MA law and shooting gray squirrels with pellet gun

It is a sad day. My Ted Williams model 799 BB/.177 Pellet rifle is about to buy the farm. Went to use it today, put some oil on it and parts of the plunger (I would assume) crumbled out onto the table. It still pumps up, but doesn't seem as strong as before. Did a search for replacement parts, without much success. Had this for 50+ years. She got a lot of use.
Call daisy direct and twll them you need a 880 rebuild kit , old style. Stupid easy to rebuild these
The 880 is not known for power, bbs might get you 500 fps.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzJiBo8QhBQ
 
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Call daisy direct and twll them you need a 880 rebuild kit , old style. Stupid easy to rebuild these
The 880 is not known for power, bbs might get you 500 fps.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzJiBo8QhBQ


Thank you for posting this and the PM you sent. When I took the 799 apart this moring, I found that the piston head buffer was the part that bit the dust. Totally crumbled to nothing once the piston arm was removed. At least now I know exactly what needs to be replaced.
 
Huh.... I mean, I'm not really surprised because MA but still... Huh.

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section80E1~2

Section 80E1/2: Putting animal to death by drowning
Section 80E1/2. Whoever puts an animal to death by drowning shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 7 years in state prison or imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than 21/2 years, by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment for a first offense and punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years, by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment for a second or any subsequent offense.

Killing an animal with a decompression chamber is apparently only a $100 fine - 80E. Has there been a rash of those recently?? I made a cursory effort to find the definition of 'animal' in the MGLs as I wondered if they meant domesticated animals, but got depressed and stopped. Everything is illegal in Massachusetts.

I did run across yet another example of poorly written MA law - https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter131/Section19B.

Section 19B: Transporting mammals for purpose of euthanasia; putting animal to death by drowning prohibited


Section 19B. Any person authorized under section 4 to take and possess mammals may transport them within the commonwealth for the purpose of euthanasia.

[Paragraph added by 2018, 219, Sec. 8 effective upon the earlier of filing of report as provided in paragraph below or June 1, 2019.]

A person authorized under this chapter to take and possess birds, reptiles, amphibians or mammals shall not put an animal to death by the use of drowning. Any such person who intentionally or knowingly puts an animal to death by the use of drowning shall, for a first offense, be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 7 years or in a jail or house of correction for not more than 21/2 years, by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment and, for a second or subsequent offense, by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years, by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.

The paragraph above shall not take effect until the department of Fish and Game, in consultation with the Environmental Police; the division of Animal Health; and the department of Agricultural Resources, file a report with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government, and the house and senate committees on ways and means, identifying best practices related to trapping and pest control, to include alternatives to drowning. Such report shall be filed on or before June 1, 2019. Provided that if said report is not filed on or before June 1, 2019, the above paragraph shall take effect on June 1, 2019.

So this might be in effect, unless Fish and Game filed a report before June 1, 2019? How would we know that? Would it even matter what the report said, based on this law? F***ing Mass.... Retirement and moving can't come soon enough.
 
Honestly - sort of a douchy move by the neighbor, but most Northeast neighbors these days are nervous nellies. (See: # of fireworks complaints 2020.)

This is why I don't want to shoot my air rifle in my backyard - if a neighbor freaks out and calls the police, sure, nothing will come out of it but I don't want the headache of dealing with it.

Thankfully I live within 5 minutes of the gun club (when I moved to a new house, this was certainly a consideration).
 

I have one of those. Actually the "Shorty, Rust Resistant" version. WCS Shorty Tube Trap - Rust Resistant

It is effective, but if I was to do it again, I think I would buy the longer version. I think the long version would have less of a chance of grabbing something I didn't want it to. Lie the couple of times I have seen it tripped and come out to find blue jay or cardinal tail feathers in it. Or the time I made a mistake and left it out at night. I found the trap 20 feet away with a big fat dead Louisiana possum in it. I THINK the long version would keep it so I was just catching small rodent types.

Still, I've grabbed a bunch of squirrels with it. All of them humane instant kills except for one. He had somehow only caught hi body with one of the bars. Got him clean in the middle so he was alive as heck(well his top half was alive), poking his head out of the trap and looking around. He had to get the 5 gallon bucket treatment.
 

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some of my pest control items
3rd from top is my go to garden pest control ......

CnxCOZil.jpg
 
So I’m 500 feet from another house, squirrel is in season, do I need a hunting license for pest control? My mother has quite the issue with them and I’d prefer to take them humanely instead of drowning them like she wants to, the way her grandmother did.
 
As of Tuesday they’re not in season for 2 weeks. No squirrel hunting during deer shot gun season. Not sure how the pest control thing works but I’m sure someone will.
 
Hey guys,

I know there a few threads on this subject, but they are kind of old and inconclusive. I live in Waltham, MA and the yard is overrun with grays. They destroy the herbs, chew through the weather boxes and reasonably sure they get into the attic. I have a Gamo Varmint Rifle and would like to get rid of them. There are three pieces of information from MA that seem to support this being legal, but calling Waltham police has yielded nothing but frustration. "You just can't, but I don't know why" was an actual response uttered by the officer in charge of licenses.

First law: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter131/Section37
This implies that killing mammals on one's yard is legal.
Second law: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter269/Section12B
This outlines air files and where they can be used. I see nothing that prevents me from shooting in on my premises. The 500ft law applies to firearms, but air rifles are not firearms since we can purchase them freely without any license.
Third "rule": https://www.mass.gov/doc/living-with-squirrels-fact-sheet/download
This is from mass wildlife and at the bottom they outline 'lethal removal' where they suggest we can do so, even suggesting shooting.

So using these 3 pieces of evidence, it seems like this should be perfectly legal and yet...I am being told "you just can't" - even threatening to jeopardize my other license on the grounds of suitability.

My question: What can I do to convince the Waltham PD that in the event a neighbor freaks out, this is perfectly legal and to leave me alone?

you may want to have a look here;
 
Uggh. We went squirrel hunting saturday. Nothing. For the past month I have had a thousand of those little buggers around my stand. Now that I decided to target them so we could make some stew, nothing. Crafty little bastards. I was hoping to break in my Henry Silver Eagle on a few. Next time squirrel; next time.
 
Use a 22 pellet gun on them. Drowning them is a lot of work. You have to catch them and fill up a barrel of water and then drown and throw them out. If you pop them with a 22 the owl's and other birds will most likely eat them. Your killing two birds with one stone(see what I did there) and working on your shooting skill at the same time. win win.
 
Small trash can, 2’ of water. Black sunflower seeds covering water and a board from the ground to the rim. I got a bunch, neighbors too close for a gun. Same idea on a larger scale than chipmunks.
 
Alright. Sorry to start up this old conversation but "Tis the season".

Like many of you, I have a squirrel problem that I plan to solve with an Air rifle.

I'm not 500' from my neighbors, but they're cool.
Shooting distance is only about 40' and I'm planning on using Gamo Raptor Whisper Air Rifle .177 (up to 1300 fps). I think this is plenty of power but please let me know if you have evidence to the contrary.

I have no interest in poisoning or drowning, but if for some reason trapping and pointblank headshots makes it more legal, I guess I could do that.

I found this sheet very affirming.
"Shooting is quick, simple, and effective in areas where firearm discharge is safe and legal."
By my logic, Shooting is still quick simple and effective even without a "firearm"


My best Legal logic is MA General Law 1/WIW/131/ Section 37

Section 37. An owner or tenant of land or, if authorized by such owner or tenant, any member of his immediate family or his employee, as defined pursuant to section one of chapter sixty-two B, may, upon such land:—

~~~~

(2) hunt or take by other means, except by poison or snare, any mammal which he finds damaging his property except grass growing on uncultivated land. No such owner or tenant shall authorize any person, other than a member of his immediate family or a person permanently employed by him, to place traps for the protection of said property other than during the open season, unless such owner or tenant has first obtained from the director a permit authorizing him so to do, which permit the director is hereby authorized to issue in his discretion, unless such authorized person holds a trapping license. All deer so killed shall be turned over to any environmental police officer and shall be disposed of by the director of law enforcement.


~~~~

The following written reports shall be sent to the director by such owner or tenant acting under authority of this section:—(a) upon the taking of pheasant, ruffed grouse, hares or rabbits, or the wounding or killing of a deer, a report stating the time and place, kind and number of birds or mammals so taken, wounded or killed, within twenty-four hours of such taking, wounding or killing; (b) upon the taking of any other birds or mammals, a report on or before January thirty-first of each year, stating the number and kinds of birds or mammals taken under authority of this section during the previous year. This section shall not be construed to limit any other provisions of this chapter.

I guess I just need to keep a log and if anyone every says anything, I'll send it to.... someone.
 
Alright. Sorry to start up this old conversation but "Tis the season".

Like many of you, I have a squirrel problem that I plan to solve with an Air rifle.

I'm not 500' from my neighbors, but they're cool.
Shooting distance is only about 40' and I'm planning on using Gamo Raptor Whisper Air Rifle .177 (up to 1300 fps). I think this is plenty of power but please let me know if you have evidence to the contrary.

I have no interest in poisoning or drowning, but if for some reason trapping and pointblank headshots makes it more legal, I guess I could do that.

I found this sheet very affirming.
"Shooting is quick, simple, and effective in areas where firearm discharge is safe and legal."
By my logic, Shooting is still quick simple and effective even without a "firearm"


My best Legal logic is MA General Law 1/WIW/131/ Section 37

Section 37. An owner or tenant of land or, if authorized by such owner or tenant, any member of his immediate family or his employee, as defined pursuant to section one of chapter sixty-two B, may, upon such land:—

~~~~

(2) hunt or take by other means, except by poison or snare, any mammal which he finds damaging his property except grass growing on uncultivated land. No such owner or tenant shall authorize any person, other than a member of his immediate family or a person permanently employed by him, to place traps for the protection of said property other than during the open season, unless such owner or tenant has first obtained from the director a permit authorizing him so to do, which permit the director is hereby authorized to issue in his discretion, unless such authorized person holds a trapping license. All deer so killed shall be turned over to any environmental police officer and shall be disposed of by the director of law enforcement.


~~~~

The following written reports shall be sent to the director by such owner or tenant acting under authority of this section:—(a) upon the taking of pheasant, ruffed grouse, hares or rabbits, or the wounding or killing of a deer, a report stating the time and place, kind and number of birds or mammals so taken, wounded or killed, within twenty-four hours of such taking, wounding or killing; (b) upon the taking of any other birds or mammals, a report on or before January thirty-first of each year, stating the number and kinds of birds or mammals taken under authority of this section during the previous year. This section shall not be construed to limit any other provisions of this chapter.

I guess I just need to keep a log and if anyone every says anything, I'll send it to.... someone.
Don't forget to tally up all the mice you kill with mousetraps too and report it annually. [rofl]
 
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