Canada Geese

[Lid 194]

it aint about being sporting its about pest control, but how is letting tonnes of shot fly at a bird in flight more sporting than a clinical head shot exactly?

 

Fair point about pest control - I'd forgotten they are now a pest species. However if you need to shoot them for pest control (because other means of deterrent have failed of course ), then a sub 12 air rifle is probably not the most efficient way to do it, but as other have said, I can't see anything wrong with a head shot within range.

 

As to tonnes of shot, I would expect a competent shotgun user to place a pattern of no. 5 shot in the front third of the bird, including the head, as this is considered the best way to fell large fowl in flight, instead of the older method of using heavy load, large shot to the body.

[barrywhite 282]

it aint about being sporting its about pest control, but how is letting tonnes of shot fly at a bird in flight more sporting than a clinical head shot exactly?

I am guessing a bit here but I would guess an average air gun pellet would have more or less the same power as an average shot gun pellet .So an accurately placed air gun pellet at a close range may be better than a pellet from a shot gun placed at random somewhere in a bird .

[charlie caller 3,654]

Yes Barry, but you are forgetting the other 5/6/7/8/9/10 etc pellets hitting the bird at the same time also

[moxy 617]

Yes Barry, but you are forgetting the other 5/6/7/8/9/10 etc pellets hitting the bird at the same time also

Provided you get the 5/6/7/8/9/10 etc shot to hit the mark and don't just wing it with the 2.

 

Not knocking anyone's ability but just saying.

[Buster321c 1,010]

 

Depends on who's shooting I spose, I'm guessing a paid pest controller is a good shot but a chav with stoners eyes and a bent smkb2 would wound a lot in the same way a die hard sporting shooter and pissed up Lord of the manor. I'd say air rifle purely on accuracy. Be an interesting test say damage at 35 yd with a goose head target for the rifle and a whole moving goose for the shotgun. Surely there's someone on here that can do it on film.

If anyone would like to set that up, I will rise to the challenge, shotgun every time and I do love my air rifles.

 

 

Well said mucka

[charlie caller 3,654]

 

Yes Barry, but you are forgetting the other 5/6/7/8/9/10 etc pellets hitting the bird at the same time also

Provided you get the 5/6/7/8/9/10 etc shot to hit the mark and don't just wing it with the 2.

 

Not knocking anyone's ability but just saying.

 

Point taken, but lets take a slightly different perspective, in a survival situation, where your life depended on your choice, would you choose an air rifle, or a shotgun? I know what my choice would be, the one with the big bang

[tomburras 2,729]

I think the lead ban only applies to shot??? Sub 12 would feel wrong looking down the scope at one! Fac air head shots only but they have small heads and bob about a bit, although I imagine their skulls are weak. Shotgun is my choice on them.

[moxy 617]

Legalities aside. A sub 12 air rifle would not be my choice. I don't doubt it's capabilities with a well placed shot. I would feel happier shooting something with a little more oomff.

 

As to a survival situation.....?? I would have bear grylls with an electronic training collar fitted. With a bit of training he would be a useful tool. He could catch it. Pluck it and cook it!!

" go on bear.....fetch!! "

[mark williams 7,550]

 

I shoot shotguns as well as air rifles and find air gunning far, far more enjoyable and requiring far more skill and fieldcraft.

Kept to true air rifle ranges i would think any calibre more than capable with a clinical head shot only.

 

atb

Mark, I would agree with most of your post, apart from the far more "skill, and field craft" if you think that being out on a saltmarsh waiting for Teal to drop into decoys on a splash 30 yards in front of you does not require field craft, or hitting a Pheasant doing 40mph, curling at 40 yards does not require skill, then I dont think you have done the same kind of shotgun shooting as me

 

Hi Charlie, no mate i have not shot over a salt marsh yet but i have shot - shot guns for for nigh on 40 years in all other situations (i think, age) anyway skill with shotguns yes i have represented, and won competitions.In the field, yes i have had many large bags and at the moment i am training a German short haired pointer for my shot gun outings. Now i wouldn`t stand a cat in hells chance of shooting a 40 mph, 40 yd pheasant through the head with a sub 12 air rifle, but if that pheasant was stationary - absolutely yes. If that goose was stationary - absolutely yes and i would go as far as to say - if its mates were with it i would probably get another goose before they new what had hit them. A shotgun will give you two shots and that field or salt marsh will be dead for hours !

 

atb

 

 

 

 

atb.

Edited February 20, 2015 by mark williams

[walshie 2,804]

Legalities aside. A sub 12 air rifle would not be my choice. I don't doubt it's capabilities with a well placed shot. I would feel happier shooting something with a little more oomff.

 

As to a survival situation.....?? I would have bear grylls with an electronic training collar fitted. With a bit of training he would be a useful tool. He could catch it. Pluck it and cook it!!

" go on bear.....fetch!! "

 

You'd be better of with Ray Mears and a collar as he could whittle you a nice wooden bowl while you're waiting for the food to cook.

 

As for shooting geese with an airgun, legal, yes, but the wrong tool for the job IMO.

[bunny tickler 876]

& you would learn more off ray mears in a day than a lifetime with old bear in fact that could be a good thread lol

[stealthy1 3,964]

In the air it's a shotgun for me all the way, sat on the ground, I'd have no problem putting a goose on it's arse with good powered sub 12 if it's being a pest, done it in the past and would do it again. And from a pest control point of view, a couple of Canada's on a small pond causing grief to the owner in a built up area, what better tool, and quiet.

[Nobby8126 96]

 

Legalities aside. A sub 12 air rifle would not be my choice. I don't doubt it's capabilities with a well placed shot. I would feel happier shooting something with a little more oomff.

 

As to a survival situation.....?? I would have bear grylls with an electronic training collar fitted. With a bit of training he would be a useful tool. He could catch it. Pluck it and cook it!!

" go on bear.....fetch!! "

 

You'd be better of with Ray Mears and a collar as he could whittle you a nice wooden bowl while you're waiting for the food to cook.

 

As for shooting geese with an airgun, legal, yes, but the wrong tool for the job IMO.

 

Ed Stafford leaves them both in his wake. Mears is too fat, and Grylls has too much of his merchandise. Stafford is the Macgyver of the survival world.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Well the last time I shot Canada geese with a rifle was a .22 hornet, doing 3100fps with a 35 grain v-max bullet, now that is a proper tool for the job I accept a 12ftlbs air rifle would kill them with a head shot, but as others have said, not the best tool for the job.

[Blackbriar 8,569]

Bit of a tangent, but has anyone ever eaten a Canada ? If so, are they any good ?