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Thread: Rats rats everywhere - help

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
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    Rats rats everywhere - help

    I don't post on here very often but read with interest. I don't mind rats particularly and have caught a few in humane cages, fed them and then released them miles away. However, they are now starting to eat the vegetable patch that we have created and need to go.

    I loved airguns when I was younger and still have a couple of pistols, but need to get an air rifle again to take them out as they are completely ignoring the bait box. I don't want to spend lots of money (<£300 ideally). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to buy?

    Many thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    loughborough
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    838

    Budget springer

    Hatsan 60s or any with the quatro trigger or a Remington Express which his a "Record" copy trigger.

    For a springer I like a harder pellet and for close range rats I would use a quality budget pellet like H&N excite hammer or
    R.W.S. Hobby in .22 of course .

    A low mag scope like a Airmax 2-7x32 would be ideal .
    Last edited by crowbar; 24-05-2022 at 01:16 AM.

  3. #3
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    May 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by boxst View Post
    ....I don't mind rats particularly and have caught a few in humane cages, fed them and then released them miles away. ....
    Get down to your local pet shop and ask for a Siberian Hamster. That will keep you happy. https://youtu.be/khoJsN3nNzM
    Alternatively, befriend a local fox. These seem to sort out a rat problem.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by crowbar View Post
    Hatsan 60s or any with the quatro trigger or a Remington Express which his a "Record" copy trigger.

    For a springer I like a harder pellet and for close range rats I would use a quality budget pellet like H&N excite hammer or
    R.W.S. Hobby in .22 of course .

    A low mag scope like a Airmax 2-7x32 would be ideal .
    My thinking would be along very similar lines. Most "budget" springers will do the job for close range rats, but an excellent trigger helps. My first choice would be a Weihrauch HW99 and I'd be using the RWS Hobby (as long as my rifle likes them - most of mine do). A HW30 in .22 usually delivers around 8ft.lbs and is an even lighter, even sweeter shooting proposition.

    I'd also consider rifles from the Hatsan, Gamo, Cometa and Norica ranges.

    If going used, a Birmingham BSA or Webley would be fine, too......Meteor, Supersport, Lightning, Vulcan, Victor, Xocet, Stingray etc.

    Fully agree with the 2-7x32 scope pointer, too.
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
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  5. #5
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    Hatsan 900x - good value rifle, can be has as a package for less than £150.

    All the budget rifles benefit from a strip down, deburr, polish and lubrication.
    Repariere nicht, was nicht kaputtist.

  6. #6
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    gateshead
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    a nice hatsan will fit the bill

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    Bexhill-On-Sea
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    https://mfcoutdoorstores.com

    If you pop in and see Clive, he will sort you out with something.
    He will also if you pop back to collect, set up and zero your rifle for you.

    Last time popped in they had several cheaper springers that would be ample for your needs, or a CO2 - both new and second hand.

    Smooth cheap peanut butter and cheap chocolate spread will be your friend - keeping them still long enough to shoot.
    If you are seeing them daytime - that is a bad bad sign.
    You might need a cheap torch on your scope - ask on here for solutions

    I also do not think relocating grey squirrels or rats is legal as they are absolute pests
    Looking for TO-6 Trigger unit unmessed with or T0-6 kit for 34

  8. #8
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    Apr 2020
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    Leeds
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    PCP SHooter;
    "I also do not think relocating Grey Squirrels or Rats is legal as absolute pests"

    Grey squirrels certainly have to culled, not released alive, experience of my late Aunty with local Authority pest controller and recent "phyco Squirrel' incident in North wales (?) Her daughter in law did relocate mice caught in 'captive traps' about 200 yards, then wondered why she had just as many as started with, explained they had homing instincts like pigeons 😉
    Poisoning works till they become wary, but decaying carcasses cause a stink . Shoot & remove, if can change invironment that attracted them in first place

  9. #9
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    Feb 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by PCPShooter View Post
    https://mfcoutdoorstores.com

    If you pop in and see Clive, he will sort you out with something.
    He will also if you pop back to collect, set up and zero your rifle for you.

    Last time popped in they had several cheaper springers that would be ample for your needs, or a CO2 - both new and second hand.

    Smooth cheap peanut butter and cheap chocolate spread will be your friend - keeping them still long enough to shoot.
    If you are seeing them daytime - that is a bad bad sign.
    You might need a cheap torch on your scope - ask on here for solutions

    I also do not think relocating grey squirrels or rats is legal as they are absolute pests
    It's illegal to relocate grey squirrels under The Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 and Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as they're a non-native species.

    RSPCA and the like, will and do apply for special licenses to be able to do it.
    B.A.S.C. member

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Crowborough
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    21
    Thank you for your replies so far. I will look at MFC and have a chat. Will need a torch as night sights are very expensive. I don't see during the day thankfully.

    Can't find anything about it being illegal to move a rat. I live in the middle of no-where so just relocated to another field several miles away.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by boxst View Post
    I don't post on here very often but read with interest. I don't mind rats particularly and have caught a few in humane cages, fed them and then released them miles away. However, they are now starting to eat the vegetable patch that we have created and need to go.

    I loved airguns when I was younger and still have a couple of pistols, but need to get an air rifle again to take them out as they are completely ignoring the bait box. I don't want to spend lots of money (<£300 ideally). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to buy?

    Many thanks.
    Rats are largely nocturnal. If you're seeing them daytimes, you have a bigger problem than you think.

    In a domestic situation, a rifle is not your solution. You may take the odd few, but it will not really impact on the population.
    Shooting at night with night vision would take more, but the kit needed will go way beyond your budget.

    If the rats are ignoring the bait station, consider resiting it, and / or, possibly changing the type of bait.
    Rats frequent areas for 2 reasons. Food and shelter.
    They tend to use familiar runs through areas. Their runs are easily seen. If your bait station is not positioned between their place of shelter and their food source (in this case, your veggies), they will ignore the bait as they don't know it's there and have no reason to look for it.

    By all means, buy a rifle and shoot some rats, but if you want rid, poison is your answer.

    Releasing a trapped rat, is not ethical either. It just becomes someone else's problem. Any rats caught in cage traps should be humanely killed and safely disposed of.
    Also be aware that there's a risk of contracting Weil's disease (Leptospirosis) from rats and things rats have touched.
    B.A.S.C. member

  12. #12
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    Nov 2011
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    Bexhill-On-Sea
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    We have rats - near water works

    No one uses poison around here as we also have domestic pets and lots of wildlife in area .......

    Neighbour shoots, I shoot, rats well controlled

    Also having small dogs or cats is a good idea in rural areas ......

    You'll hear lots of theories about poisoned rats crawl off somewhere - errr, they'll end up in birds of prey or pets for sure - not good.

    You'll do OK with a springer and a torch on a scope, and a few conventional 'snap traps' IMO _
    Looking for TO-6 Trigger unit unmessed with or T0-6 kit for 34

  13. #13
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    Jan 2011
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    Swansea
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    There is a nice gamo maxim springer in the sales section for £240 with 3x10shot mags. Get a cheap scope and you have a tidy set up. Poisoning i found crap on rats as if the food source is more tasty they will bypass the poisoning boxes. You will need a dimmer light/torch if night shooting them as they are very wary. Be careful handling the buggers i used a pair of barbacue tongs. Burn the bodies is the best thing to. Take a look at that gammo ok. Chris

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Crowborough
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    21
    Quote Originally Posted by robs5230 View Post
    Rats are largely nocturnal. If you're seeing them daytimes, you have a bigger problem than you think.

    In a domestic situation, a rifle is not your solution. You may take the odd few, but it will not really impact on the population.
    Shooting at night with night vision would take more, but the kit needed will go way beyond your budget.

    If the rats are ignoring the bait station, consider resiting it, and / or, possibly changing the type of bait.
    Rats frequent areas for 2 reasons. Food and shelter.
    They tend to use familiar runs through areas. Their runs are easily seen. If your bait station is not positioned between their place of shelter and their food source (in this case, your veggies), they will ignore the bait as they don't know it's there and have no reason to look for it.

    By all means, buy a rifle and shoot some rats, but if you want rid, poison is your answer.

    Releasing a trapped rat, is not ethical either. It just becomes someone else's problem. Any rats caught in cage traps should be humanely killed and safely disposed of.
    Also be aware that there's a risk of contracting Weil's disease (Leptospirosis) from rats and things rats have touched.
    Thank you for the reply. I don't see any during the day thankfully. I have a camera setup to record the rats, they seem to come out to play around 10pm. I appear to have several families : The rarer black rat has a run and a hiding hole. The (quite massive) normal rats are around the compost box and climb over the bait station without actually investigating or going in to take the poison.n. Hence my decision to try and do something a bit more drastic.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    redcar
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    871
    I would buy second hand HW, and scope, and small maglite and make a coloured filter if white light scares them away.
    Use bait that they cant carry away i.e. peanut butter or nutella.
    More importamtly, do some practice, make sure the rifle is set up correctly and that you can hit a 25mm target at the given range.
    Rats are arguably the most difficult of prey as they are fast and dont stop moving for long.
    Prepare for the adrenaline, practice dry shots first to see how you cope.
    I gather you are quite humane, so you dont want to injure any rats and let them suffer.
    Shoot them clean, single shot dead.
    Dispose of them carefully too.
    Good luck.
    VAYA CON DIOS

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