7 Things You Need for Backyard Varmint Control

Varmints can destroy your property in a hurry.

If you want to address a varmint problem, you need to address this situation with the right tools.

These seven items will make your job a lot easier.

Snap-Style Mouse and Rat Traps

The simple snap-style mousetrap is very useful for mice, voles, moles, shrews, english sparrows and other nuisance animals. Bait with peanut butter, peanuts, cheese or nuts of any kind for great success. Step up to the larger Victor-style rat traps for rats, chipmunks and starlings. These are quick-dispatching for humane animal removal.

Cage Traps of Varying Sizes

The cage trap became a popular item when the Havahart trap company first offered them to the public.

Set the trap and release any unwanted catches completely unharmed. They work great, although if you aren’t equipped or ready to deal with certain pest issues, like raccoon removal, it’s best to leave it up to the professionals.

Check local and federal regulations on how to legally release or dispose of animals before trapping.

Larger-Sized Glue Traps

Place the larger-sized glue traps in your shed, barn or garage. Anything running across them will be caught in the sticky mire. They also work great for creepy, crawly bugs like spiders and centipedes.

Steel Traps

Steel traps, when used carefully in accordance with the law, can be very useful for wildlife management. The foot-hold trap has received bad some bad press, but in reality, it holds the animal until the trapper can dispatch it or release it unharmed. What good is a mangled animal pelt? That’s why foot-hold or leg-hold traps are so useful. The safety risks of unwanted catches (like the neighbor’s dog) are minimal and unwanted catches can be released. Bodygrip or Conibear traps, on the other hand, close quickly around a trapped animal’s body. Trappers can then quickly dispatch the pest. Cable snares also have uses, especially for larger pests like coyotes.

Air Rifle

Air rifles have come a long way since our Daisy BB guns and pump-up air rifles. The newer, more powerful spring-powered air rifles are available in many calibers from .177 and up. Pre-charged air rifles give the shooter more shots before needing to refill the air tank. While they’re not as loud as a traditional firearm, some of the more powerful options out there have a certain pop to them. To offset that noise, many air rifles now come with integral suppressors.

Modern pellet guns are on the cutting edge of technology and lethality. They work quite well for removing common nuisance critters. They offer an alternative in places where discharging a standard firearm isn’t safe or legal.

.22-Caliber Rifle

Any good shot with a .22-caliber rifle will put almost any backyard pest out to pasture (unless you live where great bears have adopted your backyard). With classic .22 Short ammunition, .22 CBs or the new .22 Long Rifle CCI Quiet Ammunition, you can have quiet shots that won’t disturb the neighbors. In bigger backyards, of course, you can increase your caliber selection. Always watch where your shots end up.

.410-Bore Shotgun

When pests are running wild and noise isn’t the biggest concern, a .410-bore shotgun has a lot going for it. With just the right amount of shot, varmints don’t stand a chance from close range. Step up to buckshot or slug loads for bigger animals.

Once again, we stress to check all federal, state and local laws and ordinances before you embark on any pest-control operation.

Do you like articles about the outdoors? Click here to view more articles by Eric Nestor. You can follow him @ericthewoodsman on Twitter, The Classic Woodsman on Facebook, and @theclassicwoodsman on Instagram. You can view more Nestor Photography photos at Nestor Photography.