Moles, gophers and groundhogs invading your backyard can be an absolute nightmare.
You probably have a big game hunting rifle, huh? But what about those critters and varmints on your property? Having a good gun can be a huge help in handling these pests.
Picking the right guns for the right jobs can be difficult sometimes, though, so we decided to help narrow it down for you.
Even though a handgun with the right ammo can certainly take care of these kinds of common critters, we only covered long guns in this collection of suggestions.
The following five guns are perfect for backyard critter control.
1. Ruger Silent-SR ISB 10/22 Rifle
This is the dream rifle for all backyard vermin shooters. This ultra-quiet takedown Ruger 10/22 sports the Silent-SR suppressed barrel assembly. So, after you go through the necessary federal paperwork, this quiet, quick-shooting gem can be yours.
2. Henry Arms Classic Lever-Action .22 Rifle
Is the federal paperwork for a suppressor a pain in the pocket for you? Well, pick up a Henry Classic Lever-Action .22 Rifle. It'll fire any .22 Long, .22 Long Rifle or .22 Short cartridge, meaning you can keep it a little quieter if you need to. The quiet .22 Short ammunition will offer the most practical method for eliminating backyard vermin. Or, you can also step up to a hotter, high-velocity .22 Long Rifle hollow-point for larger animals like raccoons and coyotes.
3. Stoeger Arms X20S Suppressor Air Rifle
Firearm use is frowned up on some towns. In those places, suppressed air rifle is the key to quiet pest removal. This .17-caliber air rifle will allow you to be the backyard sniper of gophers and other destructive critters. Best of all, you can order this handy air gun right through the mail from online retailers like Amazon.com. Remember, this isn't your pellet gun from back when you were a kid. This will make for an adequate animal control tool. Leave the BB gun in the house and use a real air rifle for smaller animals.
4. Henry Arms .410 Lever-Action Shotgun
When less is more, the .410 shotshell is perfect. For backyards where you can get away with a little noise, the Henry lever-action .410 shotgun offers quick shots for critter control. Buckshot and slug loads are available for hunting larger animals.
5. Winchester Model 70 Coyote Light
For when you need something a little bit bigger, the Winchester Model 70 is a trusted platform, and the Coyote Light version is exceptionally great for taking care of coyote-sized game, including wild pigs and bobcats.
Before taking care of any backyard pest control with guns, check with local and federal game laws. Some may be considered game animals. There might be small-game hunting seasons in your area for the pests you are after or specific firearm discharge laws you don't want to break. Check the regulations and stay legal.
Do you like articles about the outdoors? Click here to view more articles by Eric Nestor. You can follow him @ericthewoodsman on Twitter, The Classic Woodsman on Facebook, and @theclassicwoodsman on Instagram. You can view more Nestor Photography photos at Nestor Photography.
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