Rat hunt at sunset in the Arizona desert

[hooter13]

With the evenings starting to cool off a little and sunset coming around 7:30 and dropping, it's time to get after those rodents that have done thousands of dollars (not exaggerating here) in damage to my vehicles and house. I have been doing this for several years and I have to say that this might be the most fun I've had with my airguns, and I've had a lot of fun with my airguns. I use my "old but extremely reliable and accurate" FX 400 Royal, JSB 18.13, NiteSite IR light with scope mounted camera, TKKOK D80 night vision Bino's, and a very nice red wine or (my favorite) about 2oz's of McCallum's 12 year old single malt. I set a white paper plate out about 25 yds with a dab of peanut butter topped with a pork rind. (Don't laugh, it works) and wait anywhere from 3 min to 1 hr. Funny thing about these rats, they will built a nest the size of a half buried VW Beetle, and live in it by themselves. I rarely get more then one a night out of a single nest. So get out there and have some airgun fun. What do you guys have?

What's the last thing that goes through a rats mind when he freezes in front of a nite vision equipped PCP? A 18.13 pellet going 940 FPS

 

[vmaxpro]

Nice! Where abouts are you? Im in New river, and your not kidding about the 1000’s$ of damage. Ive shot atleast 10 a night these past few nights its been great!!!

 

[RBAZ]

Just south of Cave Creek, also have the damage. Get a few during the day but I’m going to try the nite..looks like the way to go..

 

[TNT19]

I have issues with roof rats at my location. I bait them by a bush and pick them off. Unfortunately they are getting wise to it.

 

[hooter13]

These rats are most active from sunset to about 1 hour after or so. By then I'm out of whatever adult beverage I had so it's time to go in. I'm in the Tucson area.

 

[Ranchibi]

Hooter, that looks like fun to me too! Very nice ratting nighttime set-up and shooting.

 

[vmaxpro]

Strawberries! Their like crack addicts with them. Thats how I get all of mine lol

 

[DesertSilver]

Can rats see red light? Been wanting to pop a few rats but have never hunted them. I just use rat traps and have taken out a bunch that way but would like to shoot some also. Don't have a night scope and can't afford to buy one.

 

[hooter13]

The infrared light I use shines a light just like a regular flashlight does however the light is in a spectrum that the human and rat eye can not see (850 nm). The camera can "see" the 850nm light and projects it on to the screen you see in the pics. And since it's looking through the scope it also sees the illuminated crosshairs. I got all of that equipment off of Amazon or from AOA. The IR Bino's work the same way. I point the gun light at my bait and use the bino's to search a much wider area. ANYTHING with eyes (rats, mice, rabbits lizards, frogs, toads) show up super bright like the rat you see here. Your heart rate goes up when those eyes show up. Mice are the hardest to hit cause they never sit still long enough to get a beed on them. When you nail a rat you hear a VERY satisfying "THUMP" like shooting a pellet into a sandbag.

 

[freak-eye]

Can rats see red light? Been wanting to pop a few rats but have never hunted them. I just use rat traps and have taken out a bunch that way but would like to shoot some also. Don't have a night scope and can't afford to buy one.

I’ve shot them at like 15 20 yards with red 10$ flashlight off Amazon.The green flashlight I’ve shot rats and I’ve shined raccoons,dear,rabbits,opossum and feral cats without them scaring off.My opinion seems like the green shines better too.

 

[Blackpaw]

@hooter13 WOW quite the setup and I think your next should aerial drones to ensure you have forward observer ability so you don't get ambushed by critters.

 

[hooter13]

I like the way you think Blackpaw.

 

[elh0102]

I like your choice of weaponry. I also have a Royale 400 in .22, totally reliable, accurate, never needs cleaning. It's the only platform FX offers that I like, thinking of getting one in .177 before they discontinue them (special order only now).

 

[218bee]

Nice setup and shooting Hooter. I really miss ratting. Havent done it in a few years. These were shot over the course of about 1.5 hours in an upstate NY Dairy farm. The farmer would smile & shake our hands then retire to his house for the night. We'd kill the lights in the main barn, smoke a cigar for 15 or 20 minutes, then have at it. Kalibrgun Colibri's cranked up to 910 fps with JSB 18.1's...& Armasight NV scopes. Too much fun...

 

[Liontracks]

I would like to join. Will bring free pellets. 

 

[BackStop]

Target shooting can be fun, for some... but pesting gives me much more pleasure.

However, ONLY when I can make precise shots for clean kills. I can do it, but it takes will and work. (smile)

 

[hooter13]

Having a "target rich environment" like that is a double edge sward. I would love to have that many targets of opportunity at one sitting but I would hate to have that many rats around

 

[eduardo65reyes]

Very nice set-up, I randomly shoot rats in my yard, don't have a target rich environment but once in awhile I dispatch one!

 

[eduardo65reyes]

 

[BackStop]

Having a "target rich environment" like that is a double edge sward. I would love to have that many targets of opportunity at one sitting but I would hate to have that many rats around

LOL! I understand what you mean. It is The Pester's Lament.