Salop Matt Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 I have never shot a rat to date although I really hate the little blighters. But in the next few weeks I may have chance to. Am I best to shoot in the day time or night ? I plan to shoot under a red lamp if at night. The rats are in a wood around a pheasant feeder and pen. And any other ratting advice would be great ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Rats are creatures of habit and they follow runs to and from food sources so if you can find those just sit up and wait for them. If you're in a wood just get a chair and wait 10-15 yards away from the runs and listen for leaves rustling etc, flick on the lamp ad take your shot but use it sparingly as it can spook them easily. You can also bait the area near the runs with peanut better to get them in the open a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 For every rat you see during the day you will see ten-fold at night.If the feeder is filled at a particular time of day, however, that might be a good time to break your duck.Make sure you are in position before filling time and use something like peanut butter to tempt them to stay still long enough to shoot.I would guess that as darkness falls the little pests will travel from quite a distance to feed if you have a fairly isolated food source-if so i would try putting a low powered light over the feeder for a week or so to get them accustomed to it and then ambush them-i doubt that you will get huge numbers but it can be exciting shooting when things go as planned.When you shoot your first one leave it where it is-moving around causes a major disturbance and could kill your sport for the night.Take something like pliers to pick the dead ones up and put an extra shot into them from close range before you go near them but avoid getting too close as blood splatter can be nasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckytrigger Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I go ratting on a dairy farm and they are about as soon as it starts to get dark. Ive used a lamp with a red filter for the last 3 years on this permission and they still havnt wised up. Just keep lamp use to a minimum. I have a quick scan to locate rats then click it on quickly shoot then turn it off again and repeat the process. Its seriously addictive good luck! Atb Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Echo Bruno on rat diseases. As an angler and airgunner very conscious of Weil's disease. can be fatal as the old olympic rowing chap found to his cost. We have shot them in the daylight (no lamp) as they try and chomp on song bird food. Just be patient ratty will pop in and out of vision. Get set up and wait for the head in the cross hairs. I am sue a lamp will get better reults if you can master the art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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