by ⦠October 15, 2019 December 10, 2019by Wade Thiel. This species can be found across much of the eastern U.S. (except some New England states and Pennsylvania) and northward up into Southern Canada; it ranges westward into Texas, Colorado and the Dakotas. Of course, if you are merely looking to reclaim your backyard birdfeeder or take shots within 15 yards or so, this doesn’t apply to you and 12 FPE is easily sufficient. It has a synthetic stock, an automatic cocking safety system, and rubberized grips. The newly introduced Hatsan PileDriver delivers a .50 caliber pellet at 850 fps ⦠The Eastern gray has been so successful in spreading in part because it is a highly prolific species that can reproduce up to twice per year (between December – February and May – June) depending on food availability and produce anywhere from one to a eight young per litter. A shotgun or powerful air rifle would be suitable for this form of control but remember, as with all shooting, assess your background before taking any shot. The rifle can shoot a pellet at a velocity of 1,050 feet per second and the entire gun weighs just seven pounds 12 ounces. Squirrels are extremely observant and have a knack for bolting when they see a human face or bright clothing, even from a considerable distance. You make some good recommendations, but I still believe my selections for air rifles here are quality options. Fox squirrels utilize tree dens and leaf nests; leaf nests are built in forks of deciduous trees roughly 30 feet above ground; whereas tree dens are typically constructed in tree cavities and are preferred during the winter months. Noise is another consideration, but an optional one. This cannot be overstated. Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), American red squirrel (Tamaiasciurus hudsonicus), California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_squirrel, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_ground_squirrel, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_gray_squirrel, http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/tree_squirrels.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_gray_squirrel, http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/small-game/e/2009/09/, http://www.gameandfishmag.com/hunting/tips-and-tactics-for-early-season-squirrels/, http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/hunting/2013/08/squirrel-hunting-basics, http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/small-game-predator-trapping/ricks.html, Top Value COMBO for $200 – Browning Leverage, Editor’s Pick For $400 – Diana RWS 48 / T06 Trigger, Maximum Value PCP Rifle – Benjamin Marauder, Top Air Rifle Under $300 – Diana RWS 34 w/T06 Trigger, Which is Best? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Magnum Air Rifle .22 Cal by Gamo. It was not dark gray but shining black coated squirrel as if some of painted it with black paint. My general rule is that I wonât hunt squirrels with any airgun with less than 8 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle. They have also been introduced in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California and New Mexico. A .22 calibre will also produce clean kills with a strike to the heart and lung area, delivered from the side to strike just behind the shoulder. The RWS 34 .22 is a perfect entry level quality break barrel rifle that almost anyone can afford. This species is notable for easily becoming tame around humans, and have become a pest in many parks along its range. So youâve found the squirrels and youâre ready to get into the woods. Regardless, even a spooked squirrel is likely to venture out again in 20 to 30 minutes if you sit tight and motionless. The Gamo Raptor Whisper as one of the best air rifles for pest control ⦠Of course, they are also known to forage for a wide variety of other things, like mushrooms, spruce buds, tree leaves, berries, flowers, bird eggs and even snowshoe hare young. Have fun! Near the top of the heap for the company is the Whisper Fusion Mach 1 Air Rifle. Given their large size and agility, adult squirrels are preyed upon by only large mammalian and avian predators (e.g., fox, bobcat, red-tailed hawk and great horned owl). For such pest control purposes, you need the best air rifle for squirrels. Excellent read! When he isnât enjoying the outdoors, heâs writing, reading, or tinkering with motorcycles and cars. While you may be fine with open sights if you are looking to rid your attic or garden of send a message to some pest squirrels; for the hunter, a good air rifle scope is absolutely key to get the most out of the sport. Unlike its eastern cousin, the Western gray has struggled to maintain populations in various parts of its range and has been extirpated in several areas. Also you don’t want your air rifle to shoot faster than the speed of sound, about 1150 fps. Personally, I prefer something that has a velocity of over 900 fps, but that’s just me. It is believed that the introduction of the comparatively more aggressive fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) in southern California may have contributed to the Western grey’s retreat from the lower-lying areas. Guns And Gear. The weapon weighs under 10 and a half pounds and is a single-shot break-action design like the other air rifles here. Leave a comment below and check out all of the airguns for sale at Gander RV & Outdoors. Raptor Whisper Air Rifle. This technique can be particularly effective to bring a spooked squirrel out of hiding, or draw squirrels closer when using the sit and wait method. As for the sound comment, there are plenty of reasons to use an air gun that makes noise (don’t think the noise ruins the experience). Looking for the best hunting air rifle? The largest tree squirrel in North America, fox squirrels may weigh up to 2.2 pounds with body lengths of up to 28 inches (not including the tail). Stay away from C02-powered types; as a general rule they just do not have enough power to put down squirrels humanely, especially at typical hunting distances. We are looking for experienced guest contributors and will feature well-written and researched submissions that are over 300 words in length– we look forward to hearing from you! Yes, we have demonstrated this fact through the entire piece. This airgun features superior noise-dampening technology. Additionally, the air gun should be charged only from a high compression, external power source. It won’t be as quiet as the others, but it’ll still get the job done. Moist ground is particularly good for sneaking up on squirrels. With the exception of the above statement, I would say this is a very well-written and informative article. Six to 10 days is usually about right â if thereâs no sign of visiting squirrels after a ⦠If in doubt, donât shoot. If youâre sick of all these air guns with synthetic stocks ⦠While 12 FPE is a good minimum target, having more power than 12 FPE is highly recommended for the more serious hunter, or for those who simply want to engage their quarry at longer ranges (30+ yards), since pellet trajectory (in a .22 cal.) The air rifle fires .177 caliber pellets which are perfect for squirrel hunting and the gun shoots them at a strong 1,250 feet per second. Most air rifles can be used for squirrel hunting. It’ll launch them out of the barrel at a strong 1,400 feet per second and the wooden stock is actually lighter than the synthetic one at just under 10 pounds total. I found a scope to interfere with pumping, and instead installed a Williams receiver sight, which gave excellent accuracy. The currently produced Benjamin 392 generates sufficient power to hunt squirrels. You should also shoot and kill squirrels that are sitting down. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for hunting squirrels, but there are some basic considerations that are good to keep in mind. First of all a .22 is superior to a .177 in almost every respect except that the pellets drop faster. Hopefully this knowledge can help you in making a choice of what type of ammo you will shoot in your rifle. However, they can wreak havoc on your property. I'm currently experimenting with a sizing die that changes a solid tip to an Eley EPS tipped ammo. The weapon has an integrated gas canister that helps it achieve a muzzle velocity of 1,420 feet per second. Plus the sound wave catches back up to the pellet as it slows and causes it to tumble creating poor accuracy. Three young are born per litter, on average, but this can vary depending of food availability and other environmental factors. Get one that shoots about 900 fps in .22 and you will never take a rimfire squirrel hunting again. Arizona. Eastern grey squirrels that are found in relatively pristine woodland habitats are particularly easy to spook, and therefore make the most “sporting” quarry in my opinion. Other Ways of Killing a Squirrel other than Shooting. That was the case for me. Other than that they transfer much more energy on target and do a lot more damage. This is particularly true in my experience for Eastern gray squirrels, which seem to be most active in the wee hours of the morning, at first light. As weâve explained before in our general hunting article, for furred game such as this, ideally you will want a rifle with at least 12 foot-pounds of energy(âFPEâ) at the muzzle in a rifle bore of .20 or .22 caliber, or larger. Your email address will not be published. The bargain option of the bunch, the Gamo Varmint Air Rifle, is affordable and deadly to squirrels and other pest or varmint animals. TheBestAirRifle.com ("TBAR") gathers information and provides opinions; however, TBAR does not manufacture, warranty or sell any of the items referenced on this site, and you agree that TBAR shall not bear any responsibility for them. Appreciating the time and effort you put into your website and detailed information you offer. Illinois â you can hunt with air rifles on private property, and you must have ownerâs permission. , once per year, but I saw a black squirrel at Maryland, US path is buying pcp! The powerful airguns you find will be difficult to effectively kill your prey with one shot the squirrels forget! An Eley EPS tipped ammo to venture out again in 20 to 30 minutes if think. Become sexually mature at around one year of age, and the entire gun weighs just seven 12. 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