Sage rats, Rockchucks and Jackrabbits!!

[westcoastal]

Got back last night from a long weekend trip to our cabin in silverlake. And did all our shooting on private pivots of friends in Christmas valley.
Friday was ok 3 of us probly slayed 150 or 160 together.
Saturday was a dust storm 40 mph winds. 4 shots 4 dead rats and we bailed to the cabin for some dinger shooting. And a few beers.
Sunday was better but still breezy.
Might have gotten another 100 of the fury little beasts. Almost all were at 250+ and all they'd give us was head shots. Excellent trip with old school buddies, mediocre shooting though.
There were a fair amount of backs crawling thru the alfalfa but not very many showing more than a head or eyeball.

 

[2ndtimer]

My oldest son and I were out this morning shooting sage rats in a vineyard west of Prosser, WA. Probably got between 75 and 100 or so. The "kid" had the longest shot, 177 yards, lasered with a .17HMR, while my longest was 132 yards also with the .17 HMR. He did manage to tag one at about 80 yards with the .22 lr out of his iron sighted Marlin Model 60. The old Federal Spitfire 32 gr HP did a nice job. (It was offered for a short time many years ago as Federal's answer to the CCI Stinger and Remington Yellow Jacket Hyper Velocity) We had a great time and he was happy to get to go. Back to work for both of us tomorrow. Hopefully he can give me a heads up if they get any .22 ammo in stock at the hardware store where he works the gun counter. (Need to replace what we shot up today to maintain our stock)

 

[Brewpubeaver]

great info, thank you

 

[Cheesemaker]

Westcoastal, your mom said you were out there this weekend. I was out in Summer Lake, the last weekend of April, and in two days, we had one field that was decent, but not the numbers we are used to. But still had fun. Drove out through Xmas Valley, and didn't see squat in the fields. I put out maybe 400 rounds of .17 in two days, and maybe 25 rounds of .22's from pistols from close up.

I need to hit up my cousin who is married to some grass farmers in the Dufur area.

 

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

OMG! Thank you for posting this. I have been in Oregon for about 2 years now and still learning the different game opportunities and this looks super fun to get out and enjoy some shooting. I you tubed some videos of sage rat hunting in the same area of Oregon and Laughed so hard at the height they flew when getting shot. I am hooked and want to go tomorrow now. Is .17 a must need item? or are .22 LR ok with the exception of limiting out on the range compared to the .17? Thanks again, I think I found my new hobby.

Also, I like the make shift tripod in one of your pics. Is that a camera shooting stick or what ever the proper name for it? I saw the bungee cord holding the gun in place.

 

[westcoastal]

Yep those are camera tripods I modified for shooting over.
And yep little bungie to hold it while I'm glassing. Little guys can be tough to spot, lost of head only shots. So a guy can spend a fair amount of time peering thru binos.
.17 is a good caliber out to 200 fair at 300+. We have a 350 yd range at the cabin, so I was able to dial mine in.
.22lr is good for close rats.
Between the 3 of us, we had a couple 22's, a couple .17hmr, a .17 fireball, my 9mm hipoint, a single shot .223 and the debut of my buddies ruger no1 in .204.
Now the is the ultimate long range rat gun.
It's afflicting for sure, some trips it's non- stop shooting, some like last weekend, the wind blew the whole trip. So it's all eyes and ears. Your looking for. It's best to hit it before grass gets to tall. Doesn't hurt to have friends with fields that will call and let you know when they are cutting later in the season. By then the little ones are out and so more targets.
Flying rats are cool to see. But settling in on a rat just in time to see one of your buddies vaporize it out from under you is pretty awesome to see. Poof no head.

 

[Don H]

I have been in Oregon for about 2 years now and still learning the different game opportunities and this looks super fun to get out and enjoy some shooting.

Yeah, I'm new around here too and never heard of a sage rat until I saw this thread. I'm wondering about a good .17HMR too, sure looks fun and a good way to help out with this furry menace.

 

[westcoastal]

I usually shoot over BLM and USFS fields. Most are leased cattle range. And some get poisoned. But still great shooting at times. This was the first year. We shot at pivots exclusively.
Farmers we know like the rats gone. Some wont let you shoot coyotes, some don't care. Each one is different. The field behind us was off limits, but lousy with rats. We're working on getting in there next. Sometimes it pays to know a guy that knows a guy.

 

[sagerat-shooter]

I usually shoot over BLM and USFS fields. Most are leased cattle range. And some get poisoned.

Could you please PM me the location you think are being poisoned? It is illegal to poison on public land.

 

[chale99]

We went over to Christmas Valley last week. Shot less than two dozen rounds of 17 & 22cal. Great sunny day, warm with temps in the 70's. Mostly looked on Dinsdale lands, but surrounding fields as well. I think the farmers have really stepped up the poisoning as we hardly saw anything.

Looked in Alfalfa/Powell Butte/Prineville area with minimal sightings as well, but Powell Butte & Prineville grass is getting tall. What's going on? Contemplating a trip to Baker City, but don't want to waste the gas if it's going to be the same.

 

[coyoteman5]

Yeah, I'm new around here too and never heard of a sage rat until I saw this thread. I'm wondering about a good .17HMR too, sure looks fun and a good way to help out with this furry menace.

They are Actually called a belding ground squirrel They got the name sage rats because they normally hang out in the sagebrush until
The Alfalfa Fields got planted They still hang out in the sagebrush but they invade the fields and eat them up that's why we get to shoot them. I read one squirrel in a season can eat up to 14 pounds of Alfalfa times that by ??
Another place to investigate, but it's still a long drive is Klamath Falls.
I'm guessing that the farmers have stepped up their poisoning because of a lack of shooters in the last couple years because of the gas prices the ammo problems. I just don't think shooters have been showing up in the numbers that they used to. Just throwing it out there guessing why they've stepped up their efforts in poisoning them.

 

[westcoastal]

Agreed on the poisoning
All pivots had there'll tale PVC T
Around the perimeter

 

[Modeler]

We're heading over to CV tomorrow morning. Any tips on where to find friendly farmers?

 

[westcoastal]

If you don't know anyone, then it's best to knock on doors and ask. It pays to come bearing gifts. Fresh caught steelhead, couple bags of werner jerky or anything like that, that's not readily available in the area, can open a lot gates. Take plenty I will still give something if the location looks promising even if they say no.
Next trip, stop by again, and unless they are completely against shooting over their ground, they will most likely remember you, and have a different answer this time.