Air Rifles

[timberhall]

My son and I are avid fisherman but want to start inching our way into the hunting world also. I have spend plenty of time in the military around guns and feel fine teaching my son about them. What kind of game can I shoot in utah with an air rifle? Can I shoot non protected game such as squirrels? There is very little info on the state website about this. Can some one give me any info?
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[LordoftheFlies]

I'm pretty sure you can shoot Jack rabbits with them, but that would probably be pretty challenging. I would consider a .22 rifle instead. It's a great starter rifle for kids, and really isn't much of a "step up" from an air rifle. I'm sure someone can add more than I can but that's my 2 cents.
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[Theekillerbee]

You can shoot common tree squirrels, as well as ground squirrels. Depending on where you live, you need to be careful around prairie dogs. They are protected, and have some season rules and regs. You can also shoot all the Eurasian Collared Doves you want...any time...any weapon...no license required. They usually hang around more populated areas though. You can usually find a bunch around farm houses with grain silos and trees. Just be sure you can identify them. Mourning doves are protected and cannot be shot with an air rifle. The common house sparrow and European Starling are also fair game any time. The rules for shooting crows, ravens, and magpies are vague, as the state does not have a crow season, but the feds have a rule that pretty much gives you free reign on them if you say they are in numbers that are a nuisance, or causing damage to your trees/flowers/shrubs/garden. They do not define numbers, so in my book, 1 is a sufficient nuisance!

Go have some fun, and be safe!
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[timberhall]

Thanks for your reply a while ago to my question. One follow up question I have for you. To take my son shooting for these non-game animals, does my son have to be a certain age? He is 8 now and can split a pop sickle stick at 30 yards with his air rifle. I think to hunt in a normal season and to have his license, he needs to be 12. I am wanting to take him to shoot pigeons soon but don't want to get in trouble for having him under age.
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[gshorthair]

The age reguirement for young hunters has been dropped. If you check the proclamations you will find that they must pass a hunter safety course before they can hunt. I have heard of kids as young as 8 hunting waterfowl in Utah. gshorthair
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[bassrods]

A 22 is great and so is a 17 HMR, the 17 will reach out to 400yards and hit a pop can and has NO recoil at all..

I go after pot guts and even coyotes..
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