Firearm to humanely dispatch wounded critters?

[SimplyLoveHorses]

First, get yourself some safety training. Second, be sure you can actually handle the gore and aftermath of a shooting. Most animals don’t just drop dead. Third, you want a larger caliber in case (God forbid) the animal in distress is something larger like a deer, etc.

[Simkie]

@house

I typically use vinegar and baking soasa in a storage tote for cat and smaller sized animals, I put a cookie sheet in so the animal is not wet in its last moments, but it is a humane in expensive way to euthanize smaller animals. The mixture creates co2 which is heavier than air so anything in the tub just goes to sleep and never wakes up. Obviously this would not work well on a pissed of Raccoon, but for many smaller animals that are on their way out it works great.

Wow, this was not my experience at all trying this method to cull a couple chicks. It took far longer than I thought reasonable and didn’t appear at all humane. Removing the head, while so much harder on me, was much a much kinder end for the bird.

Like @S1969 I also like a good whack with a shovel. A good blow with a straight edge can take the head of a small animal clean off.

[walktrot]

Years ago a pair of pigeons moved from downtown Portland (Maine) to the far end of the barn. BO wanted to get rid of them. She got her brother with his 22 to do the deed. He is the only one she would trust not to shoot holes in the metal roof.