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Private property Rodent "removal"

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DanieltheAnvil

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Messages
14
Location
florida
I've been trying to get some info and cant seem to track it down. the law is kinda funny on this. My house is along a ditch and i can have 10 racoons on a given night that come out just as my Dog needs to use the restroom at night.

What is the legality of protecting my dog with the likes of a Ruger sr22 or a walther p22 on residental private property?
 
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notalawyer

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
1,061
Location
Florida
DanieltheAnvil said:
I've been trying to get some info and cant seem to track it down. the law is kinda funny on this. My house is along a ditch and i can have 10 racoons on a given night that come out just as my Dog needs to use the restroom at night.

What is the legality of protecting my dog with the likes of a Ruger sr22 or a walther p22 on residental private property?
Click to expand...

Questionable. FYI, they are not rodents. Rodents are of the order Rodentia. Raccoons are of order Carnivora.

Also be aware that they are a game animal in Florida, specifically a Fur-bearer, so they have some protections under the Fish & Game regulations.

I'm not aware of any provisions in Florida law that allows one to kill a game animal that may be threatening a dog.

Florida law provide the use of force to protect people, not pets.

There are also laws (new last year) that may restrict shooting in a residential area:
. . .who recklessly or negligently discharges a firearm outdoors on any property used primarily as the site of a dwelling as defined in s. 776.013 or zoned exclusively for residential use commits a misdemeanor of the first degree. . .
Click to expand...

In my experience coons are afraid of people and dogs.

Also note you can obtain a hunting license and hunt them year-round. :lol:
 
J

j4l

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
1,835
Location
fl
I have a simillair issue here, one of my dogs went after one-got it, and managed to get bitten, but not badly, thank goodness.
I havent had to shoot any since that incident, though. But, I do keep my H&R .410 handy when I let the dogs out at night -both for use vs. coon, if needed, as well as for snakes (mostly).

Frankly, I think you could accomplish what you need with just a BB gun, really. Just step out before you take the dogs out, send a couple of BB's at, or near them, and they will scamper off pretty quick.


here's the florida regs on Coon "hunting" -it doesnt specify doing so on your own property though...

Raccoon, opossum, coyote, beaver, skunk, nutria
Statewide


Year-round

by all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols (D)(F)
Hunting raccoons or opossums at night is allowed, but only .22*-caliber rimfire firearms (other than .22-mag*nums) or single-shot .410-gauge shotguns (using shot not larger than size 6) may be used. Firearms may not be loaded until immediately prior to shooting raccoons or opossums. Hunting raccoons or opossums by displaying or using lights from moving vehicles, vessels or animals is prohibited. It is illegal to transport wild-trapped live raccoons within, into or from the state, except by FWC permit or as authorized under existing rules.

Bag Limit: No limits on any species
 
N

notalawyer

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
1,061
Location
Florida
j4l said:
I have a simillair issue here, one of my dogs went after one-got it, and managed to get bitten, but not badly, thank goodness.
I havent had to shoot any since that incident, though. But, I do keep my H&R .410 handy when I let the dogs out at night -both for use vs. coon, if needed, as well as for snakes (mostly).

Frankly, I think you could accomplish what you need with just a BB gun, really. Just step out before you take the dogs out, send a couple of BB's at, or near them, and they will scamper off pretty quick.


here's the florida regs on Coon "hunting" -it doesnt specify doing so on your own property though...

Raccoon, opossum, coyote, beaver, skunk, nutria
Statewide


Year-round

by all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols (D)(F)
Hunting raccoons or opossums at night is allowed, but only .22*-caliber rimfire firearms (other than .22-mag*nums) or single-shot .410-gauge shotguns (using shot not larger than size 6) may be used. Firearms may not be loaded until immediately prior to shooting raccoons or opossums. Hunting raccoons or opossums by displaying or using lights from moving vehicles, vessels or animals is prohibited. It is illegal to transport wild-trapped live raccoons within, into or from the state, except by FWC permit or as authorized under existing rules.

Bag Limit: No limits on any species
Click to expand...

it doesnt specify doing so on your own property though...
Click to expand...
Yes it does.

Statewide
Click to expand...
 
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