Predator Xtreme - Feb 2012
Airgun advantage Jim Chapman 26 www PredatorXtreme com FEBRUARY 2012 Pro Staff Jim chapman Jim Chapman has been hunting with traditional firearms for more than 30 years Over the last 20 years most of his hunting has focused on the use of airguns He has taken all manner of small game varmints predators and more recently big game with both production guns and custom big bores Airguns for the Urban Hu nter There are a number of airgun configurations for the urban hunter Choose the right one for the pests near you While airgun hunting for small and large game sp ecies is a rapidly growing sp ort it is safe to say that the majority of airguns sold for hunting purposes continue to focus on pest control Several states either allow airguns for small game or are in the process of reviewing their regulations to assess if change is needed but most currently permit their use for controlling pest species and predators Oftentimes pest and predator species occur in areas where a firearm doesnt make sense because of safety related issues or the need to be quiet and unobtrusive Local sports fields overrun with ground squirrels rabbits or ground hogs come to mind As do suburban areas where raccoons or coyotes are creating a nuisance and industrial areas where pigeons are covering the factory floor in sitting around the dinner table will generally exhibit concern if the sound of gun shots start ringing through their house If you get the call to help thin out the rabbit population at a local golf course it is generally stipulated that you cant cause a disturbance to golfers or residents in the vicinity The bottom line is that the urban suburban hunter usually needs to fly under the radar thus requiring a gun that will allow a stealthy deployment In my opinion there are some general must have features in an urban hunting gun followed by a list of either useful options or requirements for specific situations These requirements were discussed in a column a couple of years back but Id like to briefly revisit the subject before moving on to look at whats new in urban hunting guns today In a nutshell I think the must droppings are all setting in which an Urban Hunter is needed The best guns for this application are examples of form following function so a good place to start is with a look at the requirements An urban hunting gun will as the name implies be used to hunt in urban and suburban settings where there will usually be buildings equipment and people in close proximity Often it will be necessary to access the hunting grounds from a public area where it is advisable not to be seen walking around with a gun Even though you will get permission to hunt these spots from property owners or their agents beforehand a call to local law enforcement by a concerned office worker that has watched you amble across a parking lot to an abandoned warehouse with a rifle slung over your shoulder can ruin your day Likewise people
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