Not as many sage rats this year?

[joken]

Just got back from our annual trip south of Crane. Lots and lots of rats when the sun wasn't behind a cloud and the wind was not blowing like crazy.

 

[Otter]

Sounds like Crane is one of the few places that is still good. We used to hunt around Burns but it seems like a local outfitter has most of those fields tied up at $200-300 per day.

 

[284guy]

Sounds like Crane is one of the few places that is still good. We used to hunt around Burns but it seems like a local outfitter has most of those fields tied up at $200-300 per day.

And worth every penny. Nobody leasing fields you were given permission to shoot on, family coming first, etc. No multiple s outing trips/wasted gas/hotel rooms etc. Paying the trespass fee is financially advantageous and guarantees a quality high volume shoot. My .02

 

[Retired Guy]

And worth every penny. Nobody leasing fields you were given permission to shoot on, family coming first, etc. No multiple s outing trips/wasted gas/hotel rooms etc. Paying the trespass fee is financially advantageous and guarantees a quality high volume shoot. My .02

I agree with you. I recently went on a pay hunt near Crane. The guide basically took me out to a field, said "shoot this way but not that way", and then left. The landowner stopped by and thanked me for shooting the sage rats. He also said while he in the past welcomed hunters for free, he appreciated the small fee paid his way and that there is some control over who shows up on his door step. He seemed a bit embarrassed to be taking a fee but said he was really happy to not have to deal with "all the yahoos that show up with semi-autos and a case of ammo".

I'm going back in a couple weeks. I can see where this could become an annual thing for me.

 

[joken]

Sounds like Crane is one of the few places that is still good. We used to hunt around Burns but it seems like a local outfitter has most of those fields tied up at $200-300 per day.

We have access to a ranch there.

 

[284guy]

I've been going just about since the beginning with Justin and Nikki, so around 12 years. Now my son is old enough and has enjoyed outshooting me the last 3 years. Oh to have the eyes of a pre teen again.

 

[Otter]

Wish I could afford to pay that much I guess. With three days of hunting and the ammo, I would be out over a grand...probably closer to $1,500. That pays for quite a weeks vacation somewhere else. I will have to stick with my free fields and roll the dice on rat population.

 

[Otter]

Just got a first hand Christmas Valley report...low numbers of rats there too, at least for the fields they hunted.

 

[Unka-Boo]

Headed over tomorrow...will update if I have a cell signal

 

[beavernation]

Im headed over too lucky I get to wait till Friday for the best weather. I was scouting for new fields to shoot in and saw a huge badger on Private property. I would like to get another one, they are so destructive!!! Here's a good badger from MT in 14.......

 

[kmk1012]

I'm headed over to Christmas Valley with a friend in a couple weeks. I'm hoping to find a good field and make some good contacts so I can take my kids out there next month. They are itching to get out of school so we can head east. They've never shot rats but are very eager to do it . If any one has any advice for me please PM me, thank you!

 

[284guy]

I'm headed over to Christmas Valley with a friend in a couple weeks. I'm hoping to find a good field and make some good contacts so I can take my kids out there next month. They are itching to get out of school so we can head east. They've never shot rats but are very eager to do it . If any one has any advice for me please PM me, thank you!

Advice.. you'll be too late, alfalfa is getting tall. Next month? Forget it. Most of the fields around Christmas Valley are under contract, the rest aren't really worth shooting. At least that's my experience.

 

[kmk1012]

Advice.. you'll be too late, alfalfa is getting tall. Next month? Forget it. Most of the fields around Christmas Valley are under contract, the rest aren't really worth shooting. At least that's my experience.

I'm just headed over for fun in a couple weeks and will try to get an idea when they are going to start cutting. I've heard that it's pretty good after they cut it.

 

[Unka-Boo]

Buddy shot at a Coyote, saw a couple of bunnies, then got a flat 10 miles from the highway.

Was able to get the spare on and back to blacktop, thank you Les Schwab in Hines!

Waiting for my kids to get out of DQ right now

Will try again tomorrow, hopefully less drama LOL.

 

[2ndtimer]

Just returned from north central Montana, and was shocked at the scarcity of ground squirrels (they call them gophers over there). I saw 10 times as many antelope as gophers in the two days I hunted them. Apparently they were hit by some kind of plague, and they weren't showing up anywhere around there this year. Did manage to take a couple prairie dogs east of Fort Benton on private land, thanks to some friends connections. Sure hope they come back next year, but the farmers don't seem to miss them at all.

 

[kmk1012]

Hunted Christmas Valley/Fort Rock all day yesterday and went to Burns today for several hours of hunting. Plenty of rabbits around Christmas Valley if you put in the time. Rats were better in Burns, met a very nice farmer who invited us to shoot his fields. The mosquitos were horrible in Burns!!! Overall an awesome trip, 830 miles in two days and lots of dead rodents and jackrabbits.

 

[308]

I went out today to my neighbor's property. Shot about 10 whistlepigs in 30min or so. I've shot about 50 in the same spot previously and they just keep coming back.

Those little black flies were swarming everywhere and quite irritating.

 

[Retired Guy]

In Crane right now. The grass is getting high but still a lot of sage rats. Yesterday started shooting at 0830 and realized at 1330 we had not stopped for lunch. The rain hit at 1530 so we called it a day.

Going out again in an hour. Weather report is for rain around noon so this might be a short day.

They are definitely more skittish than when I was here a month ago but still a lot of dumb ones around.

 

[308]

Not sure if the rest of you have experienced this, but the whistlepigs come out early and become leas active about noon, however, starting about 4pm until about 8pm they are very active. I can usually get a dozen early, but in the late afternoon those numbers double. Also now that the grass is getting taller, I look for areas where they have high spots/benches to look out for danger. These areas seem more productive than relatively flat areas. My $0.02

 

[beavernation]

I have had some very good shooting early in the mornings 8 to 11 ish.................but, if you ever get a rainshower followed by bright sun in the late afternoon!!.......that is a perfect condition as they seem to be oblivious to everything except eating. Carbon fiber or aluminum shrouded barrels on a 10-22 are perfect!.....