Farm Defense Gun

Belifend

Belifend

Member
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
What kind/action/cailbre/guage gun would you keep handy for farm defense? And how would you store it? Idea being you need to grab a gun quickly because a coyote, fox, coon, or other predator is attacking your chickens or vicious vegetation predators attacking your veggies. Assume you live on a piece of property where it is legal to discharge firearms.
Let me know your thoughts.
 
12ga Pump with some 00 near by.
I don't know the lay out of your farm but I would try to have it in a cabinet on the main floor.
Or if you're confident enough with a .22 I would also use a CCI stinger. Will take a fox down no problem. People hunt yotes with them.
I also hear motion sensing lights help with those pests.
 
12 gauge pump, but in addition to OO, some BB size is often best for foxes and weasels and the like. Coyotes too I should think. Most farmers when I was growing up had a single shot 12 G break action shotgun and ALWAYS used #4 shot, but that was because they only bought one box of shells every decade. A .22LR rifle would round out the picture.

If you have a problem with large predators like bears and wolves, a high power rifle is in order. For that, .30-30, .308 or .30/06 are what your neighbours are bound to have and, at least before Allan Rock, every general store etc carried the ammo for them.

As I understand it, farmers are among the few citizens who can legally keep a loaded firearm available and unlocked. As long as it's for predator control.
 
Easier to run out and chase it down and scare it off..... Something sees you running twards it, 99.9999% it will run the other way. If not, baseball bat unless its a black bear. If they are that big of a problem, an electric fence or a trap is your best bet.
 
Last edited:
Big Bad said:
As I understand it, farmers are among the few citizens who can legally keep a loaded firearm available and unlocked. As long as it's for predator control.
Click to expand...
I don't know exactly how one qualifies for the statue, but it permits one firearm, unlocked but NOT loaded. Ammo must be kept "separate" from the firearm.
 
For grizzlies or cougars in Western Canada I'd use a Remington 870 shorty with 000 Buck or a Marlin 45-70 Guide gun. Both are light, fast and an effective deterrent. Depending where you live defense on your farm is usually not an issue (I'm in Northern Ontario). Bears and wolves generally leave you alone... Common sense prevails. However when I patrol my 300 acres I use a Remington 870 (shorty) on my tractor or a .223 Savage Predator Model 10. My Model 94 in .356 WIN accompanies me for many walks too. I also carry other "companions" however they are the "Unmentionables" here!
 
Big Bad said:
As I understand it, farmers are among the few citizens who can legally keep a loaded firearm available and unlocked. As long as it's for predator control.
Click to expand...

No, this is incorrect.

Granted, plenty of farmers leave loaded guns in closets or barns, but these is absolutely no legal exception made for farmers.
By law, they are supposed to store their guns like everyone else does.

To the OP, unless you live in bear country, a light varmint cartridge should be sufficient for your needs.
Off the top of my head, I would list the .22lr .17 HMR, .22 magnum, and .223 rem as ideal rifle cartridges for around the barnyard.

If you're in a situation where you will be shooting predators at longer range (a couple hundred yards out in a pasture), slightly more powerful varmint cartridges like .223 Rem, .243 Win, and .270 might fit the bill. My dad's cartridge of choice for coyotes in the hay field is a 25-06, and it has worked very well for him. It's a bit overkill for shooting raccoons in the chicken coop though.
 
Crazy Chaingun said:
No, this is incorrect.

Granted, plenty of farmers leave loaded guns in closets or barns, but these is absolutely no legal exception made for farmers.
By law, they are supposed to store their guns like everyone else does.
Click to expand...

Somewhat correct. If a non-restricted fireatm is to be used for predator control, it is permitted to remain unlocked and out in the open so long as it is unloaded and ammunition is not readily accessible.

There is also a stipulation that allows a non-restricted firearm to remain out in the open, unlocked and with ammunition readily accessible in remote areas where hunting might reasonably occur.
 
Crazy Chaingun said:
No, this is incorrect.

Granted, plenty of farmers leave loaded guns in closets or barns, but these is absolutely no legal exception made for farmers.
By law, they are supposed to store their guns like everyone else does.

To the OP, unless you live in bear country, a light varmint cartridge should be sufficient for your needs.
Off the top of my head, I would list the .22lr .17 HMR, .22 magnum, and .223 rem as ideal rifle cartridges for around the barnyard.

If you're in a situation where you will be shooting predators at longer range (a couple hundred yards out in a pasture), slightly more powerful varmint cartridges like .223 Rem, .243 Win, and .270 might fit the bill. My dad's cartridge of choice for coyotes in the hay field is a 25-06, and it has worked very well for him. It's a bit overkill for shooting raccoons in the chicken coop though.
Click to expand...


This is why the firearms community is lost... people speaking up that don't know.... go onto the rcmp Websight and start reading. Farmers can keep a gun out and unlocked. Ammo close by not not loaded.
 
whiteoutjeeper said:
Somewhat correct. If a non-restricted fireatm is to be used for predator control, it is permitted to remain unlocked and out in the open so long as it is unloaded and ammunition is not readily accessible.

There is also a stipulation that allows a non-restricted firearm to remain out in the open, unlocked and with ammunition readily accessible in remote areas where hunting might reasonably occur.
Click to expand...


The above is correct, it's in the firearms regs.

As for the question of what type of "around the farm gun" should one use? That's entirely dependant on the layout of your farm, distances you'll be shooting at and of course what you'll be shooting at.

A Winchester 32 special does the trick for me. In the past I've used my 22, a 222 Remington and a good ol lee enfield. I find a scatter gun doesn't have the range that I need but it may work in the OP's situation.
 
Big Bad said:
As I understand it, farmers are among the few citizens who can legally keep a loaded firearm available and unlocked. As long as it's for predator control.
Click to expand...

Hmm., I've never heard of that, but I know in the Canadian Firearms Safety Course manual it states that when out in the bush hunting, you are able to keep a loaded firearm unlocked, and in your hunting shack, for protection against dangerous animals. But that's for someone HUNTING, and way out away from any other help, and for protection against animals hunting THEM. I don't think living on your own land and wanting to keep a loaded gun to protect your livestock, would be considered anywhere near similar, by the law.

The whole point of the law stating we need to keep our guns and ammo LOCKED UP, is so that it IS NOT within quick access.

You might be able to get some sort of special permit, but aside from being in a hunting cabin far away from civilization, where large predators are a threat to the HUNTER her/himself, I've never heard of it being legal to keep a loaded gun.

Of course, I could be wrong!
 
polskiogorki said:
This is why the firearms community is lost... people speaking up that don't know.... go onto the rcmp Websight and start reading. Farmers can keep a gun out and unlocked. Ammo close by not not loaded.
Click to expand...

And this exception, this specifically pertains to farmers? If so, I apologize for my error, that is totally new information to me.
Learn something new every day...
 
Found it:

(2) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to any individual who stores a non-restricted firearm temporarily if the individual reasonably requires it for the control of predators or other animals in a place where it may be discharged in accordance with all applicable Acts of Parliament and of the legislature of a province, regulations made under such Acts, and municipal by-laws.

Dang, I never read that before, interesting...

What defines "temporarily" in regards to storing? Tucking a gun behind the coat rack for an hour? a day? a week?
 
Crazy Chaingun said:
Found it:

(2) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to any individual who stores a non-restricted firearm temporarily if the individual reasonably requires it for the control of predators or other animals in a place where it may be discharged in accordance with all applicable Acts of Parliament and of the legislature of a province, regulations made under such Acts, and municipal by-laws.

Dang, I never read that before, interesting...

What defines "temporarily" in regards to storing? Tucking a gun behind the coat rack for an hour? a day? a week?
Click to expand...


Any amount of time. .. as long as its not permanent lol... 25 yrs technically is temporary ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom