Rubber buckshot - effective range?

[Curmudgeon]

"I asked about paintballs since I figured it would scare the dog off AND alert the owner that the dog was obviously someplace it was not wanted. I was told that I could be then hit with cruelty charges so I disregarded the idea."

 

 

Jennifer -

 

That's interesting. I once asked a DEC Wildlife Tech about paint balling problem deer so as to identify them during the season. He laughed and thought it was a good idea. We didn't discuss legality.

 

Killing feral cats is also illegal. Here in Otsego County the SPCA will take these invasive, ecologically destructive predators off your hands but you have to pay them. They then euthanize them because as adults they cannot be socialized to humans. We had one that was chasing a Bald Eagle off the bait. I was hoping the eagle would kill and eat it but that didn't happen. Bald Eagles do kill and eat domestic cats but not this eagle and not this cat.

 

Edited December 27, 2014 by Curmudgeon

[EspressoBuzz]

When in doubt YOUTUBE it out, there is always someones foolishness recorded and posted for all of us to learn from!

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.brassfetcher.com/Shotguns/Shotguns.htm

 

My thinking runs rubber buckshot for dogs, rubber slug for bears, for bears I'd have something lethal just in case all you do is piss it off.

[EspressoBuzz]

If the dogs are pets I would also consider photographing them since most areas have leash laws and don't allow dogs to roam freely. I would consider paintball LESS cruel than rubber buckshot.

[Doc]

I am thinking that you are going at it all wrong. Buy a solar electric fencer, and fence off the baited area with several strands of electric fence. That will even keep bears out and any other critters if done right. No need for shooting or having to spend valuable time on site policing what comes into the area. Wild critters and tame ones learn a healthy respect for electricity and they never have any lapses of memory regarding that kind of shocking experience ..... lol.

 

Remember that you are dealing with something that has wings and can come in from above with no contact, but the ground dwellers have no such ability.

[Jennifer]

 

"I asked about paintballs since I figured it would scare the dog off AND alert the owner that the dog was obviously someplace it was not wanted. I was told that I could be then hit with cruelty charges so I disregarded the idea."

 

 

Jennifer -

 

That's interesting. I once asked a DEC Wildlife Tech about paint balling problem deer so as to identify them during the season. He laughed and thought it was a good idea. We didn't discuss legality.

 

Killing feral cats is also illegal. Here in Otsego County the SPCA will take these invasive, ecologically destructive predators off your hands but you have to pay them. They then euthanize them because as adults they cannot be socialized to humans. We had one that was chasing a Bald Eagle off the bait. I was hoping the eagle would kill and eat it but that didn't happen. Bald Eagles do kill and eat domestic cats but not this eagle and not this cat.

 

 

Legality of paintballing any given animal aside, I think the main problem comes from dog owners- and I use this term lightly in the case of dogs running at large- this is a mixed up world, but I know of a livestock keeper that pegged some dogs with various non-lethal deterrents and the "owners" of the dogs went after him for cruelty. I'm not saying it's right! Just a real-life experience. That's why it's a good idea to at least report the dog activity before doing anything. In my case, after I reported the dog activity twice, I was given permission to shoot should the dogs harass my livestock again. Fortunately for me, and the dogs, it never came to that (the owner moved away). I do love dogs very much. It's not the dogs fault just bad owners.

 

Doc might be onto something with the electric charger. I know my solar unit has served me well, it is a 3-mile charger pulse system. I think I got the charger and the line and brackets for under $150 from tractor supply on sale. You might even find a better deal online. You'd just have to buy some fence stakes then... If the trap area is stationary it might be a good solution. Three lines should do it. Do you do the trap areas in the winter only? The only issue is if there is a snowfall you need to brush the solar panel off. Easy for me to do at home, but less convenient for you at a more remote location... If you do this year round you'd also need to take a weed eater out there during the summer to knock down the vegetation from the lines.

The pulse charger will scare critters off that touch it, but won't cause harm or 'fry' anything. It also shouldn't cause harm, should a raptor come in contact. I would just mark the lines clearly with surveyor tape or similar visual cues so that they are less likely to get near them.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks for the suggestions. The illegality of letting dogs roam in winter is something I was aware of but for some reason it didn't occur to me to pursue it. Even if the dog control officer cannot catch the dogs in the act, multiple time stamped photos would seem to be sufficient evidence to bring a case to local court. We know who "nominally" owns these animals. The law seems to be the easiest approach - at least initially.

 

However, knowing who owns a dog doesn't always matter. When a dog census was done here some years back, one neighbor - with an unlicensed dog visible in the yard - blatantly told the person conducting the census that he did not own a dog.

 

Before I asked the effective range question on this forum, I had done a google search and found that video. Amazing.

 

The ECO told me the rubber slugs are really dangerous. My take was that if you are ready to resort to rubber slugs, you should use the real thing. Take great care to learn their minimum range. On the other hand, the rubber buckshot will just sting. The pain and noise make a problem bear avoid people and houses, thereby saving its life in the short term.

 

I still don't know the buckshot's maximum range. It's time to do some testing.

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/AMM-8113

It should be on the ballistics of the type you buy ..

This says 7-15 yards??

Here's lightfields different versions

http://www.litfld.com/products/home-defense/

Edited December 28, 2014 by Bowshotmuzzleloader

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the suggestions. The illegality of letting dogs roam in winter is something I was aware of but for some reason it didn't occur to me to pursue it. Even if the dog control officer cannot catch the dogs in the act, multiple time stamped photos would seem to be sufficient evidence to bring a case to local court. We know who "nominally" owns these animals. The law seems to be the easiest approach - at least initially.

 

However, knowing who owns a dog doesn't always matter. When a dog census was done here some years back, one neighbor - with an unlicensed dog visible in the yard - blatantly told the person conducting the census that he did not own a dog.

 

I understand the frustrations you are referring to. "Those aren't my dogs" is an easy answer for uncaring owners if confronted with enforcement. I have also found that these are the type of people just to get more dogs to run loose if something happens to the current ones (hit by a car, or taken to the pound, etc). Still, it is a good papertrail to have if it is an ongoing problem.

 

Good luck! It is a crummy situation for you, the animals, and the dogs. No one wins.

[Paula]

 

I love your profile picture, you won on a painting is this the one?

[Jennifer]

I love your profile picture, you won on a painting is this the one?

 

Thank you, and yes- the pair of ruddy ducks in my icon/profile picture will be on the 2015-2016 Federal Duck Stamp.

[Paula]

How exciting! Congratulations

[Curmudgeon]

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/AMM-8113

It should be on the ballistics of the type you buy ..

This says 7-15 yards??

Here's lightfields different versions

http://www.litfld.com/products/home-defense/

 

Thanks. Why couldn't I find that? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.