Thursday, July 30, 2009

Doing what needs done

With my post yesterday, I got no comments. I can understand that. Hunting is really a touchy subject with many people. I can understand that and I am sure I will be typing up a philosophical treatise on my thoughts regarding hunting.

However, hunting is not the purpose of my post for today. No, today is talking about protecting the animals and the people in my care. I warn you that what follows is not necessarily a pleasant read, but it is something that comes with living in the "country".

Read on, or come back another day for a new post. Thanks.




So, yesterday, I get home from work and I go out to the coops to look in on the birds. Hmm, all of the ducklings and the momma duck actually worked themselves totally out of the run and the other female got over to the chicken coop. Hmmmm, curious. So I walk over and look into the duck coop and what do I see? A friggin' rat! I bet that stupid rat got some of our ducklings. So I flip the door shut and make sure that there is no way for it to get out and I hustle in.

Now, I am in a quandry, it is sitting in my duck coop... a wooden coop with a wooden floor. That eliminates a number of weapons. Hmmm. Hey, I've got this stupid little pellet gun. Ok, so its really old, but it still works and I have some .177 cal pellets. Its only a 5-8 foot shot. Yeah, this will work.

So I get back out to the coop, still in slacks and a dress shirt, carrying a pellet gun, with plastic bags hanging out of my pockets. I'm sure I was quite a sight. So I pump up the gun, load a pellet and lift up the roof a bit to get my aim. Man, I should have been a sniper. 1 shot = 1 kill. I shot, right behind the ear. Done.

So I get in the coop and get it and any straw with blood on it and double bag it. Take it down, put the gun and pellets away, and I put the body in the garbage. I am feeling pretty decent. I am doing what needs to be done and I am protecting the animals that are in my care.

Then my wife mentions that where there is one rat, there are probably more.... ARGH!!!

5 comments:

Chris W said...

Never underestimate a pellet gun! My trusty old 20 caliber Sheridan has offed more critters & varmints than I can remember. Old, ugly, and reliable!

Anonymous said...

Pellet guns are handy when you want to keep what your doing quiet. I currently use a Beeman .22 cal pellet gun. The pellets have enough umph to knock down rats,squirels,rabbits. Anything bigger I switch to a 10/22 or other 22 I have at hand. More often than not I have had problems with neighbors dogs getting into sheep or cattle and doing damage. I find once the dog kills a lamb or chicken they keep doing it. Even when you complain to your neighbor to keep their animals on there property.(They always claim there dog couldnt hurt anything) Now I live in the country where the nearest neighbor lives 3/4 mile away. So the dog has to wander a long way. I have had to take matters into my own hands and eliminate the problem. So if you have a dog that likes to wander in the country be for warned. Keep your dog fenced in or with you/under your control or your dog could just disappear. I know this sounds cruel but I have seen what one dog can do to a flock of sheep..

FarmerGeek said...

Thank you all for the comments. I don't feel bad for killing it, it is more a matter of people not knowing that I am going to talk about it and there are people that this would bother. As I have not posted regarding the processing of any of the animals or hunting in detail before, I figured it was better to give fair warning.

Yeah, I like my pellet gun, but I went to look up the specs on it (cause I forgot) and it is rated at 650fps. Most recommend that this is too slow for any caliber to try to take any varmint.

Good to know that I am not alone with using this though. Thanks!

HermitJim said...

Personally, I think you did the right thing! Living in the country you do what you gotta do to protect the critters under your care.

One of the more unpleasant task that are sometimes necessary, like butchering.

Debbie said...

I agree with HermitJim... when you live in the country you have to protect your critters. When we lived at our other place we had several occasions when the opposum would come visit the chicken house. You gotta do, what you gotta do.

Debbie