Sage Rats 2021

[Retread Ted]

Rlynn - Hold your cursor over a person's picture or avatar. A box will pop up with "start conversation." Click it and you can send a private message (by email) to that person.

 

[Rlynn]

Thank you for the information.

 

[PiratePast40]

We were shooting Tuesday and stayed until about 3:30. Field was 7-8 miles east of Crane. There were three of us and probably shot about a half dozen each. To be honest, was a bit of a letdown. Quite a few people were saying that you'll easily shoot several hundred rounds but that wasn't the case for us. Maybe it's too early in the season. Guys at the Crane general store were saying it was pretty poor on Monday but it was chilly and windy that day.

 

[flashpan]

Pirate
Were you on your own or with a guide service? It does need to warm up here around Burns / Crane.

 

[PiratePast40]

Guide service. Tuesday was sunny and temp got up into the mid 50's.

 

[flashpan]

Mind If I ask who the guide service was?

 

[PiratePast40]

Mind If I ask who the guide service was?

I'd prefer not to say. Don't want to give someone a bad rap for something that may not be their fault.

 

[flashpan]

Fair enough...

 

[2ndtimer]

It might just be a down year. I have shot gophers (that's what they call them in Montana) for many years, but in 2019, I only saw a few in places where I had seen dozens to hundreds in the past. Don't know if it was plague or weather, but the numbers were way down. Wasn't able to go last year due to health issues, but planning on going in the next 8 weeks. Hoping for a rebound in the numbers.

 

[arrowshooter]

Last piece of the rat puzzle, watch out ya vermine. See ya in a few flashpan.

 

[PiratePast40]

Anyone else been out? What kind of numbers and where?

 

[flashpan]

Right now I am seeing the biggest numbers of rats of the season....the babies are out in force and the weather is just about perfect.
Shot 300 rnds of 22LR in 1 1/2 hrs day before yesterday. The Alfalfa is getting taller though and they will hard to see in a week or 2.
Hope this helps.

 

[PiratePast40]

Right now I am seeing the biggest numbers of rats of the season....the babies are out in force and the weather is just about perfect.
Shot 300 rnds of 22LR in 1 1/2 hrs day before yesterday. The Alfalfa is getting taller though and they will hard to see in a week or 2.
Hope this helps.

Sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe we were too early in the season when we went. Will try to book a better time frame for next year.

 

[flashpan]

This season was just later than normal...roughly 2 weeks late on babies. Just too cold this year.

 

[P7M13]

I've been shooting sage rats in central Oregon for 35 years and am plugged in for some righteous shooting. There are plenty of ranchers out there that won't charge fees... they just want responsible shooters that will kill rats. How do you get onto those ranches you ask? Go to any café in Burns, Christmas Valley, Madras, Fossil, Unity, etc. early in the morning (I stress EARLY) and just ask your waitress what you are looking for. A ten spot should secure an intro to the big round table full of old codgers in bibs, who will know everything going on in the local area. Maybe even a rancher that needs pest control will be in attendance. Sporting goods, LGS, auto parts, farm and irrigation shops are also good places to inquire. It always pans out for me. Save your money for ammo. Go source your own shooting spots. Good hunting....!

10/22 magnum converted to 17hmr.
View attachment 839774

That may work for some and I applaud your creativity. Sharing coffee, biscuits and gravy with solid folk is a wonderful experience in itself.
I say without blowing smoke, if @flashpan recommends a guide or service, you betcha it's damn good. Every tip he has given, professional or shooter he has connected me with has been spot on, some of them I consider legendary. Some guys talk. He's a do-er.

 

[Retired Guy]

It has been a strange Spring so far. Just over a week ago, two buddies and I went to Crane for 3 days.



As you can see, no issues social distancing but not very much green grass.

Day 1 was good. Barely a breeze, not a cloud in the sky, and with barely any grass, it was easy to spot the rats out past 300 yards. Shots were typically between 100 - 300 yards.

Day 2 saw a strong breeze blowing but it was pretty steady. So it was pretty easy to figure out the hold off. Shots were again between 100 - 300 yards.



In this field, my varmint AR got a good workout. Up to this point, I think I only fired about 50 rds of .22LR.

On Day 3, the field we went to was not as flat. So I found it easier to just walk about with my CZ rifle in 17 HMR.



This actually worked out really well. I tossed 100 rounds of 17 ammo in my pocket, a bottle of water, and just moved about. Most shots were between 35 - 125 yards.

All told, over three days I fired over 300 rds of 5.56 and over 400 rds of 17 HMR. No idea how many rounds of .22LR. My two buddies were packing only 5.56 and .22LR. One fired 450 rds of 5.56 and the other fired over 700. No one tracked the .22LR.

So it wasn't red hot but steady for the most part.

I'm thinking about going back again for another couple days.

 

[gunfreak]

I can't believe anyone would waste money on a guided rat trip. I don't even have to hunt an alfalfa field. Just drive out into the Idaho desert and there's varmints everywhere.

 

[308]

I can't believe anyone would waste money on a guided rat trip. I don't even have to hunt an alfalfa field. Just drive out into the Idaho desert and there's varmints everywhere.

When I lived in PDX I would have enjoyed a guided trip since the knowledge of where to hunt was not known, but like you mentioned 'now' that we can shoot on our property and/or the BLM area behind us, I would not pay for it.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I'd love to get after em but not this year, too much going on.

 

[Member 53328]

I went last weekend. Out by Fort Rock. Barely saw any rats, maybe killed a dozen over a 3 day period. A little disappointing compared to past years, still was a blast though.