We Finally Got The Bastage !

This little booger moved into the yard a couple weeks ago and has been driving us nuts ever since. He really enjoyed sitting on a branch on the big oak tree not 20 feet from the front glass door thoroughly enjoying taunting the dog. Poor Rio would get beside himself. I feared he might go through the glass door. I'd try to ease out with the Wildcat but Mr. Treerat was way too smart.

I bet 20 times I went out and walked around and around that tree trying to get a shot at him but he was too good. I could once in a while just see an ear or a bit of tail as he eased around whatever limb he was on, slowly going up into the top and then hiding in the ball moss. Or he would scamper and jump to the other two trees in my yard, cross the roof and be gone.

On days I was just hanging at the house this would happen several times per day. I saw him enough to know where his hole was and it was a good shot from one of my windows. Well today he finally effed up. Three times we went after him but finally he paused right outside his hole and he got a .25 cal pellet right through both of his shoulders. Never been so happy to kill such a rotten little pest.

And Rio has never savored fresh squirrel so much.

( image safe like to rotate my pics 90 degrees CCW )

 
Nieces, Glad you finally got the little tree rat. I also have been plagued with damage from them over the years. I posted the damage they did to my trees back in June, 2016, but I don't know how to include that post into this post. Maybe someone could enlighten me. It's called Squirrels Are Killing My Trees. They also ate several chunks out of the trellis that was attached to our deck. I had to replace it.
I've adopted a no tolerance policy with squirrels.
 
I'm currently helping one of my neighbors move (down the street 15 houses) and the house he's moving moving into has had squirrels eating at the siding. He told me to grab my Wildcat and would pay extra for squirrel heads. I only got 2 today. I saw a group of 3 when I was moving some plants, but by the time I got my gun only 1 was still visible. Hope to get some more tomorrow.
 
Most folks kinda like squirrels. They ARE cute. Until they move into your attic. I'm not a pellet gun hunter. I hunt with powder burners. But I get quite a bit of action shooting pests. We have some pecan bottom land on the ranch and I mostly leave them alone out there. Once in a while I'll take Rio out there and kill one for him to get some exercise. And a snack. He's a hell of a squirrel dog.

The first day I got my Wildcat, I was borrowing it and its owner Long Brown Box who I must forever in his debt be, let me talk him out of it. I still have some guilt about it but he has an Impact and a couple Royals so my guilt is somewhat assuaged. Plus it gave him the $ to get a laminated stock WC if he wants so that helps too.

Anyway. that first day we killed a bunch of squirrels. The owners of the ranch are birders so we have several feeders. That brings in a lot of em. The tree rats were not on their guard that first day and it was a shootzin fest. The survivors got smart real fast. I have to work at getting them now.