For all the decades our ranch has been in the family, I don't recall ever hearing my elders state we had PDs. I saw my first one last weekend, while spraying weeds with our ATV in the south pasture. Rat bastards.

Its nest is in a somewhat higher point of the pasture, not far from a handful of nearby acreages. My only safe direction to shoot is to the NE, from a lower elevation. I quickly realized I needed an elevated position to make the shot and I figured the best option was from the back of the pickup. I packed the 223 bolt action, a few bags, and a tripod.

I resumed weed spraying fairly early in the morning. No sight of a PD with the first tank. I saw one P-rat during the 2nd tank, but both our cattle and the neighbor's were hanging out close by. 3rd tank and the cattle began moving away. Clouds and a heavy wind came in, and P-rat was nowhere to be seen. After filling herbicide tank #4, I decided to return to the pasture with the pickup, rifle, and gear. The sun came out, the winds picked up even more, but there was a rat bastard around the hole. Winds of 20-25mph from my 5 o'clock -- no big deal for bullet drift with such a close shot.

I parked the truck a little closer to the PD than I originally intended, however I had a great view of the hole and the PD didn't seem to be concerned with my presence. Even when I got out of the truck, it still appeared here and there outside its hole. Game on. Here was the setup. Bean bag up front, tripod leg for rear support. Pretty much standard procedures for a gazillion PRS & steel match stages.



My LRF showed 48 yards -- a chip shot for a precision bolt action. The scope is zeroed at 100 yards -- I just left it there, knowing the round would impact a touch lower than the crosshairs. Hornady Match 75 HPBT. Mr. Rat stood up. I squeezed on off, aiming high on his chest -- aka upper thoracic cavity. I broke the shot as planned, with perfect trigger press and recoil management. The crosshairs never moved. I saw the bullet hit its chest, saw the red mist spray out the back, saw the PD topple over backwards, saw a puff of dirt coming from behind the PD. DRT -- no rolling, no twitching.

I cycled another round and waited for another PD to show up. Nothing. So I grabbed a shovel and wandered the land to dig smaller yucca. Still nothing, after maybe 15 minutes. OK, pack up and go take a look at the varmint.



The "interesting" view was from behind the hole. Yeah, DRT. Heart, lungs, and some of its spine was blown out its back. Who says match ammo doesn't work on rodents?

I'll return with the rifle next weekend. There might be another PD, or maybe this is a solo hole.

The rifle is a full-on precision rig, built by my buddy at Black Canyon Customs.
- Medium-length Defiance action. I ordered the action with a standard 308-length case length, but with a 223 face. AICS mags with a 223 insert.
- Proof Research carbon-wrapped barrel, 24", 1/8 twist.
- Grayboe stock with Badger bottom metal.
- Timney trigger.
- NF ATACR FFP 7-35x. I had it set around 9x for the shot.
- Thunderbeast 223 can.

This rifle is at least equal to my GAP rifles, but probably a little better. Black Canyon Customs does it right.

In the mid 90’s, I worked on a project in Nucla CO. The was the time when the western slope was dealing with the plague in the PD population. The locals created a PD shoot to eradicate the dogs to try to control the plague.

That year, we had the grand marshal of the event on our crew. The grand prize for disposing of the most PD’s was a hand carved medallian that he personally carved.

Was a great event until the media got ahold of the story and all the bleeding hearts came out to protest.

Enjoy the shooting. Them bastards gots to go…

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
the bleeding hearts came out to protest.

I remember it well.

Sploded right there.

It ded

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
Sploded right there.

And there. And over there. And there's a little piece too. And missed that little piece. Wow, those things sure do pop.

Not sure you had enough gun and gear for that shot.

Where there's one, there's more or more coming.