Farm Defense Gun

Our house it's a 12 SxS. One of those Spanish 'The Peasant' shotguns with a crossbolt like an Olde English double. My gal is on varmit duty 'cause I'm often away working.
Handloaded some 'OO' 2 3/4"; (9) .32 cal balls over 25 grains of Herco. That way it's got good power but minimal recoil.
In theory we could get cougars being on the creek, but we've a European Great Pyr so that's not a big worry. Raccoons are more likely, the odd coyote.
 
My opinion is a Baikal IZH-94 over-and-under 12ga and .223 combo. Cheap, simple, easy to use. You would have the selection of 12ga and rifle for whatever you need it for. 12ga has shot, steel shot, buck and slugs for whatever you need, and along with the .223 for any coyote/wolf/fox sized problems you might have. An unloaded and properly tucked away rifle with a bandolier stored separately, but close by, with a section of ammo would do well. Small amounts of practice is all that is needed.

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Or, in after thought (edit), you could go with a .22WMR and .410 combo if the 12ga and .223 is too big.
 
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I have never heard of anyone being attacked by a farm.

In all seriousness, use whatever you have around. If it's deer season the chances are that your deer rifle will be poised to head out in the morning. Same for goose season. At the Old Man's place there is always a 22LR standing in the corner for foxes or gophers. The yotes are warier so you need something with more reach. That is usually close at hand. At least when I'm visiting.
 
Depends on the type of nuance animal you're trying to keep away... Racoons and smaller tend to die just fine with a 22lr. Yotes will get way out there, and so, a 223, 22-250, or 243 might be good choices. Although if you're just killing, a 270 or 6.5x55 will do quite well... Bear or something else that size, 45-70. Note the act fails to define predator. Doesn't specify 4 legs or 2 legs. There's no definition of animal or predator in Canada's agriculture act, and I haven't seen one in the firearms act, so as courts do, they look elsewhere for definitions. Canada does have lots of precident using US law, especially UCC and USC where Canadian law in inadequate. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/7/136 Have a look at the definition of animal... Maybe this will help clear up a few misunderstandings...
 
Wow, five pages of responses in a day, and most (if not all) have been quality responses too. I'm loving this forum!
I have a small hobby farm, 100x400, where I keep chickens and have some large gardens. The chickens are fairly close to the house with the back of their run about 30 yards from the back porch of the house. I back on to a field and only have one neighbor. I have no large predators or varmints of the two legged variety in my area. Coyotes are becoming more of a nuisance down here every year though and that is starting to make my lack of a true varmint caliber an issue. I don't have anything between .22lr and 7.62x39. I have a few different shotguns around and I'm now strongly considering (after reading some of the legislature you all have been kind enough to post) keeping my bolt-action 16ga in the closet or hanging above the back door with some buck shot and bird shot nearby. It would be nice to give that gun a use.
My most serious/likely concerns are rabbits, skunks, possums, and coons so I could keep some #4 in the mag for them and some 00 buck on hand for the occasional deer or yote that might pose a problem. Does that sound sufficient given my situation?
 
I'm not sure how much mileage you'll get out of claiming depredation when you wallop a deer in your garden. But, as my father is fond of saying...best of British luck to you.
 
I'm ontario at least. If you want to shoot a nuisance deer, you need permission from the MNR. A buddy of mine gets a few deer every year because they come steal from his horses but an assessment is done by the MNR then they tell him how many he can shoot. There are other rules like who can act on your behalf and that the meat can't be wasted etc.
 
Can't go wrong with a lever-action carbine in 44 or 357 magnum. With Hornady leverevolution you are good out to 100yards +
For me, a Marlin 1984 in 44mag with 10 shot tube magazine you are good for smaller critters, coyotes, bear and deer.
 
No legitimate farmer with a need for a firearm at his farm, would ever post on a thread like this.
He would simply keep on storing the gun that has always been used for that purpose, quickly available close to the door.
 
H4831 said:
No legitimate farmer with a need for a firearm at his farm, would ever post on a thread like this.
He would simply keep on storing the gun that has always been used for that purpose, quickly available close to the door.
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Some people are new to farming, or new to country life.
 
Its not a farm, nor is he a farmer...the legislation that allows some play in the storage and use of firearms to protect crops and livelihood applies to one protecting their livelihood does it not?

My understanding is that these regs do not give "weapons free" status to anyone with some tomatoes and a couple of pet chickens. We are talking about center fire rifles on a 100' wide lot here. To be fair I have no idea of OP's situation..what would fly in Cold Lake may not fly in Barrie...

So what experience do small landowners and hobby farmers have out there in regards to the "qualification" to be justified in the temporary storage and predation/property damage use of firearms?

Hoping to hear cases where non status farmers and small country properties were allowed the same as large properties and commercial farms!
 
Lead Loader said:
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.
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This one is funny. Sorry buddy, but on our farm we didn't appreciate repeat "customers". With your plans our daily exercise would've included running around the farm waving our arms above our heads on a daily basis. Stupidity.

Big Bad said:
I hope it'll work for the numbers of farmers I know or have heard of that keep a loaded firearm handy. When you're already working in one of the world's most dangerous professions, the hazard of a loaded shotgun hidden in the doorway of the barn may not seem as serious as some would have it.
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Most hazardous:...:dammit man the most dangerous thing on the farms I recall were the farmers. I grew up on dry land southern Alberta and working the farm pales in comparison to other "worlds most" dangerous jobs I've done. You should write for huffington.
 
I suspect ones local zoning laws would apply.
The OP may want to look into that.

I know of several hobby farm owners that live just out of town so they are ok to dispatch the rats and raccoons in the henhouse with the old .22 rifles.

And I know of one fellow that had his neighbours walking door to door to get a petition signed to have sewer and water run into their semi rural area. He refused to sign but there was enough so it passed.

Within a year or two said farms around him were pieced up and condos cropped up. Now his farm is a no shoot zone and he is left with using a slingshot.
 
I usually have my 597 or FV-SR with me in the garage for squirrels and raccoons, I've got 7 acres out in the country. Shooting squirrels in self defense only happens if one starts chewing on the foam in my wife's Harley......She'd kill me for letting that happen!
 
MiG25 said:
It's a legitimate question. Skunks, coyotes, and wolves are all pests common to farms.
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Right ...... so why not just buy a single shot Cooey like most other farmers did in times past? We had two of them on our farm.

Farmers are generally quite pragmatic so "keep it simple" is a good plan.
 
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