Has a raccoon ever stolen your lunch or scratched your porch as it scurried off it in a hurry? 

Or do you hate it when a coyote eats your chicken? 

Well, if any of the two unfortunate incidents have happened to you, or you wish to prevent them, you might want to get into varmint hunting. 

Opossums, coyotes, raccoons, prairie dogs—all of these trouble-making animals seem to have developed a particular knack for making the lives of humans in their vicinity miserable. One of the most critical factors that make varmint hunting important is the fact these pests spread diseases.

You might say that it’s the humans that built settlements in the vicinity of animals. However, saying this means you don’t really know raccoons that well. They migrate for food and are super-adaptable, having thieving fingers that can pry open Amazon packages and food containers. 

Anyway, in this article, we’ll talk about more than just raccoons. We’ll discuss opossums, too. 

More specifically, we’ll explore the idea of varmint hunting—the activity that eliminates a special sort of pest population. There are many benefits of varmint hunting, and we will explain them in the following passages. 

Large Rifle Selection 

Varmint rifles are designed for hunters who want to take down small game. These rifles are usually bolt action, but some semi-automatic varmint rifles exist. They can be chambered in various calibers, and the ammunition for these guns is often specialized. 

Finding the appropriate weapon for your varmint-hunting expedition won’t be that much of a problem. What’s more, the only issue that might arise from you choosing the appropriate weapon would be the sheer volume of different rifles at your disposal. 

From a Remington 700 rifle to a Savage Mark II TR rifle, you have an array of fantastic weapons available, each of which can do a great job of neutralizing annoying animals. 

There are several good choices depending on your hunting style and the type of varmint you're after. Some shooters prefer to use a .22LR because of its low recoil and quiet report, but this rifle will only reach about 100 yards before it loses accuracy.

If you're unsure what kind of varmint shooting you'll be doing, a better choice might be one of the more powerful rounds (7mm Magnum or 30-06) that has enough power to take down the larger game at longer distances while still being able to shoot effectively in close quarters.

The costs of buying these weapons and supplies are also somewhat lower than what you’d have to pay for a high-class big-game rifle. Ammunition and additional equipment also tend to be less expensive since you’ll be using a smaller caliber. 

Another great thing about varmint hunting equipment is that you don’t necessarily need to buy a brand-new varmint-specific gun. 

More often than not, old weapons can be repurposed and reused for varmint hunting. This means you probably won’t even have to spend too much money preparing yourself for a backyard opossum-hunting expedition.

Practicing Hunting Techniques 

Even if you don’t have a particular problem with the local groundhog population, varmint hunting can be a great way to start practicing shooting techniques and try out new equipment. 

Since varmint hunting is not exactly a high-stake venture your livelihood or safety depends on (the way those crab fishermen have it), it’s a great way to hone your skills. 

If you’re a shooting instructor and want to teach some new students the basics, varmint hunting can be a great option. It gives you a stress- and pressure-free practicing zone together with targets for practice. Moreover, varmint hunting can be a great way to teach your students the ropes of handling a gun in a real, outdoor environment.

Varmint hunting can also be a great place to start for kids interested in hunting. A trip to the field helps children unwind while also being a good parent-child bonding activity. It allows parents and kids to walk and talk leisurely while looking for targets.

Note that varmint hunting allows you to practice advanced hunting techniques. Despite these pests being numerous and relatively easy to spot in many wild and urban environments, varmints tend to be quite tough to catch and sneak up on. You’ll probably feel something like Rocky when he was told by his boxing coach to catch a chicken.

Leisure 

Big-game hunting can be a tough adventure, leading you deep into the snow-covered mountains, dark caves, and vast prairies. Bringing down a major antler is fun, but that means equipping yourself for days of arduous trekking and hiking or sitting in an old, abandoned eagle nest in a tree for 14 hours.

However, there’s definitely an element of pleasure in the immense strain that comes from tracking a single elk for days, following the droplets of blood in the snow from the arrow you inflicted on it earlier. 

Still, there may be days when you just won’t feel like tackling knee-deep snow and simultaneously avoiding bears while searching for elks. On days like these, whip out your varmint rifle and shoot some groundhogs.

What’s more, a fantastic mini varmint hunting expedition can take place within walking distance from your home. All you need is a rifle and some 22-250 ammo or some similar small caliber.

Getting Rid of Pests 

Living in a rural area has some clear advantages over living in a cooped-up apartment in a big city. Clean air, better-quality water, non-congested roads, and lower population density spring to mind as some of the boons of living in smaller communities. 

However, one of the downsides of owning a large property with a barn and similar large buildings is the increased varmint activity. 

De-ratting barns and getting rid of pests are major concerns for folks living in rural areas. 

One way of doing it would certainly be using a good old rifle and some bullets, even though it probably won’t solve the problem for good. Tackling the nests and hideouts these critters dwell in is the only way of properly getting rid of them. 

Nevertheless, picking off a couple of pests with your rifle can still eliminate the damage these unwelcome guests cause by contaminating your stocks of corn, barley, and other harvested goods. 

Varmints are susceptible to several diseases you may have heard of, including rabies, distemper, parvo, and even worms, lice, and fleas. These diseases can be easily passed to other animals, including dogs and, eventually, people.

Varmints can also get violent toward smaller farm animals such as chickens and other poultry. Having a rifle ready at your disposal when a coyote approaches your chicken coop can be a great way to dispose of the threat quickly and efficiently. 

Conclusion 

Whether it’s saving your chickens, getting some target practice, or leisure activity, varmint hunting can be a great way to hone your shooting skills and keep them sharp for your upcoming hunting trip. It can also be a great way to introduce someone new to hunting.

Prey species populations can unquestionably benefit from varmint hunting, and hunters must do their part to protect these populations. 

Overall, varmint hunting can be a great leisurely activity you can engage in with your friends. Since it’s a relatively low-effort type of hunting, there’s no danger of overexerting yourself physically or getting in mortal danger over getting deep into a predatory animal’s territory. 

Last but not least, varmint hunting isn’t an expensive sport to try out. So whether you’re a seasoned hunting veteran, a rookie, or a casual hunter, varmint hunting is an activity you should try at some point during your hunting career.