Careful in Chester!

[Rualert]

Ok...thanks for the information.....I will start to look into those and what price range I can accommodate.

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More than happy to assist anyone looking at air guns, and can provide links to a number of respectable site for additional good information. When ammo went through the roof, I got deeply involved in air guns, beyond what I already was. Many may be surprised at the cost of quality adult air guns, but once you own one, you quickly find they are worth the money spent for a good high quality air gun. I'm a 4-H coach for the Chesterfield youth shooting education program, and my daughter is moving up quite nicely, next year she want to move into the precision class, those rifles start in the $800+ range, but will stack shots on top of each other. Seems costly, but the next rifle up in that class is over $1200 dollars, so I'll fund it through the club so I don't have to take the hit all at once. A good quality rifle "package" in PCP (Pre-charged Pneumatic) will most likely start at in the $400.00 range, but will come with the needed support equipment. Using a hand pump to fill one of these, if lower end fill pressure is 2000 PSI is not too bad, when stepping up to the 300 PSI guns depending on the size of the air tube, (some have bottles) can be a work out. Many of us move up to using Scuba tanks, and SCBA (4500 PSI) tanks to fill our guns, but this adds additional cost. So many start with a pump, then upgrade to tanks later. Just depends on your available budget, and like Bladerunnerfury noted Pyramid air is a very reputable company to deal with.

Casey

[JamesRK]

I'm no expert on the subject by any means. I know very little about yotes and even less about air rifles, but I think if I was going after a yote with an air rifle I'd have some sort of backup, at least a .357.

If it comes down to a choice between a ticket for shooting a gun on the wrong side of the City Limit and getting chewed up by a yote, I think I'll take the ticket.

As I said, I could write everything I know about both on the back of a postage stamp, so take my opinion for what it's worth.

[SHMIV]

Problem is James, you may face more than a fine, these days. Given a choice between possibly losing my firearm ownership rights and possible jailtime, OR get into a fight with a coyote. ...

I'll take the fight with a mangy canine.

I'm trying to convince GF that airguns a worth owning. She views them as toys; not real guns. I keep telling her that not all airguns are comparable to the Daisy Red Ryder. .. but, she won't hear it.

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[JamesRK]

SHMIV, I didn't mean to imply that I think air rifles are toys. When I lived in Spain back in the 1960s General Francisco Franco didn't want me to have any firearms, but you could buy an air rifle over the counter like a loaf of bread.

My wife hates lizards and has a downright phobia about snakes. Southern Spain is up to its butt in lizards and snakes. I bought her an air rifle. She killed hundreds if not more snakes and lizards with that air rifle, and it was just a little .17 single pump barrel break.

I have a good healthy respect for air rifles, but I don't want to intentionally put my body at risk with nothing but an air rifle and no backup. My main fear of a tussle with a coyote is rabies. My skin and muscle tissue can heal. This plus I don't like to cause any unnecessary suffering on any creature, not even a rat or roach.

[SHMIV]

Oh, sorry... I put 2 thoughts in one box. My point to you, James, was that the punishment for shooting a coyote may be more severe than a simple ticket and fine. They way things are going, one may end up losing gun rights and doing jail time for shooting a creature ( rabid or not) in self-defense.

It's my girlfriend that doesn't take airguns seriously. That was the 2nd thought, lol.

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[MarcSpaz]

No charges if that don't find the body... just sayin' LOL

[Snakester]

No charges if that don't find the body... just sayin' LOL

I think it is smart to always have a hole dug somewhere....You never know when you are going to need it !!!

[dusterdude]

I find it strange that we cant defend ourselves from a coyote

[MarcSpaz]

No charges if that don't find the body... just sayin' LOL

I think it is smart to always have a hole dug somewhere....You never know when you are going to need it !!!

Exactly!

I find it strange that we cant defend ourselves from a coyote

I am not a lawyer... but IMO the way the statutes (collectively) are written at the State level, which supersedes local or county ordinance, allows defense of life as a justification for violation of certain laws, such as homicide, discharging a firearm in a restricted area, etc. None of the code of VA suggests that lethal force or discharge of a firearm is only justifiable if the attacker is a human.

That said, I believe that if you have reasonable fear of loss of life or gross bodily injury, such as from an animal attack, you have the right to defend yourself and others, and that right is recognized by the state.

Now... you could run into a situation where you are accused of animal cruelty or various other charges related to hunting laws and firearms laws if there is the appearance that there was no threat, and self defense seems to be a smoke & mirrors excuse to illegally kill or hunt an animal.

So, if you are about to get bit by a foamy mouthed coyote or are being charged by a black bear while you are in your driveway and you pop a few rounds from your defense weapon into that critter, I'm pretty sure a half-way decent lawyer will get you out of any trouble. That's assuming the police and AG decide to make an issue of it.

On the flip-side, if you just happen to be walking through a national forest, I doubt that any lawyer will get you out of "I have to use my 16" barreled .308 AR pistol to defend myself against that charging 8 point buck!"

[mamabearCali]

I would imagine that a foamy mouthed yote I could legally defend myself and my kids from by a 9mm or a .45.

However, what if the darned thing has my cat pinned under the car, What if it has jumped the fence and is chasing my dog around in the yard? What if it is not foamy mouthed but just looking for kitten fricasse?

Yeah I dunno. But I am trying to consider my options.

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[MarcSpaz]

When my dog was fighting that yote I was not going to shoot it, only because I couldn't do it without risking hitting my dog too. When the broke up, the yote took off, so I left it at that.

I would have rolled the dice if I had a clean shot though. Wish I could tell you something better.

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[JamesRK]

I would imagine that a foamy mouthed yote I could legally defend myself and my kids from by a 9mm or a .45.

However, what if the darned thing has my cat pinned under the car, What if it has jumped the fence and is chasing my dog around in the yard? What if it is not foamy mouthed but just looking for kitten fricasse?

Yeah I dunno. But I am trying to consider my options.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

I'll shoot the son-of-a-bitch and let the lawyers sort it out later.

[Snakester]

James , I like the way you think !!!

[M1A4ME]

If the end result is the coyote is dead in the ground the only story told is yours. If you tell it.

If the end result is the coyote is dead on the ground and the police show up. The only story told is still yours. They weren't there to have an opinion on whether or not the coyote was a threat - to you. You were trying to save the cat and there was no doubt in your mind the coyote was shifting its aggressive intentions on to you, so you took the only available option to defend yourself at that point.

Not your fault the coyote brought teeth to a gun fight.

[Reverenddel]

Finding out from my parents, that the ex-Trooper living down the street whose property backs onto the farmer's field has shot 7 COYOTES in the past 2 years...

That was in HANOVER right off Rt 301 by Atlee High School.

Now keep in mind that makes more sense to me, because those back woods are about 100+ acres of swampland, and such... But still.. that's a PACK...

As to defense? Old cliche "Better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6."

[SHMIV]

My concern would be with a whiny liberal neighbor with children. If it's just you and the police, it will likely be a nonissue.

However, if that dingbat that just moved in across the street from Maryland complains that you were firing recklessly and endangering her kids, then you may have an expensive problem on your hands. And, while I will definitely take my chances with 12 (which is getting to be a crapshoot, these days) over being carried by six, I may be inclined to accept a doctor's fee over that of an attorney.

Or, I could get a powerful airgun. That's bound to be cheaper, assuming it will work.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[TallEd]

I just moved to Powhatan 2 weeks ago and was told there are coyotes and bears on my land but I haven't seen anything yet. Haven't even seen a squirrel so it made me wonder.

A starving kitten did show up on our porch, and hasn't left since we fed it. I am pretty sure it isn't the 3 pound kitten that is keeping the yard and 8+ acres of fields free of critters. We have another 50ish acres of woods I haven't gotten to explore yet.

I am not worried about having to shoot anything if I need to. I only have 3 neighbors close enough to hear an unsuppressed shot and I am pretty sure shooting is expected behavior in Powhatan.

I also have a couple crossbows that are better than a rifle at 50 yards. That might be worth considering for any threat within your yard in a neighborhood where shooting is frowned upon. Fines and charges for shooting a bow recklessly seem to be pretty lax in most counties and even cities.

As far as air rifles go, I have been trying to get on the waiting list here for 2 years. http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/index.htm I keep forgetting to check the status updates on the right day/time though... when a spot opens up, it doesn't last long.

[mamabearCali]

If I had acreage it would be no problem and I would not even worry. I would go with the firearm and a hole approach. However I am stuck for the moment on 1/3 acre lot.

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[dorminWS]

Shoot it and swear it died of lead poisoning.

[newdovo]

No charges if that don't find the body... just sayin' LOL

Shoot... shovel... shut up...