Pest Control with Eddie Jones and the Air Arms Galahad

Today on Air Arms, ambassador, Eddie Jones is helping out a local farmer in the beautiful Staffordshire countryside with their pest problem. He’ll be using the Air Arms Galahad to remove some pigeons and jackdaws whilst identifying signs of other vermin such as rabbits, crows, squirrels and rats.

The farmer has been infested with pests causing damage to the property and creating potential risks to animals such as horses and sheep. As Eddie explores the horses’ paddock, he notices several large rabbit warrens on the bank of a surrounding field. These are clear indications of rabbit activity. It doesn’t take Eddie long to locate more signs of pest damage. Rats have been chewing the wooden boarders around the horse paddock, this can create added expense for the farmer, as these will need repairing or replacing. Woodpigeons can often be seen around the horse’s water trough, this can course serious problems as they could leave dangerous bacteria in the water, which is then drank by the horses.

As Eddie continues to walk around the farm he points out more damage caused by these pests. He comes across several trees that have had the bark stripped off by grey squirrels. It isn’t just because of the effect the grey squirrels have on the environment why they need managing, the main reason Eddie controls them is he wants the native red squirrel to return. He believes that he will never see a red squirrel again in this area during his lifetime, but he would like his grandchildren to be able to see them.

Further up the field, Eddie spots a massive rabbit warren. As he examines the huge hole, Eddie discusses the benefit of the location and the approach he will take when it comes to dispatching the rabbit. Nearby there is large flock of sheep grazing, there are also a number of a jackdaws and crows. At the moment these birds are eating the worms from the ground, but they would soon turn their attention to a lamb if the opportunity was presented. Their activity needs to be carefully monitored, especially around the lambing season.

Continuing his walk around the farm, Eddie locates a jackdaw in an ideal shooting position. He slowly walks closers and prepares the Air Arms Galahad. Eddie slowly squeezes the trigger and the pesky bird is dispatched. As he retrieves his quarry, Eddie spots a pigeon in a nearby tree. He once again readies the Galahad and takes up position behind a tree. Again, the pellet hits perfectly and another bird is down.

It’s come to the end of the day and even though Eddie hasn’t seen much pest movement, he was able to successfully harvest a jackdaw and pigeon. The Galahad performed incredibly well in windy conditions. Airgunning days like this aren’t just about shooting, it’s also for identifying possible areas that need further attention. Eddie now has a much clearer understanding of places within the farm so he can return to another time.