Backyard hunting?

R

razorsdescent

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Jan 16, 2005
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I live in arlington virginia, I have a .177 cal airgun that is suitable for squirrel.

Is it legal for me to shoot squirrel in my own backyard? I live in a residential neighborhood and am over 21 years of age so i can't see why there would be a legal problem, but i wanted to check with people that were more knowledgable than myself before i went about hunting squirrels from my window.


Thanks for any help in what might be a stupid question.
 
You need to check your local and state laws. A lot of town's and villages have ordinances that prohibit hunting. There may be specific Laws pertaining to airguns and usage. Depending on fps it may also clarify your airgun as a more serious charge. If none of it matters. Do you need a hunting license? Wha about your states hunting season? Is there one for squirrels. Lots of ifs on this one.
 
Iv'e been looking online and i cnat seem to find anything that prohibits it, but that doesnt mean that it isnt out there, near as i call tell shooting squirrels would qualify as pest control, you can trap them in your back yard so why not shoot them?
 
Having lived in DC and MD for a few years, I'd say it also depends on your neighbors.. Depending on what your airgun looks like they may freak out and call the cops on you, and you'll find out the hard way..

If you find out it's illegal, but your neighbors are cool with thinning the population, practice your sniping skills from hidden spots or from inside your house..

The easiest way would be to pay a visit to the your local police station, or flag down a cop passing thru your area..

Best of luck to ya ;)..
 
Your more than likely right, Id take the hot from inside my apartment anways, but i would feel a little strange asking a cop about most anything, ive had almost uniformly negative experiences with police officers.
 
see if your local pd, village, city or whatever they consider themselves has a website. You can usually do a search right on theere Seeing as you just said apartment. I doubt you can even shoot
The bb gun into the area where your living. Unless it is a single residence. Apartment. It would be much easier for
You to be charged with a disorderly conduct type charge in an apament type setting just for someone seeing you shoot, you could also get
Nailed with an animal cruelty among other things i have
Mentioned. Also if a pellet leaves the property and does other damage even if it was initiallY legal you'd could be looking at another criminal or
Civil charges . You could also check out our states dnr website or call a local conservation officer if you don't want to speak to a police officer. If they are really a nuisance some places may issue permits for removing and or killing said animal. I have seen where people had permits issued to destroy goose nests and eggs. One of those was even i'n an apartment complex.
 
its not a true apartment building i live in a house i just share the building with other people each person/persons has their own level of the home.

If it was a regular apartment building id agree.
 
Another option would be, if you have any friends with some priavte property of farmland wold be to ask if you can hunt on their property, for some squirrel..

I was able to do this a with a few friends when I lived in MD.. They even joined me after a while in airgun hunting... We'd just about always get our limit..

HTH
 
There may be some city ordinances of which you should be aware. For example, in Austin Texas any device capable of firing a projectile faster than 200 feet per second is considered a "firearm." Discharging a firearm is illegal within the city limits (except within the confines of a permitted firing range)...
 
johnny reb said:
I know in my area it was illegal to hunt with anything smaller that 22 cal. air rifle.
Click to expand...

From the cali DNR website (Cali Fish and Game)...

Only the following may be used to take resident small game:

(a) Shotguns... [blah, blah, blah]

(b) Shotgun shells... [blah, blah, blah]

(c) Muzzle-loading shotguns;

(d) Falconry;

(e) Bow and arrow (see Section 354 for archery equipment regulations);

(f) Air rifles firing pellets and powered by compressed air or gas (0.20 caliber minimum for taking wild turkey); and firearm rifles and pistols for taking rabbits and squirrels, except in Los Angeles County, in addition to the methods listed in (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) above;

Johnny Reb, if you were talking about Northern Cali, then the minimum caliber is for wild turkey only...
 
I would really check it out and then make a hard copy of the regulations so you can show a cop when your neighbor reports you. There was a case down here in a city in Florida where a minor was arrested for killling squirrels (DURING HUNTING SEASON) in a residental neighborhood.
The young man was charged with animal cruilty by the local police department due to complaints from the local PeTA crowd.
Please be very careful in your decision, it could turn out to cost you a lot of money to learn the hard way.
 
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