Thread: Newbie - just want to manage rabbits, advice please

Hey folks, to be upfront I don't have any real interest in being a hunter.

But we have heaps of rabbits here, and I want to partake in pest control (and protect my vege garden!)

I have been borrowing an air rifle, but 2 obvious problems
- you have to get very close (maybe 15m) to make a shot. So many get away before I am close enough
- you need to go finish the job. Often enough they still bolt, so there is a poor animal with a slug in its head.. i obviously want to make sure they die, but I also don't want a slow painful death/brain damaged animal running around. Cruel and ineffective.

So, I am willing to go and do a firearms course, get the license and invest in a "proper" gun. PS are there no other costs aside from the registration fee? I was under the impression it was pricey.

Given this isn't a hobby, its utilitarian for me - what do I need to look for to do this effectively?

I don't care about gadgets, I don't want to get deep into the specs and options - i just need a simple and effective tool for a single job.

Thanks for any guidance!