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Thread: Varminting

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy gumbo333's Avatar
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    Larry Gibsons “IT” can be anything terrifying when hunting with an air rifle. Big fat grasshoppers might chew a man’s leg off if it was only slightly wounded. .177 can squish a monster hopper with a resounding ‘splat’ . Still fun for an old fart.
    Never trade luck for skill.

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    Looks like a lot of fun...and a good service to a local farmer or rancher, they all have rats.

    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

    Be a Patriot . . . expose their lies!

    “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” G. Orwell

  3. #23
    Boolit Master
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    OS OK; Great Video

  4. #24
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    How deep were the dead rats on the floor?
    Let the hogs in for cleanup ?
    That guy gets on with his rat killin’! Bravo!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #25
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    I always wondered what happened to the cast of that movie "Willard".
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
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  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Ratting looks like fun....except for the cleanup.
    Don Verna


  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Back in the summer I was getting ready to shoot some steel plates in my field, 100-150 yds, with a Ped. Sharps, 1874 45/70 with some 550 gr postells I had loaded. The gun was zeroed with the buckhorn sights and as I sat down at the bench, a big ole fat groundhhog waddled out from under my barn and and up the bank heading for some clover out in the field. I just loaded my rifle and waited. He would pop up and down looking to make sure nothing snuck up on him. I whistled real loud and he stood up stretching as tall as he could. I had the sight on his chest and touched the set trigger off. At the boom the bullet caught him thru the shoulders, and jerked him off the ground, doing about three whirly bird rotations before he landed, splat. Might have been over gunned but it sure was fun to watch. I guess this qualifies as varmint hunting.

  8. #28
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    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    gumbo333

    "can be anything terrifying when hunting with an air rifle."

    Most certainly......


    YOU ONLY GET ONE
    By Larry M. Gibson
    (Tongue in cheek!)


    The “bush” is dense, the grass is high, and the fading light creates those strange apparitions that keep your heart pounding in your throat. At every glance you think “there” but more often it is only your imagination and you swallow hard. At least as much as your parched tongue will allow. Your lips are dry; dare you take your hand from the rifle to put lip balm on? You advance slowly, carefully selecting each step, you must allow for the maximum distance available between you and from wherever the charge may come. Rifle at the ready, moving ever so slowly, steady now, you know it’s there, somewhere. But where, searching the shadows, you can’t afford to miss anything. When the charge comes it will be quick, perhaps preceded by a low guttural grunt. You must be fast, yet you can’t fire too quickly. You must stand firm and take the charge, it is imperative the first shot be good. You only get one!

    Robert Ruark wrote; “Use Enough Gun”. He was right. Better to use too much gun, than not enough. No such thing as “overkill” when things are close and need to be “sorted out”!

    Tourists, now there’s the problem. They come hunting with rifles of insufficient caliber or the projectile is of poor design or construction. Tourists! They don’t understand the need. They don’t understand the concept. Mostly they just don’t have a clue. Seems they think all critters are the same. They’re not. Take buffalo for example.

    The water buffalo has been fairly well domesticated. While he will get angry, blow snot and stomp around the rice paddy he, for the most part, poses little problem and little sport. Be rather like shooting fish a barrel. Now the Cape Buffalo, on the other hand, is considered by many as the most dangerous of the “Big Five”. He has a tenacity for life and in general a bad temperamental pattern of behavior. This had been the demise of many a careless or imprudent hunter, poacher, or entirely innocent native. If surprised a charge is most certain. If wounded? Now that’s when things can get real nasty. If a charge isn’t instantly provoked when wounded, he will disappear into the densest of bush to lie in ambush. His ability to pick the best spot for him, which of course is the worst for you, is legendary. When you enter the bush after him, as you must, the charge will be quick and at short range so you must be resolute. One of you will die. You must make your first shot count. You only get one!

    So, to the problem. Tourists, they come hunting with their .17 caliber rifles. They may bring a rifle of sufficient caliber, a .20 or .22, but they use a pellet of insufficient construction. The requirement for penetration is an absolute must. Pointed or, preferably, the round nose or “bluff nose” with plenty of lead showing is the proper choice. Anything else, hollow point or wadcutters, may be successful sometimes, but most often they will leave the quarry wounded. Many will crawl off into the dense bush to lie in ambush. Does the tourist do his duty and go in the bush after it? Hell no, he just mumbles something about “having flinched” or some such rot and moves on! The quarry most often dies lying there in wait. But sometimes, it does not.

    Herein lies the crux of the matter. The wounded quarry will lick or bite its festering wound. The pain will sear into its brain a growing hatred. It will remember and it will not forget. It will cross over from the ordinary and become the rogue, a chisel tooth. Bad tempered, with a lingering desire for revenge, the rogue will charge unprovoked.

    Tourists who live and hunt back east or even now the city dwellers from here are only familiar with the domesticated park inhabiting squirrels. Cute little critters hopping around collecting chestnuts or walnuts and even eating right out of your hand. How nice! You know the ones, they’re hand fed and provided with “houses” nailed in the upper parts of a trees by sensitivity trained park rangers.

    Worse yet, these squirrels are coddled by the proverbial do-gooder-who-cares-for-anything-that-moves rabid animal lover. They consider Friends of Animals and Green Peace to be soft, left wing, pinko, commie, do nothing organizations. Their most fervent wish is hunters would shoot more of each other in season or out. It is these protected squirrels that can be shot quite easily even with the .17s. They have been “neutered” of their wild instincts. Rather like, as mentioned, shooting fish in a barrel. A water buffalo if you will.

    However, out west, there is another species of squirrel. One that is leaner, meaner and must survive on its own. One that lives in the ground and seeks no sensitivity provided comforts. One that is still wild, not neutered of its instincts. In many places unprotected, still considered a varmint. One that has survived unlimited hunting, poisoning, trapping and every effort of eradication devised by man short of nuclear weaponry! The Cape Buffalo type! Now there’s a quarry of worth, one of respect.

    But, as with such as Buff, you must be careful for there are the rogues.

    It is these rogues, left by the irresponsible tourist hunters, that are the bain of the unsuspecting. There are recorded instances of hikers Vibram soles being gnawed upon. Of Gatorade bottles found empty – with the cap still on! I have seen dirt-bikers go ass-over-teakettle when roaring down trails out through the sage “bush”. As they dust themselves off, recovering what’s left of their mangled Yamigucci’s, or whatever. They mumble something about a “rut” coming out of nowhere. There was no “rut”. Further investigation reveals two small-elongated puncture marks in the sidewall of the front tire! The mark of old chisel tooth, a rogue attack! As the biker hobbles back down the trail pushing the Yamagucci I turn and peer into the high sage “bush”, I know what must be done. It must be sorted out!

    Going into the high sage bush after old chisel tooth’s attack is most nerve wracking. It can take years off, what may soon be a very short life.....yours. Yet you must do your duty, enter the dense high sage bush and sort the problem out. When the charge comes, and it will come, you must stand your ground and as John Pondoro Taylor says; “take the charge”. Climbing up the nearest sage bush will only get you ass bit. No, you must stand firm no matter the urgent need to run, take the charge and use the frontal brain shot. This is the only reliable shot to stop the charge. I have had many tumble dead at my feet. But be careful, OLE chisel tooth, the rogue, will come at you in a flat run. He will be stretched out with his chisels extended. You must place the “bluff nose” pellet right above the boss of the chisel. It must be online with and centered between the eyes. To high and you will shoot over the top of its head, as with a charging lion. Hit too low and the pellet will be deflected by the boss, same as with a Cape Buffalo. This may “turn” the charge of chisel tooth, but don’t bet the farm on it. Even at best, by turning the charge, you will still have to sort things out – again! Placed well, the frontal brain shot with a “bluff nose” pellet will penetrate to the brain and OLE chisel tooth will roll in a cloud of dust at your feet. Best make the one shot count. You only get one!

    If you hunt the bush and have chosen a rifle of sufficient caliber, and are using the “bluff nose” pellet, then with good shooting you may not find yourself in the thick of it. You will not have your heart in your throat, the sweat trickling off your eyebrow, a coppery dry taste in your mouth and that fervent wish for the open veldt with the Sun to your back and the wind in your face. But if you come upon a tourist who has made a “mess of it” with his .17 cal, at least you will be properly armed.

    So, if you are a hunter of conscience, of ethics and of stout heart you will not forsake your solemn duty. You will enter the bush and with proper weaponry “sort things out”. When the charge comes, and it will, stand firm, take the charge, and use the frontal brain shot. Make the shot count. You only get one!
    Last edited by Larry Gibson; 01-21-2023 at 01:13 PM.
    Larry Gibson

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

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy gumbo333's Avatar
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    Mr Gibson, well written. Maybe you should write a book. A nasty wounded grasshopper may chew your leg off but they dint gore you. Now a saber toothed skunk out here in the Great Plains does require ‘enough gun’ , preferably something that is accurate at distance. Lots of distance.
    Never trade luck for skill.

  10. #30
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    Another great one, Larry.
    It brings back memories of my youth, hunting the notoriously dangerous digger squirrel of southern Oregon.
    I barely survived a poorly aimed shot when the chisels gnawed a hole in my nearly new Levis before dying at my feet.
    I thought mom was going to kill me when she saw the damage.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master WRideout's Avatar
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    When I worked at Vandenberg AFB on the Left Coast, old chisel tooth climbed under the hood of my car and chewed voraciously on the ignition wires of my car. I barely made it home!

    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

  12. #32
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
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    Great story Larry! It was a bit intense but I managed to make it through to the end! Thanks & keep the stories coming.

    Great story too jaysouth! I can picture all those soldiers going about their "rat-killing". LOL
    Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

  13. #33
    Boolit Master

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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.
    If you had to explain with those details, THEN you missed the whole point in the method!
    Amendments
    The Second there to protect the First!

  14. #34
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE View Post
    rat poison was a lot cheaper than a night vision scope and is always on duty.
    Where's the fun in that?
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  15. #35
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
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    I like watching the exterminators on YouTube. Sometimes in other countries. Their air rifles are so pin point accurate at close range…. But small targets. I like seeing vermin dispatched…. filthy critters. Have you seen a rat shot between a cows legs?
    Scary fun. I watch long time. Rats are about the only thing I rejoice when killed…. the more the better. All an infestation is good for -the rifle rs pellet.

  16. #36
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    This would be a good reason to start playing with my night vision scope I bought years ago and never used. I always wanted to put it on my piston air rifle but never got aground to it.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
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    Re Larry's story, I've dispatched nearly all my rats at night. The one time I got an adult during the day, it was huge. I'm sure it was a different species. Black glassy bug eyes and long skinny jaws. At least 2-3x as massive as the more cuter-looking tree rats that sometimes get too comfortable on my property.

    I get most of mine freehand, from 12-20 yards. 177 springer or 177 pumper, shooting in the mid 400 fps puts the lights out without risk of a ricochet embedding in any of the neighbor's stucco.

  18. #38
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    This would be a good reason to start playing with my night vision scope I bought years ago and never used. I always wanted to put it on my piston air rifle but never got aground to it.
    I have an ATN X-Sight 4K and would definitely NOT put it on a piston air rifle.
    I thought about it but ended up calling either Air Gun Depot or Pyramid Arms, can't remember which.
    They told me it might last a little while but would eventually be destroyed by the recoil.
    That is why I entered the world of PCP.
    Don't take my word for it, please call one of these dealers and have a discussion with them.
    I would hate to hear you ruined your nice night vision scope.
    There are some nice PCPs out there for a reasonable price that can be charged with a hand pump, which works fine if you are not doing a bunch of volume shooting.
    Compressors can be had too, for not a lot of money, although I do not know the longevity of them.

  19. #39
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    Growing up we never went to football games. We went "rat bashing" at the small town of Riverside, Michigan. Owners son, Doug, was part of the "bashing crew". But our main tool was caliber .22 and 12 gauge with #6 shot for the opening of the show when the lights on the old pick up came on.
    Three of us standing firing over the roof 1st with the scatterguns. You could see the shot mow through.
    But we leaned one Friday night, never get in the rat's path of escape. Got real "western" for a few minutes.
    Last edited by missionary5155; 01-28-2023 at 01:09 PM.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
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  20. #40
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Thanks for the heads up I won’t put it on. I was afraid of the same thing common sense just told me it would get wrecked. Mine is a is a Photon.

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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
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GC Gas Check