Seven rats, two starlings and one pigeon...

[L.Leon]

Went down to the dairy today was itching for some rat action. Pulled up and all the pigeons on the roof 60 yards away took off, leaving two starlings. First shot of the day, scratch one starling, shot a second at 40 yards in the building. Then saw my first rat at 20 yards, it was under one of the feeder carts. Sent a pellet and my first rat was down. Shot two more at 17 and 20 yards, the last four were taken from 40 to 45 yards all around the pictured door. My best shot is of the one pictured in the doorway. Which is the width of the door, said door was closed at the shot and my shooting point is 45 yards away. At the shot it just rolled over. The pigeon I shot at 80 yards, heard a solid bone hit, but it took off with the rest. I watch the flock and saw it break off and land on a wire 150 yards away. I got within 50 yards for a Prone kill shot, (image of rifle in field). Got a solid hit, but it took off and flew at least 100 yards before falling out of the sky. I was unhappy about that kill. I’m only showing 6 rats because Abraham, one of the farm dogs stole one. All kills with Bantam Sniper HR sending JSB Exact Jumbo 18s.

 

[lenweber2]

Good shooting. Pigeons are sometimes hard to kill. Fly off with the group and then after like 50 yards drop out with a crash landing.

 

[Ranchibi]

Luis, great day of pesting! Wonderful shooting on the rats, starling and pigeons! Nice photos to document the hunt. Some critters drive to live is stronger than others, like the one tough pigeon! Good pursuit and finishing the job so it wouldn’t suffer, kudos to you.

 

[qball]

Not trying to be critical here but you really need 2 guns, one well below 12 FPS for inside of building with ATN/night vision scope and one shoots slugs for long distance. At 80 yards pellets are not a sure shot with little energy left and easily affect by wind, might want to look into 20-23g slugs for longer distance. Then a sub 12FPE .177 carbine/pistol for inside....best of both worlds. Those18 grain lead pellets at 800-900 FPS is quite dangerous indoors especially with all the metal equipment at the dairy ricocheting the pellets around. All the brits ever use is sub 12 FPE and for ratting it's often sub 6 FPE. I cringed a bit when I saw your pictures with cows so close by, I wouldn't use anything pass 6FPE in that picture. 

 

[L.Leon]

@qball, I have a pp700sa that has taken hundreds of rats at sub 20 yard ranges and is my close range ratter. When I’m presented with close range opportunities, I dial my Bantam to TP level 1 and only take shots that don’t endanger anything beyond my intended targets. The JSB Exact Jumbo 18s have more than enough energy out to 100 yards for pigeons. The pigeon in question I obviously hit marginally the first time, the second hit I saw it fall out of the sky. I’ve killed many pigeons from 50 to 100 yards. Sometimes shots don’t go as planned. I strive for one shot, lights out kills, but we know that’s not always the case. As for the cows? None of my shots down that long corridor endanger the cows, all shots whether pass thrus or misses impact the concrete threshold you see the one rat laying against. Many, many pests get a pass because of bad shot angles. I treasure my permissions and wouldn’t jeopardize that privilege. I appreciate you taking the time and your suggestions.

 

[Dingfelder]

LOL not again.

 

[Blackpaw]

@L.Leon, well done and PLEASE more of the spawns of Satan, aka starlings.

 

[L.Leon]

Thanks gentlemen, shot two more today. One at 17 yards with my pp700sa and one at 45 yards with my Bantam Sniper which I couldn’t recover.

 

[Ranchibi]

Luis, two more down, great shots!