Pest Hunting at Night

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tulsacrittergetter

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Okay, so I live on 2.5 acres on the outskirts of Broken Arrow. There is a creek that runs through my property, and it is heavily forested. So, we get all kinds of pests (I nearly typed "pets" right there hahaha) — mainly armadillos, possums, poisonous snakes of various kinds (no rattlers though), skunks, etc. You name it, I have it on my property. Most of these creatures come out at night and mess with my stuff. The armadillos dig up my lawn (which I work hard to keep looking good), and possums get into my shed and chew through the floor and try to nest. The skunks, well, they stink to high heaven. And the raccoons obviously get in my trash from time to time.

So at night, I grab my M&P 15-22 and head outside for some shooting. Or, if I wake up in the middle of the night for a bowl of cereal, I'll grab my 15-22 and just walk the perimeter before I go back to bed. Last night, I'm walking around the back yard just looking around...trying to find the armadillo that has been digging up my lawn for grubs, and I don't see anything. So, I turn off my torch cause I gotta take a leak. So there I am doing my business, and I swear I see something in front of me moving on the ground. It's really dark, and my eyes haven't really adjusted to the dark yet, so I'm not 100% sure, but it really looks like something is moving on the ground. So I get done pissin, and flip my torch back on, and sure enough this stupid armadillo is right in front of me. Man these rodents are STUPID! You can literally shine a 1,000 lumen torch on them from 10 feet away and they just keep doing what they're doing.

It's really funny when you shoot them. It's best to get a head shot (especially with a .22LR round), but if you don't hit them in the head, they jump like 2 - 3 feet straight up and then run like hell — and man are they fast! So, I miss the head shot, and he jumps up and starts running. I wait until he reaches the fence to go under it, and then unload like 15 rounds as fast as I can (suppressed, of course) while he's trying to get to my neighbor's yard. I know I hit him at least 3 or 4 times.

I'm gonna go track him right now and see if I can find him. So funny though. He just walks right in front of me while I'm takin a leak. First time for everything, I guess.
 

Eagle Eye

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Sounds reckless! 15 rounds - 3 or 4 that hit = alot of unaccounted rounds. Are you sure downrange is clear? It's night time... your neighbor could be outside takin a piss.


edit: Reckless is not a strong enough word. STUPID fits better
 
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mr ed

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Just remember some of those animals have seasons and you don't want to get prosecuted for poaching.
Better read the rules real close, specially for coons.
 

dennishoddy

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Just remember some of those animals have seasons and you don't want to get prosecuted for poaching.
Better read the rules real close, specially for coons.

Exactly.
The dillers, have no season.
Possums and coons have a trapping season. Unless they are doing property, crop damage, and then there is no season. Shoot to kill.
 

tulsacrittergetter

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Just remember some of those animals have seasons and you don't want to get prosecuted for poaching.
Better read the rules real close, specially for coons.

Thank you for letting me know. I hadn't thought of doing that. I haven't shot any raccoons yet, but I do know that there is a family of them a couple doors down in a tree.

Good to know about armadillos and possums, because I seem to have an unlimited supply of those in my neighborhood!

Again, I appreciate the heads up!
 

tulsacrittergetter

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Sounds reckless! 15 rounds - 3 or 4 that hit = alot of unaccounted rounds. Are you sure downrange is clear? It's night time... your neighbor could be outside takin a piss.


edit: Reckless is not a strong enough word. STUPID fits better

Yes, I should have been more clear....I was a good 80 - 90 yards away from where the houses are, and I NEVER shoot towards the houses because .22LR rounds can easily ricochet. I always position myself to shoot South, Southeast, or Southwest only. My neighbors are completely aware of what I am doing—before I started hunting critters at night, I went and spoke to them and told them what I would be doing, and asked them if they would be comfortable with it. I am very careful when I hunt critters at night, because I DON'T want to lose the privilege of being able to do it.

I'm sorry if my story sounded "reckless." It is in a controlled environment of sorts. There is a lot of open space on the street I live. We are all on 2.5 acres.
 

mr ed

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Exactly.
The dillers, have no season.
Possums and coons have a trapping season. Unless they are doing property, crop damage, and then there is no season. Shoot to kill.
Yes, but I don't think knocking over trash cans and eating the cat and dog food or digging holes in your lawn will pass with the warden as good enough reason.
 

SlugSlinger

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Yes, but I don't think knocking over trash cans and eating the cat and dog food or digging holes in your lawn will pass with the warden as good enough reason.

I found a possum eating our farm cat's kittens. Our friend's daughter had the face of her 4h show rabbit eaten off by a raccoon that broke into their rabbit hutch.
 

Jeff405

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I always run into those things when Im out walking the hunting lease. If Im not on an actual hunt I do a little target practice with them to sharpen my skills.
 

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