Your better off trapping them so you don't ruin the pelt. But a 22 through the head won't degrade it much. They are vegetarians and love willows and poplar. You would have a better chance setting some traps and rigging them up to a drowning cord. But thats my opinion. Maybe search the internet till you find the info you need. If you don't know how to trap them, how are you going to handle the pelt after you harvest them? I hope you don't plan on letting the pelts go to waste.