Sage Rats 2021

[Angler]

Near Redmond, rock chucks out everywhere. Limited numbers of sage rats.

 

[flashpan]

2021 season recap.
Overall is was a fair season for sage rats. Everything was late this year...it stayed cold thru most of April, spring runoff late and the baby rats were almost 2 weeks late coming out. Global warming again.
But late April early May before the Alfalfa got tall was the best timing.
But wait! The season is not over...little secret that mid June thru mid July is a sleeper time.
The alfalfa was cut and bailed last week...had a great shoot as they had no place to hide. It's hot so shoot early in the day then wait to 4pm to come back and shoot till 8pm or so.
Shot 2 badgers last week as well...prime time for them now .
Rats are usually back underground for their long hibernation by 3rd week of July.
Hope to see before its over...or next season.
Time to find more 17ammo.

 

[Whisky Tahoe]

I had the distinct privilege of hunting Oregon's Sage Rats and Badgers with Flashpan this year. What an eye opening experience. I have spent most of my retirement target shooting and developed a bias towards more magnification with my optics selections. When hunting in fields or backgrounds where targets blend in, the ability to stay on target during and after recoil is important. More field of view vs more magnification is called for.

More magnification works against you and I found it is very rare to use high magnification at all. The scopes I enjoyed the most were single digit magnification variables. Cheap add on throw levers are a big help as well enabling you to quickly vary the magnification without coming off the gun to find and operate the scope lever/knob especially if it is a little tight.

Shooting paper has its place as you can accurately build your rifle's ballistic table data for the ammo you shoot. Hunting small targets however trumps paper targets for building your experience.

 

[CastleRocker]

Wish we could've gone this year! It's been an annual pilgrimage for my wife and I for quite a few years. She'd rather do that than go hunting for anything else! We'll be going back next year!

 

[dangerranger60]

Covid has kept us close to home. But our central valley squirrels are just out in great numbers! I have picked off a dozen in our back yard alone!
I have been hunting the Organic farms, because they don't use any poisons.
Who would have thought me and the Grainola eaters would have so much in comon! DR