Our story begins with a pesky tree rat problem. A raider of two of the three backyard feeders, this sneaky tree rat is a real pest. The little varmint has figured out the sound of a window being raised means it is time to start moving along. What about the sound of the R1 being cocked? Mrs. Tree Rat knows it is past time to make haste and get the hell away from the feeders.
This morning I saw the tree rat in one of the feeders, and took out the R1 and some RWS Superpoint Extra pellets (14.5 gr). As I lifted the window, to take a shot from the comforts of my house, the tree rat jumped from the feeder and scurried up the pecan tree. Seems she knew I had ill intentions for her. She was right; I was dead serious this time.
I waited and waited, and she finally came down the tree, and started for the yum-yum in the feeder. Silly tree rat, this bird feeder is reserved for a family of cardinals, not rats with long bushy tails. I made the mistake of taking a Superpoint pellet and cocking the R1. The tree rat split. Ah, but this time I was serious about ending this problem once and for all.
This same tree rat (no, I really do not know that it is the same one, but it makes for a better story) has been raiding the feeders all week. In times of economic crisis, the bird seed is 100% for the birds; not for tree rats.
So I waited. After about 10 minutes the little pests come crawling in the backyard, this time towards the shepherd’s hook feeder. The R1 was loaded and ready for action.
I set the Elite 3200 for x10 zoom, and 20 yards. I track the tree rat for a good 10 minutes waiting for the perfect opportunity. I could have taken several shots, and almost did, but I wanted to end this game once and for all. Nice and clean.
After the tree rat had it fill of seeds around the bottom of the feeder, she started to make for open territory. This was going to be my last chance this morning to enforce the no tree rat zone. I set the scope for 15 yards, aimed, and let loose leaded thunder. Right in the neck! The tree rat fell over on impact, quickly expired, as its life spilled out of it onto the dew covered ground. Nice and clean.
Further examination of the tree rat shows that the RWS Superpoint Extra pellet entered the left side of her neck with a nice clean hole, and exited with an equally clean howl around the right shoulder. No blood on the exit, but a small river on the entrance. I do not have enough kills with the R1 to really draw conclusions, but the Crosman Premier pellets have not been passing through their varmint targets. This shot was placed so well that the pass through did not really matter.
The no tree rat zone has been enforced, thanks to the R1, and the RWS Superpoint Extra pellets showing their worth. All in all, a great morning of pest control with the R1. Sorry, this one is really too graphic for pictures; words will have to do.
Until next time. May your birdfeeders remain free of tree rats!
Sounds like you need to modify your cocking technique when unwelcome visitors grace your property. What I do is unlatch the barrel and put in a pellet, the rifle is uncocked at this point.
When said target arrives in the yard you keep the trigger pulled and then pull the barrel through until it stops and the trigger group engages, hold the barrel in place and release the trigger then release the barrel slowly to ensure the trigger group in engaged, then smoothly close the barrel.
Hope this helps.
Vulcanator – Thanks for the advice. To be honest, I am a “keep my finger away from the trigger until it is time to shoot” type of guy. I am not doubting that your advice will work, I will just think twice before fiddling around with the trigger when not actually pulling for a shot.