GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : shadow April 22, 2010, 07:58:17 AM
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Well it's that time of the year again to slither back into my Night Patrol private land hunt/pest control. I had mentioned that I had spoke with the resident who had the critter invasion problem last year and I was called in to wage war against, G-hog's, Bandit's and Country Rat's. Well he had mentioned again that the G-hog's were back along with some critter's doing night raid's on his garbage can's and even spotted a Bandit on his deck the other night. :o :0 I told him that I would be happy to get back up to his property and get after them. For the last several day's I have been focused on getting the G-hog's but their still in hiding or out when I'm not there hehe. I stopped by the resident's yesterday and told him and his wife that I will be up there around dusk and would be taking the critter's on from the wood's again, the wood's are all yours he said. I spent the early evening fine tuning the glass on the NP since she was going to take on a tough critter and I wanted her dead on with the FTS pellet. I planned on a all nighter out there and hunt into the next morning in hope's to nail a G-hog so I made a strong batch of Java and with the NP, hunt gear and thermos loaded up I headed out around 8:30pm. I was on location in minutes and it's great having some hunt grounds close by so with shooter and gear in hand I headed for the timber. I gave my hide a quick once over and then proceeded to set up my lamp's on several tree's to light the game trail. The game trail was fresh with critter track's so I had a good feeling about getting something tonight. The last ray's of light faded away so I switched on the lamp's then adjusted the lighting so it would bathe the trail with a nice glow but not to bright. I made my way back to my hide 25yrd's away from the lamp's and about ten feet off the game trail then settled in it and relaxed to let my night eye's fire up. With a glance at my watch I was surprised to see that four hours had passed and it was just after 1:00am I had been so focused on watching the trail by the lamp's and listening to the night that the time had flew by hehe. I poured myself a cup of Java and relaxed back into the hide staying focused on the trail but also taking in Ma Nature at night, very relaxing. I had just finished my cup of Java and set the cup down when I spotted a flash of white just outside the lit trail. :o The NP was already resting out in front of me so I settled in behind the glass to get a better look at the visitor and and sure enough it was a skunk. I thought that flash of white could only be one thing and then he stepped into the light and gave me a full view of himself. :0 I don't drop skunk's do to the fact that I don't feel like trying to dispose of them and it would give my hunting grounds a really bad funk for some time. I just glassed him and he casually made his way down the trail past me and into the darkness beyond leaving a wisp of his funky stink behind. :0 With Peppy gone I relaxed back into the hide and felt my second wind kicking in or it could have been the last cup of power Java and with my eye's locked onto the trail another three hours passed without a peep. Another time check revealed that it was after 4:00am and pretty chilly since the cloud's had broken up to reveal star's and lower temp's. I poured the last cup of Java to shake of the chill's and told myself that there's still time to catch a night critter moving around so Zen up and be ready. The Hunt God's must have been reading my mind I just had caught a glance of a head just outside the light and it had a mask on it. :) I slowly settled back in behind the glass and through it searched the darkness just outside the glow of the lamp. The first Bandit of the year suddenly stepped right into the light with out any signs of fear or caution and he was giving me a perfect frontal shot. The Bandit would stop scratch and dig around at the side of the trail then move to the other side to dig into the soft ground, looking for bug's I thought and I just needed him to stop for a moment . He moved back to the other side stopped long enough to give me a nice frontal view with one eye shining back, cross hairs on the eye and FTS away. The impact of the FTS echoed in the night followed shortly by the Bandit dropping down on it's belly for a moment then going into one of the wildest death dance's I've seen. I reloaded then watched him in the distance as he slung blood on the trail and tree next to it then as quickly as it started it stopped and he slumped to his side on the trail with a pool of red exiting from his eye socket. I slowly made my way out from behind the hide and moved down the trail towards him keeping I sharp eye on him along the way. I arrived and then gave him several poke's for safety measure then inspected the damage. The FTS found it's mark alright it entered his eye socket and on through into the fusebox, blood was still coming out from the fatal wound. I had decided to pull an all nighter then hang till around 9:00am this morning to hopefully get a early rising G-hog so I gloved up and hauled the Bandit up to the front of the wood's by my other hide that I G-hog hunt from. He would hold until then and I could already see the first ray's of morning coming up. I made my way back down into the wood's and retrieved the rest of my gear along with the NP and headed back up to the G-hog hide to settle in there. I watched the sunrise from the hide but not one G-hog decided to play this morning so around 8:30am I set the Bandit up for some pic's with the proud Trail NP and with a big yawn I called it a morning. I was moving slowly on my way back to the rig but was happy as punch that the NP had performed great and is worthy to be called a Night Hunting shooter. I had just enough poop left when I arrived home to dress out the Bandit and get him in the icebox which has been empty for too long. With the game and gear cleaned I tucked the NP for some rest and gave her a kiss goodnight hehe I then fell into bed myself to recharge the hunting batteries. This Bandit is for brother Gene, she's a great shooter brother and earned her stripes this morning. Ed
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Nice shooting Ed! and great write-up! ( That's sure no nail polish!)
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Doesn't get any better n that :)
Fine shooting buddy and great pics. Nice to see you back into the night tour swing again , I love your night hunts :)
Jeff
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I figured the NP could easily take down a bandit or G-hog.
Nice shot Ed and great write-up.
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Same here Ed, glad to see your back at 'em and still shooting great.
That bandit sure did alot of bleedin' and rollin'. It looks like it's been in the raspberry ice cream bucket !!! :D
Paul.
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Thanks brother's and he was a messy one for sure, looked like a crime scene where I dropped him. :o The Trail NP has no problem dropping critter's like Raccoon's if the hunter does their part. Ed
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Nice shooting!
I enjoyed the write up and look forward to reading about more night hunts.
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Thanks Frank and hopefully this year will be as fruitful as last year, 33 Bandit's and 13 Country Rat's. :) Ed
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Well buddy, it looks like that new shootin stick works great on bigger critters..:) The way it was smackin the grey squirrels here and passing right through them was amazing also. Great shot and I guess it does not matter what shooting stick you use cause you always get your bandet or G-hog...:)
Great story Ed.
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Thanks to you bro for letting her go, just had to get a Bandit for you since I slept through several there lol. She still need's a G-hog and Country Rat notched in her kill count but she's looking forward to the challenge. Ed
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Great hunt story brotha Ed. I knew after talkin to ya last night you were all zened up...
that trail shure laid that bandit on the trail... did ya need a mop...(http://../jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif)
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Thanks bro and I'm still running slow from the all nighter hunt so will lay low tonight and get back after em tomorrow night. :) I still have plenty of pest control season left to put a hurting on em. :D Ed
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Jeff what's the update on your Bandit that's hitting your garbage cans?. You mentioned that he was back and were waiting for you to take em down. :) Ed
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I've gotten a few in my back yard and you are right, the death dance they perform is quite intense. I almost feel sorry for them. ALMOST!!!
Keith.
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I've said it before and I'll say it again..... the raccoon that is raiding my garbage has "ESP". Ever since I decided to go after him again he hasn't come near my property. He did this the last time I hunted him. This raccoon must be inside my head or something..... I still have the .22 Talon ready to rock and roll but so far I'm still in a holding pattern.... :(
JEff
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That Bandit has got some spies watching you bro hehe. Ed
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Excellent shot with your Benji Trail.....she really put the hurt into that coon.
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Thanks Stanley and I'm hoping to get after a few more with her. Ed
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Excellent write up... and a fine mess you made there. ;)
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Thats some nice quarry. nice gun by the way too.
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Thank you Gents and the Trail NP is proving to be a worthy opponent against the Bandit's. Ed
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nice shooting
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Great shooting and pics Ed! It looks like you hit a big artery.
Glad to see you are hunting medium-sized critters again! Did you take Gene's NP with you when you left? :)
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Thanks ed and Harry she came home with me, brother Gene noticed that the shooter and I had made a connection hehehe. She's been tuned and I'm impressed with the gas ram shooter's at last. Ed
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Why did you paint him red for the photo?
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The FTS specializes in the color red. :o :) Ed
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Well, I must say I like your brush!
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That will teach them to be winking at you. Like, be calling you dead eye! Jerry
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Awesome shooting and pics. That's one impressive gun.
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Thanks and I'm impressed with her and I was positive that If I did my part the NP would do the rest on the Bandit. :) Ed
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great shooting ed!
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Thanks Jake. Ed
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nice shadow!!!!! how do u like the benjamin rifle?
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Well Bryan, Ed came to visit me just after I bought the Benji. As soon as he hit the door and saw it in the corner he picked it up and took her out back and cocked and shot her a few times..:) I never got to touch her again..:(.. And somehow it got shipped back to his house and I did not know a thing about it.. hehe
Guess he liked her...:)
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Love the shooter and it's my first gas rammed shooter, I'm impressed. The Squirrel's down at Gene's place slipped it out of Gene's place when we were sleeping hehehe. I was dropping them around his place and the nutters had to put a stop to it lol so they shipped it up here hehe. Ed
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Dang! I didn't read the other posts, but that is a great shot on a coon! The last shot I had at one was from the front wheels of my Dodge Magnum. :D It sounds like the NP is up to the task! Greet shooting my GTA brother!
I don't know how you stay up so late. When I get up to go turkey hunting, I need a nap! I'm not that old either!
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sure is a sweet looking rifle.....might get one for myself!!!
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Dropped him at 23yrd's bro and it's a matter of conditioning myself for late hunt's. Last year I turned into a night owl from all the night hunt's hehe. Ed
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Great story Ed,
I was right there with you,
what a mess you make of that thing.
I have the same riffle & I also am so impressed with it
I love it & I really like to see & hear how you guys are doing with yours.
23 yards great shot placement.
Smoked it!
Matthew
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Thanks Matthew the NP is turning into a real critter getter and the rain finally let up so I will be back out tomorrow on a day and night hunt. Ed
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nice shooting
i always have my B51 and now my 48 with me in the car never know when something might cross the road
i also have my fenix TA30 light for spotting them
i love the Trail wanna get one my self
i also love my 48 but dang this thing is heavy
i was out shooting the 48 and the b51 today at 50
off my shooting stix the 48 was shooting 1 inch groups and the b51 was one ragged hole
I just got my cam finished up(had to paint and lay some carpet)
and the others up there say there a nasty Coon problem
looks like ill be sniping from the camps room in the next few weeks
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I'd think the 48 would be just fine for that type of hunting. The weight means little when you are sitting still waiting for the game to arrive. The one thing I've notice from my underlever gun, is that they seem to be less sensitive to holds. Not sure why, but that allows you to use some shooting sticks, bipods, etc that sometimes don't work on break barrel guns.
While I want a Trail as well, it is hard to rationalize another air gun this year. :) My two next targets on the buy list is the Trail first, and a TF 87 next. I've had lots of great luck with the TechForce guns. Oh and there is the Cometa I have gun lust for :D
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the gun is a bit hold sensative
off hand it is 1 inch high but still tight groups and on my stixs it is dead on and tight groups
i had it for sale but i may keep it for my camp gun
ill leave it there so i always have agun for when i go there
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The Trail is easy to handle blind hunting or sneaking through the stick's and mine isn't hold sensitive. I usually use my 1250.22 for night patrol hunt's and as mentioned is fine when blind hunting but will give you a workout when hauling her through the wood's. Josh I will be looking forward to your pest control post on the Bandit's.Ed