In addition to the more common varmints: Woodchuck, Crow, Ground Squirrel, Starlings, what are some of the more unusual varmints that you all hunt, eather seasonally or year round?

For me, there is a particularly FAT variety of water-field Vole, also large Barn Rats, Muskrat & Beaver (in our pond: according to all State & Fed regs for taking them of course) the rare (in this area) Nutria, Skunks, etc.

What do you guys hunt that might be considered unusual?

Also, has anyone read "Small Game and Varmint Hunting" by H. Lea Lawrence, and can you recommend it or not as good reading?



WATER/FIELD VOLE

[ 11-09-2002, 23:21: Message edited by: Sean VHA #60013 ]

Toads. I shoot them on and in my swimming pool (turned pond) with a .177 Benjamin air pistol. This year I only shot two. Some years I've shot a hundred or more. They drive everyone in the neighborhood nuts.
It's night work with a flashlight... sorta like alligator hunting... only really really small.
I put a BSA laser on it last year and made it kinda easy. I can use a non traditional hold and shoot from the chest like it was a subgun.

I've taken 8 rabbits, one squirrel (in an attic), one mouse and several hundred toads with that air pistol... 9 grains of death at a wopping 525fps!!

[ 11-10-2002, 02:44: Message edited by: cas ]

[ 11-10-2002, 08:07: Message edited by: cas ]

Cas,

Toads: now that is out of the ordinary and worthy of note

Which Benjamin air pistol is it? The one with the pump, or the Co2?

cas,

you pickin' on those poor reptiles?

Sean,

I'm intrigued about those giant rats (nutria) you have down there? Can you relate any info on them?

As for me, occasionally, I'll shoot a woodpecker off the side of the house with CB caps. Have to angle it just right though. Now that the house is sided with vinyl however, Woody is not a problem anymore. Talk about damage.

Regards

Headstamp,

Greetings! Interesting Woodpecker problem! Good reason for me to keep my wood siding: is that considered "hunting over bait" ?

Nutria are a large rodent, nearly as large as a beaver but with a long, rounded, scaly, ratlike tail. The hind feet webbed, large orange-colored incisors. The females have their mammaries along each side of back [not on the belly] Reddish brown fur. Like a large muskrat basically, weighing 20-30lbs.

Originally from South America, Nutria have been coming north. They are well known in Texas, The Carolinas, and Maryland, and come up the Staunton River through Bugs Island lake and occasionally to our area of Virginia.

Very destructive and nasty fellows!





[ 11-10-2002, 06:02: Message edited by: Sean VHA #60013 ]

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Thanks Sean! That will make a nice target!!

What about Attack Squirrels? Here is one seen in full charge! Try to imagine yourself sneaking thru the woods when suddenly without warning a couple of these glom onto your back! Talk about terror!!!!!!!!!!!

Notice the front claws, the beady eyes. Oooooh, makes me want to stay home and play monopoly just to think of them!


[ 11-10-2002, 06:19: Message edited by: Pecos45 ]

Please note the correct way to hunt Nutria is at night. Set up flood lights along a "nutria rich" stream. Get a case of beer, a couple of your best pals...all armed to the teeth...preferably with AR's and Mini-14s and then wait.

Drink beer only to steady your nerves and keep mosquitos too drunk to fly away after they bite you so you can kill them as well. I like to rip their little beaks off and shove them up their ass before I pound them.

Then when a nutria patrol comes up the river, it's every man for himself.

Seriously, my favorite "unusual varmit" is wasp nests VS pellet rifles. It can turn into a real "dangerous game" if you aren't careful.

I too am a night stalker. Kangaroo rats. Had an outbreak the last two years. Benjamine air rifle with a laser sight. Find them with the flashlight and then shoot from the hip. That little red dot is deadly. Wish they would come out in the
day time because when you hit one the give one last jump stright up. Sean: I quote"Very destructive and nasty fellows!" you can also add verry UGLY. only thing I have seen that is uglier is my ex wife. OOOOPs
Rich

Thanks for the info Sean. They sure are an intriguing animal. Do they eat them down there? Taste like chicken?

Myself, I often wished we had wild boars/feral hogs running through the woods up here. Would keep the 'huggers inside and present some enjoyment for the rest of us "gun-anglers".

Pecos, I would imagine you'd have to lead them a bit with a 12 guage while they're in flight.

I'm still ROTFL after reading your Nutria post.

Regards All

[ 11-10-2002, 06:35: Message edited by: Headstamp ]

Pecos... A good friend of mine, kile, and I where rooting out varmits. Well we had stumbled upon a HUGE bees nest... perhaps 4' in size. I had a good idea... we would park the truck close, and I would pull my trusty coach gun out, walk up to the nest and pull off both barrles of 12 guage with 7 1/2 shot. For a brief moment I had got to see this mighty nest split into pieces, but never did go back to check on it
Not a single sting reported.
take care
smallfry

Smallfry - I appreciate the warning. If I bite down on some leadshot in my honey dripping English muffin in the morning, I'll know who to send the dental bill too.

pecos

When I was an early teen, me and my buddies used to go to the local garbage dump's at night with flashlights taped to our 22LR semiauto's, I had a Rem. Nylon 66 BTW. The rats were huge....4 to 6lbs... and very tough. Some of them had to be shot 4 or 5 times before they stopped moving.
Sometimes when we got there early...still daylight, we took along a couple gals. of gas and poured it in there holes, waited a few mins. then through a match in one. All there holes were tied together somewere or another, so the gas fumes went throughout. Man alive!!!! after a small earthquake, They came flyin out of them holes afire and we had a blast shooting them. We didn't do that often cause gas was almost 30 cents a gallon. Had to save our money for ammo I think it was $2.50 a brick.
There was other varmints there also, wild cats, wild dogs, crows, Lapeu's, big ass owl's, opposm's, coons and groundhogs just to name a few. If you can deal wit da smell...probably no worse then Buckweets X girlfriends feet ...then you could really have a fun evening. It never bothered me cause I dated most of the cheerleaders in school and took them home "AFTER PRATCICE" or AFTER a game...If ya know what I mean??? Heck, after that, the dump smell wasn't all that bad!!!Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha.

Rats and cats on the town dump. That is where I learned to make my single six perform. Thanks for bringing that up Jules ( except for the part bout Buckweets X's feet). They are some great memories.
Rick