Can you shoot foxes with an air rifle ?

[Pirate]

To be fair, It could easily have been a typo .........

 

Perhaps it should have read 'Rat'

Edited February 8, 2010 by Pirate

[Heladoxa]

To be fair, It could easily have been a typo .........

 

Perhaps it should have read 'Rat'

 

 

You could be right you know Rat ....Fox and all off the same keyboard. Should we ask him

[albob]

 

Never had a rimfire bounce off a foxes head yet!!

 

 

it won`t if you use the butt..

 

 

al

[Colster]

You could be right you know Rat ....Fox and all off the same keyboard. Should we ask him

 

Hmm I think .270 on rat might be a bit much. As to shooting a fox with an Air rifle I'm appalled. I have shot rabbits, pigeons, jays and squirrels but wouldn't even consider shooting a hare with it. Even a hare is too large for Air in my view.

 

I guess there's no "restriction" on shooting foxes with air as they never thought anyone would be bloody stupid enough to try it. Even captive in a trap, I wouldn't use an air-rifle, unless I was hitting it with the soft end and clubbing it to death.

[al4x]

Would it kill it though dave ??

 

I dont think a non fac air rifle would penetrate a foxes skull and a boiler shot isnt going to carry on if it hits a rib.

 

I have an air rifle non fac and may keep a fox this week and put one in its nut and find out where it goes It would be interesting to see what it does...

 

Either way i dont think a firearms consultant that advises the NGO should be spouting off in a shooting mag about shooting foxes with an air rifle

 

yup it'll kill it and realistically in a cage trap or snare it will be point blank. Should he have anticipated the response to writing it then yes he probably should have clarrified things but in the essence was probably making a more veiled reference to the law being an *** as to what you can and cannot use for foxes. There is also a big difference between a cub and an adult male fox yet they're all described as foxes.

The simple fact is regularly people are killed with legal limit airguns so they aren't as weak as people think. Of course the image conjured up by the article is a shot at range but my betting is point blank and its debateable whether that or a baseball bat is more humane

[Lez325]

I read an article some time back and it stated the the ACPO ( Association of Chief of Police Officers) guide lines suggest any type of rimfire is not suitable for Fox- although some FEO and Police area's allow Foxes to be shot using 22LR - 17HMR- ACPO guide lines suggest a minimum of 22 Centre for shooting Foxes

 

My area allows the use of rimfire for foxes -

 

I recently and sucsessfully applied for a variation to .222 Centre fire and on my variation / Application I stated the very guidlines on which Police use- I was granted 222 for Fox within 5 days- a record I might add for Avon Someret- who usually take up to 12 weeks for variations

 

how this so called expert can print 22 air rifle as a suitable tool to despoatch a fox in nonsensical in my opionion

 

Les

[Lloyd90]

Maybe by right time n place he ment for dispatching one in a trap ? As I think a FAC Airgun at point blank to the skull would do a fox

[al4x]

odds are FAC would be against his conditions but a legal power one wouldn't be illegal as long as it was humane.

[Blackbart]

You could be right you know Rat ....Fox and all off the same keyboard. Should we ask him

 

Maybe David can ask him as he was part of Basc firearms team until 2004 ?

[Blackbart]

yup it'll kill it and realistically in a cage trap or snare it will be point blank. Should he have anticipated the response to writing it then yes he probably should have clarrified things but in the essence was probably making a more veiled reference to the law being an *** as to what you can and cannot use for foxes. There is also a big difference between a cub and an adult male fox yet they're all described as foxes.

The simple fact is regularly people are killed with legal limit airguns so they aren't as weak as people think. Of course the image conjured up by the article is a shot at range but my betting is point blank and its debateable whether that or a baseball bat is more humane

 

People are killed with legal limit air guns.....probably 1 in every hundred that are shot...

 

Not very good odds for a clean kill.

[Beretta28g]

Well i e-mailed Sporting Gun and ill enclose a copy of the e-mail reply.

 

 

Reference to George Wallace’s article Doing It Large, March issue about foxes.

There is a comment about using a .22 air rifle for foxes.

There is no information in what circumstances the air rifle would bee used, and nothing was stated about the power output either.

While I respect MR Wallace’s reputation I would have thought that using a air rifle for foxes was not the cleverest thing to do, or if you do and feel the need to talk about it in the national press, would a clause to discourage any young/new airgun users from shooting at foxes with one not have been a bad idea.

 

 

Please look at this topic on a internet forum and the public opinion that’s out there is not pretty.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...howtopic=113514

 

 

The reply came back.

 

Thanks for your views but please note George does say in his next sentence ‘all work perfectly well at the right time and in the right place’. He is certainly not saying that all foxes should be shot with an air rifle – maybe people on the forum should read the article/read it properly before quoting out of context.

 

 

 

 

So guys what do you reckon? Back to the reading glasses?

[al4x]

People are killed with legal limit air guns.....probably 1 in every hundred that are shot...

 

Not very good odds for a clean kill.

 

 

you don't set out to shoot yourself in the head with one at point blank range though.

[COLINSRI]

I'm surprised at this article......quite shocking how he does not clarify fac or 12lb'er. In France it is seen as inhumane to hunt anything with an air rifle..... in fact its not legal to hunt with air rifles. Opinions do vary on this....i bought a 12lb'er fx2000 and the guy said he had only used it once to take a fox from 20 yards......he reckon it fell easy enough. I would never use an air rifle to take a fox down.....i've had rabbits that are not instant kills with a .22 12lber......I agree with all on here it is inhumane and unecessary..... use the correct tool for the quary...you wanna shoot fox then get a CF

[dead eye alan]

no no no no no .22lr is the least u should use!

[Colster]

Well i e-mailed Sporting Gun and ill enclose a copy of the e-mail reply.

 

 

Reference to George Wallace’s article Doing It Large, March issue about foxes.

There is a comment about using a .22 air rifle for foxes.

There is no information in what circumstances the air rifle would bee used, and nothing was stated about the power output either.

While I respect MR Wallace’s reputation I would have thought that using a air rifle for foxes was not the cleverest thing to do, or if you do and feel the need to talk about it in the national press, would a clause to discourage any young/new airgun users from shooting at foxes with one not have been a bad idea.

 

 

Please look at this topic on a internet forum and the public opinion that’s out there is not pretty.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...howtopic=113514

 

 

The reply came back.

 

Thanks for your views but please note George does say in his next sentence ‘all work perfectly well at the right time and in the right place’. He is certainly not saying that all foxes should be shot with an air rifle – maybe people on the forum should read the article/read it properly before quoting out of context.

 

 

 

 

So guys what do you reckon? Back to the reading glasses?

 

No, I think its reasonable to assume that people could misinterpret what he means by "right time and in the right place", you could interpret that as a head shot at 30 yards on a still day or with the muzzle in it's ear while in a trap. It leaves too much to the reader's interpretation. I could have my own view as to what could be considered "right time and in the right place" but I'd have no idea if it's the same as his.

 

My personal view is they're not even suitable for humane dispatch so for me, there is no "right time and in the right place" ok that's just my view but at least everyone knows where I stand on this, I'm still not sure about George.

[Blackbart]

Well i e-mailed Sporting Gun and ill enclose a copy of the e-mail reply.

 

 

Reference to George Wallace’s article Doing It Large, March issue about foxes.

There is a comment about using a .22 air rifle for foxes.

There is no information in what circumstances the air rifle would bee used, and nothing was stated about the power output either.

While I respect MR Wallace’s reputation I would have thought that using a air rifle for foxes was not the cleverest thing to do, or if you do and feel the need to talk about it in the national press, would a clause to discourage any young/new airgun users from shooting at foxes with one not have been a bad idea.

 

 

Please look at this topic on a internet forum and the public opinion that’s out there is not pretty.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...howtopic=113514

 

 

The reply came back.

 

Thanks for your views but please note George does say in his next sentence ‘all work perfectly well at the right time and in the right place’. He is certainly not saying that all foxes should be shot with an air rifle – maybe people on the forum should read the article/read it properly before quoting out of context.

 

 

 

 

So guys what do you reckon? Back to the reading glasses?

 

 

I must be reading there reply "out of context" because it just reiterates what he said....There is a right time and place to shoot foxes with an air rifle and it works perfectly well.......

 

So what am i not reading properly

[SSS]

I still think he is a moron, Sporting gun needs to do something about this, tell us and everyone else who read the article what 'the right time and place is'.

When I started out with air rifles, if I had read this article and stumbled upon a fox at 40 yards, I would have seen that as right time, right place. My view is different now because I have learnt more about shooting, but to a young newbie air rifle shooter, what is right time, right place.

COME ON GEORGE WALLACE, EXPLAIN YOURSELF

Edited February 8, 2010 by SSS

[Heladoxa]

Well i e-mailed Sporting Gun and ill enclose a copy of the e-mail reply.

 

 

Reference to George Wallace’s article Doing It Large, March issue about foxes.

There is a comment about using a .22 air rifle for foxes.

There is no information in what circumstances the air rifle would bee used, and nothing was stated about the power output either.

While I respect MR Wallace’s reputation I would have thought that using a air rifle for foxes was not the cleverest thing to do, or if you do and feel the need to talk about it in the national press, would a clause to discourage any young/new airgun users from shooting at foxes with one not have been a bad idea.

 

 

Please look at this topic on a internet forum and the public opinion that’s out there is not pretty.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...howtopic=113514

 

 

The reply came back.

 

Thanks for your views but please note George does say in his next sentence ‘all work perfectly well at the right time and in the right place’. He is certainly not saying that all foxes should be shot with an air rifle – maybe people on the forum should read the article/read it properly before quoting out of context.

 

 

 

 

So guys what do you reckon? Back to the reading glasses?

 

 

Wotcha!

Will you let me have the e-mail address for Sporting Gun. It will be interesting to push them harder on this. I thought their reply was pretty dismissive, as if they are protecting their mate 'George'

 

What about an e-mail to the Gamekeepers do dah where he is a consultant. If he is an expert he should be squeeky clean.

Thanks

 

Bill

[Dekers]

Probably time to let it rest, I don't think any here would suggest a 12ft lb air rifle would be their first choice fox gun but .....

[George1990]

I just read that article today and was sure it would feature here.

 

Fair enough it at point blank on a trapped one, and if he had no other means of despatch (which he may well do), but not to clarify this to a an inexperienced shooter is pure negligence. There are plenty of people who read magazines and take the information as wrote - and so they should be able to.

 

Negligence I reckon. I doubt he takes 40 yard shots with a sub 12ft/lb SMK springer.

[Heladoxa]

We have all had a moan and a laugh, and most of us think George Wallace and Sporting World are wrong in printing this. No matter what the circumstances, the message has gone out loud and clear, "It's OK to shoot foxes with an air rifle'. Two things, this is just the sort of stuff that the anti-shooting people want, and second I think the RSPCA might take an active interest in this lead.

 

As a professional and an advisor Mr Wallace MUST be more aware of what he writes, not to do so is totally irresponsible.

 

Please take a few minutes to e-mail Sporting Gun and let them know what we think, otherwise this complete thread means nothing. Go on, do it now. Their e-mail address is

 

sportinggun@ipcmedia.com

 

And quote this thread page so that they can see for themselves what is the depth of feeling

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...32&t=113514

 

 

Bill