Varmint hunting

Varmint hunting or varminting is the practice of hunting vermin — generally small/medium-sized wild mammals or birds — as a means of pest control, rather than as games for food or trophy. The targeted animals are culled because they are considered economically harmful pests to agricultural crops, livestocks or properties; pathogen-carrying hosts/vectors that transmit cross-species/zoonotic diseases; or for population control as a mean of protecting other vulnerable species and ecosystems. The term "varminter" may refer to a varmint hunter, or describe the hunting equipments (such as a varmint rifle) either specifically designed or coincidentally suitable for the practice of varmint hunting. Varmint hunters may hunt to exterminate a nuisance animal from their own property, to collect a bounty offered by another landowner or the government, or simply as a hobby. The term varmint is a US colloquial term for vermin, though it refers more specifically to mammalian or avian pests, including: Predators which can kill/maim domestic animals: badger, coyote, foxes, mink, raccoons, snakes, snapping turtles, weasel, and wolverine. Rodents and lagomorphs that can damage croplands or pastures: beaver, gophers, groundhogs, muskrat, coypu (also known as nutria), prairie dogs, porcupine, and rabbits. Urban wildlife that can cause damage to buildings and properties, create mess/fecal pollutions, or carry disease: feral pigeons, rats, and squirrels. Birds perceived as damaging to crops: crows and ravens, sparrows, as well as passenger pigeons and Carolina parakeets, both of which were driven to extinction in part by pressure from indiscriminate hunting. Invasive species, such as starlings and wild boar/hogs, that are preying on or displacing desirable native species. Shorter blowguns and smaller bore darts were used for varmint hunting by pre-adolescent boys in traditional North American Cherokees villages. They used the blowguns to cut down on smaller raiding rodents such as rats, mice, chipmunks and other mammals that cut or gnaw into food caches, seed and vegetable stores, or that are attracted to the planted vegetables.