What is in your backyard?

[Hippie420]

Is that a rat?

 

[oldfogey8]

Is that a rat?

It is. 2nd dead one since last fall. I think they say if you see one, there are many. I live about a mile outside of the cesspool of Worcester MA. A couple years ago, a nice neighborhood in Worcester was overrun by rats when they demolished a mall to put up a Jeff Besos distribution center(that was finished at least a year ago and remains empty). I suspect the rats have migrated to my suburb. I guess it beats being overrun by the ‘newcomers’ that are invading our cities…

 

[oldfogey8]

I have a Red Tailed Hawk camping out looking to hunt my bird feeders. I saw a breeding pair building a nest about 500 yards away from my house and suspect they have found Shangrila in my backyard. I didn’t think they would be able to fly through a dense forest but I am wrong.

 

[Hippie420]

You'd think living out here in farm country that I'd see rats. Never have. Field mice? Got lots of 'em.

The Old Hen was after me to cut down a bunch of shrubs in the back yard. I won't do it 'cause it's the one place the little sparrows go in the winter. I saw a hawk chase some sparrows into the shrubs, but they were small enough to out maneuver him.

 

[WeedHopper]

No rats around my place. I do get possums sometimes.

 

[Hippie420]

Yep, I get lots of opposums, 'coons, and four flavors of squirrels. I've gotten more mice since I gave up on raising chickens. The chickens kept the mice under control. Killing a mouse was easy for what ever chicken spotted 'em, but keeping it was hard. The rest of 'em would chase after the victor and take away the prize. They love eating fresh meat.

 

[WeedHopper]

I am actually thinking about getting some laying hens

 

[oldfogey8]

Yep, I get lots of opposums, 'coons, and four flavors of squirrels. I've gotten more mice since I gave up on raising chickens. The chickens kept the mice under control. Killing a mouse was easy for what ever chicken spotted 'em, but keeping it was hard. The rest of 'em would chase after the victor and take away the prize. They love eating fresh meat.

My oldest son worked on a farm for a while. He was in the chicken enclosure one morning before it was light and saw a rat creeping along towards some feed and unnoticed by the chickens. The sun reached the right angle to stream in thru a window and shined on the rat. The rat froze but the chickens saw him. My son said he was torn to pieces in seconds by the flock. They are descendants of dinosaurs…

 

[oldfogey8]

Not sure what is going on with this hen. Looks like tumors.

I hope it isn’t contagious to the flock…

 

[MariJan]

This is my garden area aka side yard. I love it that its spring here already temps in the 70s and 80s already. I bring them on the porch at night until next week they will be good. I plan on up potting a few into huge pots this year. I am going to see how big I can get them. All of those were planted on 1-22, and 2-4. The autos that are flowering was planted 1-4 I think. The autos have separate pica there are only 2. I am glad I don’t have to grow any more of those. I planted 8 seeds the first time. I only got one female and the second time I planted 10 seeds and got 2 females. The frosty bud was good smoke but not even an ounce off the one plant. The 2 I have now are not frosty like the first one but there are s lot more bud sites. Hopefully this is better but still not worth it. I am doing Autos ftom Carty now. Watch the difference in size and yield. Going to be apples and oranges. Better sweet oranges that have a nice bouquet.

 

[oldfogey8]

At least 3 rats now residing in my backyard. I am pretty sure they have displaced/killed the chipmunks since I haven’t seen any this year. Put these out last night.

Results: 1 field mouse and one demolished bird feeder. I am guessing a bear sprung the 2 other traps and smashed the feeder because the traps pissed it off.

Reloaded and repositioned…

I have a crossbow coming today. My BB gun is too tired to do anything but piss off the rats I have hit. I am going to try making some sharpened dowel bolts for the crossbow since they will be cheap if I lose them but should penetrate the rats.

 

[Hippie420]

I can just picture a bear getting his nosed whacked by a rat trap!

 

[oldfogey8]

I can just picture a bear getting his nosed whacked by a rat trap!

That is what I was thinking. Last summer I think I pissed it off. It trashed all my feeders, bent all the shepherds hooks and took a shit in my yard. Crossbow cane and assembled. Bolts didn’t come with tips…

 

[Hippie420]

I'm thinking a wrist rocket might be a better idea. A wounded bear might not be a good thing. I've seen videos where they kicked in a steel door quicker than a state trooper.

 

[Flower]

That is what I was thinking. Last summer I think I pissed it off. It trashed all my feeders, bent all the shepherds hooks and took a shit in my yard. Crossbow cane and assembled. Bolts didn’t come with tips…

You should get some rubber blunts.
Kills rats, bounces off bears.

 

[oldfogey8]

View attachment 353375
You should get some rubber blunts.
Kills rats, bounces off bears.

Thanks. That sounds like the ticket for me. I just want to blast the fkrs. My wife is freaking the fk out.

 

[Hippie420]

View attachment 353375
You should get some rubber blunts.
Kills rats, bounces off bears.

We used to use a old version of that to hunt squirrels. It would stun 'em if you hit 'em in the head or break ribs with a body shot, and you didn't run the risk of having an arrow stuck way up in a tree.

 

[WeedHopper]

22 long rifle and a head shot for squirrels always worked for me. Actually I've killed many deer, rabbit,and squirrel with a 22 long rifle. If your a good shot it's a very deadly weapon, especially with hollow points.

 

[oldfogey8]

22 long rifle and a head shot for squirrels always worked for me. Actually I've killed many deer, rabbit,and squirrel with a 22 long rifle. If your a good shot it's a very deadly weapon, especially with hollow points.

I don’t want to upset my neighbors. I am going to try the crossbow when the tips come later today.

 

[WeedHopper]

Yep,,don't piss off the neighbors.