Long Range Mousing/Ratting

[Double Naught Spy]

I have enjoyed watching the Brit Youtube videos of "ratting" usually with night vision and air rifles, some of which is DIY optics. Most of the hunting is done in barns and barnyards as a means of rodent control. Distances are typically 5-25 yards. While "ratting" pertains primarily to rats, it seems to be a generic terms for getting rid of rodents in general.

While hunting hogs that had not shown up for several nights, I decided to give the pursuit a try in a bit more challenging manner. I typically do hog and predator control on this property, but any corn thieves are fair game according to the landowner.

I had several hours to watch these little guys and practice tracking and firing sequences (not actually shooting) while waiting on hogs. Little mice can be quite spastic and unpredictable, so patience really pays off.

Here is the video of my first venture into this pursuit.
https://youtu.be/EvAHYvWqiiA

I think I am going to have to find some cheaper ammo than Hornady SST that will run in my rifles and do this some more. It is quite challenging!

 

[Gordon]

.410 guns with #9 shot take out rats to the limit of any barn I've been in that you could shoot one. With a full choke 100 feet is no problem.

 

[aarondhgraham]

I spent many a fine afternoon poppin' rodents,,,

I spent many a fine afternoon poppin' rodents,,,
I was lucky enough to grow up when that was acceptable.

The rifle back then was an old Winchester chambered for .22 short only.

The only technique to be learned was,,,
Don't miss on your first shot,,,
You wouldn't get a second.

If one waited a bit there would be a dozen or more rats prowling,,,
But as soon as the rifle went off they went to ground,,,
It took two cigarettes before they came back out.

Unfortunately those days are gone,,,
There aren't any more open dumps around.

Aarond

.

 

[3212]

close range ratting

May be off subject here.This thread reminded me of an episode from my teens.Granddad was a farmer with 2 wooden chicken houses.The rats had chewed through the frame and were discovered one night in the feeders.He had 2 boston terriers.We armed ourselves with ball bats and took the dogs after dark.The first night we turned the light on too soon and most of them escaped.After that we would slip the dogs in first and wait to turn on the light.We were swatting and the dogs were biting and tossing.We did this about once a week until the population dropped and we plugged the holes.I used to put my shoe over a hole to stop them.I was trapping muskrats at the time and some of those rats were about half the size of an adult muskrat.