E-Mail 'Acquiring Small Game Quietly- Part 1, by S.D.' To A Friend

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1. Revolvers, loaded with wax bullets with the flash hole opened up a bit, are deadly on small game. No powder, very low noise and they are moving at a bit over 800 fps. The bonus is that if you need it, you’ve got a real weapon instead of just a pellet gun.

2. The absolute best book on this subject is “Survival Poaching” by Ragnar Benson. A hard copy should be in EVERY preppers library!

3. I have a break open pellet rifle that I use. That being said, my single shot .22 and using CB caps have less noise than my pellet rifle. As far as range goes, the CB cap is the same as the pellet rifle. I have shot rabbits that were in my garden and my neighbor was outside about 100 or so feet away from me and never heard me shoot.

4. Agree with others in that some .22 can be less loud than my break open pellet guns.
   Also, pellet gun range is significantly less than .22 cal.

5. The theme of the article is acquiring small game without noise, yet everyone is talking about using a firearm of some sort. With luck, you may hit your target. Without luck you will go hungry.

   If it were part of my plan to seek out small game, especially in a wooded area, I would use a wide mesh gill net. In a teotwawki scenario…rules go out the window since you are in a survival situation. a 4 ft. X 12-50-or even 100 ft. ft. gill net will capture many critters if you have it set up and drive them to it.

   Once they become entangled, a club to the head will finish the job. Plus there is no noise or bullets to dig out.

6. You should explore trapping.

7. Rabbit populations, like grouse, are determined by cycles. In most areas, hunting pressure has little to do with it.

8. Or you could just start raising rabbits so you wouldn’t have to worry about taking wild ones…That way you know that you have a dependable food source and your not relying on something you have no control over except for the killing part…To many people focus on the wrong things and it’s going to get a lot of good people killed… Building Community in the Right area should be the focus of everyone at this point not how to hide and eaten last…

   1. Best comment, by far.

9. I run suppressed break barrel air rifles. They are noisy at the shooter’s position, but quiet at the game’s perspective. Powerwise, they can drive a .177 cal pellet as deep as a .22 CB Short round into a 2×4. I’ve used mine for exterminating the local muskrat population digging holes in my shoreline. After cleaning, they will diesel, and can push a pellet trans-sonic resulting in a crack. I’ve been able to make kills on muskrat up to 75 yards. Alloy pellets will travel faster than lead, and will break the sound barrier on a normal basis. So to keep things quiet I stick to lead pellets. Air rifles with plastic barrels will droop if not stored in the same position continually. A drooped barrel can throw accuracy off by a foot at 50 yards, and can happen by storing it the wrong way overnight. I wish they’d stick to metal barrels!

10. Thanks for breaking down the various air powered rifles. Have had limited success with a big store break barrel and wanted to upgrade.

    Saw a YouTube video with someone using a Benjamin ” Woods Walker ” pistol with detachable shoulder stock . He had great success thinning out a rat population. ( had some makeshift night vision device but forget exactly what it was )

    Looked into the Benjamin pistol and $400 plus price tag was quite shocking. Have to agree with other posters that a .22 with subsonic ammo may be a cheaper option.

    My solution ended up being Aguila .22 colibri in a bolt action. Only sound you could hear was the hammer falling. It made a light “tink” sound 🙂

    Very helpful in ridding squirrel populations in a urban area.

    Still may get the Woods Walker as it doesn’t qualify as a firearm. Very helpful living in a anti-gun big city.

11. i too have had some trouble locating rabbits the last few years. I think i have a predator problem tho cause as im out exploring/hunting the property i will come across a fur pile or a pie of feathers. I have really only seen a coyote out here a few times while in my tree deer hunting so im not sure what the deal is. does anybody know a good way for me to find out?? thanks in advance

    1. You might look into the game cameras — some have night vision or triggered led lights to work at night. They fasten to a tree with a belt and are triggered by motion. You check them the next day or so. Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods,etc have them.

12. A throwing stick is one of the quietest ways to hunt. A hefty stick about 18 inches long and 1.5 inch diameter is thrown sidearm at the game. All you need to do is stun them, then run up and snap the neck. It can be used on birds also. Like anything, if you practise, you can get pretty good. Thanks to Tom Brown,Jr for the info.

    1. That’s one of Browns book learned ideas that’ll actually work.

    2. VF, Have you tried this with any success?

13. I have had every increasing amounts of rabbits in my back yard also over the past few years. They aren’t out in the day, but come out every night at dusk.

    Aside from the seemingly every increasing population in the local area, why is it they favor my back yard? It protected by an 8 foot fence. Also, I don’t have a dog, but every single one of my neighbors do. I love dogs as much as anyone, but I hate bad/poor dog owners.

    That aside, as long as I can keep the rabbits out of my garden, I enjoy watching them.

    back on topic regarding air rifles, the author is dead on target, at least regarding the first 3. I recently purchased a Ruger break barrel rifle in .22, and to be honest, it seems louder than my 10/22 rifle.

    the one I’m not sure about is the pre-charged. I’m not familiar with those. Anyone here, who has one, is is one you would recommend to someone else?

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