Back down the dairy farm,rats are making a come back!!

[davyt63 1,845]

Hi every one

Well it seems like an age since I have posted in this section, in regards to my trips out!

So here goes!

 

Chaz & I had a call from Graham the Dairy farm owner that the rat numbers were growing again and he would like us to get on top of it again! As we haven’t been up there as much lately, what with organising the meet and getting some practise in for the start of the SHS, not that it helped

 

So we arranged to go up and have a look around, last week and to cut a long story short, it was still mild and there weren't a great deal about especially around the back of the farm, but chaz was having some fun! Lamping them!

We arranged to go back up this week, but chaz couldn't make it Tuesday due to work commitments! Don’t you just hate that mike lol?

 

So I went up alone armed with my HW100 .177 with a MTC Mamba 4-16x50 and my Sony Handy cam attached to my scope, which has a NV mode on it supported by a IR 300.

 

I called in to Graham to let him know I was on the property, and set about getting my kit set up, and check zero @ 20yds, as I find this to be a great zero for me when ratting and it suits my set up better, as you will see!

So rifle over my shoulder, Aldi NV monocular in hand and of I set to pan for the chosen quarry RATS!!!! I take clock wise walk around the farm and start by the entrance, where they have a lot of the cattle feed; I thought I would try some chocolate “Nutella” which I had melted down and diluted with some oil to keep it a liquid substance, as this would give me a static shot and keep the quarry still long enough for me to dispatch it humanely.

 

When I had a quick Skan of the area, I spotted and counted 10 rats, so of went the NV and on came the head lamp and a walk over to place some chocalit on the concrete, in three separate areas. And of I went to the next hot spot, where I spotted about 6 more, so as before a few squeezes of the bottle, and the trap was laid. This continued for another 3 hot spots and I was back at the front of the property.

Now! With both mags loaded and one in the breech, I set about my rat cull and got myself in position, up to my came the NV IR on and they was few out.

 

Reference point made and on came the Sony handy cam, estimated range 25yds knowing this as I know the permission very well, press record thumb on pressure pad for the IR cross hairs locked on wait for it! THWACK! Oh that felt so good to spell that, seems an age since I have typed it lol first quarry fallen to the HW100 & Sony handy cam

 

The first to fall

 

 

 

The rest scarpered but two, one by the entrance to the nest and another just came in to my view finder on the handy cam, and the consecutive shot was on!

A slow reload as to keep the noise to a minimum, while it was chewing on the feed, I slowly turned my parallax until there was a nice clear picture, the camera was steady, back stop was safe ! THWACK!! Now for any of you, who have taken consecutive shots, know to keep eyes on both rats as the pellet strikes it kill zone, which I did. As I took it out its mate looked on and couldn’t believe it, but before it had time to take it all in and react, another Air Arms field 8.5 gr was on route! THWACK!! A good result!

 

The fallen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it was time to move on, and let that little drama calm down for a while. And on over to the calf pens, this is a tricky one as the pens gates are about ten inches of the floor, so no shooting at the rats at the bottom of the gates, not a safe back stop.so I have to wait for them to be at my near end which is about 10 yds or the other end which is 40yds, or in the grass verge to my direct left, they move dam fast!

I had a Skan around with the NV monocular, but could only see the ones going to and from the calf pen, and back to the grass verge at about 35yd away.so this particular area wasn’t working in my favour very well, so onwards and upwards to the rear of the property. As I rounded the corner I had a quick Skan again and there was one on some ploughing machinery, having a bite to eat.so out came the 13 by 27 inch Harris swivel bipod, to its max extension and as before down on one knee, another quick look it still there! THWACK!! Not anymore. I carried on round to the furthest point, the big maze and grass bays, and THWACKED another two round here!

 

The fallen

 

 

 

Now another look around the front and repeat the whole process again!

Between the front were the feed was and the muck heap, I accounted for another ten or so, I had inspected the chocalit I put down, and there were signs of it been tampered with so the sweet smell must of brought a few more out!

 

here are the reaming fallen

 

 

 

close up

 

 

some big rats here

 

 

 

close up

 

 

 

 

close up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and another who thought i couldn't see it

 

 

 

 

Well I can tell you honestly, that that (writing this) felt good! As it’s been so long! I must say that some of these rats were massive, have a look at this one on a shovel for scale!

 

 

 

group photo

 

 

 

Well I hope you have enjoyed my well overdue post!

 

Keep it safe!

 

And happy hunting

[surrey shooter 7]

Very nice read, and good shooting. I am ratting tomorrow night, can't wait.

 

We have a dairy farm we shoot, its been a bit quiet but now its getting colder there coming in. So hopefully we should do well fingers crossed. Will you be posting a vid on vh.tv? Atb. SS

Edited November 2, 2012 by surrey shooter

[davyt63 1,845]

Very nice read, and good shooting. I am ratting tomorrow night, can't wait.

 

We have a dairy farm we shoot, its been a bit quiet but now its getting colder there coming in. So hopefully we should do well fingers crossed. Will you be posting a vid on vh.tv? Atb. SS

 

hi SS

yes footage will be taken up to Si friday,when we also visit the golf course for rabbits,so stay tuned

[tilfertilfer 706]

good read nice pics too, as ss said would be nice to see the vid well done atb

[PIL 7]

well done Davy mate very good read also

[porkycrook 466]

Good read and good job mate.

[zini 1,939]

Nicely done partner.

 

Good to hear the Scope Cam Sniper (SCS) is at his best.

 

Si

[RatSniper 19]

Great shooting, fat little things though.

[Mawders 595]

Cool write up mikey err I mean Davey, looks like a good night out.

[j j m 6,540]

good write up mate and thats some good rat shooting mate

[ghillies 209]

lol blood every where, always a good sign lol. (diferent pellets do diferent amounts of blood seepage btw).

 

i think untill you nobble the bif fat queen one they'll always make a come back..(she's the anckor for the groups), she got body gaurds mind, and at least one will be brave enought to have a go back lol..

 

have fun.

[risingfriend 1,042]

quality write up and pics Davy mate, looks like a nice nights work look forward to the footage it will be THWACKING GREAT ATB Aaron

[villaman 9,983]

Some big mothers there mate

[ArchieHood 3,692]

Nice shooting Davey, good to see you've got your THWACK back........

[fry 209]

good shooting an good riddance to them dirty rats