Another Epic Rat Shoot
- Rick in Oregon
- Moderator
- Posts: 4942
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
- Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
- Contact:
Another Epic Rat Shoot
My crew and I spent a full week in the Orygun outback recently shooting our buddy Skippy and his pals. Seems like a good crop of squirrels this year, so good that I'm contemplating going again after first cut. Our rancher buddy really makes us feel welcome, as part of our crew stays in what could be called a line-shack, another stays in his CVT (Cascade Vehicle Tent), and my trailer gets hooked up to power and water. We use it in the evenings for "guy movies" after dinner and all the rifles have been cleaned (and of course it's my "room").
Rifles this trip ranged from the usual .22LR's, 17HMR, 22 K-Hornet, 20VT, 204R (of course), 7mm Mag and .338 Lapua. The last two were there just for getting on paper and trying their suppressors. Amazing how "quiet" a seven mag can be with the right can.
The line-shack and the G-Man's tent rig on the hill behind my trailer. A camp kitchen was set up next to the shack.
Home sweet home for the week. We can shoot here as far as we can see. There's rock chucks in the nearby cliffs too....I'm pretty sure our buddy Dan brings his .338 with them in mind.
The first couple of mornings, I shot this high hillside at the base of the cliff overlooking a pivot below, full of rats. I usually started out with my Cooper 20VT, always having a 204R nearby for the long pokes. My rifle is in my cleaning cradle on the tailgate after a robust 50 rounds downrange.
Our buddy Gary glassing for rats from his bench. He's shooting his M21 Cooper 20VT and also has his Cooper Phoenix 204 handy. My truck and bench setup can be seen in the background high on the hill.
Dan's .338 Lapua ready for rock chucks:
A look down range to show the mound complexes. A wide-angle shot here is amazing, as there's mounds in a 360* circle of the pivot, about a mound every five or six feet. It is truly "rat rich" and a target-rich environment.
Yours truly working a rat-rich area just under the far fence line. A lot of shooting here at the 240 - 300 yard mark, but my longest shot of the trip was here at the far right of the fence line at a lasered 402 yards. Nothing spectacular, but decent. That was with the rifle shown, my 20VT. By the time I saw squirrels farther out, the mirage was running too hot for any precision shooting.
During these shoots when we're bench shooting, we always have a pet .22LR handy nearby for the rats that pop up unexpectedly from 25 yards out. Most of us have tweaked 10-22's for this. The only thing remaining Ruger in mine is the outer action. The rest is all Volq and Power Custom. I can't count how many rats this little rig has claimed, or how many bricks of WW and Mini-Mag HP's it has sent downrange.
My Cooper M38 20VT right after the long shot at the fence line, cooling her barrel. The little Ruger 10-22 got a bit of use during this particular cooling session (grin). All my 20VT and 204 shooting this trip was with the 32gr Nosler BT and Varmageddon. Disclaimer: Many rodents were indeed harmed during the making of this post.
It was a grand time out there, and we all grumbled at the thought of having to go back to town after a week of sunshine, good friends, epic rat shooting with favorite rifles. We always have evening pistol drills before movie time, and this trip I took my Kimber Aegis Elite Custom with a Vortex Venom 6 MOA dot factory mounted. The rock outcropping in the photo has a 6' grey rock at the left center bottom at exactly 233 yards from the G-Man's truck hood shown here. With the optic, hitting that rock 9 our of ten times became routine once the hold was established. Nice to know a handgun is good for more than across the room ranges. Even at this range, the bullet splashes can be seen on the rock.
And once home and all the rifle and pistol brass is out of the tumbler, couldn't resist a pic of my Kimber with the brass shot this trip at our steel and at that silly rock.
So that's our recent trip to share. Here's hoping more of you guys will share your trips this season too, as with this covid crap, last year was a bust, so more of us are getting out this year. So come on, what have the rest of you been up to? Let's get this forum alive again!
Rifles this trip ranged from the usual .22LR's, 17HMR, 22 K-Hornet, 20VT, 204R (of course), 7mm Mag and .338 Lapua. The last two were there just for getting on paper and trying their suppressors. Amazing how "quiet" a seven mag can be with the right can.
The line-shack and the G-Man's tent rig on the hill behind my trailer. A camp kitchen was set up next to the shack.
Home sweet home for the week. We can shoot here as far as we can see. There's rock chucks in the nearby cliffs too....I'm pretty sure our buddy Dan brings his .338 with them in mind.
The first couple of mornings, I shot this high hillside at the base of the cliff overlooking a pivot below, full of rats. I usually started out with my Cooper 20VT, always having a 204R nearby for the long pokes. My rifle is in my cleaning cradle on the tailgate after a robust 50 rounds downrange.
Our buddy Gary glassing for rats from his bench. He's shooting his M21 Cooper 20VT and also has his Cooper Phoenix 204 handy. My truck and bench setup can be seen in the background high on the hill.
Dan's .338 Lapua ready for rock chucks:
A look down range to show the mound complexes. A wide-angle shot here is amazing, as there's mounds in a 360* circle of the pivot, about a mound every five or six feet. It is truly "rat rich" and a target-rich environment.
Yours truly working a rat-rich area just under the far fence line. A lot of shooting here at the 240 - 300 yard mark, but my longest shot of the trip was here at the far right of the fence line at a lasered 402 yards. Nothing spectacular, but decent. That was with the rifle shown, my 20VT. By the time I saw squirrels farther out, the mirage was running too hot for any precision shooting.
During these shoots when we're bench shooting, we always have a pet .22LR handy nearby for the rats that pop up unexpectedly from 25 yards out. Most of us have tweaked 10-22's for this. The only thing remaining Ruger in mine is the outer action. The rest is all Volq and Power Custom. I can't count how many rats this little rig has claimed, or how many bricks of WW and Mini-Mag HP's it has sent downrange.
My Cooper M38 20VT right after the long shot at the fence line, cooling her barrel. The little Ruger 10-22 got a bit of use during this particular cooling session (grin). All my 20VT and 204 shooting this trip was with the 32gr Nosler BT and Varmageddon. Disclaimer: Many rodents were indeed harmed during the making of this post.
It was a grand time out there, and we all grumbled at the thought of having to go back to town after a week of sunshine, good friends, epic rat shooting with favorite rifles. We always have evening pistol drills before movie time, and this trip I took my Kimber Aegis Elite Custom with a Vortex Venom 6 MOA dot factory mounted. The rock outcropping in the photo has a 6' grey rock at the left center bottom at exactly 233 yards from the G-Man's truck hood shown here. With the optic, hitting that rock 9 our of ten times became routine once the hold was established. Nice to know a handgun is good for more than across the room ranges. Even at this range, the bullet splashes can be seen on the rock.
And once home and all the rifle and pistol brass is out of the tumbler, couldn't resist a pic of my Kimber with the brass shot this trip at our steel and at that silly rock.
So that's our recent trip to share. Here's hoping more of you guys will share your trips this season too, as with this covid crap, last year was a bust, so more of us are getting out this year. So come on, what have the rest of you been up to? Let's get this forum alive again!
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2324
- Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:00 am
- .204 Ruger Guns: also now, a Savage switch bull barrel in 204R. 23 inch SS
- Location: Lake Forest, Ca.
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Thank you Rick for the story and photo's. A super nice set up for all of you, for sure. Great looking country and beautiful pivot looking spot.
-
- New Member
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:37 am
- .204 Ruger Guns: Model 12 Savage and White Oak
- Location: Corvallis Oregon
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Nice post looks like fun :{)
- jpx2rk
- Senior Member
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 5:25 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Savage 12FV, R783/20P combo
- Location: East TN
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Sounds like a excellent adventure again. Good times with friends and "rats" . LOL. Thanks for posting & sharing your trip.
Master Piddler
-
- Junior Member
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:47 am
- .204 Ruger Guns: Savage 12 vlp .204
- Location: SouthEast ND
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Great Pictures and Write up as usual RIO! Thanks!
One of these days I'll be heading out for some 13 lined striped ground Squirrels (gophers around these parts) at one of my spots I've nicknamed Gopher Alley. Hopefully its hasn't dried up for this year. We've been having a weird spring with spurts of warm above average temps for a few days right back to cold and wind. Western 2/3 of ND are really hurting for some moisture. A 2nd fire has started up around Medora. One of ND treasures. Great little town with history of the old west and much of Teddy Roosevelt and his time spent ranching and chasing his love of the frontier and riches in the cattle business. If your ever in the area I do urge you to go. Great family friendly atmosphere. Outdoor Musical and pitchfork fondue. Theodore Roosevelt Nationl park entrance is literally on the west side of town. It is somewhat of a tourist trap but it is an absolute joy of an experience.
Have to play it by ear to see when we can go out to a friends ranch and try our best at knocking back the Richardson GS population (With a couple left for seed of course). The fire warnings are high right now.
And of course the biggest of the little rats.....PRAIRIE DOGS!
Definitely going to try and smack the crap out of them (especially looking forward to it finally loading my own rounds this year).
Hopefully I can get out this month when the pups are really popping up and stupid.
One of these days I'll be heading out for some 13 lined striped ground Squirrels (gophers around these parts) at one of my spots I've nicknamed Gopher Alley. Hopefully its hasn't dried up for this year. We've been having a weird spring with spurts of warm above average temps for a few days right back to cold and wind. Western 2/3 of ND are really hurting for some moisture. A 2nd fire has started up around Medora. One of ND treasures. Great little town with history of the old west and much of Teddy Roosevelt and his time spent ranching and chasing his love of the frontier and riches in the cattle business. If your ever in the area I do urge you to go. Great family friendly atmosphere. Outdoor Musical and pitchfork fondue. Theodore Roosevelt Nationl park entrance is literally on the west side of town. It is somewhat of a tourist trap but it is an absolute joy of an experience.
Have to play it by ear to see when we can go out to a friends ranch and try our best at knocking back the Richardson GS population (With a couple left for seed of course). The fire warnings are high right now.
And of course the biggest of the little rats.....PRAIRIE DOGS!
Definitely going to try and smack the crap out of them (especially looking forward to it finally loading my own rounds this year).
Hopefully I can get out this month when the pups are really popping up and stupid.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2324
- Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:00 am
- .204 Ruger Guns: also now, a Savage switch bull barrel in 204R. 23 inch SS
- Location: Lake Forest, Ca.
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Hope that all works out for you. And when it does occur, remember to post some photo's of the area and critters given flying lessons
- Rick in Oregon
- Moderator
- Posts: 4942
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
- Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
- Contact:
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
SecretCode: Thanks buddy, ......your own handloads, squirrels, prairie dogs and stupid pups......I love it!SecretCode wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 5:17 pmGreat Pictures and Write up as usual RIO! Thanks!
And of course the biggest of the little rats.....PRAIRIE DOGS!
Definitely going to try and smack the crap out of them (especially looking forward to it finally loading my own rounds this year).
Hopefully I can get out this month when the pups are really popping up and stupid.
Sounds like you're ready to get out, and as Bill mentioned, when you do, be sure to take your camera. It's that time of year, and we all like to see what the rest of us are up to in the field. You're fortunate to have such a great variety of rat targets to engage, so camera man, camera!
And let us know how those handloads work out.
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 1406
- Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:06 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: CZ-527, Remington 700 VLTHSS
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Hi Rick...sounds like you folks put on quite the party (although I'm sure those critters supplying the entertainment would disagree). As always, a good write up and outstanding pictures.
Good to hear everyone had a good time and made it home safe.
Jim
Good to hear everyone had a good time and made it home safe.
Jim
- Rick in Oregon
- Moderator
- Posts: 4942
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
- Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
- Contact:
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Thanks Jim, it was "one of the good ones" for sure. Now I'm pondering if it's worth it to go again after first cut. Always pretty hot by then in June, so on the fence about going. Last time we went after first cut some years ago, it was 90* by 10:00 and the rats went down. So only about two hours of shooting, then sitting in the shade waiting for it to cool off so the rats will come out again.....IF they decide to come back out.
Probably stay home and prep brass for next time.
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 1406
- Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:06 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: CZ-527, Remington 700 VLTHSS
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
I too have thought many-a-time about giving it a shot after the first cut, but then I think about the April & May time frames and, the time of day when they go back down in the late morning before coming back out in the late afternoon (and the afternoons don't always equal the morning rat roll-call).Rick in Oregon wrote: ↑Sat May 15, 2021 8:45 am
Now I'm pondering if it's worth it to go again after first cut. Always pretty hot by then in June, so on the fence about going. Last time we went after first cut some years ago, it was 90* by 10:00 and the rats went down. So only about two hours of shooting, then sitting in the shade waiting for it to cool off so the rats will come out again.....IF they decide to come back out.
Probably stay home and prep brass for next time.
If you can go on the spur of the moment I suppose you can monitor the weather predictions but that's a just a SWAG a lot of times.
Prepping and reloading is fun but emptying the cases in a hot rat-patch is a lot "more" fun.
-
- New Member
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:11 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Cooper M21, DPMS, White Oak Precision, Savage PH, Dan Carey
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Great write-up as usual, Rick! Glad to see your still out there bringing the hate!
Tim
Tim
- Rick in Oregon
- Moderator
- Posts: 4942
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
- Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
- Contact:
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Tim!No Off Season wrote: ↑Fri Jun 04, 2021 7:38 pmGreat write-up as usual, Rick! Glad to see your still out there bringing the hate!
Tim
Good to see you here buddy. I hope you and your boys are still at it too, and giving those rock chucks grief with those 243AI's you're fond of. Sold mine, now it's sellers remorse......
Hope the bunkhouse is full, along with your client list. Whenever I'm asked, I send 'em your way. Oh, and there's really no hate, I just love those furry little buggers..............in my crosshairs!
- Ray P
- Senior Member
- Posts: 645
- Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:32 am
- .204 Ruger Guns: 2-Rem 700 and Ruger#1 S/S
- Location: NE Pa
- Contact:
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
RIO awsome photos and write up. Looks like a great time had by all. Hot barrels and empty brass. Launch any of those little guys with that 338LM ?
Glad everyone was well and made the trip.
Thanks for sharing
Later
Ray P
Glad everyone was well and made the trip.
Thanks for sharing
Later
Ray P
Life is an adventure and often to short. Make the most with family and friends. Shoot often and shoot a small hole. Love the 204 Ruger!! NRA Life Member
"We are never to old to learn"
"We are never to old to learn"
- Captqc
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1036
- Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:09 pm
- .204 Ruger Guns: Cooper Phoenix .204
- Location: Tigard, OR.
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Epic to be sure! Here’s a pic of a rock chuck that was on over watch until he foolishly came down to the field for a snack.
[attachment=0]E5EA1E41-6948-4BA1-AACE-D7EB6C9BE23A.jpeg[/
[attachment=0]E5EA1E41-6948-4BA1-AACE-D7EB6C9BE23A.jpeg[/
- Attachments
-
- E5EA1E41-6948-4BA1-AACE-D7EB6C9BE23A.jpeg (1.78 MiB) Viewed 2044 times
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2324
- Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:00 am
- .204 Ruger Guns: also now, a Savage switch bull barrel in 204R. 23 inch SS
- Location: Lake Forest, Ca.
Re: Another Epic Rat Shoot
Great photo, but why wait for him to venture down to the open field. Nice head/shoulder shot, right there, would take him out just fine.