What is a pest to you?

[L.Leon]

When I moved out of NYC 20 plus years ago and was now living in what I considered "the country". I had these crows in the black walnut trees making what I thought was a racket in the mornings. I finally had enough, so I woke up early one morning and waited. Sure enough there they were, I lined one up in my scope was about to send a pellet and thought, is this worst than car alarms in the city? Put my gun away and went back to bed. I do eliminate pest around my property, but I have to catch them being pests. I don't just shoot every eligible critter. While Red squirrels are not protected here in NYS I give them a pass unless, I catch them where they shouldn't be, like my barn. Same with chucks, I've killed many, but again I have to catch them being pests to me. I recently had a chuck at 60 yards which gave me multiple opportunities. I just practiced holding and taking various theoretical shots. It got a pass because it was eating a crap ton of grass. I like having wildlife passing through as it gives me a chance to observe their behaviors. How do you guys approach pest shooting in your backyards or permissions? Have you ever made exceptions, and given critters you could've killed a past? 

 

[Brent]

Other than rats and mice I won't kill anything I'm not going to eat. Non venomous snakes get a pass, but the venomous ones must go because I have kids and grandkids around the house all the time.

 

[Franklink]

I take a very similar approach to you.

My main vermin are pdogs, ground squirrels, starlings, Euro doves, and English house sparrows. And they all are pests in one way or another.

The pdogs destroy irrigation structures (ditches, berms, etc). Not many realize it but the dang things will engineer a system the way they like it. For example, I've seen them displace enough dirt to raise the level of an irrigated field enough to keep the water from getting the area in which their holes are located. So, they're still close enough to run and get the good green grass on the parts of the field that are still getting irrigation water, but their holes stay safe and dry after their manipulation of the field. They'll also dig along fencerows so much that the fenceposts can't stand up any more. Not to mention causing rangeland to be nearly impassable for beast or mechanized means of travel. Pure vermin.

Ground squirrels are master thieves. My extended family are farmers and the ground squirrels will snip off new sprouts of nearly every plant they try to grow. They really like the young pumpkins and ears of corn. They also have burrows alongside the in-ground silage pits. I've killed somewhere north of 50 just in and around those silage pits in the past couple years and they seem to replenish their numbers as fast as I can kill them. The burrowing in the sides of the pits causes the sides to cave in. Even the concreted parts collapse after they remove enough dirt from underneath and behind. Pure vermin. 

The starlings, Euro doves, and English house sparrows are just simply pests cuz they get into grain and crap all over everything. 

My new property has had some flooding of the creek that is behind it. Closer inspection in the last few weeks led to the discovery a beaver damn just upstream from my property. That damn is partly to blame for all the silt filling in the river channel and creating the flooding that threatened to flood out my house a few weeks ago. Beavers are gonna go down, courtesy of a Monster RD from my Vet Long as soon as I get a chance. 

So, yeah, a critter has to be creating problems to be on the hit list for me.

All other birds i really like watching so they get enjoyed, not shot. Even had a coyote that was trying to sneak up on some Canadian geese through the marsh grass out back a couple months ago. They knew he was there and kept flying off a little ways away when he got close. Was kinda funny to watch him cuz he'd stand up and shake off the water, body language showing complete disgust in his failed hunt and nothing to show but soggy fur for it. Didn't even let fly any projectiles at him as he was giving me a good chuckle for most of an afternoon. 

 

[survivor45]

I mostly look for rats and mice. When I’m lucky the starlings will vista. But not very often. I’ll shoot those if given the opportunity. While we have lots of English sparrows they never come to my yard. When I got into air guns I actually bought a bird book to identify the native birds from the invasive. 
Now I also get rabbits and a family of squirrels. But I do not shoot them. As long as the squirrels stay off/out of my house. I’ll leave them be. And like everywhere I also get raccoons and possum. I don’t shoot them either. 
I do enjoy watching wild life in my yard. I have no desire to shoot every animal that gives me an opportunity. 

 

[slapahondn]

I only go after invasives. We have plenty of targets in south Florida 

 

[Calbarry]

My “job” at my permission is to eliminate as

many ground squirrels as possible. They dig burrows in the fields and the ground caves in when the livestock steps in or near a burrow. This is a minor problem for the landowner. No ground squirrel gets a pass. The permission also has big numbers of starlings and Eurasian doves. Both are considered an invasive species in California. They don’t get a pass either as they eat large amounts of grain. 

 

[WorriedMan]

Like survivor45, I pass on the rabbits, squirrels, raccoons and possum, as long as everybody "behaves." Crows, armadillos, mice and rats beware. I'm not a doomsday prepper but consider my rabbits and squirrels as a "living" larder, in case food ever gets scarce. I also like watching wild life in my yard, especially at the bird bath. I'm often surprised at who shows up for a cold drink.

WM 

 

[MEC17670]

The main pest I hunt are ground squirrels. Ranchers love to see my success, and I enjoy the heck out of hunting them.

Starlings have disappeared from my backyard, they learn quickly as thier families drop.

Occasionally a rat or gopher or barn pigeons round it off.

I must say, if you get barn pigeons from a dairy farm, they aren't bad eating.

No snakes.

 

[2L8]

Pdogs, Squirrels and Corvids here for me.

 

[dizzums]

it has to be actively doing something that is destructive or bothersome .. unless its a rabbit .. i garden and grow things and rabbits destroy things just to do it, ive had them literally gnaw down an entire garden getting started and leave the sprouts laying there not even eating them, just destroying, same with hedges ive started to grow ..no, rabbits get ahot on sight 'if' theyre in the yard, i dont actively go out looking for them outside my property...

 

[Spray1Mark]

A pest is just an animal in the wrong place, likewise a plant in the wrong place is classed as a weed!

 

[harrymoreland]

With most critters, too many of one type leads to a reduction of another, around here Greys and corvids rule, with songbirds and Reds on the decline.

I see myself as an equalizer, on that account. 

Rats, just got to go, It seems a natural instinct to me.

I will remove starlings from the barns of my permissions, for permission.

permission to remove "pests" then in turn provides me with meat, Rabbits and wood pigeon in the main, this in turn reduces the demand for farmed livestock.

I don't enjoy killing, but I am convinced what I do in that regard is the right path.

 

[biohazardman]

Anything that is destructive to property or animals will soon be pest material to me. This to include woodchucks, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice and other rodents as well as pigeons, starlings, cowbirds, English sparrows and more of our feathered friends as well.

Giving them a pass is to let them expand their domain and increase drastically in number so not a good thing as the destruction of native species, habitat and property are often the end result. If they are not damaging your property or animals they are likely damaging someone else's.

I do my best to explaining this to my brother who feeds the invasive species of birds and squirrels, rats too as of late, but it falls on deaf ears.

 

[SHOMER]

I use a very simple two stage process 1. If it's on my property it's a target 2. If it's destructive in anyway, it's room temperature. I look at it as just holding up my supplier's end of natures food chain, bugs gotta eat too you know. 

 

[rcarlisle]

Rats, mice and chipmunks are eliminated on sight in my yard, which is vanishingly rare these days. I'd say they are the only animals I deem to be pests by their very presence. Other animals must be observed engaging in destruction of property before I will consider taking them out. Like the two squirrels that chewed through the roof in my garage. I noticed the damage, then I witnessed the culprits in the act, then I killed them. I enjoy pesting, but only when I can justify taking the life. Otherwise, I just feel guilty and generally not very good about myself.

 

[Flintsack]

Interesting post Mr. Leon

Believe it or not I give passes all the time. Usually, I don’t shoot the squirrels and chipmunks unless they’re in my yard. Which I believe is what caused a huge overpopulation in the squirrels and chipmunks I had until recently. This is the first year I’ve really cleaned them up.

Rabbits nibble on my young trees, an unpardonable sin, they get whacked on sight. Maybe 1 or 2 a year.

I’ve only shot and killed one coyote in my life. I think keeping their numbers down in general is a good idea.

raccoon skunk possum and woodchuck, they have to go. My dog would for sure try to play with them. The numbers aren’t big. I would guess one to two raccoon per year on average. Less than 1 per/year for the rest. They have to come bug me to get eliminated. My neighbor a half mile down the road traps 30 to 40 raccoons every year and kills them. I appreciate that.


The only birds that get shot, crows, which I never ever see anymore. Starlings, same thing. English sparrows, same thing. Cowbird

I spent years doing wild bird photography. I love birds.

I probably shot 60+ chipmunks this year. They were in my opinion out of control. Had I not eliminated them, let’s do the math, how many what I have now running around now, 300?
Once I decided to thin them out, I thoroughly enjoyed the process. It was a great opportunity to teach my young pup about hunting. And it reminded me of when I was a kid and that was one of my tasks was to kill the chipmunks at the cabin we rented.

Many years I will get a family of predatory birds nesting in the area, they really clean things out. Last year I had owls. I loved watching them hunt, and would never shoot a squirrel or chipmunk while they are hunting area.

mike

 

[Backyardbandit]

On my property, in this order: woodchuck, squirrel, chipmunk. 

I don't get or see many rats, mice or raccoons but I would take fast aim at all of those too. Haven't seen any in the 3 weeks I've had my rifle.

Opossum would get a pass because they eat ticks. No poisonous snakes around here so they get a pass.

Rabbit would be dependent on where it was and what is was doing.

 

[Baldone]

Squirrels, chipmunks and armadillos around my house are taken asap as the squirrels chew on my bird houses, feeders and wood furniture. I have sprang ankles in chipmunk holes cutting grass in upper yard. The armadillos are taken by the entire neighborhood as they are very destructive to landscaping. I take no birds and have almost no other invasive pest.

 

[GrumpdaViking]

I also have a bunch of crows that make a ruckus in the morning, but don't consider them pests. They're just crows being crows. The main pests I have are ground and red squirrels. They're pests if they are being destructive to my property. Ground squirrels are the worst. If they're in the woods away from my buildings I don't touch them. Got rabbits living under all my sheds, but don't consider them pests. Had to take out a woodpecker cause it started banging on my house. Had a large eastern corn snake living under one shed for a while, but haven't seen him in some time. He definitely wasn't a pest, even when he was laying out in front of it catching some sun.

 

[Vetmx]

My approach is exactly like yours L.Leon. For instance, I haven’t been overwhelmed with red squirrels this year so I haven’t shot any. I’ve had them in my crosshairs but only to watch them because they are the lunatics of the squirrel world. But lately I can hear one running across the roof of my house so he may have just earned himself a pest tombstone. As I’ve grown older I realized that little creatures were not put here to amuse me and my expensive airguns. That’s what spinners and other targets are for. But I also understand that there are situations where the attempt of complete eradication is necessary. When I help my buddy get hay for his horse, the barn we go to has 11 million cats. They filter out to the houses in the area and those unfortunate people have to deal with the constant influx of cats. If I lived where he does, I would consider them pests.