craig: re pack animals

[aladatrot]

Ever since hurricane ike, we have had a horrid rat problem in the barn. These are not ordinary rats, they are big, crafty, destructive, and I'm pretty sure they eat people. Chris has been hunting every night in the barn. I moved my fancy chickens to the main hen house, but I bait the brooder coop with chick starter in the evenings. Anyway, chris is in the barn with a .22 every night hammering down on these rats. He has done a most excellent job of killing them off, and you really don't see them like we did before his hunting started.

Anyway, he was hunting the other night while I had my mare tied in the barn aisle like ten feet away. He is shooting, and my mare could care less. I knew she was pretty much bomb proof despite the fact that she is hot blooded. She is an arabian hackney cross and has tons of snort and blow when I ride her but is sure enough solid on the ground probably as good as any ranch horse. After this week, I feel confident I could even shoot without her setting back or spooking. She is like 22 now, and I don't do much with her. I bet I could use her as a pack animal.

I know a mule is best, but can you see any issues with using my bomb proof mare as a pack horse? She is built like a tank.

Cheers
M

[craig]

the great white rat hunter, if he could get em bayed he could send Tator in to seal the deal. 

i had a problem with pack rats last summer, i bought a live trap, baited it with dog food cause thats whats they were coming for. i caught over 20 rats, those things were building nest under the hood of my trucks, i was affraid they were going to chew up the wires or something.

i would get something a little younger to pack on is you were going into the steep mountians, but in some flat country she should work.

ps: how many .22 holes do you have in that new barn ?

[aladatrot]

No holes that I know of, we have 2 x 6 kick boards lining the walls. You wanna know what's sick? If you leave a rat carcass for an hour, it is gone without a trace. Leave one in a snap trap overnight, the trap is emptied. Found one the other day in my snap trap that looked like a caped out trophy ready to go to the taxidermist. I guess they are canibals. Yuck.

So, we will actually need  mules for a mountain trip then. No problem, I have time to plan!

Cheers
M

[cward]

I got 3 kids-Frog gigs- 3 fiest- That can sure help you out if yall get in a bind with those rats!!Them kids gig'em and them dogs will cralw to the top of a barn!! My kids would put ABC pest control out of business!!

[Wmwendler]

Thats funny...I had me a rat killin the other night.  My Cur dogs run 100% silent on rats and squirrels lol, but I heard a comotion from my dogs which had nocked over a ladder getting after a rat.  Went back inside and to get a pellet gun. but found no pellets so I just got a flashlight and a broom handle and let dogs in the shed who then ran the rat on top of a shelf and I mashed him.

When I was a kid I could keep a 22lr busy shooting pigeons and snakes all day and rats at night.  Rat shot is too darn expensive now days.

Waylon

[aladatrot]

I got another good one yesterday in a snap trap. The kids scouted one out tonight, so I helped them set a snap trap to get him. My ratters are in heat right now, so I had to lock them up. Chris hasn't hunted in a bit because they just aren't as thick as they used to be. Thank goodness.

Cheers
M

[cward]

Mandy cut the boars, bob there tails so you know when them rats are ready to eat!!!

[BarrNinja]

The packers I know prefer horses like your mare for packing. I think she will work out great for packing as long as you get her familiar with the packs before you haul her to the mountains.

I've had rat before! It dont taste like chicken!