Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Coyote, Small Game, Varmints => Topic started by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 08:24:30 PM

Title: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 08:24:30 PM: It looks like the sage rats are already comming out in the lower valley. This is the soonest I have ever seen them out. Granted they aren't out in great numbers but, if they are awake they are breeding that means this spring we should have a bunch to take care of :chuckle: does anyone else love shooting sage rats as much as I do?
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: boneaddict on January 30, 2010, 08:28:53 PM: Photographed one of their exit holes in my bird pens yesterday. I was like what the heck was that.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 08:33:37 PM: The way I see It no winter=lots of rats=lots of coyotes. Can't wait! Problably another month before the shootin starts. :drool:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: satchel3006 on January 30, 2010, 08:40:04 PM: id love to if i could find a place to shoot them ive looked just must be looking in the wrong areas seen them in a bunch of places where i cant hunt though
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: boneaddict on January 30, 2010, 08:45:45 PM: I shoot a ton right in my yard. Kinda fun, kinda annoying. Its scary when they swarm. There can be hundreds all of a sudden.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 08:48:12 PM: I live in Pasco and go up in the lower valley to shoot them. It is hard to find land to shoot them but there is land out there you just need to know where to look.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 30, 2010, 08:48:59 PM: i would love to shoot the piss out of them. anyone find a spot with some good shootin and want to gang up on them i am there!
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 08:59:37 PM: I don't mind taking people to my spots I just hate taking someone out then see them at my spot the next week with ten buddies >:(
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Grizzly95 on January 30, 2010, 09:02:15 PM: Depending on the caliber of your choice, I can point you guys in the right direction in the Yak Valley, my dads neighbors hired some retired "sniper" to shoot them on their farms, mostly grapes and some orchard. Shoot me a pm and we can see what we can do, my dad has been farming down their all his life and knows everyone. I am sure they would welcome some redneck snipers; especially when their services are free.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 30, 2010, 09:05:36 PM: that would bug me to and more often than not thats what happens not enough honest people that keep there word :bash:

cool offer grizz might send you one thanks.

my cal of choice is 22lr-50bmg
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 09:14:41 PM: If you are a man of your word and like to shoot rats send me a pm and we can work it out where I can take you out my self. Ps I have alot of yote land if you cand bring a foxpro or a etracks call to the table.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Grizzly95 on January 30, 2010, 09:16:26 PM: They frown on the 22lr and prefer the 50BMG :chuckle:

jayrod- you are on, I can sense a foxpro in my future.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 30, 2010, 09:17:20 PM: been calling yotes for awhile just got my new foxpro about a week ago can lay the yotes down as well and am a man of my word.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 30, 2010, 09:19:46 PM: the 3 of us might have to hook up and wack some rats and yotes alway love calling in the sage more shotgun time.

750g amax vs 5 ounce rat i wonder :chuckle:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 09:22:53 PM: Pm me with contact info and I can get a hold of you guys in a month or so when they are out as for yotes they are always out and I want to go so bad I just haven't had time I usually hunt with my brother-inlaw so he would need to be included.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: dontgetcrabs on January 30, 2010, 10:13:09 PM: My dad was pruning his grapes earlier this week and saw a few out and about. Might be an early spring this year? :dunno:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Big10gauge on January 30, 2010, 10:20:13 PM: Sage rat shooting is FUN !!! We have to take a roadtrip to Oregon every spring. Problem is you can never take enough guns or ammo!!!!
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: PolarBear on January 30, 2010, 10:27:02 PM: We use to head down to Prineville every spring to shoot the little *censored*s. There is no telling how many .22 rounds and rats that we went through, and the occasional bonus coyote.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 10:45:28 PM: I've heard about Oregon but have never had the need since I get to shoot as many as I want right hear.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: 700xcr on January 30, 2010, 10:50:11 PM: I normally go down and hook up with a friend that lives in John Day Oregon. We meet up at Fox Oregon and start shooting early on a Saturday morning shoot the full day then back to his place that night for a nice hot meal and shower. Then next day go back to fox and finish out the day before heading home. In the past I use a 22Lr Ruger MKII side slab handgun with a Millet red sot scope. Go through about 3000rds. to 4000rds. and weekend depending on the weather.Now I have a Remington 700 SPS varminter in 223rem. that I will have to break in on them rats. See how a 50gr. V-max works.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Buckmark on January 30, 2010, 10:55:09 PM: Anybody got a pic of a sage rat??
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: sako223 on January 30, 2010, 10:58:55 PM: (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg641.imageshack.us%2Fimg641%2F339%2Fdsc007651.jpg&hash=70f4bee2b0e5c18f9a60c790b1419d460d80ef8d)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg687.imageshack.us%2Fimg687%2F7355%2Fdsc007661.jpg&hash=d57e3e4bc1a47be30cad30365170b320baef3310)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg52.imageshack.us%2Fimg52%2F5430%2Fdsc007671.jpg&hash=18ce77733e5fd8acb1c4457d47d5df1b05fac641)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg716.imageshack.us%2Fimg716%2F1699%2Fdsc007681.jpg&hash=98cf4f642a4e3d08b9f58b45f1bb1e9b38f273b2)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg716.imageshack.us%2Fimg716%2F5687%2Fdsc007691.jpg&hash=f1c64518638b0647fbeb9bd2d4781c2697a443b8)
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: dontgetcrabs on January 30, 2010, 11:05:47 PM: Nice pics sako. Now lets see the red mist pics. :o
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 11:36:27 PM: At was a little weird you had all those photos and no dead ones? Your not a animal rights type of a guy are ya? Just messing with ya. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: high country on January 30, 2010, 11:47:36 PM: what.......no hero shots?
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: buckmaster_wa on January 31, 2010, 12:06:25 AM: Shooten them sage rats is one of my favorite things to do. Hell even the woman likes to go along and shoot em. I try to wait until they have there first batch of little ones before I hit up my spots, that way theres more to kill. And the little ones are really dumb. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Sportfury on January 31, 2010, 12:47:00 AM: Do you have to have a license to shoot sage rats? Just wondering cause the kids were asking.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: shoot-em-dead on January 31, 2010, 12:57:15 AM: Quote from: Sportfury on January 31, 2010, 12:47:00 AM
Do you have to have a license to shoot sage rats? Just wondering cause the kids were asking.
I don't think so but I would check the with wdfw first just to make sure. Besides if a license is rquired it would be a small game so pick one up in case you see a coyote.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: sako223 on January 31, 2010, 03:53:03 AM: Yeah I have pics of dead stuff here somewhere, but they are not nearly as photogenic. It takes more effort to get a good pose than it does to shoot them.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg52.imageshack.us%2Fimg52%2F8579%2Fdsc006661.jpg&hash=da6b1fbac323a98f37e7f985ef4549f515b11854)
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: boneaddict on January 31, 2010, 05:56:33 AM: (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv47%2Fboneaddict%2Ftarget1.jpg&hash=00cbed3c6bca5a663a6421fd35f32f1902189463).
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: boneaddict on January 31, 2010, 05:57:27 AM: (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv47%2Fboneaddict%2Ftarget2.jpg&hash=c0c487c560e495c90e2e522d347138898fe526ea).
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: boneaddict on January 31, 2010, 05:58:22 AM: (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv47%2Fboneaddict%2Ftarget3.jpg&hash=beca1512c10a655212add78bdfdbe89f0d050627).
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Blacklab on January 31, 2010, 09:33:43 AM: Quote from: jayrod9528 on January 30, 2010, 09:14:41 PM
If you are a man of your word and like to shoot rats send me a pm and we can work it out where I can take you out my self. Ps I have alot of yote land if you cand bring a foxpro or a etracks call to the table.

Hey guys if ya wouldn't mind another wheel I can bring a FX5.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: swift on January 31, 2010, 11:41:26 AM: Quote from: dontgetcrabs on January 30, 2010, 11:05:47 PM
Nice pics sako. Now lets see the red mist pics. :o
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 31, 2010, 11:56:36 AM: ouch!

i am sure you need a small game license to shoot them. same as a greydigger need one to shoot them so i would think it would be the same. i would call and ask but they are closed today :chuckle:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: b23 on January 31, 2010, 12:46:45 PM: Some of the farmers in the Yak. Valley are starting to say no because they have had to many IDIOTS that got bored or didn't have many rats to shoot that day start shooting up their sprinkler lines or sprinkler heads. That tends to really piss those guys off and rightfully so. :(
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Jamieb on February 02, 2010, 12:10:22 PM: I love shooting those little rats. The last time I was down in Or. shooting sage rats I was going to video some of the action but when ever it came down to shooting or videoing the rifle won. This is all I got. The next time I get to go I'll give up some shooting time to run video.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2Fth_sagerats.jpg&hash=329d760bc3e0dc57827a79d9a0c06dcefd398744) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v376/elkhunter/?action=view&current=sagerats.flv)
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Sidewinder on February 17, 2010, 10:39:15 PM: Jayrod, I live in Pasco as well. I love to hunt sage rats. I recently moved here and do not know many places to go. I heard about some of the vineyards having rats and when I went scouting, the workers were out in the fields and did not want to interfere or bother them. The problem I have is that I work in a sporting goods store and have days off in the middle of the week, so not many people to go hunting with. I like coyote hunting as well. I usually wind up going to southern Oregon to get into sage rats so a closer location would be great. If you are still looking for someone to go shooting with please let me know. I have some e-callers for coyotes as well as mouth calls. Jayrod, your email address is hidden.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: BLR 243 on February 17, 2010, 10:52:08 PM: Montana annual rat hunt
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: 700xcr on February 18, 2010, 08:46:39 AM: Quote from: Sidewinder on February 17, 2010, 10:39:15 PM
Jayrod, I live in Pasco as well. I love to hunt sage rats. I recently moved here and do not know many places to go. I heard about some of the vineyards having rats and when I went scouting, the workers were out in the fields and did not want to interfere or bother them. The problem I have is that I work in a sporting goods store and have days off in the middle of the week, so not many people to go hunting with. I like coyote hunting as well. I usually wind up going to southern Oregon to get into sage rats so a closer location would be great. If you are still looking for someone to go shooting with please let me know. I have some e-callers for coyotes as well as mouth calls. Jayrod, your email address is hidden.
Send him a PM and he will get back to you.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: BIGINNER on February 18, 2010, 09:39:02 AM: OK, SORRY FOR BUTTING IN LIKE THIS, BUT I'VE LOOKING FOR A SPOT TO SHOOT THOSE LITTLE CRITTERS, CAN ANYONE POINT ME TO A GOOD PLACE? I PROMISE I WON'T TAKE ANY HUNTING BUDDIES, (I DON'T HAVE ANY HUNTING BUDDIES) LOL I LIKE TAKING MY NEPHEWS (AGES 6-10) SHOOTING, I TAKE THEM HIKING TO THE YAKIMA CANYON MAYBE 3 OR 4 TIMES DURING THE SUMMER, BUT WE NEVER HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOOT, IT WOULD BE VERY NICE IF SOMEONE SHOWED US A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A BLAST SOME SAGE RATS. THANKS ;)
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: bow4elk on February 18, 2010, 09:42:06 AM: Quote from: BLR 243 on February 17, 2010, 10:52:08 PM
Montana annual rat hunt

I would recommned not touching those things with your bare hands...
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: NRA4LIFE on February 18, 2010, 10:01:50 AM: If anybody is heading to SE Montana this year I can point you to a spot on Public land where there was a million of the little *censored*s (at least a couple years ago anyway). We had a couple free days after a hunt out there and got into them good. PM me if interested.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 08:36:38 PM: dang i want to try that. i need to practice shooting somehow. but all i have righ now is the 30-06... u think that would be to much for them :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: 700xcr on February 19, 2010, 08:45:00 PM: Quote from: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 08:36:38 PM
dang i want to try that. i need to practice shooting somehow. but all i have righ now is the 30-06... u think that would be to much for them :chuckle: :chuckle:
I think a little More then enough. Shoulder might be a little sore and your rifle barrel will heat up. I have used a 22lr in the past. Now I have a 223rem. for them longer shots.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 08:50:45 PM: Quote from: 700xcr on February 19, 2010, 08:45:00 PM
I think a little More then enough. Shoulder might be a little sore and your rifle barrel will heat up. I have used a 22lr in the past. Now I have a 223rem. for them longer shots.
[/quote]
you really get enough shooting in that the barrel would get to hott? wow, i gues illhave to steal the girlfriends 243 wssm.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: 700xcr on February 19, 2010, 09:01:17 PM: Quote from: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 08:50:45 PM
Quote from: 700xcr on February 19, 2010, 08:45:00 PM
I think a little More then enough. Shoulder might be a little sore and your rifle barrel will heat up. I have used a 22lr in the past. Now I have a 223rem. for them longer shots.
you really get enough shooting in that the barrel would get to hott? wow, i gues illhave to steal the girlfriends 243 wssm.
[/quote]Let put it this way. last time I went to Fox,Oregon just North of John Day,Oregon on a two day hunt I shot 5000 rounds of 22lr. through my Ruger Side Slab 6-7/8" handgun with a Millet red dot scope on it. Ranges from 3ft. to 80yds. with non stop shooting. Heck I tride to take a lunch break on the tailgate of the pickup and they just kept popping up as close as 3ft. away. By the end of the day the hawks love you and are circling around you. :guns:
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 09:15:19 PM: wow, that would be awsome.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: 700xcr on February 19, 2010, 09:21:06 PM: Quote from: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 09:15:19 PM
wow, that would be awsome.
It was a blast. Got sunburnt really bad. I forgot the lotion. But still had agood time.
Title: Re: Sage rats!!!!
Post by: Big10gauge on February 19, 2010, 09:36:37 PM: Quote from: 700xcr on February 19, 2010, 09:21:06 PM
Quote from: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 09:15:19 PM
wow, that would be awsome.
It was a blast. Got sunburnt really bad. I forgot the lotion. But still had agood time.

Boy no kidding about the sunburn, if you use a shooting bench the sun reflects off it right on your face. It doesn't take long to get a burn.