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Thread: Varminting

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Varminting

    Not a cast bullet but lead none the less. .22 cal, 15.89grn round nose, pure lead, 900 fps. One less English Sparrow. Gun is an unmodded Mrod with Hawke Vantage 6-24x44. Shot was 30 yards.
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    Close enough when it comes to a 22 rimfire.

    Another use for sparrows, throw them in the freezer in a bag, and float them frozen on a pond with a shark hook on para cord, to catch snapping turtles out of your fish pond.Snappers are also bad on baby ducks.

    Used to shoot sparrows in the chicken yard, as my job at the farm. They eat a lot of chicken feed.
    “There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
    Cervantes

    “Never give up, never quit.”
    Robert Rogers
    Roger’s Rangers

    There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
    Will Rogers

  3. #3
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    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    THEY COME AT NIGHT….MOSTLY

    by Larry M. Gibson

    That line struck me as odd considering it was noon. I had been watching the bait on the tree the last three mornings and nights. Mostly when there would be just enough light to see through the riflescope in the morning, then again at evening until there wasn’t enough light to see at night. I would give it a full 45 minutes at position in the hide overlooking the bait. I knew they were there. I had seen them, early one morning, and besides the bait kept getting eaten, at night….mostly.

    The two I’d just seen were young and very skittish. No matter. They were there, that was enough. The unfortunate circumstance was my rifle was down for repair. The parts had been ordered and were on the way. When they arrived, the rifle would be repaired and, with the bluff nose bullet, rezeroed. Penetration is a must. The exact distance from the hide to the bait platform was known. Point of impact would match point of aim with certainty. However, this frustrating time of waiting left me with ample time to ponder the situation.

    I had done this before, 24 times to be exact. Thus, there should be no surprises. Yet thoughts of the many leopard stories from classic books of Africa mingled with thoughts of those times. The sleek silent predator which suddenly appears at the bait. The long tense waits in the hide. Thoughts screaming through your brain so loud you’re sure it will hear. Has it come? Does it know? Can it smell me? Hell, can it sense me? Capstick’s aptly descriptive words written in “DEATH IN THE LONG GRASS” were ringing so true. Then, of course, there was the classic line of the little girl in the movie ALIENS; “They come at night … mostly”.

    There should have been no surprises. But dammit, it’s noon! And it’s 80 degrees on a hot, humid, lazy summer day. I’m not even hunting. I just happen to glance at the tree. The movement catches my attention. IT is going up the tree and this one is not young. This one is huge, a trophy. The largest I’ve seen. Definitely the one you write home to Mama about! But I’m 5 yards from the hide and the rifle while fixed and zeroed isn’t loaded, how stupid. All I can do is watch and not move. IT reaches the bait, glances around, so quickly the fangs snatch up a piece of bait! Then with all the described silent smoothness of the great predators IT is down the tree and into the dense undergrowth.

    I move quickly to the hide, picking up the rifle and with a quick practiced movement it is loaded. Climbing into the hide a solid shooting position is taken. Good rest with natural point of aim centered on the bait. Extra ammo’s at hand. Riflescope set at 9X. Focus perfect. Safety’s off. Easy on the trigger … remember it’s two-stage. Everything’s set. Well, except for one …. BREATHE stupid!!! Settle down.

    Then the thoughts come with the questions you can’t answer. Will IT return? Was that IT’s first trip to the bait or the last? How hungry was IT? Does IT know?. Why now? Just doesn’t make sense. Seems like when you’ve got the answer to the question, they change the question. Try to stop thinking. Can’t. Where… is … IT?

    There! Movement in the undergrowth. Yes, that’s IT and how wary IT is. IT does know. I’m still aimed at the bait. Can’t chance moving the rifle for a shot there, IT will see, must wait. Swiftly IT moves to the base of the tree, hesitates slightly, then with little effort bounds up the backside to the bait. Oh, so cautious, IT slinks around between the bait and the feeder then stops on the platform. Crouching low IT stares right at me, no IT stares through me! I see the fangs, the twitch of the whiskers and those eyes. Yes, those cold black eyes. They seem to mesmerize me. Magnified at 9X I know … IT knows!

    But, too late, the crosshairs have settled quartering the right eye. The first stage is out of the trigger and, at a crisp two pounds of pull, so goes the second. The bluff nose strikes precisely at point of aim. IT is slammed down onto the platform, muscles quivering tensely, tail standing straight up in the air. Quick reload for the insurance shot. Wounded in that undergrowth, things could prove difficult to sort out. I settle back for the insurance shot, if necessary, it isn’t. IT sags, deflating like the last gasp of a fast leaking party balloon. The tail slowly falls to hang limp over the platform.

    I turn, still standing in the bathtub and uncock the RWS M54 air rifle. My wife, from the bedroom, says; “Well, did you get it?” I answer rather nonchalantly; “Of course!” Closing the bathroom window, which makes for a rather convenient hide, I look once more down upon the squirrel feeder nailed to the tree 17 yards away. The large Norwegian Wharf Rat lying there is probably the biggest of the 25 killed yet.

    As I approach the feeder to confirm the kill (i.e. throwing said rat over the back fence) I see the 14.3 gr .22 cal Crossman Premier pellet at 600 fps hit the right eye precisely. Didn’t even cut fur. I lift it off the feeder, using gloves, and hold IT up for my wife to see who has safely stayed upstairs in the house. She yells out the window; “Jeez, that sure is a big sucker!” I agree. IT measured 14 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail, "between the pegs" as the Brits would say. I then unceremoniously confirm the kill throwing the lifeless body over the back fence into the dense blackberry bushes. There are larger rats for sure, but none in my hunting “concession” … so far.

    Yes, “THEY COME AT NIGHT….MOSTLY” but then …. but then perhaps not!

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    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    That's truly "Goin to a Rat Killin". Good Shot

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Thoroughly enjoyed the description of dispatching IT!
    Decreed by our Creator: The man who has been made able to believe and understand that Jesus Christ has been sent into this world by the Father has been born of the Spirit of God. This man shall never experience spiritual death. He will live forever!

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rapier View Post
    Close enough when it comes to a 22 rimfire.

    Another use for sparrows, throw them in the freezer in a bag, and float them frozen on a pond with a shark hook on para cord, to catch snapping turtles out of your fish pond.Snappers are also bad on baby ducks.

    Used to shoot sparrows in the chicken yard, as my job at the farm. They eat a lot of chicken feed.
    Actually, this is an air rifle. Fully shrouded so very quiet as well.

  7. #7
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    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE View Post
    My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.
    Not to go off-post, but my "feelings" re poisons so dictated. There was the old story of the pumpkin farmer, tired of losing produce to thieves, who posted a huge sign: "WARNING! One of the pumpkins now contains deadly poison!". He was most proud of himself noting decline in field shrinkage, until he noted that someone had changed his sign to, "WARNING! TWO of the pumpkins now contain deadly poison". Whether it be a bb gun, air rife, or a .50BMG -- albeit with "know your target and beyond" -- the ONLY victim will be the target or perhaps some dirt in a miss.
    With ANY poison, in addition to "good" wild critters, my thoughts include pet dogs, cats, loose-range poultry, etc., etc., etc.. A few years back my good friend Charlie -- NOT a hunter -- went for a Sunday walk in the woods with his leashed Lab; shortly thereafter the dog got quite sick (convulsing, bleeding, etc.) and died in the Vet's office.
    Maybe just "me" -- but I go 100% for the firearm, and ZERO towards any poisons...
    geo

  9. #9
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    Jeez Larry, I had chills thinks about the fangs and all.
    I`m sure glad you dispatched it at a safe distance and the security of your hide.
    BTW, great story.
    Along the line of Patrick McManus.
    One more reason that you need to write a book.
    A series of short stories like this would make a great book.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master



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    Congratulations to both the Great Hunters!!!
    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
    Je suis Charlie
    Remember Lavoy!
    I'll cling to my God and my guns, and you can keep the "Change".

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    farmerjim's Avatar
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    Great hunting stories.
    Made my day.
    There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Ayn Rand

  12. #12
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    sparky45's Avatar
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    Delicious reading Larry, made me feel like I was the one in the "Hide". Thanks.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Larry had a Safari on a shoestring.
    Don Verna


  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    Not to go off-post, but my "feelings" re poisons so dictated. There was the old story of the pumpkin farmer, tired of losing produce to thieves, who posted a huge sign: "WARNING! One of the pumpkins now contains deadly poison!". He was most proud of himself noting decline in field shrinkage, until he noted that someone had changed his sign to, "WARNING! TWO of the pumpkins now contain deadly poison". Whether it be a bb gun, air rife, or a .50BMG -- albeit with "know your target and beyond" -- the ONLY victim will be the target or perhaps some dirt in a miss.
    With ANY poison, in addition to "good" wild critters, my thoughts include pet dogs, cats, loose-range poultry, etc., etc., etc.. A few years back my good friend Charlie -- NOT a hunter -- went for a Sunday walk in the woods with his leashed Lab; shortly thereafter the dog got quite sick (convulsing, bleeding, etc.) and died in the Vet's office.
    Maybe just "me" -- but I go 100% for the firearm, and ZERO towards any poisons...
    geo
    We had a number of bald eagles turn up very sick, someone traced the poison back to the land fill, where it seems the vetenary offices were dumping the dogs and cats the put down. Shure glad they treat the animals so well ???

  15. #15
    Boolit Master


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    My rat shooting story:

    Recovering from some light wounds and a bad case of Malaria, I was stuck on light duty back at the division base camp. Pulling guard duty on the green line one night, I heard a lot of activity to my front. We got illumination rounds but could not see anything. After daylight, I say that all of the noise was coming from a area where garbage was dumped over the wire not far from my position. A week or so later, I was down at the same spot with a flashlight and could see hordes of rats crawling over the garbage. A plan began to form. We placed some sandbags on the ground so we could back a 3/4 ton truck up on the bags to direct the headlights down into the dump. After we got the truck in place, we would drink a beer and wait for the rats to resume their feeding. About a dozen of us would get on line and wait for the driver to turn on his lights. We would all start blasting with M-16s at the rats. Within a minute the rats got scarce. We would turn off the lights and drink another beer. By this time you could hear wounded rats screaming as they were being fed on by other rats. then the lights came back on, and we started blasting away again. About then, a jeep came screaming down the road with the officer of the guard. He started yelling, but calmed down when he saw what was going on. When we turned the lights on again, he was shooting an M-60 on a pintle mount on the jeep, at the rats. A bit of overkill, but a fun time was had by all. As time evolved, we found a riot gun with buckshot and an M-79 grenade launcher with fleshette and buckshot rounds. But word got out to the brass that we were having too good a time and we had to cease our "rat safari". During the month or so we were having fun, I bet that we killed several thousand rats and several dozen "two step" kraits.

  16. #16
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    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    Not to go off-post, but my "feelings" re poisons so dictated. There was the old story of the pumpkin farmer, tired of losing produce to thieves, who posted a huge sign: "WARNING! One of the pumpkins now contains deadly poison!". He was most proud of himself noting decline in field shrinkage, until he noted that someone had changed his sign to, "WARNING! TWO of the pumpkins now contain deadly poison". Whether it be a bb gun, air rife, or a .50BMG -- albeit with "know your target and beyond" -- the ONLY victim will be the target or perhaps some dirt in a miss.
    With ANY poison, in addition to "good" wild critters, my thoughts include pet dogs, cats, loose-range poultry, etc., etc., etc.. A few years back my good friend Charlie -- NOT a hunter -- went for a Sunday walk in the woods with his leashed Lab; shortly thereafter the dog got quite sick (convulsing, bleeding, etc.) and died in the Vet's office.
    Maybe just "me" -- but I go 100% for the firearm, and ZERO towards any poisons...
    geo
    Modern poisons work different than traditional ones. I’ve used it for years and we a lot of pets and farm animals. Never had a problem with it.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    jaysouth; Good Story! -06

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy rickt300's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE View Post
    My neighbor uses an air gun with a night vision scope on it to kill rats in his barn at night. I told him if he enjoyed it fine, but rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.
    Rat poison kills a lot more than just rats, won't use it myself ease notwithstanding.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master WRideout's Avatar
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    When I lived in Knoxville TN, we had rats move into our neighborhood after some woods had been cleared nearby. My stupid dog allowed them to take up residence around her house; eating her food and drinking her water. One morning I saw the rats moving around so I retrieved my air rifle, still in my pajamas, and took up a position behind the backyard fence. I made a one shot kill from 15 yards.

    Later, while I was at National Guard drill in Chattanooga, I bragged about my skill with the air rifle, and claimed five redneck points for it. One of the other soldiers said it was minus points because of the air rifle. He said "You have to use a weapon that is loud enough to awake the neighbors and arouse suspicion." I slunk off, tail between my legs.

    Wayne
    What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - or else it gives you a bad rash.
    Venison is free-range, organic, non-GMO and gluten-free

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by WRideout View Post
    When I lived in Knoxville TN, we had rats move into our neighborhood after some woods had been cleared nearby. My stupid dog allowed them to take up residence around her house; eating her food and drinking her water. One morning I saw the rats moving around so I retrieved my air rifle, still in my pajamas, and took up a position behind the backyard fence. I made a one shot kill from 15 yards.

    Later, while I was at National Guard drill in Chattanooga, I bragged about my skill with the air rifle, and claimed five redneck points for it. One of the other soldiers said it was minus points because of the air rifle. He said "You have to use a weapon that is loud enough to awake the neighbors and arouse suspicion." I slunk off, tail between my legs.

    Wayne
    There is a group on youtube taking out monkeys and various game in Oz at well over 100 yards with airguns, and a guy that goes by edgun doing the same in the US with various invasive bird species. There are specific guns out now in mass production for game up to deer size and a few specialty ones that can go to Africa and fill tags on some of the larger species.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check