Any Sage Rat Reports?

[kmk1012]

Old pic... but I'll just leave this here. Ruger 10/22 mag/17.

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Beautiful sight! I was headed over this week until the carpet got yanked out from under me.

 

[Mistman]

I was in X-mas Valley the weekend before last. Weather was great but the rats were laying low. Alfalfa and grain is getting tall and the babies weren't out yet. Talked to a few shooters and a couple locals/ranch hands, the consensus was they were down w/the pups. I don't know, it was just slow. We did get some sporadic shooting in, it even got decent once or twice for a bit. Most every field had a group of guys set-up. Sunday morning we didn't get out early enough and had 6 guys set up all across one side of the pivot we were planning on shooting.

I took my 9 yo for his 1st trip shooting rats. He's REALLY into Fortnight and Minecraft, not so much a lot of other things. We did some shooting from a bench a few times before we went (he's shot more pistol than rifle up to now). I wouldn't say he was excited to go but had a good attitude, long drive and all. I didn't even pull my gun out but sat beside him w/the bino's trying to get him onto shots. Him not knowing yardage very well or being able to quickly acquire targets through a scope was a little frustrating at times.
+ When he finally got a 'confirmed' kill (had to walk it out for a picture) I couldn't even get on the bench if I wanted to, he was all about 'shooting rats'. He only got a few 'confirmed' but it was a great time for all of us. He's looking forward to next time

 

[kmk1012]

Very nice! I was planning on taking my 9 and 8 year old sons.

 

[angry dave]

Went out with my son this weekend.
Found a few is the rocks, but any real shooting will have to wait until after the first cutting of alfalfa.

Jackrabbits are way down this year on the farm.

 

[2ndtimer]

Just returned from Montana. The numbers are down from last year and surprisingly didn't see any little ones yet. Wondering if the late snow they had (on the ground through April) may have delayed the youngsters appearance. Only had a couple of hours to shoot since we attended a wedding in Fort Benton. I will check back with my farmer friend to see if the numbers improve in the next couple of weeks to see if a return trip is warranted. The gophers in Montana are quite a bit larger than the local ground squirrels we see around thr Kennewick/Prosser area.

 

[kmk1012]

Just returned from Montana. The numbers are down from last year and surprisingly didn't see any little ones yet. Wondering if the late snow they had (on the ground through April) may have delayed the youngsters appearance. Only had a couple of hours to shoot since we attended a wedding in Fort Benton. I will check back with my farmer friend to see if the numbers improve in the next couple of weeks to see if a return trip is warranted. The gophers in Montana are quite a bit larger than the local ground squirrels we see around thr Kennewick/Prosser area.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Sporting Systems]

HUnted with 10 people in the Poe Valley east of K Falls. Amazing 2 days, I went through at least 1500 rounds myself...17HMR, 22LR, 10mm, 9mm, 224 Valkyrie and 223 Wylde. Had at Lapua dropping them at 800 yards as well. Going again this weekend. Its always been good with out guide (Kinglsey Outfitters), he has a bunch of great fields secured for hunting.

 

[2ndtimer]

HUnted with 10 people in the Poe Valley east of K Falls. Amazing 2 days, I went through at least 1500 rounds myself...17HMR, 22LR, 10mm, 9mm, 224 Valkyrie and 223 Wylde. Had at Lapua dropping them at 800 yards as well. Going again this weekend. Its always been good with out guide (Kinglsey Outfitters), he has a bunch of great fields secured for hunting.

That's awesome! I only got to shoot maybe 100 rounds of.223 ammo and 20 or so .17 HMR during the 5 hours or so that I was in the field. Still, a lot of fun!

 

[Angler]

Just returned from a week around K-Falls, Great rat shooting on ranches that have cut. Rock Chucks every where.....

 

[Spad]

Learn something new everyday...Sage rats....

 

[notazombie]

Under my basement stairs right now.
My daughter's stupid dog chased it in there.

 

[SageRatSafaris]

In northern Lake County (Fort Rock, Christmas Valley, Silver Lake), some of the alfalfa fields have been cut, but many haven't. A wet June has been unkind to the alfalfa farmers. I expect all fields will be cut by the end of June. The juveniles are up and about, the real issue is finding a cut field with no equipment. The uncut fields are too tall and you'll have to shoot around the edges of the fields. Dinsdale Farms still lets folks on their fields, just head to the office on Arrow Gap Rd and sign in on the sheet outside the office (don't bother the ladies in the office). 22LR only (no 17HM or 22mag), and sage rats only (no badgers or coyotes). I scouted most of the Dinsdale fields in early May, but they looked pretty clean, the rats were mostly just on the edges. The fields right near their office looked most promising. Whatever Dinsdale is doing to control the rats works pretty well (farming the ground, poison stations, traps?). It gets harder every year to find good rat fields. We have a contract to shoot rimfire and centerfire on Simplot fields, but Simplot properties are closed to the public.

 

[Herb g]

What's the deal on .22rf only? Slow lead ricochetes, fast explodes. The .17 hmr(17 gr) is the best thing to shoot near pipes. How is it ranchers don't know this?

 

[DuneHopper]

Douglas County Oregon Ground Squirrels are exploding some reason this year.

 

[SageRatSafaris]

I hear ya, but I'm obliged to say that the best thing to shoot near pipes is NOTHING. Really, don't shoot anywhere near the pivots, pumphouse, electrical boxes, tractors, hay piles, etc. If there's something behind the rat, it gets to live. Rats are a pest, but unwanted holes are a far bigger nuisance. The fields are big, there's plenty of room to not shoot at the valuable stuff.

 

[Herb g]

So, if you can SEE a pipe in a field, don't shoot there? You didn't answer the question about richocettes. ....22 vs. .17hmr, .17h, .20vt@3800, etc.

 

[2ndtimer]

So, if you can SEE a pipe in a field, don't shoot there? You didn't answer the question about richocettes. ....22 vs. .17hmr, .17h, .20vt@3800, etc.

Herb, your point is well taken, but if the landowners are willing to allow the general public to come onto their private property and shoot .22 long rifles only at sage rats, the proper response is "Thank You, very much", not to argue that .17 HMR would be better, safer or more humane (and fun). Even though you are correct. Perhaps they find the additional noise of the .17HMR or .22 mag offensive.

 

[Herb g]

How close, or far away, from pipes, etc., do you and your customers stay/shoot? If I see two rats, one behind the other, and can't kill two with one shot, because the thin jacketed bullet explodes in the first, there's nothing left to get to the second...how far from the pipe can I shoot? I don't shoot .22rf anymore. They ric.

 

[Herb g]

Herb, your point is well taken, but if the landowners are willing to allow the general public to come onto their private property and shoot .22 long rifles only at sage rats, the proper response is "Thank You, very much", not to argue that .17 HMR would be better, safer or more humane (and fun). Even though you are correct. Perhaps they find the additional noise of the .17HMR or .22 mag offensive.

Sorry if it was taken as "argue", I prefer "educate", but can you give a truthful answer...or am I the only one who hears, and sees, the ricochetes of .22rf, and not of the thin jacketed faster stuff? We only shoot suppressed, but it doesn't make sense to ok a 35 or 40 grain piece of lead, that is prone to ricochette, and ban a 17 or 20 grain one that explodes on a blade of grass. Anyone ever try to "educate" the rancher?

 

[SageRatSafaris]

So, if you can SEE a pipe in a field, don't shoot there? You didn't answer the question about richocettes. ....22 vs. .17hmr, .17h, .20vt@3800, etc.

17HMR ricochet less than 22LR, but anything can ricochet, particularly at low angles (i.e., longer ranges). Shoot enough of 17HMR, and some will bounce. Pick a spot to shoot from where the pivot isn't behind the rats. If you set up at the pivot center or the field edge opposite the pivot's outer tower, you can shoot 90% of the field (minus structures, hay piles, etc.). Worst case scenario (set up perpendicular to the pivot), you can shoot half the field. Shooting a pivot can cost thousands of dollars in parts, labor, water, lost watering of crop, and trampling the crop to make the repair. Know your target and what's beyond it.