spade 224 Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 A mate of mine had seen a few rats about on the edge of some fields where he lives but when he took his dogs for a mooch they pissed off down their burrows and he didn't have a smoker to get them out. After weeks I had a couple of hours spare this morning so went out with him and 5 dogs plus the smoker. A quick courtesy call to the farmer and we were on, trouble is the rats had buggered off. Now the farmer knows we'll take the dogs round he's going to chuck some old corn about to give us a chance of some sport. Anyway the farmer also told us to go to one of his other yards where he had seen a few rats about. Over we went and again nothing. The signs were there and in one place the runs looked like spaghetti bloody junction. Only trouble was they were on top of a pile of old bricks and concrete about 4-5foot deep. We got a couple of marks but by the time we had shifted stuff out of the way the rats had found new hiding places. We tried the smoker but there was that many gaps and spaces the rats would have easily been able to run round and get away from it. The only good thing is that after my last ratting trip when one of my dogs got really ill I have been letting him recover and today was his first time back out. No rats but he didn't stop trying. KEEP HUNTING!! Quote Link to post
phil wright 2 Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 I HAD TROUBLE ON A COUPLE OF PLACES AS THE RATS WERE IN THE WALLS OR PILES OF RUBBLE AND WE COULDNT ALWAYS SMOKE THEM OUT.SO I STARTED LAMPING THEM WHEN THEY WERE FEEDING AND HAVE GOT THE NUMBERS RIGHT DOWN,AND ITS GOOD SPORT.I HAVE A MATE WHO SHOOTS A LOT AT NIGHT USING AN AIR RIFLE WITH NIGHT SCOPE.(NOT MY IDEA OF FUN.....BUT ITS EFFECTIVE.) Quote Link to post
IanB 0 Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 Very effective lamp and gun Phil, the local rats around my area escape by hitting the water, as they are on an embankment next to a stream. Quote Link to post
phil wright 2 Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 yeah,guns are very effective.i dont like shooting rats preffering to leave them for the dogs but i kept seeing what i suspected to be the same rats running along beams which i couldnt get. so i shot a few with the rifle which pleased the farmer. i could never hit a barn door with spring guns but im not bad with my rws schimitar. Quote Link to post
spade 224 Posted January 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Befor I had dogs I used to shoot a few round my chicken pen. Nothing easier than chucking a bit of corn on the floor, popping back to the house to pick up the old .22 and take them out while they were nibbling. The point is its much more fun letting the dogs loose. KEEP HUNTING!!! Quote Link to post
maty j 6 Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 what did you use as a light spade? i have a few round our chicken pen but never seen them just the little marks they leave. Quote Link to post
spade 224 Posted January 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 what did you use as a light spade? i have a few round our chicken pen but never seen them just the little marks they leave. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Must have some brave rats round here. I could go out in broad daylight and they would be sitting out. When they first heard me they would jump in a hole or under the chicken hut but as soon as I put some fresh corn down they would come out of their hidey holes and so long as I was reasonably quiet I could get a good shot at them while they were tucking in. Quote Link to post
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