A Bit of Ratting

[Acuspell 329]

The farm my brother-in-law has taken on has an old yard and buildings which he used last year to house a few youngstock and store some wheat and oats. It had lain unused for years and the rats had really dug in their defences over the time it was unoccupied. There are several warrens, one in the banks of the slurry lagoon, another in the void between the silage clamp and one of the barns. Another lot have dug under the disuused cow cubicles, they are under the concrete floor and in the wooden walls. To give you an idea of how many there must be, they are even in the hedges along the roadside and up the field. To cap it all, they have a free food source in the form of 30 odd tonnes of wheat lying on the floor next to some round bales of straw. These form the basis of my laying up point. I climb up and use them as a high seat.

The warren around the lagoon, or at least just a part of it.

 

 

Plenty of traffic around the yard. This is down one outside wall of the cubicle shed!

 

Coming UP through the wheat in the corner of the building. They are under the sheet and even through the concrete wall and floor.

 

 

This is the pile from the ponies, old silage and big bags lying around, providing cover and warmth. The trailer gives a good position to cover the main silage and horse much pile, and the wall between here and the silage clamp.

 

 

After the other night I decided to get there early and get in position before the light faded and ambush the Rolands as they came in from all around. I heard scurrying as soon as I got there. These rats are active throughout the day, in fewer numbers than at night, but it means there are some to go at to keep me amused. I took up osition by the old trailer and just kept an ear open for direction findinng. It was easier to anticipate where to see them from the sound of their scurrying.

 

I stood around the back of the trailer and made ready.

 

 

 

Staying still and quiet I managed to lull the scaly tails into a false sense of security, either that or they are used to people being here for the ponies. One came out and stood on the top of the silage, no more than 8 yards away. A Field Target Trophy buried itself through his ear. The sound of his shriek as he fell and the thump of the pellet striking home sent another scurrying across to the wall. I worked the bolt as I swung the rifle round, lined the cross hair up on the bottom of his jaw to allow for the rise of the pellet at about 15 yards. The second one for the day fell to the Huntsman.

 

It isn't only the rats are attracted to the wheat, in the open building. A pair of feral pigeons came in to roost.From my position i could get a shot into the rafter and the first one just fell off the beam. Its mate stood there wondering what had happened. It rejoined the one on the floor within a couple of seconds. I collected them and put them with the rats, in a bucket.

 

As I had broken cover I decided to go and have a look around the back of the silage bales. There was a rat out in the yard, between the hole in the wall and the run behind the bales. he froze when he saw me, I lifted and shot him where he stood from about 20 feet. Another one ran out of the bales and stopped under one that they had started pulling the silage out of. he though he was hidden. I had a bale to lean on and lined up carefully, I could only see part of him, but it was enough to add him to the tally.

 

4 rats in the bag and I hadn't really started yet! It was still only evening and another hour to darkness. Even so, I could hear scurrying and squeling from the cubicle sheds.I approached very quietly and carefully. Sure enough, out in the muck passage, there was a rat who I think had come across the road.....nearly the length of the shed, so about 15 yards. I was stood but I aimed and fired. The rat jumped in the air at the thud, but didn't go many feet. I stood and reloaded, just in case. The other night I got one as it came under the wall, just its head poking through. It wasn't going to be a repeat though. Everything was quiet.

 

I decided I would take the opportunity to get a picture before it got it dark. The bucket was filling up, some of these rats were a good size, 14" - 16".

 

 

I climbed onto the bales and set myself for a half hour wait.

 

As it started to get dark I heard the whistle of wings and a prty of small ducks landed in the yard. I stood stock still, leaning on my bale. The ducks were only 10 yards away. I saw a flash of orange and thought "widgeon". Looking through the scope I was surprised by what they were. Not widgeon, but four pairs of Mandarin ducks! I can't think where they have come from, unless JCB lakes where they have a load of ornamental ducks for the locals to feed. I let them be and they were pretty cautious. I moved and they were gone, so they are pretty wild and not used to humans. I might bag one next year.

 

There was a fair bit of wind, and the odd heavy shower, but I was dry and draught free in my bale high seat! I just stood, leaning over my bale and listening. ii could hear rats moving, and even the sound of them cracking the kernals of the wheat, but they were under the wheat, or behind the sheet. After what seemed an age I heard a rustle in the cubicle shed below...the red lamp picked out movement along the wall, then it turned and the ruby eyes shone back. I was almost on it immediately and the pellet found its mark, but the rat still found the energy to kick itself down the hole with one final surge of energy.

 

I picked off a couple around the wheat, one took three attempts. As soon as the lamp hit him he ran for cover. I saw his eyes poking out from under some steelwork stacked up against the wall. I was too slow to get a shot off though and he scampered out, back towards the wheat. This time I got in front and he stopped, just long enough to get the cross on his head. I needed to give this side a rest. I turned my attentions to the silage bales. A pair of beady eyes were just out from the run between the bales and the wall - but again, as soon as the lamp hit him he was gone. You can see why night vision is such a good way of dealing with these clever creatures.

 

I saw a pair of rats out near where I nailed those two off the bales before. From my bale it was 40 yards, but I lined up the first mildot and the pellet struck home, just a bit back from his shoulder due to the wind drift. He dragged himself off the edge of the bale and under the bottom, like the other one.

 

I finished the night with 18, one of them was huge, 16", but not as big as the one that went off grunting. Add the 17 from the other night and I have made a reasonable dent in two visits. I could do a lot better with night vision though. The Huntsman is starting to bed in and I am getting used to it. What's more, Mick is pleased with my efforts and he is going to have a word with a few of the neighbourinng farmers who are also complaining about the number of rats - all down to the amount of grain being broadcast by the gamekeepers, who are too busy to do anything about the rat population - my gain!

 

 

Edited March 5, 2012 by Acuspell

[pipa 299]

spot on mate, good write up and good shooting!

chris

[Mooch. 177]

Good read and a good result.

[Ron Weasley 83]

Nice one mate, really well written piece. Enjoyed it.

[Daz 7 563]

Well Written Mate and some cracking Pic's as well ,

The Huntsman is the only Gaystate Rifle i like, Lovely classic

Lines and very light compared to My Beasty the Rapid MK 2.

What Cal are You using Bud?.

 

atvb Daz 7

[ftm 3,357]

loved the write up and pics mate well done

[slugger8770 0]

What a great read mate, it could have been straight out of a magazine.

enjoyed seeing the photographs aswell.

Good luck with getting perm' on the other farms.

Thanks

[Elmer_Fudd 28]

Very well produced peace of work mate, and great pictures. I often get bored reading lengthy or weighty peaces of text.

 

However here the text was interesting and informative and very nice rifle buddy, was considering one myself as something bit

 

different . That said some nice shots and some big long tails there mate very well done and look forward to anther

 

read like this soon.

 

Regards

 

Gareth

[hugo1 31]

nice read you will be have plenty more fun there by the sounds of things

[Acuspell 329]

Thanks chaps, I enjoyed retelling it!

 

Daz - I am a 20 calibre man through and through. Have been since 1996. I also have a Rapid 12/20 which is a great rifle. I just treated myself to the Daystate because it was one of only 20 built with Theoben (specially commissioned from Anschutz - Daystate bought a box off Ben Taylor when he sold his stake in Theoben) barrels, I didn't need it! I love Theoben rifles, I also have a Taunus break barrel gas ram in 20 calibre that has been knocking stuff over perfectly. The Rapid is a great rifle, but ugly as sin. I don't mind, I ride a BMW GS1150 - ugly is as ugly does!

[paulk73 151]

nice write up mate. brilliant.. great shooting too pal