Air-gun that shoots salt to discourage woodpeckers destroying my house

Is there an air-powered pistol or rifle that can shoot a load of fine table salt or coarse salt about 25 feet fairly accurately? The Bug-A-Salt doesn't have the range or power needed.

I need to discourage some woodpeckers without damaging my house with a pellet or a paint-ball. The last two summers the house has been attacked by carpenter bees. Twenty years with no carpenter bees and then suddenly they show up. Then woodpeckers arrive looking for the bee larvae inside the wood. These woodpeckers are causing thousands of dollars of damage to the cedar siding and trim. The wood was treated with penetrating oil, so it cannot be painted to prevent the bees from chewing on it, as the paint wouldn't adhere to the surface.

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I'd use a .50 cal. blow gun with stunner darts or paintball ammo.

A 4' one piece (2 piece is junk 'cuz of its flimsy connector) is the best choice for accuracy and power.

You did day 25', so it's nothing with a bit of practice.

I could put a trio of darts the size of a cigarette butt @ 10 meters (33 feet), but I have been a blowgunner since 12 YO.

Guess you could load this with rock salt. 



https://youtu.be/wZr8Yjem014

I have used a Crosman 760 pump master with salt poured down the barrel like a bug assault but I don't think this will do what you are looking for.

Epoxy an acorn onto a common rat trap. You will be catching woodpeckers all day long.

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Now that's method I haven't heard before, very interesting! that's a heck lot less work but less fun too. LOL

Try felt cleaning pellets in your airgun.

motion activated sprinklers.

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Aweson idea to use on critters in general.

Many thanks for sharing.

Protected or not, that would be a dead woodpecker if it was destroying my house 

All woodpeckers in the USA are federally protected, I am a licensed NWCO operator so well versed on the laws. They make "bear spray" in gel form you apply onto the area the woodpecker is using to build his home. They are not looking for food if so you would have 1,000's of small holes. 

Look for pigeonX 

I love how a few said kill it, does that solve the problem or put a bandaid on it? You still have an exposed area on the home and bird pheromones/sent that will bring another next year... This is a great example of why there are experts in a fields of life and that some humans didn't go far up the evolutionary ladder. Sometimes your Brian is mightier than the club

All woodpeckers in the USA are federally protected, I am a licensed NWCO operator so well versed on the laws. They make "bear spray" in gel form you apply onto the area the woodpecker is using to build his home. They are not looking for food if so you would have 1,000's of small holes. 

Look for pigeonX 

I love how a few said kill it, does that solve the problem or put a bandaid on it? You still have an exposed area on the home and bird pheromones/sent that will bring another next year... This is a great example of why there are experts in a fields of life and that some humans didn't go far up the evolutionary ladder. Sometimes your Brian is mightier than the club

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'Then woodpeckers arrive looking for the bee larvae inside the wood.'

I'd say they are looking for food and of all the advice given I believe mine to bee the most constructive for a long term solution. 

Some people become so specialized they can't see past their expertise. 

I load my Gamo viper express shotgun shells with salt. Works great on pest without being leathal. 

Try felt cleaning pellets in your airgun.

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My thoughts as well. You'll create the supersonic "crack!" sound which should scare them away. You might as well also get some firecrackers.

I have loaded up salt into an airgun and shot carpenter bees with it. Had pretty good success, as you know, these bees like to hover, so it's a waiting game. I decided to stop doing this because I kind of like the bees once we get to know each other. And they chase away other wasps that might actually sting.

But salt simply loses all it's velocity after a few meters. This would be useless for a woodpecker issue unless the sound scares them away.

Otherwise, I think there were some non-gun suggestions in this thread that might be the winner to deal with woodpeckers!

Also, observe nature enough and you should receive God's wisdom that there is no such thing as an "evolutionary ladder"

I have a woodpecker that's hammering on a dead tree next door. The bird goes on for hours and it's loud and driving me crazy. I wouldn't mind it if it was for 30 minutes but it's hours he does this. I had the bird in my sites but didn't pull the trigger. I like these birds but damn it. I'll cut the tree down but I'm afraid he will just find another tree.
Carpenter bees are easy to control now that I know how. spray your whole house every 3 months alternating with a termiticide and then talstar P. No bugs no pest no nothing.

blint said:

Is there an air-powered pistol or rifle that can shoot a load of fine table salt or coarse salt about 25 feet fairly accurately? The Bug-A-Salt doesn't have the range or power needed.

I need to discourage some woodpeckers without damaging my house with a pellet or a paint-ball. The last two summers the house has been attacked by carpenter bees. Twenty years with no carpenter bees and then suddenly they show up. Then woodpeckers arrive looking for the bee larvae inside the wood. These woodpeckers are causing thousands of dollars of damage to the cedar siding and trim. The wood was treated with penetrating oil, so it cannot be painted to prevent the bees from chewing on it, as the paint wouldn't adhere to the surface.

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I have one of these CO2 pistols. Should work for your purposes

We have woodpeckers or flickers out at the ranch we manage. Shoot the things. We have used owl decoys and they worked until the peckers just ignored them. Same with the tinsel. At first they just went to a part of the house that had no such deterrents. I added the deterrents to new areas etc.
After two years of being nice and patching up their damage they got the 17 HMR vaccine. No booster required.
These days if I see one within 100 yards of the house it gets a pellet. The damage they did was well into the thousands of dollars range and the patches were evident. This qualified them for management. If they are not within the 100 yard zone they are free to pecker away, procreate and have happily little pecking lives. Enter the zone of doom and they get dealt with. Haven’t had a pecker incident in several years.

ThomasT said:

Hello blint,

Hang an Owl decoy out by the area where the Woodpeckers are coming and that should cure the problem. Owls are a Bird-of-Prey and most all other birds fear them.

Good luck and have a great day,

ThomasT

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I had absolutely no success with plastic owl.

elh0102 said:

I think the short answer is no. But, a few pellet holes are a lot easier to repair than the bird damage, I'd just kill'em. But, their buddies will be back. I've watched a neighbor replace the same area of cedar siding three times, but the birds come back. Things like silver ribbon, owl decoys, rubber snakes, all work to various degrees, but they are not consistently effective. Unfortunately, the only thing I know that is, would be different siding. I've gotten away from wood in every place I can, but if it's your primary wall covering, obviously very expensive. If you find the answer, please post it, you're not alone with this problem.

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I agree. I know probably not legal but hey that’s your house and expensive siding. Just try to be discreet as possible. Hang suet cakes from nearby trees as woodpeckers love them. No need to shoot them off the siding. I’d do it and not think twice.

it might be a fit for airsoft sniper rifle

Take a bb gun and use dust devil bbs.

I like a lot woodpeckers !!!

I think they are iconic birds that should be protected.

Their noice is romantic.

There are many woodpeckers where I live and I teach my son's never to shoot at them.

Of course I think that way beacuse my house is not made out of wood.