SmallCaliberCentral

What effect does overcast have on Skippy? For example, say it's 75 degrees, 5 mph winds, but cloudy all day. Do they stay underground in this situation?

I've got two days to pick from this week. Temp and winds are as described above, but one day is mostly cloudy and the other is partly sunny.

Thank You.

If those are the only choices you have, I will say, GO for it. It has been my experience, that a cloudy day will not keep skippy from doing what he does, for the most part. Maybe not as many targets as on a sunny day, but still more targets than you can shake a stick at. The wind on the other hand, seems to make skippy more skiddish. It is my belief that the wind affects their hearing somewhat, and they cannot hear predators as well as on a calm day. Just my thinking!

I agree with Kevin above. It's been my experience that the only two things the rats really don't tolerate is rain and wind. If either is present, they are not, but if warm but cloudy, they'll still be up frolicking about, just not as many as on a nice sunny day.

Once the wind gets up above 15mph, the rat numbers above ground start to dwindle. They're pretty much like us in that regard....when it's crappy outside with rain and wind, they're where it's warm and dry. Maybe no widescreen, but they're warm and dry.

I'd say go load your gear and go for it! I always tell my crew in these situations...."you'll kill more rats if you go than if you stayed home"......

(I assume you're talking about ground squirrels, right? "Skippy" is my term for the little fellow, but many apply it now to PD's also. The rules above really apply to the squirrels, PD's have a different set of behavioral traits.)

Be sure to take your camera! No pics........then it didn't happen.

I notice that they take a "siesta" from about noon to 4pm (plus or minus an hour) then the come out in force late afternoon until about 7-8pm. Hard winds they dont like, but a medium 10mph wind I see no difference, just harder to hit the far ones!