Nightmare for Nest Raiders

[timeout]

I spent the last two hours of daylight yesterday enjoying the splendid solitude of the G Ranch tower. My main focus was removing nest raiders, mainly masked bandits. As a side benefit, enjoying some of God's sights and sounds enhanced the experience. There were a few deer, a pair of Hoot owls talking to each other, and a lone turkey hen walking around completely oblivious to the powder being ignited. The main instrument of choice was a Mack Brothers action mounted in a Stocky's stock, topped with a Nightforce 8-32X56 NP2DD optic. The chambering was 6 Dasher loaded with 55 grain Blitzkings traveling @ 3640 fps. zeroed @ 200 yards. My rest was a Nikon window mount converted to ARCA Swiss attachment and sporting a BogPod saddle. Max available shooting distance from the tower is 470 yards. My total take for the evening was 6 nest raiders. The furthest shot was 325 yards. The closest was 50 yards using a .223 with 52 grain Nosler Varmageddons. Perhaps not as exciting for those of you located in prairie dog and sage rat country, but for my location it's a fantastic way to spend an evening!

 

[boltfluter]

Assuming raccoons were the targets. Amazing to see that many in the daytime. Or I am completely wrong!!
Paul

 

[D Coots]

You shot the Lone Ranger?

 

[itchyTF]

Looks great to me! How high is the tower and are there any windows on other sides?

 

[timeout]

Yes, raccoons the victims. Yes, out in the daytime right now foraging for food in the field. Makes a guy wonder how many encounters there would be at night with thermal optics?

 

[timeout]

Looks great to me! How high is the tower and are there any windows on other sides?

Yes, windows all the way around. I have a Caldwell Treepod mounted beside the entry door that can be swung around into action. I took one at about 200 yards using it yesterday. The "tower" is 10 1/2' Base to ground. Feels a bit taller since it sets on about the highest terrain of the property. I need to gather carcasses so I'll measure it. I took a buck from there last fall at I believe 356 yards. Specifics sometimes fade a bit at my age Oh, it has LP heat for winter use. A favorite spot here at the G Ranch!

 

[kerryp]

more pictures (details) of the G Ranch tower
thanks

 

[Gary in MD]

Love the sign inside the shooting house!!
I’ll have to get to work on the masked bandits around here again this year. They ruined a bunch of sweet corn I had planted last year.

 

[ckaberna]

I spent the last two hours of daylight yesterday enjoying the splendid solitude of the G Ranch tower. My main focus was removing nest raiders, mainly masked bandits. As a side benefit, enjoying some of God's sights and sounds enhanced the experience. There were a few deer, a pair of Hoot owls talking to each other, and a lone turkey hen walking around completely oblivious to the powder being ignited. The main instrument of choice was a Mack Brothers action mounted in a Stocky's stock, topped with a Nightforce 8-32X56 NP2DD optic. The chambering was 6 Dasher loaded with 55 grain Blitzkings traveling @ 3640 fps. zeroed @ 200 yards. My rest was a Nikon window mount converted to ARCA Swiss attachment and sporting a BogPod saddle. Max available shooting distance from the tower is 470 yards. My total take for the evening was 6 nest raiders. The furthest shot was 325 yards. The closest was 50 yards using a .223 with 52 grain Nosler Varmageddons. Perhaps not as exciting for those of you located in prairie dog and sage rat country, but for my location it's a fantastic way to spend an evening!
View attachment 1341732

I’d like to see your Nikon window mount conversion. Sounds interesting.

 

[timeout]

more pictures (details) of the G Ranch tower
thanks

Thinking I'll go up there again late this afternoon. I'll take a few pics. It's not overly fancy. Started out as an open air tower. I got so sick of the coons messing it up I finally closed it in. All but one window is a used give away. It does have some comfy boat seats.

Love the sign inside the shooting house!!
I’ll have to get to work on the masked bandits around here again this year. They ruined a bunch of sweet corn I had planted last year.

Used to be another favorite sign up there but the coons wrecked it. "It's no sin to be poor and have to work, just mighty unhandy" Fred Morris

I’d like to see your Nikon window mount conversion. Sounds interesting.

The window mount is stored up there. If I go up later today I'll take a picture. I did away with the original quick release camera style attachment plate and adapted an ARCA Swiss style plate which I purchased from Amazon. I purchased a BogPod Deathgrip UltraLite saddle from Cabela's, https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/bog-deathgrip-ultralite-mount and put an ARCA Swiss style base plate onto it.

Assuming raccoons were the targets. Amazing to see that many in the daytime. Or I am completely wrong!!
Paul

When doing my carcass removal this morning I discovered that all of the Raccoons were adult females. They had an apparent need for nourishment. Their food sources here now are not overly plentiful. In a couple of weeks or so black berries and raspberries will be in season for them. After that is over it will soon be time for them to hit the cornfields. Not only are they hard on sweetcorn, but they do a tremendous amount of damage to ag corn fields as well. Being all females removed last night, plus the time of year it is, I have eliminated a ton of corn and nest raiding damage far beyond these initial 6 removed.

 

[timeout]

I’d like to see your Nikon window mount conversion. Sounds interesting.

Here ya go.

 

[timeout]

more pictures (details) of the G Ranch tower
thanks

Here ya go.

 

[ckaberna]

Here ya go.
View attachment 1341880View attachment 1341881
View attachment 1341882

Thanks, I just purchased one of these from another member. I have a couple of tripods that have quick attachments for the hog/pig saddles and was wondering if there was a better way.

 

[snert]

Masked bandits?? I was thinking Democrat congressmen...

 

[kerryp]

Here ya go.
View attachment 1341887View attachment 1341893View attachment 1341894View attachment 1341888View attachment 1341889

Looks good. is it about 10’x12’?
Thanks

 

[Pheasanthunter]

Yes, raccoons the victims. Yes, out in the daytime right now foraging for food in the field. Makes a guy wonder how many encounters there would be at night with thermal optics?

No season on them there ?

 

[markT]

Diurnal coons, interesting.

 

[boltfluter]

Looks like a great place to hang out for an evening hunt!

Paul

 

[timeout]

No season on them there ?

Remove all you want on your own property.

 

[timeout]

Masked bandits?? I was thinking Democrat congressmen...

They used to be masked and secretive. They are unabashed nowadays. They don't try to hide anything, yet there are people ignorant enough to vote for them.