Bruce's Journal

[Bruce]

SON OF A B!!!! Just saw a BIG woodchuck go into the barn in the same place as I had the trap. And no it isn't the same one I caught yesterday. That one was not capable of self motivation (or anything else) when it got to the woods.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Ya could always give it lack of "Motivation" before it gets in the trap too....just saying.....

 

[Latestarter]

He can't though... there are some animal rights activists that he has to "live with" so in order to preemptively motivate, he'd have to be completely out of sight of the house and all other occupants, and all other occupants would have to be well out of sight or hearing range of him and the chuck.

 

[Bruce]

Yep. Plus even if I could get the .177 pellet rifle to shoot accurately, I don't think it has the power to take a chuck down at a distance. Unless maybe I hit it in the heart. Which is unlikely, I don't seem to be real steady.

As it is I don't put the trap out on Saturday nights since DW doesn't work on Sundays. If I catch something the other 6 days, I have to take it out between the barns to give it that "lack of motivation" before 9 AM when DD2 drags out of bed. DD1 usually doesn't get up until 11ish but if she goes to the skating rink, she is up about 8 AM so I have to know that the night before. In any case, once there is "lack of motivation" I have to go through the alley in the big barn to the north side where I can go through the field to the woods totally out of sight of the house. STS (T stands for toss )


Forgot to mention, woke up at 3 AM to the sound of coyotes howling. At first I thought it was DW's radio alarm, then remembered it was Sunday so that wouldn't be set. Woke up enough to recognize it wasn't that sort of music. Small pack, maybe 3-5 based on the voices. The unnerving part is they were clearly close. Sounded like they were between the neighbor's houses across the road, probably back at the tree line or just inside. Sound does carry funny sometimes but my guess is 200 yards from my house.

 

[Bruce]

Chuck in the trap this morning, felt sorry for this girl. Even when she kept her body was still she kept moving her head around a lot, made it really hard to hit the center of that "ear to opposite eye" X. Took 6 shots, some were "glancing blows"

. I don't get any enjoyment from killing them, I would prefer it be 1 shot and done.

 

[CntryBoy777]

I understand the feeling, but it is very difficult to do in reality, especially when they are moving and with such a small projectile. I have the same difficulty with the 22, cause at the distance I shoot from just hitting any mark is tough without a scope and unsteady hands. That is 1 reason for wanting the 30-30....better knockdown and takeout.....and, I'll put a scope on it.

 

[misfitmorgan]

One shot is always the best but it doesnt always happen that way. After two shots DH gets fed up and takes the gun from whoever has it and puts the critter down himself. As you might imagine that starts a lot of fights because the one who couldnt get it killed is always butt hurt and there was something wrong with the gun etc...

I've only ever seen DH take one shot to put any critter down but his guns are a lot bigger so i imagine its easier.

Did i ever mention the time my Ex-hubbs killed a porcupine with a sword? That was interesting and terrifying and horrifying all at once.

 

[misfitmorgan]

opps forgot to say...couldnt you put stockings over the squashes or are they eating all the leaves off?

 

[Bruce]

Well, IMO, if you have a proper varmint killing gun, it really shouldn't take more than 2 should it?? I would expect a single shot would do it most of the time especially at super close range.

I'm sure your DH is using a higher powered weapon with larger projectiles. I suspect the first shot would have done it if I were using something bigger, it is nearly point blank, muzzle is just outside the trap. In fact, the first time I used it for this purpose last summer it was a 1 shot kill. No motion other than rear up for 1/2 second, then it dropped and I expected that was normal. Guess I got lucky ONCE. Of course for all I know the pellet is tapping the wire on the trap on the way by and deflecting some as well. Can't really sight down the barrel real well with the scope in the way. I suspect a pistol of some sort would really be a better option in this scenario.

If you are talking about the cucumber beetles, they munched the leaves. The yellow crookneck survived that because the beetles showed up after they had a bit of size on them. The Winternuts as well, though just barely, they were smaller. The Red Kuri, not so lucky,

 

[misfitmorgan]

Sorry the squash isnt doing well, always sucks.

Yeah thats what i was saying the higher power guns dont have a whole lot of excuse to take more then 2 shots.

DH uses a handgun for pigs, some john wayne looking hangun that takes some really big bullets but every pig i've seen/heard him kill has been one shot and dropped he then gets over to them quick and cuts the arteries on either side of their neck so they will bleed out quickly. He has several rifles but says the handgun works the best for closer range.

The pellets could very well be hitting the wire and losing some of the oomph.