GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Hunting Gate => Topic started by: only1harry on July 31, 2010, 12:52:55 PM
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I have been watching my yard the last few nights hoping to catch the culprit that has been knocking down my bird feeders. So far nothing but skunks and a possum all of which visit my backyard frequently for a free cat food meal.
Last night the ding donger went off around 1am for the 3d or 4th time and I figured it was another skunk. This time it only went off once and stopped. I looked out the window with the flashlight and did't see anything at the cat food bowl. I looked around and as I was ready to go back to bed, I noticed movement at the top fo the fence. It was a possum eating seeds out of the feeder on top of the fence. He then climbed on to other feeder below which is a little house with a round door/hole trying to get the blackoiled sunflower seeds. I had secured the feeder better with steel wire but I can see why he was knocking it down before with its weight. It wasn't a big adult possum though. Looked like it was still growing, so I went and got the 350 .22 and loaded a 15.8gr JSB jumbo.
I got back and remembered I did not have a gun light on the 350 so I couldn't see anything. I turned on the flood light in the back and lit up the area. When I got back to the window the country rat was apparently spooked and climbing down the fence. It ran a short distance but when he got to the door of the fence he ran into the cat food bowl I had placed there and stopped. This guy usually enters from the other side of the fence near the driveway where I leave that door open as well so the critters can come and go. It starts munching away but had its back turned to me. I think it was content not facing the 160W light head on. I adjusted the A/O for the distance 19-20yds, and when it turned its head to the right to look I got a decent opportunity at a broadside shot and squeezed the trigger. It immediately fell into the food bowl and started its death dance. A few seconds later it managed to roll over it and die 3ft away after it rolled over a couple of times.
The JSB had entered next to the right eye and under the ear and exited the other side. The grass was pretty wet from the moisture in the air so I did not take any pics with the 350. Besides this guy had pooped all over the place and bled everywhere.. I noticed the food bowl was full of blood splatter too as it did most of its death dance in it.
I also had shot 4 Grackles with the 350 the day before so I 'm posting them here too. I recovered the 2 by the cat food but the others I shot in the trees and they fell into poison ivy so I didn't bother with those. Hope you enjoy the pics!
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/only1harry/Hunting/2010%20off-season/Rat/20100730_0686.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/only1harry/Hunting/2010%20off-season/Rat/20100730_0685.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/only1harry/Hunting/2010%20off-season/Rat/20100729_0683.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/only1harry/Hunting/2010%20off-season/Rat/20100729_0681.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/only1harry/Hunting/2010%20off-season/Rat/20100729_0684.jpg)
Food bowl where country rat did most of its death dance. One bloddy mess..
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/only1harry/Hunting/2010%20off-season/Rat/20100730_0687.jpg)
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Great shooting. The 350 is a beast.
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nice shooting
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AWSOME SHOOTING
GREAT PICS
KEEP EM COMING
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Thanks guys.
I was just outside surveying the area in the day time. This country rat left its phecies all over, even inside the food bowl. They do this every time before they die but this one had a big load and spread it everywhere as it was rolling around. I 'm gloving up and going out to do some cleaning. I don't want my wife or son stepping on poop that could be carrying rabies or parasites. I also noticed the Grackels that came in the morning stayed in the trees for a couple of minutes eyeing the cat food and then took off. I think it's the poop and blood in the cat food that they didn't like. You would think beggers can't be chosers, hehe. I don't blame them :D
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Good shooting buddy...... enjoyed the pics...
BTW...... you makin that rat on the Bar-B-Q or what ;D
Jeff
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It's good to see your springers getting some hunt time in brother. ;) Super shooting and pic's Harry and where's there's one night critter there's another. Ed
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Great Shooting Harry. Crying shame that he bled all over that good food though LOL
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Nice shot, man that's a crazy amount of blood. Too bad you gotta clean it up, I don't think I have the patience to pick up possum turds. :P
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That isn't blood. I keep telling you it is the Shadow, Furseeker, Only1Harry, etc, special effects school. They use paint and fingernail polish to make them look like that. THEN they use special lighting to really enhance the colors. :D
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Thanks guys.
Nah I don't pick them up, hehe. This was near the end of my lawn, so I just hosed the area down and hopefully pushed any "solids" beyond the grass into the leafy and bushy area. It's supposed to rain tomorrow so hopefully that area will be washed clean.
Randy: Thanks for reminding me. I used up the last of the red nailpolish so I have to go to the store to get more ;) Doesn't it look great on the country rat though? :D
I just got back from shooting the TT Condor .25. I have a big G-hog that doesn't like the shed and hangs out at the edge of my property in the back (my property is 101yds long) diagonally from the house. But this also brings him near the neighbor's property line. He is usually 40+yds out. The neighbors are away for the weekend, and since the Condor is sighted in at 30yds, I set up a log with a target paper on it 38yds out so beyond it, it is still my property. Another 2yds over, and the target would have been in front of the neighbor's property. Anyway I got a good rest at the window which I shoot G-hogs from (that faces the shed) by propping myslef up in a chair with books (hehehe) and I was shooting 1-hole groups with 31gr Kodiaks! The JSB's for some reason where shooting to the left 0.25-0.3", although they are usually dead on at 30yds where I have it zeroed. It was exactly 1 mildot down for the Kodiaks which were dead-on. I did not touch the scope at all and after only 6 Kodiaks in a ragged hole smaller than a dime, exactly where the mildot was, I was satisfied and figured I 'd save some air and not make any more noise so the G-hog can come out soon. I could not believe I was shooting same hole at 38yds. I think this .25 Condor is more accurate than my .22 Condor. The 31gr Kodiaks are shooting 1,020-1,030fps with the power set pretty low purposely so they don't go supersonic. I can get 16-18 shots before they drop below 1,000fps. I think 73fpe muzzle energy will be enough to take out this big G-hog at 40yds ;D
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More nice shooting Harry! Good to see the 350 getting a work out
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Love to see the springers out for some work. I've been shooting my 350 a bit lately with open sights. I've got to get a new scope for it as I stole the one that is on it for my newest TF 99.
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Nice shooting Harry!
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Thanks guys. I plan on getting some sleep tonight. The Ding Donger is off! ;D
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Great shooting. What a mess :o
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nice shot
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Thanks guys. Yeah the camera at night picks up the red stuff a lot better than during the day. The "big mess" that I don't like is that big green poop under its tail :) They always do that. It's like they 're getting back at us for shooting them, hehehe.
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The 350 is a hammer !!!