Rats chance in a Shot in the dark

[Oddhawk]

So out watering pumpkins at night a big rat came slinking along the shed that they are growing by and slipped under the tin wall where I had suspected there was at least one living. It popped it's head back out looking at me like I am a UFO! So I walk away and go to the house to get my air rifle thinking it would come back out and it did.

It was about five feet away when I pulled the trigger aiming though a blurry scope. It was windy out and I heard it run off and I figured all I did was just educate it! I looked through the pumpkin vines and saw no evidence of connecting and decided to wait till the next day to look.

I found it in the shed dead! The next day. I used a Hatsan flash with .50 grn slug at a estimated 750 fps and clipped it in the right in the arm pit area and got a lung. I have been planning to set it up to pest them at night but haven't been able to. With the pumpkin vines everywhere and the fact they are growing out of a big compost pile the trick will be getting them to expose themselves. I will post a picture of what I am talking about and would appreciate advice on how to set up for hunting them at night.

 

[Contndr35BB]

So out watering pumpkins at night a big rat came slinking along the shed that they are growing by and slipped under the tin wall where I had suspected there was at least one living. It popped it's head back out looking at me like I am a UFO! So I walk away and go to the house to get my air rifle thinking it would come back out and it did.

It was about five feet away when I pulled the trigger aiming though a blurry scope. It was windy out and I heard it run off and I figured all I did was just educate it! I looked through the pumpkin vines and saw no evidence of connecting and decided to wait till the next day to look.

I found it in the shed dead! The next day. I used a Hatsan flash with .50 grn slug at a estimated 750 fps and clipped it in the right in the arm pit area and got a lung. I have been planning to set it up to pest them at night but haven't been able to. With the pumpkin vines everywhere and the fact they are growing out of a big compost pile the trick will be getting them to expose themselves. I will post a picture of what I am talking about and would appreciate advice on how to set up for hunting them at night.

View attachment 473328

Oddhawk , hello & welcome ! Here is my .02 . With abundant feed available it will be hard to

So out watering pumpkins at night a big rat came slinking along the shed that they are growing by and slipped under the tin wall where I had suspected there was at least one living. It popped it's head back out looking at me like I am a UFO! So I walk away and go to the house to get my air rifle thinking it would come back out and it did.

It was about five feet away when I pulled the trigger aiming though a blurry scope. It was windy out and I heard it run off and I figured all I did was just educate it! I looked through the pumpkin vines and saw no evidence of connecting and decided to wait till the next day to look.

I found it in the shed dead! The next day. I used a Hatsan flash with .50 grn slug at a estimated 750 fps and clipped it in the right in the arm pit area and got a lung. I have been planning to set it up to pest them at night but haven't been able to. With the pumpkin vines everywhere and the fact they are growing out of a big compost pile the trick will be getting them to expose themselves. I will post a picture of what I am talking about and would appreciate advice on how to set up for hunting them at night.

View attachment 473328

So out watering pumpkins at night a big rat came slinking along the shed that they are growing by and slipped under the tin wall where I had suspected there was at least one living. It popped it's head back out looking at me like I am a UFO! So I walk away and go to the house to get my air rifle thinking it would come back out and it did.

It was about five feet away when I pulled the trigger aiming though a blurry scope. It was windy out and I heard it run off and I figured all I did was just educate it! I looked through the pumpkin vines and saw no evidence of connecting and decided to wait till the next day to look.

I found it in the shed dead! The next day. I used a Hatsan flash with .50 grn slug at a estimated 750 fps and clipped it in the right in the arm pit area and got a lung. I have been planning to set it up to pest them at night but haven't been able to. With the pumpkin vines everywhere and the fact they are growing out of a big compost pile the trick will be getting them to expose themselves. I will post a picture of what I am talking about and would appreciate advice on how to set up for hunting them at night.

View attachment 473328

Oddhawk , hello & welcome ! Here's my .02 . With abundant feed available it will be tough to set up a bait station at a convenient shooting spot . My rat hunting is in the feeding area itself so nothing ,even peanut butter attracts or holds them . Not saying something won't work , you just need to scope out your best shooting position and then try some different attractions such as peanuts ,peanut butter ,etc. on a nice backstop if possible . As far as your rig , you may use a red or green light on the gun . An illuminated reticle helps but is not mandatory. If the bug bites you hard enough , you may spring for a day/night scope of some kind. Good luck , hope this is of some help .

 

[Ranchibi]

That was a great on the fly shot! That is a big one

 

[Oddhawk]

Oddhawk , hello & welcome ! Here is my .02 . With abundant feed available it will be hard to


Oddhawk , hello & welcome ! Here's my .02 . With abundant feed available it will be tough to set up a bait station at a convenient shooting spot . My rat hunting is in the feeding area itself so nothing ,even peanut butter attracts or holds them . Not saying something won't work , you just need to scope out your best shooting position and then try some different attractions such as peanuts ,peanut butter ,etc. on a nice backstop if possible . As far as your rig , you may use a red or green light on the gun . An illuminated reticle helps but is not mandatory. If the bug bites you hard enough , you may spring for a day/night scope of some kind. Good luck , hope this is of some help .

That's pretty much how I figured! There is so much cover and food naturally and introduced that it is going to be difficult to get them to show themselves! and I am going to have to get creative. My scope has illuminated recital and I have a flashlight with red lense tape over it, not as good as a purpose built one but works! I am looking at nv but that's not in the immediate cards and am going to get creative with lighting the area up. Backstops are going to be necessary as I am surrounded by neighbors and I have a few ideas to make the backstop help or expose themselves. Thank you for your input

 

[Oddhawk]

That was a great on the fly shot! That is a big one

Thank you! There was quite a bit of luck involved! Lol

 

[Oddhawk]

The half inch PVC pipe sticking up is where I got it, there is quite a bit more cover around it too.

 

[L.Leon]

Good shooting on the rat… a 50 grain slug is a bit much for rats, that projectile “is” passing through… So what’s in the background? A simple red light atop a lower power .177 or .22 will bag you many, many rats once you have patterned them…

 

[Oddhawk]

Good shooting on the rat… a 50 grain slug is a bit much for rats, that projectile “is” passing through… So what’s in the background? A simple red light atop a lower power .177 or .22 will bag you many, many rats once you have patterned them…

Thank you, yes, it's my woods running rig but what was the closest to me with a flashlight attached. It was a downward shot that went pretty much straight in to the ground, I was practically on top of it when I took the shot. I am going to be looking into a specific set up just for this purpose, decisions decisions! Lol

Good shooting on the rat… a 50 grain slug is a bit much for rats, that projectile “is” passing through… So what’s in the background? A simple red light atop a lower power .177 or .22 will bag you many, many rats once you have patterned them…

 

[Contndr35BB]

Thank you, yes, it's my woods running rig but what was the closest to me with a flashlight attached. It was a downward shot that went pretty much straight in to the ground, I was practically on top of it when I took the shot. I am going to be looking into a specific set up just for this purpose, decisions decisions! Lol

You "used enough gun" ! Safety first .

 

[Gerry52]

Try Black Oil Sunflower seeds as bait. They're inexpensive & rodents find them hard to resist.

 

[Oddhawk]

You "used enough gun" ! Safety first .

Absolutely! I am not just slinging slugs everywhere, the last thing I want is bad attention to airguns and such. Yes it was a bit excessive! Lol

 

[Oddhawk]

Try Black Oil Sunflower seeds as bait. They're inexpensive & rodents find them hard to resist.

I will, thank you for the heads up.