Early OR Rat Shoot (Pic Heavy)

[Rick in Oregon]

Great post and equally great pictures. It’s interesting to hear all the different names that have been bestowed on these squirrels. Here in Montana we call them gophers. There’s not a lot of them in Wyoming, but they call them chiselers. I’ve heard them called Pot Guts down in Idaho, and squeaks as well as the term rats that you guys use. Any other names that are used?

Over the course of 60 years of shooting these guys, I've heard various names;
Picket Pins
Squeaks
Sage Rats
Rats
Grass Rats
Gophers
And of course our own moniker "Skippy the Flying Squirrel" (yes, there's a story there )

I'm certain there's more, and always interested to hear 'em. Seems about every area that has them, also has favored local names for them.

And thanks for the kind words there also, STS.

 

[STS]

I forgot picket pins. The most common use of their name, no matter where it's used, is associated with preceding adjective such a "damn." Damn gophers, damn rats and so on.

 

[dbingen]

We also call them “SERT’s”. “Self Erecting Rifle Targets”.

….D

 

[Ackman]

Over the course of 60 years of shooting these guys, I've heard various names;
Picket Pins
Squeaks
Sage Rats
Rats
Grass Rats
Gophers
And of course our own moniker "Skippy the Flying Squirrel" (yes, there's a story there )

I'm certain there's more, and always interested to hear 'em. Seems about every area that has them, also has favored local names for them.

And thanks for the kind words there also, STS.

In Utah we call them"potgjuts". But "Skippy the flying squirrel"........ A good one, I like that.

 

[ricco1949]

Fern, I usually take 400 rounds for each rifle when I take multiple CF rifles on one of these shoots. 400 rounds packed in 100 rnd Berry's boxes, four boxes to each .50 cal can. When I take just one CF rifle (local stuff), I take two cans for 800 rounds. I almost always bring home unfired ammo.

One of four stacks of Mil-Spec ammo cans in the gun room, both .50 & .30 cal all loaded ready for field action.



On this last shoot, I primarily used 17HMR, 20VT and 221FB, but had my 11 twist 204 Ruger Match in the truck if the ranges got stretched past 350 yards. Didn't uncase it, as all the shooting was 300 yards or less on this trip so the LR rig was not needed, but was there if wanted.

Thanks for the kind words too. I hope you are able to get out with your 11T 204RM this year.

Rick,

I pack em similarly.

However I use Berry's 50 round Hornet boxes for the Vartargs. They are just the right length for VTs and the added bonus is 600 or 12 boxes will fit in an ammo can.

It would be nice if Berry's would make the Hornet boxes in 100's.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

It would be nice if Berry's would make the Hornet boxes in 100's.

View attachment 1760428

Rick, I also use the 50 round boxes, but only for my Hornet-based cartridges. And as you said, a .50 cal can will fit 600 rounds that way. Shooters seem to always 'find a way'.

This forum is a great place and resource for exchanging ideas from like-minded guys who all enjoy the same pastime.

 

[jxb]

When we used to go over there (Burns ish area) in the 1990's and early 2000's for a week or more we did similar except none of us got so particular about our varmint ammo, most all of it was in 30/50 cal cans like that but most was just loose in a gallon ziplock. We'd try to take enough CF so we didn't need to shoot 22rf but we always had ample 22rf in the event we needed to use it. At some point some of us added 17hmr to the mix but yeah we'd laugh about if we got stopped what the county mounty might say, would he be impressed or have square eyes. Lots of guns and many thousands of rounds on board. lol

This was before all the fee hunting took over, once that happened I'd just go over to central Idaho and shoot with my dad on one of the many ranches he had access to.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

At some point some of us added 17hmr to the mix but yeah we'd laugh about if we got stopped what the county mounty might say, would he be impressed or have square eyes. Lots of guns and many thousands of rounds on board.

You mean the truck floorboards might look like this if you got stopped?



When the WX is foul and bench shooting is not in the cards, we do "drive-by" shooting on the pivot perimeter two-track with our custom 10-22's out the truck windows. The only drawback is if you don't use a towel/rag or brass catcher, the defroster/heater vents really get clogged with empties.

This was before all the fee hunting took over, once that happened I'd just go over to central Idaho and shoot with my dad on one of the many ranches he had access to.

Yeah, I hear you on the 'fee shooting' bit. That one thing has totally ruined the area that used to be utopia for rat shooting. Greed is the only word that comes to mind. "Guides/outfitters".......yeah, right.

 

[RegionRat]

That's a great photo Rick.
Brings back memories!

I found a way to rig up a brass catcher to keep those from getting into the vents.

Before the brass catcher, there were days when you couldn't keep your feet steady on the floorboards because they were so covered in brass just like your photo.

I can't imagine what folks would think nowadays. Thanks for the flashback!

 

[STS]

You mean the truck floorboards might look like this if you got stopped?



When the WX is foul and bench shooting is not in the cards, we do "drive-by" shooting on the pivot perimeter two-track with our custom 10-22's out the truck windows. The only drawback is if you don't use a towel/rag or brass catcher, the defroster/heater vents really get clogged with empties.


Yeah, I hear you on the 'fee shooting' bit. That one thing has totally ruined the area that used to be utopia for rat shooting. Greed is the only word that comes to mind. "Guides/outfitters".......yeah, right.

That reminds me of my 1976 F250. It had so many empties in the vents that it sounded like you were shaking them up in a coffee can. That is if you could get the heater motor to work at all. Most of the time the only way to get the heater to come on was to pull over and stop, get out and walk around to the passengers side, open and then slam the door as HARD as you could. Somehow that would make the heater motor start.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

That's a great photo Rick.
Brings back memories!

I found a way to rig up a brass catcher to keep those from getting into the vents.

Before the brass catcher, there were days when you couldn't keep your feet steady on the floorboards because they were so covered in brass just like your photo.

I can't imagine what folks would think nowadays. Thanks for the flashback!

Yup, talk about "the old days". Some of the late to the party guys have no idea of just how bonaroo it was back then.

We sorta solved the clogged vent issue with using the generic Midway AR brass catcher that amazingly enough, goes right on the 10-22.

The only thing though, is to remember to put the thing on the rifle before the action starts!

 

[dsandfort]

Family fun indeed

 

[jxb]

You mean the truck floorboards might look like this if you got stopped?



When the WX is foul and bench shooting is not in the cards, we do "drive-by" shooting on the pivot perimeter two-track with our custom 10-22's out the truck windows. The only drawback is if you don't use a towel/rag or brass catcher, the defroster/heater vents really get clogged with empties.


Yeah, I hear you on the 'fee shooting' bit. That one thing has totally ruined the area that used to be utopia for rat shooting. Greed is the only word that comes to mind. "Guides/outfitters".......yeah, right.

No I just meant all the ammo on the way there from the Columbia basin area (Hermytown). But oh yeah that too!!!

I still remember the first time we came, stopped at the cafe/bar in the shootin area and a guy in a pickup pulled in next to us, got out and I kid you not the 22 shells ran out on the ground for over a minute. Looked over and they are still so deep you couldn't see through them. We knew right then "we'd arrived". It certainly didn't replace our time in elk camp but it was a great way to get out in the spring.