Author Topic: sage rats (Read 22014 times)

b23 · « **on:** March 28, 2011, 08:36:25 AM »

Anyone seeing many sage rats popping up anywhere lately? I know a few were out earlier but with all this liquid sunshine we've been having I was curious if anyone has seen many lately. Anyone know any areas with good numbers a guy can go shoot a few with rimfires?

CAMPMEAT · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2011, 08:40:27 AM »

Homehunter has seen them in Kettle Falls along 395. In Ferry County we just go out in the woods and look for slash piles. Always have good luck doing that, but not till later when it gets hot.

Special T · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2011, 09:45:47 AM »

Went out near Burns OR 2 weekends ago, we stacked em up pretty good. Shooting slowed way down when the clowds passed overhead...

b23 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2011, 10:26:18 AM »

My dad and I have talked about going to Burns or John Day Oregon many times but we just never seem to get around to doing it. Do you mostly shoot them with rimfires or ?? For a newbie going like myself how or who do you contact once you're there about finding places to shoot them? Any and all help would be much appreciated.

Special T · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2011, 12:53:38 PM »

I had a private invination to the place i went, but from what i've heard its not too difficult to get permission. They make big mounds that screw up the hay... I went through a thousand rounds of 22lr and about 400rds of 17hmr. maybee a hundred or so .223. One guy in our party used a .220swift with a balistic tip... Shot one at 200 yards just under the head on the right side faceing us. We walked out so see what it did to it and all that was left was a head, arm and a bunch of stringy leather... I liked shooting the 22lr fun and cheep to shoot. My longest kill was about 160yrds or so +- 10yrds. More like lobbing in artilery but still fun! Didn't get to kill one with my pistol tho.

bhylton · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2011, 08:54:19 PM »

i have rancher friends in Crain OR "just south of burns" and ive been wanting to go real bad but it hasent been worth the 5hr drive the way the weather has been. they actually have snow right now!

CastleRocker · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2011, 03:42:53 AM »

I've never done it, but I got an invite from a guy I work with. Problem is, his family's ranch is all the way down past Klamath Falls. He called this evening (actually yesterday now), while I was at work to give me the "come on down later this week". I hope I can.
Work has been BUSY lately, and it's hard to justify taking three or four days off to go shoot rats. He said it's about an 8 hour drive from here.

kevinp16 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2011, 10:38:29 AM »

I have a friend that lives outside of Bend, OR and has a ton of them on his ranch. Actually the Portland Swat team comes out and pratices 1000 yard shots at them with their 50cals.

aaron42ash · « **Reply #8 on:** April 04, 2011, 09:18:31 PM »

Heard good reports of the rats out near Outlook (Yakima Valley). Last year it was crazy with them. We shot around 500 rounds a day, not to say we hit too many =) But, there have been rumors of people shooting from about 10am and 6pm when it's sunny.

b23 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2011, 02:20:20 PM »

aaron42ash, do you have anything maybe a little more specific than "near Outlook"

I used to live in the Yak. Valley so I may know where you're talking about if you could be a bit more specific.

bhylton · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2011, 02:34:54 PM »

after his experience he might not wanna be more spacific

lol

hunterrcc · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2011, 10:32:29 PM »

I shot 1,100 rounds of 22 shells in about 3 hours on my inlaws farm on monday and tuesday. the wind was out and the sun so it was kinda nice cuz they couldn't hear you shooting much. But they were not out like they will be in a few weeks. The babies are just starting to come out of the holes. good luck

BackwoodsSniper · « **Reply #12 on:** April 15, 2011, 04:27:52 PM »

All over near Grandview, Prosser, Benton City. Just hard to get permission.

CAMPMEAT · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2011, 04:48:53 PM »

Shot my first one yesterday on Vulcan Mtn.

Special T · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2011, 05:15:59 PM »

Why is it so hard to get permission here in Wa but so much easier in Or?

benhuntin · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2011, 08:07:37 PM »

What is a sage rat? Pic?

3nails · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2011, 08:29:17 PM »

Wise democrat. Which is an oxymoron. Or is it just moron?

CAMPMEAT · « **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2011, 08:32:26 PM »

Quote from: Special T on April 18, 2011, 05:15:59 PM

Why is it so hard to get permission here in Wa but so much easier in Or?

Because Oregon is such a liberal state..........

We have sage rats all over in the woods here. Just drive around and look for slash piles.

BackwoodsSniper · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2011, 09:53:05 AM »

Washington suffers from a long history of people screwing things up for future generations.

CAMPMEAT · « **Reply #19 on:** April 19, 2011, 04:59:04 PM »

Quote from: BackwoodsSniper on April 19, 2011, 09:53:05 AM

Washington suffers from a long history of people screwing things up for future generations.
[/quo

Politicians, greenies, Forest Circus are having a friggin' hayday, plus everybody else who likes to screw up the future up.

raevan · « **Reply #20 on:** April 24, 2011, 03:03:47 PM »

For those who don't know what a sage rat is, it is a ground squirrel.e are variious species in Washington State. The only species of ground squirrel legal to shoot in Washington is the "California ground squirrel", commonly known as the "Graydigger" in Oregon. The "California Ground Squirrel is an invasive Species in Washington. You must be able to Identify it, all other species of ground squirrels in Washington state are protected.

California ground squirrels are found in Washington around The Yakima area and south towards Oregon.

The ground squirrels found in the northern part of the state, for example, near kettle fals and the canadian border are Washington ground squirrels and are a protected species.

Again I say, be sure to positively Identify the squirrel You are hunting, shooting a protected species or one on the endangered species list can cost you a large fine.

There are only 3 types of Squirrels you can hunt in Washington. Eastern Gray, Eastern Fox, and California Ground.

CastleRocker · « **Reply #21 on:** April 24, 2011, 07:36:09 PM »

What are the "Belding's Ground Squirrels"? I thought that was the species we can shoot?

Don't know as I'm still waiting to go. Putting together another 10/22 right now!

Clumber · « **Reply #22 on:** April 25, 2011, 02:43:14 PM »

I hadn't heard of a sage rat previously either, but found this : http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_squirrel/

Compares different squirrels here in Washington plus shows their ranges.

raevan · « **Reply #23 on:** April 25, 2011, 05:34:28 PM »

The Belding ground squirrel is found in North eastern Oregon, South western Idaho, parts of Utah, and in california. It is the one that was given the name of Sage Rat.

The California Ground Squirrel, Graydigger is the one that is in Washington from Ellensburg south on the East side.

There may be Beldings in Washington but none of the maps I have found don't show the Belding to have crossed over from Oregon.

CastleRocker · « **Reply #24 on:** April 27, 2011, 03:18:32 PM »

I don't know exactly what kind of rats we are going after, but I'm going to find out. We are going to be Southeast of Klamath Falls, and then will be "hunting" our way back up through Christmas Valley on the way home.

I looked at the WDFW squirrel map, and it doesn't show anything but red squirrels up around the Spokane area, but there are a LOT of ground squirrels there. In fact there was a big "to-do" about the killing of them at Riverside Park in dowtown Spokane a few years ago. I think the park employees were using a "Rodenator" and the squirrel huggers didn't like it.

Buckmark · « **Reply #25 on:** April 27, 2011, 03:44:52 PM »

Quote from: raevan on April 24, 2011, 03:03:47 PM

For those who don't know what a sage rat is, it is a ground squirrel.e are variious species in Washington State. The only species of ground squirrel legal to shoot in Washington is the "California ground squirrel", commonly known as the "Graydigger" in Oregon. The "California Ground Squirrel is an invasive Species in Washington. You must be able to Identify it, all other species of ground squirrels in Washington state are protected.

California ground squirrels are found in Washington around The Yakima area and south towards Oregon.

The ground squirrels found in the northern part of the state, for example, near kettle fals and the canadian border are Washington ground squirrels and are a protected species.

Again I say, be sure to positively Identify the squirrel You are hunting, shooting a protected species or one on the endangered species list can cost you a large fine.

There are only 3 types of Squirrels you can hunt in Washington. Eastern Gray, Eastern Fox, and California Ground.

Sure about this? The washington ground squirrels are mostly in the shrubbstep areas/columbia plateau (ie: like the seep lakes area) and yes protected, but you forgot the columbian ground squirrel which is more north/north east, (ie: the ones that spokane was blowing up in the parks)..dont see them on the protected list..

Buckmark · « **Reply #26 on:** April 27, 2011, 03:51:22 PM »

The Columbian ground squirrel can be found in Canada in eastern British Columbia and Western Alberta. In the United States, it can be found in eastern Oregon and Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana.

CastleRocker · « **Reply #27 on:** April 27, 2011, 04:19:31 PM »

Thanks Buckmark. That Columbian ground squirrel looks exactly like the ones that we used to "see" out around the Spokane/Couer D'Alene area when I was young.

goosegetter79 · « **Reply #28 on:** April 27, 2011, 09:15:51 PM »

Quote from: Buckmark on April 27, 2011, 03:51:22 PM

The Columbian ground squirrel can be found in Canada in eastern British Columbia and Western Alberta. In the United States, it can be found in eastern Oregon and Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana.

These are the ones that are all over my grandparent's property. They are fun too shoot with a .22lr and .22mag.

h2ofowlr · « **Reply #29 on:** April 27, 2011, 09:21:50 PM »

Quote from: Special T on April 18, 2011, 05:15:59 PM

Why is it so hard to get permission here in Wa but so much easier in Or?

Biggest population in Oregon is the I-5 coridor. Lots of people that don't hunt. No big cities on the east side. You have Bend and the surrounding areas, so lot more area to hunt.

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Author Topic: sage rats (Read 22014 times)

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