Pellet Gun Hunting

When it comes to finding the best pellet gun for hunting it seems that most people start with the bottom line.  They want to initially look for the cost in a certain range and then maximize the firepower they receive for that price.  This is not the optimal approach to determine which weapon we should purchase and really the way we should go about it kind of puts that thinking on its ear.  This post will try to boil down the salient points that people need to consider and define a process to come to the final selection for purchase.

What Quarry Are You Targeting With Your Pellet Gun

This is really where it needs to start.  Regardless of what pellet gun you decide to choose you aren’t going to be able to bag large animals like deer, geese, or bear.  That said, the size you can target can vary pretty dramatically.  Are you looking to mainly be after birds and maybe the random chipmunk or small animal?  Or are you likely to be targeting bigger species such as a rabbits or raccoons.  Heck, maybe it is even in the middle of that and you are buying this gun to target squirrels.  Of course there will be the person who says “all of the above” with a smile.  When it comes to this, define the largest animal you think you will ever pursue and start from there.  Now, we need to determine what size pellet to use and how fast it should travel based on this animal.  Use the below table as a guide to determine what is the minimum and suggested pellet size and muzzle velocity for your future pellet gun.

Which type pellet gun should we buy?

When I say what type, I mean the multi pump pellet gun or the break barrel kind that only requires one fast pump.  In general the multi pump models don’t last as long due to needing to build up pressure and therefore losing this pressure as time goes by.  In addition, they can be a pain to continually pump over and over again.  That said, it is a staple type model for most new pellet gun hunters.  I used one myself for years, so can’t knock them too greatly.  In terms of type of pumps, the two main players in this space are the Daisy and the Crossman.  Before I make my next statement, please realize I grew up with a Daisy and likely am a bit biased, but also own a Crossman air gun as well.  I think that the design of the Crossman is inferior and harder to pump.  Kids have a hard time using these over a long duration and I think they are generally a pain in the rear.  The Daisy models allow for a longer lever which is easier to pump and faster to get to the required 10 pumps.  In fact I would suggest the Daisy Powerline 880 as a great baseline model for the initial model if you are going with a 0.177 caliber pellet gun.  These pump type models max out around 800 feet per second muzzle velocity and therefore are only good for a certain type of pellet gun hunting and definitely have a shorter maximum range.  If you are serious about hunting with a pellet gun I would suggest going with one of the break barrel single shot models.  These are faster to get to max velocity and also afford much higher muzzle velocities.  Some will even go faster than a rimfire 0.22 caliber rifle.  Of course, they don’t offer the range of a 0.22 rifle, but that doesn’t mean that they are less effective at ranges less than 60 yards.

Which Brand Pellet Gun Should I Buy?

This is the age old question and one that seems to be never ending debate.  The longest players in the field are the Daisy and Crossman.  If you are going with a baseline model I would suggest one of these two, but again would steer you towards a Daisy as I think they are more user friendly.  There are several other brands of air rifles that should be considered when looking to purchase a pellet gun for hunting purposes.  The most prominent in these are the Gamo pellet guns and the Beeman pellet guns.  In addition there are also models by Benjamin, Sheridan, Walther, and Baikal that people are known to purchase.  I’m sure there are some other brands that I didn’t even cover to this point.  But none of that answers the question of which to buy, does it?  As stated earlier, if you are looking at a basic, pump action pellet gun I would steer you towards a 0.177 caliber Daisy pellet gun.  For those that are serious about buying a gun for hunting with I would suggest you go with a 0.22 caliber gun.  A great choice in this arena is the Benjamin 392 pellet gun.

So there you have it a way to determine what the best pellet gun for hunting is and what you should purchase for your own sport.  Remember that this can be different based on what you are attempting to pursue and also the range you plan on hunting the critters at.  One last note of caution, make sure to check your state regulations to ensure what you are using is a legal method for hunting.  Some states ban 0.22 caliber pellet guns for hunting or hunting altogether.  Hope you can use this guide to find the perfect pellet gun for hunting in your life.

When it comes to pellet gun hunting one needs to realize that there is a limit to the size of prey that one can pursue.  If you think you are going to waylay a deer or a goose, you have another thing coming.  However, if you are able to get a rabbit within a reasonable distance and have steady aim you are well within a pellet gun's ability.  This isn't to say that you can indiscriminately shoot for every rabbit within a country block of you, but given a knowledge of how rabbits work and coupling that with a knowledge of where to shoot the critters, you can easily target them while out and about with your air propelled gun.  So let's look at what is important to remember when pellet gun hunting for rabbits.

Where to find rabbits when pellet gun hunting

When it comes to any hunting that you are embarking on it is imperative to find locations that will concentrate the animals.  To that end, it always comes down to the same things: cover, food and water.  Much like humans, all animals need to eat, drink and sleep in peace (I've often thought that if humans were hunted in the 21st century it wouldn't be very sporting as we always congregate (malls, schools, work places) and our routines are like clockwork!).  If you find at least one of these you are likely to find rabbits.  Find two or three and you have a bonified hotspot.  If you can narrow down the list of possibilities you are well on your way.  Let's try to start highlighting things to look out for.

What do rabbits eat?

This is first and foremost in nearly every animals mind.  Where is my next meal coming from.  If you live in the suburbs like I do, this can be fairly easy to answer.  I swear they could live solely off my daughter's pea plants and my wife's Asianic Lillies.  Trust me, they will forgo carrots with reckless abandon for these two items.  Oh, and my neighbors cabbages!  And man do they have an appetite, if you have a small family of rabbits you are likely to not have much of  a garden in a couple days.  But enough about the suburbs, it is highly unlikely that it is legal to shoot them in these places (although it seems many are willing to poach them in their backyards).  We need to consider what rabbits eat in the

Remember to aim for the lethal areas of the rabbit when hunting with a pellet gun. The brain and the lungs / heart are the areas you should be targeting

wild.  Clover is a top pick for just about all rabbits.  Find a walking path that is loaded with clover and you will likely find rabbits in close proximity.  In addition, bunnies are quite fond of many grasses and especially like to eat wild flowers.  If you can find an out of the way meadow with these things you are in business.

Where do rabbits live?

So you have found a spot chock full of grass, wild flowers and clover.  Now you need to find a close place where a rabbit can hide from its predators.  And trust me, there are many.  Between foxes, coyotes, owls, hawks and the like you have quite a long list for those attempting to make the rabbit dinner.  And then of course, there is you.  Rabbits are notoriously nervous, and it is said that they often die of heart attacks due to being literally scared to death.  You can rest assured that any rabbit worth its salt has an escape area that he calls home and feels safe in.  These are often the thickest, nastiest bramble patches known to man.  If not that, then a large deadfall of trees or ones stacked together by a farmer work well for a rabbit hide out.  Basically they require overhead cover to keep away from their flying enemies as well as something that won't let bigger predators pursue them into their homes.  This very reason is why you often have rabbits under your deck in the suburbs, it is a perfect hiding place for rabbits and away from everything that eats them!  Bottom line, find a thick area that has overhead cover and you are set.

Where to shoot a rabbit with a pellet gun

When it comes to the actual time to kill the rabbit, it is important to keep in mind that these critters usually die eventually if you shoot them in the side, but that isn't a very humane way to dispatch of them.  It is much better to aim for their head preferably, or if you prefer you can also aim for the area that has the lungs and heart.  Avoid taking shots at the middle of their bodies when they are standing perpendicular to you.  As I said, it likely will kill them, but you won't likely find them and it is not the human way to go about pellet gun hunting for rabbits.

What size pellet gun should I use for rabbits?

Here is where the rubber hits the road.  When it comes to size, rabbits are normally on the large size of things that people target with air propelled guns.  For this reason, it is advisable to find a large caliber pellet gun with a fair amount of muzzle velocity.  The smallest I would suggest as being usable for hunting rabbits would be a 0.177 caliber pellet gun with at least 750 feet per second.  There will be many that argue that this is too small a pellet going at too slow of a velocity, but I have personally shot many rabbits with this exact setup.  The key of course being range.  I wouldn't shoot past 15-20 yards with this setup.  It won't do the work.  For those that need the added range I would suggest going with a larger pellet such as the 0.22 caliber pellet gun with a faster muzzle velocity.  A 1000 feet per second pellet gun will work at ranges out to 40 yards in the right hands.  It might even work further than that if you are able to pair it would a good pellet gun scope and aim for the head of the rabbit.

So there you have it, a fairly exhaustive guide to pellet gun hunting for rabbits.  If you are willing to spend a little time scouting out a good area for rabbits and are patient enough to let them come out of the woodwork to present a good shot, you can be very successful hunting these critters with your pellet gun.  A word of caution, there paranoid nature also takes your presence into account, so don't plan on them being easy targets!