I started shooting springers as a young boy on a farm to occupy my time and for the challenge. I was also lucky to have started with a Diana .17. Fast forward a few decades. I started having problems with crows wiping out my fig trees and pecans. Bought a $200 Gamo .17 and was unimpressed with the trigger etc… I sent it to Charlie the tuna an airgun specialist over 15 years ago, I believe in S.C. He put his trigger and spring and became a much better gun. The closest I could get to protecting my fruit trees was 55 yards. If you hit them just right, they were done for. Very inconsistent in the killing department. Many would fly away and die at my neighbors. Mums the word for some.
I picked up a Beeman Crow Magnum in .22 from a gun dealer friend. Boy was I happy. No matter what angle I hit them, it put the smack down on them. A flock of crows would land on the fig trees and eat away. If they see me anywhere, they’ll fly away with a new fig in their mouth each. They crapped all over the trees. They’ll leave bone pieces from road kill or whatever they scrounged up in my horse water troughs. They carry diseases and are flying rats. I shot one once and fell on it’s back with no movement. I waited for 15 minutes before I went to check it out. When I got five feet away from it, it flipped over and hobbled away with a broken wing. True actors. I never approached them again unless I had a loaded rifle, so I don’t get the slip. Very smart birds.
After I shoot one, and all the ruckus dies down. I used to discard the body right away. Twenty minutes later, I’ll find them back on the tree. One time, I decided to leave the carcass on the ground as a deterrent and see what happens. They stayed away, no more aggravations. For over 17 years until I sold the property, I would drop one early season and leave it. Three weeks later when the fruit is all picked up. I discard the carcass. To my amazement, no smell from the body mid summer the whole time. All the meat was consumed by ants and the bird was a skeleton on the inside no weight.
The cons of the rifle is not being able to shoot secondary shots when the opportunity presented itself. It required 48lb.’s to cock it. And heavy. I wished for a double barreled similar air rifle. I get more trigger and hunting time with it than all my big game rifles. As a traditionalist, I am slowly accepting of trying the pcp route, definitley in a .22. I appreciate everyone’s input and am learning.
