rats allotments

[paulk73 151]

thought id nip down and have a quick check round some new allotments iv just gained permission on, but thought id go and throw a bit of bait in the top penn of my usual permission. in went a few slices of stale bread, and off we went to the other side of the site. we had a quick look round, but didnt see anything, so decided to check around the bottom shed, where we had seen rats in the last few days.

on arrival i noticed a big rat dart under a sheet of plywood that the drinking buckets sit on. i waited for a few seconds before a little face peeped out, the shot off to safety down a burrow. not having access to the penn, i decided to have a little mooch about before heading up to the pre baited to penn. after a while eli started marking a stacked up dismantled shed

 

 

 

so started to flip up the panels and stand them against the fence. when i was about half way down the stack a rat shot out, and dived under a stack of pallets and away to freedom, eli followed the scent to the pallets but old ratty was long gone, but it wasnt long before eli was back marking, the flat-pack shed again.

i got to the last panel and flipped it up quickly and eli dived in and struck at something. i heard the tell tale sound of a rat squealing and eli carried out his victim.

 

 

 

it looked as if they had been sat tight on a nice warm dry bed of dried grass. we will check this again next time to see if mr rats wife decides to come back.

we walked up the hill towards the to penn, and checked a compost/muck heap but got no positive marks. we then carried on along the path, till we came across 4 or 5 plastic roof sheets laid flat on the ground. we have bolted a rat from under these sheets in the past, and eli was showing a bit of interest but wasnt going mad to get under. i decided to lift the sheets to have a look. it was obvious that something had been using this as a larder because there was loads of bread crusts in a big pile. i replaced the sheets and made a mental note to keep checking this place as well.

the next mark we got was a compost bin about 15 mtrs away from the plastic sheets. eli marked the base of the bin, and started scratching at it. i decided to give the bin a kick and a rattle with my stick but got no joy. eli was still marking, standing up on his back legs trying to sniff the gap between the lid and the bin. i sarted the smoke and let it pump in the fumes for about 15 seconds then turned it off, still no sign so i gave the bin a wobble. i saw a brown head peering up through the twiggs and rotting greenery. then it leapt up trying to get out, i missed it with my stick and it jumped again this time clearing the edge and scampering under a flagged path, tight against the bottom of a fence. i poked the stick in and the rat emerged from the hole and ran along the bottom inbetween the fence and the flags unseen by eli, i set off after it shouting to eli, he overtook me and crashed into a pile of bricks trying to get the rat, but the it made it to safety through the brick pile into the corner of the turkey shed.

it was now getting dark, so we had to try the first shed where we had set the trap with the stale offerings, sure enough most of the bread was gone, some of it was probably under the plastic sheets. in the past ive noticed the rats bolt from holes round the back of this shed and run a few yards, then head under some flags that lead to another shed. i decided to lave the holes at the back of the shed open , but block the escape holes under the flags, i found 2 old gas cans and stuffed these in.

 

 

so back into the penn, and started the smoker, i put the hose down the hole and ran back round to the holes at the back of the shed. a smallish rat shot out and tried to get down 1 of the holes that was blocked by the gas cans but eli grabbed it, then another rat shot out i gave a shout and eli dropped the first one and dived on the this one. then another shot out, but this one just about mae it to safety, in the hedge. i then saw another bigger brown figure trying to squeeze out of the handle, in the part burried milk carton, that forms this bolt hole. eli also saw this and sruck at the rat, but it pulled its head to safety(only just). we ran back round into the penn, to see if anything was coming out of the holes inside. we got in the penn and i moved the smoker pipe into another hole, and after a few seconds a big old rat shot out and tried to get under the gate, close but no cigar, this one looked like a heavily pregnant doe.

 

 

 

these are the ones from the top penn, and i thought it would be rude not to include a team pic.

 

 

 

a size nine muck boot next to them to give a bit of scale. . not a bad hour and a half all in all, especially on the allotments with all the junk. four today. 1 yesterday and 1 on new years eve. i think we are getting through them(slowly lol)

[pointer 543]

nice one mate,youve done well to get those rats with only one dog in a place like that.

[lurchers 2,998]

at least you are still getting alittle bit with them mate and keeping the dog on its toes,atb

[goldfinch2007 2,337]

good post and pics

[paulk73 151]

thanks for the replies lads.

[rocky1 942]

up my allottments they 3 time the size of them ,fcuking hate them they make a right mess of my shed chewing trough them 2 get 2 the pigeon corn,i,ve poisoned them ,trapp them and they still millions ,will never get rid of them just try and keep the population down

[paulk73 151]

just keep at em rocky mate. thats all you can do. plus it a bit of sport aswell

[fireman 11,474]

Love to see a dog using it's nose and finding out his game,i'd rather (mad though it sounds)find a 1/2 dozen rats like that than get a 100 from a easy place where the dog don't have to try.Grand post and keep them coming as thats the sort of post we want rather than most of the other b*ll*cks written on here .

[paulk73 151]

cheers fireman. we get a lot of single ones this way. just scenting about and waiting for a mark. the permission i have dosnt hold as many rats as other peoples, and we have to work for them, but thats what its all about.

although i do sometimes wish i could get on somewhere that held big numbers, just for the experience. cheers mate. atb

Edited January 2, 2011 by paulk73

[fireman 11,474]

Well your right in thats what it is all about,getting out letting the dog work and enjoying the spectical of it all.As for wanting in on a numbers day i can't say when it will be but your more than welcome down for a threshing day and we very rarely take less than a 100 from a stack,thats good fast fun you and your dog will enjoy but the thing is i get short notice myself when it's threshing time but i'll let you know as soon as i do when it's happening.. :thumbs:

[paulk73 151]

cheers steve atb mate

[oyama 27]

Good work for a dog on its own,gets to use his nose well.