I did quite a bit of shooting today including terminating three more dogs. Really nice conditions with no wind. The usual 40-60 yard lethal hits. My metal plates need paint badly.
I did see two distant sick dogs later today. They were hanging half out of the holes and appearing very lethargic. There were three magpies tearing into another one at 200 yds. I broke up that party with a HN kicking up dust two feet short of the birds. They hauled ass out of there. About 2:30 pm another exterminator truck showed up for a look. We talked for a minute before he drove the 20 acre weed patch. He returned 20 minutes later and said he saw 8 dead ones above ground, the grain was all eaten at the holes. He assured me still very little risk of secondary unintentional kill. He did see plenty of dogs and fresh hole digging, too. He says 7-10 more days until all are gone. He would return for a look in a week.
I was not going to post about this next subject, but changed my mind. I made a long shot kill yesterday at about 2 pm. An adult dog was on his mound at 145 yards quartering facing away from me. Winds were 2-4 mph from the right. I decided to take a shot at him. Holding high and a few inches right my shot was 3" low centered under him striking his mound. The impact was clearly visible. Now I had the info I needed to correct for the next try. A distant barbwire fence strand proved a perfect horizontal feature to aim for and to still see the dog.
My next shot was an inch left of his head judging from the dust impact past him. He did not flinch. My next ten shots were just inside the size of an apple but left, right or a little high. The breeze was causing some drifting. Incredibly he only looked left and right as the little bees buzzed by. Another try struck him left of center in the side of the head. His reaction was springing up 12-14 inches and landing on his back. Practically no post hit movement. I walked off the distance at 145 yards. There was small puddle of blood from a clean entry hole, the pellet did not exit.
I am traveling across the state again for another family holiday visit. Oh yeah, the D34 always goes, too. Will be gone 6-7 days this time. Most likely now, there will be no more P-dogs on that acreage when I return.
Happy Holidays gentleman and an Airgun New Year.
P.S. oh yes, that shot was fired standing offhand.
Later,
seven08
