Legality (Massachusetts) of shooting rabbits in my garden with a pellet gun?

[PaulD]

First off, I live in a typical suburban eastern MA town where the houses are all on one acre lots.

So, is it legal to shoot rabbits with a pellet gun (like a Gamo) if they're in my garden? Do rabbit season rules and rules about using a firearm within 500' of a dwelling or road apply?

I did search on this and probably used the wrong search criteria, but I didn't find anything. Thanks.

 

[June4th]

My understanding from my own reading: Rabbit season rules apply, but firearm laws (500') don't.

 

[finest]

i believe there is a pest or nusence claws. we always took care of the rodents in the garden with the old marlin.

 

[Catoperat]

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/131-37.htm

Yes you can

 

[Deer_KiLLer]

i wont tell you if it is legal or not...

i will tell you it might not be the best idea considering the way your neighborhood sounds, my reason is you might not make all perfect shots and in this case bunny will scream like a baby and he will do it loud enough for the whole block to hear.

 

[stinx]

Depending on you town it could be a By-Law violation . My town has a by-law that prohibits BB, Pellet, paintball and airsoft guns from being discharged within town, even on your own properrty.

 

[PaulD]

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/131-37.htm

Yes you can

Thanks!

 

[Kevlar]

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/131-37.htm

Yes you can

Thanks!

As stated, legal per M.G.L.s, but check your local bylaws.

 

[PaulD]

i wont tell you if it is legal or not...

i will tell you it might not be the best idea considering the way your neighborhood sounds, my reason is you might not make all perfect shots and in this case bunny will scream like a baby and he will do it loud enough for the whole block to hear.

Yes and I have considered that. I can only say that the screaming won't be an issue from a noise per. However, I'm more concerned with missing a shot and having the pellet travel too far and I definitely won't do it if I decide it's really a problem.

Also, stinx, good point on the by-laws. I'll definitely look into that.

 

[DavidC77]

Get ahold of a local dog (beagle) club. They will come and trap them and take them to there club to run there dogs.

 

[Titan]

Depending on you town it could be a By-Law violation . My town has a by-law that prohibits BB, Pellet, paintball and airsoft guns from being discharged within town, even on your own properrty.

Now, THAT'S a town I wouldn't think twice about moving out of!

 

[garandman]

Depending on you town it could be a By-Law violation . My town has a by-law that prohibits BB, Pellet, paintball and airsoft guns from being discharged within town, even on your own properrty.

That would be amazingly interesting if anyone knew what your town was.

 

[Chrisg67]

gonna have to go with the obligatory SSS post here.

 

[cockpitbob]

I don't know about around here, but I grew up in a 1acre lot suburban town in CT and firing a BB gun was "illegal discharge of firearms within city limits".

 

[60 buckscash]

http://www.gamousa.com/family.aspx?familyID=71

SSS

 

[farmboy]

well heck, if you're worried about shooting them then i've got another pretty good solution for you. my wife was growing flowers last year for our wedding and was having a problem with woodchucks. they're pretty sneaky critters and the majority of the time i didn't have a chance to shoot them. i told my wife's grandfather about our problem and he came over one day with a bag full of gas cartridges that were issued to him by the u.s. department of fish & wildlife, as he used to be the warden of a local reservoir. he told me "the woodchucks will have two holes, find both and fill in one of them so they can't get out. next, get a shovel full of dirt ready and ready the gas cartridge. light it, wait a couple seconds to make sure it's burning good, and throw it in the second hole. cover the hole with dirt quickly so the gas and woodchucks can't escape." needless to say, i took care of my woodchuck problem. i've got a couple more cartridges if you've still got rabbits.

 

[yanici]

Depending on you town it could be a By-Law violation . My town has a by-law that prohibits BB, Pellet, paintball and airsoft guns from being discharged within town, even on your own properrty.

My Town has the same restrictions, although I'm not sure about airsoft. BTW, my town is as GREEN as can be when it comes to LTC applications.

 

[pj150]

You'll have some meat to go with the vegetables you're growing.

 

[div0]

(yes, necroposting - this addition seems important to me) Note that if you want to go by Section 37, the rabbits need to actually have done something bad to your property. If they just eat your grass, that's not enough, as "uncultivated grass" is explicitly ruled out as a property damage that qualifies for pest control.

The moment they touch your vegetable garden or nice looking flowers, they're fair game, though. Otherwise you'd have to obey hunting regulations, seasons etc.

 

[EMTDAD]

how about digging holes big enough to trip on?

 

[Woodstone]

No, no, no!

The first rule of Rabbit Club...

 

[240Geezer]

Just trap the pests.
I know when all you have is a hammer that everything looks like a nail.

 

[div0]

The local rabbits aren't that dumb. Luckily the local skunks here aren't either, or I'd long have regretted putting out those traps.

The squirrels and chipmunks are that dumb, though.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

The local rabbits aren't that dumb. Luckily the local skunks here aren't either, or I'd long have regretted putting out those traps.

The squirrels and chipmunks are that dumb, though.

Trust me, skunks are that dumb.

Put a hook on the top of the havaheart trap that will allow you to easily hook the door open.

When, not if, you get a skunk SLOWLY cover the trap with a tarp so it is dark and the skunk feels safe. Hook the door open. Most of the time the skunk won’t even come out until it’s dark.

Bob

 

[zboys]

What I learned here on NES in my short time here is,
Just do it and STFU

 

[M1911]

The problem with the hunting regulations is the setback requirement.

• Discharge of any firearm or release of any arrow upon or across any state or hard-surfaced highway, or within 150 feet of any such highway.

I believe the word firearm is defined differently for the hunting laws/regulations than in Chapter 140.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

The problem with the hunting regulations is the setback requirement.


I believe the word firearm is defined differently for the hunting laws/regulations than in Chapter 140.

And any crime with a gun will likely cost you your license.
A few years back a turkey “hunter” in the Berkshires was caught road hunting turkeys and shot one from the road. He lost his pistol permit.

 

[M1911]

And any crime with a gun will likely cost you your license.
A few years back a turkey “hunter” in the Berkshires was caught road hunting turkeys and shot one from the road. He lost his pistol permit.

I suspect it is worse than just losing your license. I suspect you may end up a federally prohibited person.

 

[tbk5]

Massachusetts...

 

[EMTDAD]

so.. got me a Havahart trap and planned on quickly "disposing" of them... Until wife saw/heard my plan...

So trap is being shipped back to Amazon tomorrow.. next time I hear her f***ing complain the dogs are pulling her arm off to chase the rabbits, I don't want to hear it.