gaseousclay
New member
I think it's common knowledge that shooting small game requires the use of a small game cartridge, something along the lines of a .22 caliber. I guess I was curious what some of you used to shoot pests like raccoons or possums and what would be considered appropriate? My father in-law is a farmer and as such he routinely has to set up traps because the raccoons eat the corn. He's used poison but he also uses his shotgun to take care of them. Would using a .22 winchester magnum be ideal for dispatching raccoons? A traditional .22LR doesn't seem like enough firepower for the slightly bigger critters out there, so I was curious what your thoughts were. The shotgun seems to work fine but was just wondering if there was an alternative.
My next question is with regard to hunting and eating small game. I know a lot of you go out and hunt small critters like rabbits and squirrels. How do you know if they're safe to eat? It's probably a lot safer to eat small game from outside the city than from inside the city. My neighborhood has a ton of rabbits - they're a nuisance and do nothing but destroy our garden and over-populate. I saw one rabbit in our yard that looked like it had some weird growth coming out of its ear. My first thought was to grab my .22LR and put it out of its misery, BUT, since it's illegal for me to shoot my gun within city limits this puts me at a disadvantage. I was more concerned about potential diseases that these animals may be carrying and whether or not they could make you violently ill. I probably wouldn't think twice about shooting and eating a rabbit from the country but it still gives me pause. Is there some rule of thumb that you guys abide by so as not to consume a rabid critter?
My next question is with regard to hunting and eating small game. I know a lot of you go out and hunt small critters like rabbits and squirrels. How do you know if they're safe to eat? It's probably a lot safer to eat small game from outside the city than from inside the city. My neighborhood has a ton of rabbits - they're a nuisance and do nothing but destroy our garden and over-populate. I saw one rabbit in our yard that looked like it had some weird growth coming out of its ear. My first thought was to grab my .22LR and put it out of its misery, BUT, since it's illegal for me to shoot my gun within city limits this puts me at a disadvantage. I was more concerned about potential diseases that these animals may be carrying and whether or not they could make you violently ill. I probably wouldn't think twice about shooting and eating a rabbit from the country but it still gives me pause. Is there some rule of thumb that you guys abide by so as not to consume a rabid critter?