Cant wait

[Bill K]

And it was a great morning, even if a little on the cool side. And really, believe it or not, there were plenty of squeeks showing up for lessons on flying in cold weather.

[Rick in Oregon]

Well then VM, that's also what I call dedication! A true-blue varmint shooter cares not about the cold, right?

Besides, when we get a dusting of the white stuff, it enables us to use the rats for "snow painting".....always gratifying.



It should be a very good year once all this white crap goes away....confidence is high!

[Bill K]

I am so glad to see that you Rick are in the same mode. Varmint Shooter and I both roamed when others thought we were a little on the crazy side, but we had fun and gave some critters lessons.. Just bundled up and had some good treats and hot coffee in thermos's for a break and warm up. It allowed the barrels to cool beside. Bill K

[bronad]

I couldn't make it today, but my shooting buddies went up on a scouting trip to Lassen Co today got about 25 a piece on a short shoot, and they just had 22's. I'm headed to Modoc Co within a week or so with RV, and staying through the Roundup, it ought to be good as soil is sandier there and squirrels are usually up there before they are in Lassen Co.

[BackStabber]

I am so glad to see that you Rick are in the same mode. Varmint Shooter and I both roamed when others thought we were a little on the crazy side, but we had fun and gave some critters lessons.. Just bundled up and had some good treats and hot coffee in thermos's for a break and warm up. It allowed the barrels to cool beside. Bill K

Bill, I have a friend in Nampa that says not to far from his place is some great shooting. Probably wont make it that way this year but will try for next season or June this year if they are still around

[BackStabber]

I was in Hampton on the 22nd not very good at all very few in morning and zero in afternoon. Shot less than 100 rounds going to Crane next week for three days will see whats up heard the babies were up in Crane not so in Hampton

[Rick in Oregon]

I was in Hampton on the 22nd not very good at all very few in morning and zero in afternoon. Shot less than 100 rounds going to Crane next week for three days will see whats up heard the babies were up in Crane not so in Hampton

Yes indeed, the young-un's are up everywhere. It was hard finding any adults to shoot, so that tells me many females are still down either hatching more babies, or nursing the ones they have had already.



When it's mostly the little ones in the field, I usually put away my 204, 223 or 20 VT and grab my Anschutz 17HMR to conserve CF ammo. Not as rewarding, but hey, a rat launch is still a rat launch, right?

[Bill K]

Right on Rick. Nice photo.

[BackStabber]

Yes indeed, the young-un's are up everywhere. It was hard finding any adults to shoot, so that tells me many females are still down either hatching more babies, or nursing the ones they have had already.

When it's mostly the little ones in the field, I usually put away my 204, 223 or 20 VT and grab my Anschutz 17HMR to conserve CF ammo. Not as rewarding, but hey, a rat launch is still a rat launch, right?
[/quote]
I feel better now nice picture. I didn't even get the .204's or the .223's out of there cases so few targets. This Thursday is supposed to be 80 degrees so I am very excited to hear the rats are up. I have to say I bought a scope last year that I am very impressed with cant wait to test it more. Its the Hawk Vantage AO 4-12X40 17 HMR it has ticks out to 350 specifically for the 17HMR they were dead on. Nice clear picture.

Ill try and add some pictures over the weekend Thanks for cheering me up Rick :{)

[Rick in Oregon]

Ill try and add some pictures over the weekend Thanks for cheering me up Rick :{)

Glad to help. Seems we all need a bit of cheering up right now. Hope you get into some decent shooting.....let us know how it all shakes out, and remember: PICS! No pics, didn't happen.

We're waiting for 'first cut' now before we get back after Skippy, as then we'll have beaucoup adults to play with and these dinky ones now will be a more rewarding target by then. But in the meantime, it's rock chuck time! They're up in full force, and the lil' ones are now "target-worthy". Time to break out my Cooper Phoenix 221FB, as it's my only hyper-accurate rat rifle with QD studs for a bipod with a synthetic stock, not a boat-anchor/bench gun, and it's the only one I don't mind crawling around in the lava rocks with.

Soooooon.....

[Bill K]

Well over the past couple of weeks I have taken a few chucks, but then the weather set in and for two to three days we had snow again and that set it back. But now it is clearing and supposed to be sunnier and warmer the rest of the week, so next Saturday I will head out and see what and where some are showing again.. No matter will get out and roam the sage and rim rocks and look at the deer, pronghorn and other critters that are moving back in to the summer range and even dropping new young one's. Give the 20SCC & 20 Tac a run this time.

[BackStabber]

IMG_1138.JPG (5.2 MiB) Viewed 1956 times

Beautiful 3 days in Eastern Oregon.

[BackStabber]

First off the weather was outstanding and it was nice to get on the East side of the peoples republic of Oregon.(I live in Corvallis)
1st day was half a day field was full of rats but after a few kills we were invaded by hawks and eagles counted 30 which really slowed things down. The next day was really a slow field so few shots and long shots

This one was 320 yards on stand with 3 other people off a bag standing. I start to think that there is something better than the .204 and then I get in the field and there isn't if you don't reload. It is so accurate and flat. This shot was with the Savage 12FV and 32 grain v-max

IMG_1139.JPG (5.18 MiB) Viewed 1955 times

Here's a picture standing at the spot looking back

IMG_1142.JPG (4.81 MiB) Viewed 1955 times

As you can tell I have "fingeridas" and take crappy pictures but I have fun doing it.

2nd half of the day was in an infested field where I had to keep trading 17"s because of heat, shot 300 hundred rounds in 2 hours.

3rd day was a half day so we could get home at a descent time. Great field and we could use the big guns never pulled out the 17's shot .204 and .223 for 4 hours straight

Pulled this one out of the hole with his head at about 250 yards with the AR in .204 He flew about 6 feet from the hole

IMG_1141.JPG (5.93 MiB) Viewed 1955 times

[BackStabber]

We had a great time and the people we met were awesome.

[Rick in Oregon]

BS, glad you had a good time here in E. OR.

So it appears you're one of the guys who pay to shoot on the elevated stands supplied by "outfitters". How do you like shooting on one of those stands with ten other guys?

Maybe it's just me, but that type of rat shooting does not appeal to me a bit. No freedom, sharing a rat patch with guys you don't even know, and how they handle their firearms in a crowded environment. We've seen the stands in adjacent fields choked full of shooters and wonder about these things. How can you be steady with ten other guys moving about? You must stand up and shoot hunched over? Clue us in, as I along with my friends just don't understand why anybody would pay for this type of shooting.

But still, glad you 'city boys' had a good time nonetheless. And thanks for the pics, we all like pics....no pics, didn't happen.