Can you shoot beavers with an AR-15?

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kent23

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I was hoping to accomplish 2 tasks: buy an AR-15 for fun at the range, and we have a serious beaver problem at our country property and have to reduce their numbers, so I thought an AR-15 might also do the job.

1) Can you shoot beavers legally with an AR-15?
2) Would this be a good rifle to use?

Thanks!:)
 
I guess you could if you could get the beavers to line up on the gun range for you to shoot them but other than that you can't shoot an AR15 unless it is at an aproved range.
 
Not sure about Ontario, but here in BC you cannot use Restricted Firearms to hunt even on a range...not sure if Beavers count as 'pest animals'. :D
 
Ont has the same no hunting with restricted laws so hunting with an ar-15 is a good way to get yourself into some serious trouble. and the media coverage you would create in doing so would be extremely harmfull to the firearms community as a whole not just yourself so please use your ar-15 at an approved range and buy a cheap sported enfield or 22 for the beavers to hunt during the legal hunting season
 
Hey Nine can you shoot AR's at you range? If not where can you shoot them legally? I am getting my restricted in April and this will be one gun that I WILL have.
 
CTS said:
Hey Nine can you shoot AR's at you range? If not where can you shoot them legally? I am getting my restricted in April and this will be one gun that I WILL have.
Click to expand...

Our range is AR friendly. ;) Come on down!
 
I've used a 12ga with 00buck. get them while swimming and ge the head. Legal in Quebec only under strict conditions.

AR-15 would do the job...sure. But it's the bullet skidding on the water surface that gets me worried...no garanties where it'll end up. I don't like shooting over water at such an angle with a rifle.
 
Thanks for your thoughts... I have heard 'hunting' beavers with an AR-15 was illegal, but it didn't make sense to me as it is just a rifle - darn laws!

The main beaver pond has a low forest area/swamp covering about 40% of the pond, the remaining 60% has steep hills with only shrub-like vegetation. I think ricochets won't be a problem, as you can fully see the other side and the steep hills. Although, I thank you for the advice - it could be a major problem on some ponds.

So, no AR - too bad. Maybe I won't buy one just yet. Now to find a fun range gun that will also put beavers out of their work-aholic misery quickly!

Some hunters I have spoken with recommend .22's. So I bought a Ruger 10/22 and added a scope. Then I heard, that may not take one out humanely, so I gave up on that idea. Then I bought a Rem 870 planning on using slugs, then I heard they are only accurate at close distances, and the darn rodents are too smart for that.

Trust me, we have tried everything to curb their numbers, but they keep damming and flooding. Conduit under water - they plug it, etc. We hired a guy to blow up the dam, and he gave 'er a bit too much. Dam spread over acres and acres afterwards. Then the beavers went down stream and ended up in our lake!! We got them out of the lake and back in pond, but in the last year they have spread and are flooding land everywhere and clear-cutting have of the forest...

Any thoughts on a rifle/cartridge that would be humane, and be legal to use? Ideally a rifle that would be fun at the range too since the AR-15 won't work legally. Not that anyone would see, but it is obviously not the point.
 
Rabadswompe said:
I've used a 12ga with 00buck. get them while swimming and ge the head. Legal in Quebec only under strict conditions.
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eh le quebecois,
I was always under the impression that it was illegal to shoot a beaver here...
What do you mean by "under strict conditions"?





kent,
You sound like you are just getting into shooting/hunting... A rookie of sorts. I don't know if you ever plan on going deer/bear/moose/ or varmit hunting, so deciding what calibre/rifle you need is difficult. My advice to you... consider getting yourself a good old bolt action rifle (Stevens 200 for 330$ comes to mind) in a calibre that can be used for multiple hunting purposes... (ie. 30-06, 7mm, ect. = deer, bear, moose, beaver.... .223, 22-250, ect. = varmit, beaver). It all depends what you plan on using the gun for. If you like the military stlye rifles, (keep in mind these will work but were not designed for hunting) you can look at guns like AR-180b, SKS, mini-14, ect... These are non restricted and are legal to hunt with.
 
Your best bet would be to give a local trapper permission to keep your beaver problem under control.I have found that after shooting a few beaver they tend to get very gun shy and you won't be seeing much of them.If that don't appeal to you and you want to eradicate them I would use a 12ga with buckshot , no misses or cripples. When they hole up drive a pipe down into their dens and pour something nausous down the pipe like bleach , ammonia or diesel, this will chase them out in a hurry so be ready to start shootin!
 
since in some provinces shooting beaver is considered illegal, someone once told me a scoped .222 does an awful number on them...;)
 
hawkentom said:
Your best bet would be to give a local trapper permission to keep your beaver problem under control.I have found that after shooting a few beaver they tend to get very gun shy and you won't be seeing much of them.If that don't appeal to you and you want to eradicate them I would use a 12ga with buckshot , no misses or cripples. When they hole up drive a pipe down into their dens and pour something nausous down the pipe like bleach , ammonia or diesel, this will chase them out in a hurry so be ready to start shootin!
Click to expand...


Should we really be suggesting dumping diesel into a watershed??? Bleach shouldn't be an issue though.. not sure about ammonia.
 
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