Turning your back on a comfortable sofa and a warm house in favour of a night out after rats on a cold, muddy farm may not sound like the best way to spend a winter evening. But there is an excitement to ratting with an air rifle that never wears thin. I have whiled away hundreds of autumn and winter nights helping farmers to reduce numbers of rodents over the past 30 or so years, and my urge to get out there is still as strong as it ever was.
The combination of targeting a crafty and disgusting adversary under the cover of darkness and to a soundtrack of hooting owls and lowing cattle makes for a heady cocktail for those of us touched with the ratting affliction. I can heartily recommend it to anyone who has yet to give it a try.
Shooting this year has been very productive. An early cold snap followed by a very long spell of wet weather seems to have pushed a lot of rats of flow-lying and exposed ground and on to the farms, where they can find food and shelter in abundance. It’s a serious problem for farmers but it means that I can usually expect to get lots of shots when I head out after dark with my air rifle.
Poison
The reason that many landowners prefer rats to be controlled with air rifles rather than poison is mostly down to the risk of secondary poisoning to pets and livestock. Several conservation-minded farmers I know are also concerned about the risk posed to owls. And by shooting rats, you are able to collect and properly dispose of all the corpses at the end of the session, rather than having dead and dying rats scattered around the holding.
Entertainment
My latest ratting session was on a mixed farm, where the rodents have been helping themselves to poultry and cattle feed and stored grain. I was joined by my good mate Kev Hawker. Kev usually adds a fair slice of entertainment to an outing, and he didn’t disappoint on this occasion.
Denne historien er fra December 18, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra December 18, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside
