sage rats? where can i find them?

[BIGINNER]

hi,  i'm interested in shooting some sage rats,  but i have no idea where to start looking for them,  i live in tri-cities,  i'm willing to drive up to 2 hours,  where can i find them? what are some signs that i can look for?    thanks for any help.

[HuntingFanatic]

I will be keeping an eye on this thread.....unfortunatly I am no help!

[Jerry malbeck]

should be a few hanging around the bars down on  Kennewick Ave.LOL.

[quadrafire]

OK I'm in. What the hell is a sage rat?

[ThePascoKid]

Go out south of Finley past Hover park, there is a big area of land up there you can shoot, don't know if it's state or federal, used to go out there in highschool and shoot sage rats all the time, I can't remember the names of the roads but a decent map should have the park on it.  They should be out and about from now until early May, especially with the weather we've been having.  It's a lot shorter than a 2 hour drive and you should have some decent action.  We always called them whistle pigs or grey diggers.

[Atroxus]

What the hell is a sage rat?

 

[700xcr]

Go out south of Finley past Hover park, there is a big area of land up there you can shoot, don't know if it's state or federal, used to go out there in highschool and shoot sage rats all the time, I can't remember the names of the roads but a decent map should have the park on it.  They should be out and about from now until early May, especially with the weather we've been having.  It's a lot shorter than a 2 hour drive and you should have some decent action.  We always called them whistle pigs or grey diggers.

The road you are speaking of is Ayers road. North of the road is owned by Kenneewick General Hospital. It get wild up there. Not a real safe place to shoot. The South side of Ayers road is owned my B&B Farms which is feel free to hunt by walk in only. I only live abot 3 miles from it. Lately there has been no real sage rat activity sense every year it seems to catch on fire. All I say is if you go up there be careful of flying bullets and people that don't care if other people are setting up targets. They also dump alot of garbage. It will only be a period of time before they shut her down from the public.

[700xcr]

What the hell is a sage rat?

 

Ground squirrels That dig holes and only come up when it is sunny out.

[700xcr]

hi,  i'm interested in shooting some sage rats,  but i have no idea where to start looking for them,  i live in tri-cities,  i'm willing to drive up to 2 hours,  where can i find them? what are some signs that i can look for?    thanks for any help.

Wait till April and May to go out. That way you have more to shoot at. That is when their babys are active too.

[Buckmark]

Find a place before may, with this weather the grass may be too tall by june, some years i am shooting all the way into july, but others the grass gets up by june and all you can do is hear them whistling.
I hate them little *censored*s, make a mess out of my meadow........

[sako223]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,43979.0.html

[ThePascoKid]

All I say is if you go up there be careful of flying bullets and people that don't care if other people are setting up targets. They also dump alot of garbage. It will only be a period of time before they shut her down from the public.

Figures, like I said i haven't been out there in a while, but even then I do remember a big open flat area where people would shoot having no idea of their back drop.

[700xcr]

All I say is if you go up there be careful of flying bullets and people that don't care if other people are setting up targets. They also dump alot of garbage. It will only be a period of time before they shut her down from the public.

Figures, like I said i haven't been out there in a while, but even then I do remember a big open flat area where people would shoot having no idea of their back drop.

In fact somebody got injured up there this last year shooting up there. I carry when I go up there and watch my backside. Only place i like to go up there is a road half way between the main road and the river. Turn down it and you are in a canyon and the bullets go way over you. Also you can get a 400yd. to 500yd. shot in that canyon. I feel a little safer down there then up on top on the flat area.

[BIGINNER]

I know what area you're talking about.   I go there a lot  but never really paid attention to the rats or wistlet pigs.  I see their burrows everywhere.  I was there today but didn't see anything other then some burrows.   

[ThePascoKid]

If you want to shoot something a little bigger go east of Connell and you can find some rockchucks.

[Wile E. Hunter]

I you want to shoot something a little bigger go east of Connell and you can find some rockchucks.

Man, finding good rock chuck shooting anymore is like finding a politician you can trust.

[Blacklab]

I you want to shoot something a little bigger go east of Connell and you can find some rockchucks.

Man, finding good rock chuck shooting anymore is like finding a politician you can trust.

I'd laugh at that if it weren't so true

[ThePascoKid]

Some of the best rockchuck hunting I know of is between Prosser and Grandview, but there has gotten to be some many ranchettes out there it's hard to shoot in any direction, besides the fact that you've gotta know somebody that lives there in the first place.

[Pathfinder101]

I you want to shoot something a little bigger go east of Connell and you can find some rockchucks.

Man, finding good rock chuck shooting anymore is like finding a politician you can trust.

 

[carpsniperg2]

we used to have a few chucks around here but not any more

[Pathfinder101]

Same story everywhere.  I used to have a good spot, but can't shoot there anymore...   Rock chucks are still there, just can't shoot them

[Austrian Hunter]

There are all over the place here at the orchards, we shoot them at the vineyards too.  The vineyard manager are happy about us shooting them, they do allot of damage to the vines.  Outlook by Yakima is one of the best, killed about 30 in an hour.  And than watch the Eagles come in and pick them up, really cool.

[duckaholic]

go to moses lake there are tone of rock chucks  there and if you just ask any body that owns  land they will probly pay you to shoot them, me and my buddy's have done that a few times in the past summers but they paid for our ammo and lunch to sit on the hill and shoot all day 

[Jburke]

I see rock chucks in and around Spokane once in awhile.  Seems to me like I'd be in a heap of trouble for shooting those ones.  Couldn't imagine why?! 
I'll have to head out farther west to find some shootable targets I guess.