Bushy tailed Rat(s)... more....

[lokidog]

Finally got the last, I think,  of the local squirrels. I got two of this one's buddies about a month ago while cleaning me out of my late season apples. I missed this one, barely.

Saturday,  I discovered this one in my garage after he holed three bags of chicken food. Several times I've spotted him but he just runs off into the bushes.

This morning, he screwed up! He decided to go about six feet up a tree by my chicken coop to see what I was doing.

As he lay photo, stewed squirrel for the holidays,  with his buddies.

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[DOUBLELUNG]

Love it!  A lot of my first hunts were squirrels, nothing more satisfying than head shooting a squirrel with a .22

[Encore 280]

You eat those rats?! I've got some around here that have been eating the berries on the Hawthorn tree. Yuk.

[DOUBLELUNG]

You eat those rats?! I've got some around here that have been eating the berries on the Hawthorn tree. Yuk.

They are great, better than cottontails!

[Encore 280]

I spose they taste like chicken huh.

[lokidog]

I spose they taste like chicken huh.

I'd say more like turkey legs.

[Southpole]

How did those buggers make it out to the islands, catch a ferry ride years ago?

[2MANY]

Make the wife a squirrel skin eyeglass case for Christmas.

[lokidog]

How did those buggers make it out to the islands, catch a ferry ride years ago?

There were a few on the east side of the island when we moved her 11 years ago, just in the last year they have been turning up much more frequently around us.  I've shot four this fall in my yard. Unless you shoot them off a feeder, they are very hard to hunt here as they seem to not run up trees when they are spooked, just off into the bushes.

How they got here originally?  Who knows.  We do not have any native squirrels or chipmunks.  We do not even have rats though we have White-footed Deer Mice in abundance.

[Encore 280]

I think they run the doug fir squirrels off and take over, invasive species, I hate 'em!

[lokidog]

I think they run the doug fir squirrels off and take over, invasive species, I hate 'em!

We have no native squirrels or chipmunks on this island.

[CP]

There were a couple of those tree rats fornicating in my yard and digging up tulip bulbs yesterday.  They won't be doing that anymore.   

[lokidog]

CP --- 

So, popped two last week and then missed one other.  I was hoping I either scared him or dinged him enough to make it leave.  No luck, and it brought reinforcements!

I got these four today and missed one more this afternoon.

The first two I shot at 1:00 with the last two rounds of my .22wmr.  I switched to my old Rem 513-T and head shot the next two crawling through the hole they chewed at 2:30 and 3:30.

The one I missed came from the other side of the coop and I tried picking him off under a crossbar, behind a water jug, and between a couple of chickens.  I think I hit the dirt right under him as he came flying out the door, spun a 540 degree turn, paused for not quite long enough, and then took off.  I missed again as it zigged around a tree.

[CP]

Nice!

I'm limited to an air rifle due to local laws.  If I had my way I'd be popping them with a .410

[lokidog]

Nice!

I'm limited to an air rifle due to local laws.  If I had my way I'd be popping them with a .410

A decent air rifle would be fun!  And, legal to use for these.