Rat shooting- what do you use

[TimS]

Most of our rats had tunneled under the concrete floor

 

[Treerat-sniper]

I live down the road from a couple of hog confinements & occasionally get one on my property (not as often as the days when there were open lots). I Had one tunnel into the basement through cracks in the limestone. My jack russell terriers usually get em before they get that far but if they don't get em, the squirrel rig will.

 

[Brians356]

Go on YouTube, airguns and rats.
There is allot of information there, about scopes, lights and everything else you need to know.

Africa professional hunter and writer Peter Hathaway Capstick once wrote enthusiastically about the useful practice obtained by shooting rats at home in Florida from his veranda with a springer air rifle. He would deposit a Burger King Whopper atop the wall at the back of his yard and pop them while enjoying evening cocktails.
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[sscoyote]

Number of years ago on our annual Philippines trip I got ahold of a CO2 put-together airgun pistol from a buddy who lives in Mindanao. It had been his mothers gun years ago. He shipped it by boat to Manila, then his driver took it down to Bicol Region and my nephew picked it up from him. Couple weeks later I showed up from stateside with a 2X Swift pistol scope. We mounted it in a pair of Burris rings to the Weaver base that had been steel-epoxied to the barrel. With a little scope-mounted adjustable-beam light it was pretty cool, and shot pretty well. Another nephew had had a mini-stroke, came down to Bicol Region to stay with us for awhile. He had shot pistols before and was very good at it, and took very quickly to shooting the pistol scope, better than any i'd ever known. We took that setup to the local dump recycle shed, and he nailed several rats with is in a couple nights hunt. At the time I was trying to get a cover photo of a rat for Varmint Hunter mag. and had a great opportunity with one sticking it's head between the corrugated roof folds, but my nephew's so fast on the trigger I didn't get the pic. Oh well. Nephew Noly told me this was better therapy than any of the meds the docs had him on, and that was worth it all.

 

[swd]

Our coops are small 12' max and 22 bird shot stomps them at that distance. Super Colibri's also work great.

 

[Tommie]

I’m picturing a tractor pulling a disc and about 100 of those dogs. What fun! I really don’t like rodents...

 

[Fast14riot]

Africa hunter and writer Peter Hathaway Capstick once wrote enthusiastically about the useful practice obtained by shooting rats at home in Florida from his veranda with a springer air rifle. He would deposit a Burger King Whopper atop the wall at the back of his yard and pop them while enjoying evening cocktails.
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My parents house had a spa in the back yard, and a very large Mimosa tree, plus the neighbors had their wood pile against the fence. Rats lived in the wood pile and ate the seeds from the mimosa tree. Powerlines ran between the back yards of houses, we would sit in the spa and shoot rats off the power lines with a pellet gun. Usually with a few beers and a good cigar. Made for a great evening, lol!

 

[markT]

Shovel. We hooked up a garden hose to car exhaust pipe and put it in one of the openings to their tunnel. They would come out another opening and get whacked with the back of a shovel. It was so funny to watch my dad hit them.

 

[75vmax]

Golden Marlin fly bait and Mountain Dew . Will eliminate all the pest for a long time . You can buy it at tractor supply for now. There is a rumor going around our government is trying to outlaw it so you better hurry up and stock pile some.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

Try an electric rat shocker/ killer.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Edgun
The leshiy model in 22 cal or the lelya in 25 if the distance is a little longer. Nice and quiet, adjustable power, accurate.

 

[Kevin Taylor]

I worked at the local elevator when in high school. We had emptied the old wood grain bin and the manager decided we needed to fumigate the rats. When you pop the gas canisters, the rats run like the ship is sinking. We smacked them with a shovel. Some how all the fumigant ignited, burning down the bin. Man there were rats everywhere!

 

[markT]

Mink:

 

[Pawnee Bill]

I have a friend that raises upland birds with outside fly pens and feeders. Needless to say, this creates a rat magnet. Tunnels and nest everywhere. But it did create a great shooting opportunity.

We started with 22 revolvers and birdshot and quickly realized that we were outnumbered.

My next idea was a Ruger 96-22m with birdshot, but when we turned on the flashlight I could not work the leaver fast enough.

My final solution was a Saiga 410 with #12 shot. Absolutely the most fun hunting/shooting experience of my life.

I mounted a flashlight on the rail and a cheap dot sight with the 60moa circle and 20 round magazine.

Went into the bird pen hit the light button and it was 20 shots as fast as I could shoot. Wait 15 minutes and repeat.

All shots were 2-15 yards. Heck of an adrenaline rush when you feel rats bumping your boots.

I always use duct tape or rubber bands around my pant legs at the boot. Ask me how I learned that

Just thought I’d share.

Normally, for all round rat shootin', I generally use my 458 Lott with 500 grain solids. Nothing left to clean up.

 

[SSL]

Normally, for all round rat shootin', I generally use my 458 Lott with 500 grain solids. Nothing left to clean up.

Yeah, but what do you use for backup?

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Yeah, but what do you use for backup?

If a second shot is necessary I resort to my 600 Nitro Express Double Rifle.

 

[SSL]

If a second shot is necessary I resort to my 600 Nitro Express Double Rifle.

Always good to have a plan!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Twice tearing down a structure we used roofing tin for fencing funneling to two running riding mowers, nothing made it through the mowers.

 

[Lee in Texas]

“final solution”

(Not a complaint)

 

[steve123]

This is a fine opportunity to try out a PCP air rifle! With match pellets a decent quality one will put every shot touching at 25Y so head shots are not hard to do.

Most of these rifles come with some type of noise reducing moderator on them and can be very quiet. No recoil to speak of so you can watch your hits.

Unfortunately most gun guys will never get to try one of these marvelous weapons, and they are missing out!!!