Can I shoot a squirrel in my backyard with my handgun? The yard is fenced but the property is less than an acre and I have neighbors on both sides and behind me. Would it make a difference if it was a rifle?

Check your local laws... I would also call the local police and double check with them. Lots of towns in NJ have laws against discharging firearms.

 

As far as safety is concerned... if you have a house behind what you are shooting at I say no f-in way. If the property is less than an acre, chances are you are less than a couple hundred feet away from the next closest house. Most bullets travel many times further that in under a second.

I think you are too close to your neighbors so i don't think it would be smart at all all someone needs to do is see you shoot a squirrel and call the cops and say your killings animals out of season in your back yard and they will come and take all of your guns. so i would say its a bad idea i think its considered discharging a firearm in a residential area.

There was an article posted here about an elderly gentleman getting jail time for doing just that. "Animal Cruelty."

 

Correction, it was a pellet gun.

Thanks for the replies. I would rather not risk losing my guns to the police and just not use them on my property.

get a raptor

Most cities will have discharge laws. Then you also need to have permission. IE, why you still cant whack a deer on your own property, or wack a bear in your back yard.

 

For discharge, I know in Pa, you must have at least 5 acres to shoot on own property.

Regardless of the law ..... which is most likely No-Discharge

 

I would not use a firearm on such a small property...... way to many things to go wrong.

 

..... I wont even get into why you need to shoot a squirrel

Whethere it is wise to do so is one question.

Whether it is legal is quite another.

 

23:4-9. Trapping or shooting squirrels and rabbits by farmers and fruit growers

Nothing contained in this Title or in any provision of the State Fish and Game Code shall be construed as to prevent farmers or fruit growers from shooting, or trapping by means of box traps, gray squirrels, rabbits or hares during the entire year on the property owned or leased by him for the raising of fruit, vegetables, trees, shrubbery, nursery stock, or other produce. The person so trapping or shooting shall first make an affidavit before any official authorized to administer oaths, that gray squirrels or rabbits have injured fruit, vegetables, trees, shrubbery, nursery stock or other produce on his premises and shall immediately send the same to the division, which may, upon receipt of such affidavit, issue to such person or his authorized representative a permit to so trap or shoot.

 

The person so trapping shall keep the gray squirrels or rabbits alive and notify the fish and game warden of the county, who shall liberate them in such parts of the State as may be directed by the division, and the person so shooting shall report the number of gray squirrels or rabbits killed to the game warden of the county in which such gray squirrels or rabbits were killed, within forty-eight hours after such killing.

 

No person shall barter or sell any gray squirrels or rabbits so trapped or shot.

 

From Division of Fish and Wildlife Website:

Fishing, hunting and trapping regulations are found within the Game Code and Fish Code and summarized in the corresponding issues of the Fish and Wildlife DIGEST. These regulations are based on Permanent Statute Title 23 and are revised periodically though amendments to the codes.

 

 

23:4-16. a. No person, either in or on a motor vehicle or vehicle of any kind whatsoever, or by the aid or use of a light carried on or attached to a motor vehicle or vehicle of any kind, shall hunt for, pursue, shoot, shoot at, kill, capture, injure or destroy wildlife.

 

b. No person shall use any portable light or lights for the purpose of hunting for any wildlife excepting raccoon and opossum, or other species as provided by the State Game Code.

 

c. No person shall, for the purpose of hunting, taking or killing any wildlife, cast an arrow or discharge any firearm from or across any State, county, municipal, or publicly travelled road or highway.

 

d. No person, except the owner or lessee of the building and persons specifically authorized by him in writing, which writing shall be in the person's possession, shall, for the purpose of hunting, taking or killing any wildlife, have in his possession a loaded firearm or nocked arrow while within 450 feet of any occupied building in this State, or of any school playground. For the purposes of this section, "occupied building" means any building constructed or adapted for overnight accommodation of a person, or for operating a business or engaging in an activity therein, whether or not a person is actually present.

 

e. A person who violates subsection a., b., or c. of this section shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $100.00 nor more than $200.00 for the first offense, and not less than $200.00 nor more than $500.00 for each subsequent offense. A person who violates subsection d. of this section shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $100.00 nor more than $300.00 for the first offense, and not less than $300.00 nor more than $1,500.00 and permanent revocation of all license certificates required, and all privileges, to take or possess wildlife for each subsequent offense.

 

Do you have a garden or an apple tree? See if you can get a permit. You will be exempted from the 450' rule.

 

How about 'dem apples!

Trap it and take it for a ride. I trapped 27 in 1 yr. a couple years ago.

why do you need to shoot squirrel?

 

The reason I ask is because I had squirrel problem myself in our backyard as well and it was chewing on my kids' wooden play structure. I knew I couldn't shoot it even w/ a bb gun. I wanted to use a slingshot b/c I heard that's a big no-no. I tried anti-squirrel sprays but those don't work either.

 

I did research online and found that you can make a solution of various peppers (cayenne, crushed red, etc) and paint it on the wood that the squirrels are chewing. I'm lazy so I just got a bottle of tabasco and added more crushed red chilli flakes (the kind you use for pizzza) and all the powdered peppers I can find in the kitchen cabinet. I painted the mix on the play structure about two weeks ago and so far I haven't the squirrels near the wood. If they do try it, I won't be bring out my peptobismol

 

They also say that the scent of mothballs drive squirrels crazy but kids might end up playing with them if they see them in their play area.

 

my 0.02 cents.

I don't need to shoot a squirrel, I was just curious what the laws were if I wanted to. It's now clear to me that there are laws regarding discharging a firearm that I need to be aware of. Just wanted know what it was.

It's now clear to me that there are laws regarding discharging a firearm that I need to be aware of.

 

Ya think?

Hav-a-Heart + water barrel(Pool, pond, stream, etc)

 

Shooting is out.

mikeyboyeee - that's what I love about this forum.

 

Rather than spending so much time searching and trying to find what the law says, you come to a great site like this, ask the question, and you have instant answers plus a ton of other information you would have never found. I never intended to shoot in my backyard, I just wanted to know what the law was in NJ.

I don't need to shoot a squirrel, I was just curious what the laws were if I wanted to. It's now clear to me that there are laws regarding discharging a firearm that I need to be aware of. Just wanted know what it was.

 

very tempting though

 

the kids find them cute but when they start damaging property that's a whole new ballgame.

You dont want to mess with this squirrel...

 

I like super squirrel

A couple of paintballs to the noggin....or scrotum WILL let our little brush-taield brethern know they aren't welcome though.....AND it's legal

A couple of paintballs to the noggin....or scrotum WILL let our little brush-taield brethern know they aren't welcome though.....AND it's legal

you sure thats not animal cruelty lol cause i think it might fall in there somewhere lol

A couple of paintballs to the noggin....or scrotum WILL let our little brush-taield brethern know they aren't welcome though.....AND it's legal

you sure thats not animal cruelty lol cause i think it might fall in there somewhere lol

 

 

Nope, just a little Wildlife Behavior correction..You arent harming them, jut a little stiing. Now if i had said Airsoft..... :roll:

A couple of paintballs to the noggin....or scrotum WILL let our little brush-taield brethern know they aren't welcome though.....AND it's legal

you sure thats not animal cruelty lol cause i think it might fall in there somewhere lol

 

 

Nope, just a little Wildlife Behavior correction..You arent harming them, jut a little stiing. Now if i had said Airsoft..... :roll:

 

lol not airsoft i think PETA would not be happy with you :naughty: :snooty:

A couple of paintballs to the noggin....or scrotum WILL let our little brush-taield brethern know they aren't welcome though.....AND it's legal

you sure thats not animal cruelty lol cause i think it might fall in there somewhere lol

 

 

Nope, just a little Wildlife Behavior correction..You arent harming them, jut a little stiing. Now if i had said Airsoft..... :roll:

 

lol not airsoft i think PETA would not be happy with you :naughty: :snooty:

 

 

That all depends... I';m a Member of "People Eating Tasty Animals" :mrgreen: ..so MY group would be Ok with it. My little girl always bugs me to go hunting and bring hoem a squirrel for her to eat.....She chases them around the tree in front yelling Meeeaaaatttt meeeaaatt....LOL

lol thats awesome

I would love to thin the tree rat herd by me..yeterday when leaving the house

I pull out on the road, go up a hill, approaching the crest, I loose pwr steering

and pwr brakes, theres a wirling sound, cant stop, :pray: , had to use parking brk..

open the hood to find the serpentine belt popped off.....why?.....

a tree rat was in there, guessing it jumped into the pulleys, got his head smashed between the pully/belt.. ...it was'nt pretty.....

I consider hitting a squirrel with a paintball excessive and borderline cruel. That paintball can give the little guy internal bleeding! I would have no qualms against shooting a squirrel with a high density plastic bb fired from a spring-powered airsoft gun, though. Would prevent it from coming back, wouldn't injure it and it's probably kinda fun :twisted:

I consider hitting a squirrel with a paintball excessive and borderline cruel.

 

What's a matter - don't have a freezer? You want to see taken out quickly, just use a frozen paintball.

trap them then relocate the 10 miles a way or kill them and dont tell any one neither is legal

These days I think my neighbors would pay me to do it.