Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Squirrels in the backyard


Loos15

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone, I'm not a hunter but I do have a hunting related question...but not quite sure it belongs in this thread...

But is it legal in the state of MN to shoot pesky squirrels in your backyard with an air pellet gun? If not...is there anyway I can make it legal?

thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, with a small game license providing you are not in an urban area that prohibits it. Check with your local laws. I got one of the pesky bas***ds a week ago at 37 yards with my bow.(ground shot) Double lunger. I'd show a pic but probably not in good taste. They do BBQ up pretty good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are fairly easy to trap if you can not shoot them.

Do you feed birds? Bird feeders will bring in tons of squirrels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My grandparents have a wonderful garden which the squirrels likes to pillage. Don't suppose there's a "season" for them? We went to get the license and my grandpa shot 2 today with an air powered pellet hand gun lol. He's quite the marksmen back in his days. Also any suggestions on a more powerful bb/pellet gun that's legal and relatively cheap?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got for or five in the freezer from last year with the bow in my back yard. Even got a couple on video Daisy 880 Powerline shoots em dead They are around 45 bucks. Good Luck Shoot Straight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They fall under the small game season, but I usually shoot em year round off the bird feeders. I think of it like pest control, i.e. mice.

The population is pretty healthy around these parts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here in Duluth it is illegal to shoot any fire arm with in the city limits including bb and pellet guns... But at Gander you can buy ammo that you can shoot through your .22 it is called .22 Super Colibri. Not recommend for using in a rifle, they are made for hand guns. They shoot a 20 grain bullet using only the primer and no gunpowder 500 fps enough to take down squirrels. I do shoot them through my .22 rifle but check the barrel after every shot to make sure the bullet has cleared. Very quiet, even less noise then a pellet gun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FWIW, shooting or trapping will have no true effect on getting rid of the squirrels. If you have any right now, that is due to your yard having a carrying capacity of "x" squirrels. Kill one, another just moves in. It will keep happening.

My Mom and Dad removed or killed 60 squirrels form their inner city St. Paul yard a few years ago. They were never suirrel free, but also never had more than 6 in the yard at one time... so... maybe just maybe my Mom's 27 (yes!... 27!!!) bird feeders had something to do with it! ha! smile

Good luck you though. I know a store that will trade a case of beer for 3 fresh squirrels smile no kidding, hehe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

me and my buddies shot them with broad tip blow darts.Yes I said blow darts from a blow gun very accurate and very silent.Then we cook em on the grill.Very tasty.If you truly want to rid your yard of them get rid of bird feeders.Take away the food source the squirrels go to where there is easy food.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know a store that will trade a case of beer for 3 fresh squirrels smile no kidding, hehe.

A guy would never have to buy beer again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember that they do have a season. They are under the small game laws and are a regulated species - so you need a small game license. You can not simply kill as many as you want. Daily limit is 7 and possesion is 14. That seems like plenty, but also it would be illegal to simply kill them and throw them in the trash. That is wanton waste. Make sure you are using them for something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Troy, I just got hold of a hunting regulation book and will look through the rules. I'm sure my grandpa will find use for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rui, make sure you make a call to you local cops and ask them about the BB gun. I was going to do that with crows and they told me that even a BB gun is discharging a firearm in the city limits and against the law. Check and make sure you aren't breaking the law first. Then make sure you follow the regs for hunting and you are good. But I'm pretty sure where you live, you can't shoot a firearm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you live in just about any city you are at risk if you shoot a gun. Illegal in Saint Paul for sure, not sure about other cities but suspect that it is. One point for sure is that you have to be sure of your background. Make sure that even if the shot/pellet penetrates the squirrel that it won't damage something else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or you can try mixing Chili powder in with the bird seed, if thats what they are coming after. The birds wont be able to taste it but the bushy tailed tree rats sure can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Live trap and a trash can full of water is the best way to deal with squirels inside the city limits. Birdsead in the trap, squirrell in the trap, trap in the can.

Works for me. No guns, no slingshots, no arrows to worry about in a city setting. That means no police.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That would be the cruel way to go about it. Or, if you don't want them around you could just buy the bird feeders that are made to keep squirrels out. Even better you could grill them up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is one for you to try.

~ squirrels,cut into serving pieces, amount depends upon how many you can eat

~ olive oil

~ 1 large onion

~ 1 large green bell pepper

~ 2 cloves garlic

~ Cajun spice (Tony Chachere's recommended)

~ 2 tbsp Tabasco sauce

~ 4 tbsp ketchup

~ 1 tbsp Gumbo File seasoning

~ cooked rice

In a deep pot or dutch oven, heat some olive oil.

Season the squirrel on all sides with the Cajun seasoning. Add to the hot oil and turn to brown on all sides. Continue to cook until done.

Place the onion, bell pepper and garlic in a blender. Cover with water and chop. Add to the pot when squirrel is done.

Sprinkle the added vegetables with Cajun seasoning.

Add the Tabasco sauce, ketchup and the Gumbo File. Stir to mix well.

Serve over the cooked rice.

Enjoy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No problem. My wife found it on google. I put some jalapenos in there and it is not bad at all. Just about anything tastes good if you put the right spices on it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't call it cruel at all. An old trapper tought me that trick for dealing with skunks and ferral cats. It works for squirrels as well. I also never said I did not use them. IMO the best ones are the freash ones, I prefer stew's or soups. If I was to use a rat trap with some sunflower seads glued to the trigger I would end up with a useless critter.

The end result is the same. His location is listed as Bloomington, he can not legaly shoot them in the city. I was just giving an option. Sorry if you did not like it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as you use the animal and your not killing to kill I could care less. Didn't mean to give off the wrong vibe. Haven't made a stew out of them yet but it is on the list. Plus, the water keeps them nice and moist until cooking grin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have used peanut butter to keep seeds/ nuts on the trigger in the cage. may help ya instead of glue?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why fightem when you can enjoy them. Theres a guy up by walker that has altered a spring loaded clay pigeon thrower. He molded some tin around the end of it. He baits the thrower with some peanuts and runs a line back thru the patio door to the kitchen table. When the squirrel sits on the pan for a bite to eat, he gets launched about 100' into the air nd lands in the lake. This does not hurt them, but I've heard its pretty [PoorWordUsage] funny to see. Some of those critters climb out of the lake, shake off and hope back on for another ride.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Always a good day out of the house.  Hey moose, what kind of gun do you have a few grouse pictures back?  
    • monstermoose78
      Flushed 3 pheasants today with Hazel but they were flushing 50 yards a head of her. Then we went by some little berries that looked black and hazels tail started going a brown bird gets up I thought hen then the bird banked and it was a grouse. It was good to get her out in the woods. I seen a few pheasants in picked corn fields. 
    • Kettle
      Walked today and yesterday, flushed 9, shot at two and got two. Hopefully next year I'll have a dog to hunt with. Still warm up here, skim of ice on ponds. Weather has been nice. Hopefully walk a bit more the next few weeks. Been pretty cautious walking for birds to not interfere with deer hunters. There sure are not the deer hunters there used to be 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.