Are Rats small game?

[WYO300RUM]

Hey, maybe we were at same dumps! I shot at dumps in Northville, Wells, Speculator! Always had someone on "watch" to makes sure a bear didn't wander too close. They seem to get what we were doing! Left us alone but if one strolled toward us we would graciously give ground. I recall seeing upwards 10 bears at once so we kept eyes peeled. The only issue was between bears getting too close to each others "buffet" table. Then some swats, hair flying and bawls.

Ah the good old says.

I remember us talking about that ! I remember Speculator ! That's probably were it was at ???

 

[WYO300RUM]

Don't know about the "We didn't shoot each other". We would watch "Combat" on Sunday evening through a 12" B&W TV with (3) stations. The next Saturday we would be in the coal stripping's with all the holes like bomb craters (NE PA mountains) play WAR and shoot at each other with BB guns. Had a few that we had to take the BB out with tweezers from under the skin. Then my dad would instruct me to go into the "Cellar" lean up against the "Coal Bin" bend over and take a bunch of straps against my backside for disobeying and playing WAR with BB guns. I never had a BB gun (borrowed the neighbors) my father would not let me have one. Said it was too dangerous, but gave me a Savage Pump 22. I know my dad was right-BB & Pellet guns were just as dangerous, but even as a kid we knew that a BB sting was different than a hot piece of lead going through you. Still shot each other with BB & Pellet guns, but real guns were respected
Well that is how kids grew up during my time in the mountains. Different world than today. Kids play violent video games, de-sensified and have no morals. They kill with real guns and have no feelings or remorse. No respect for property, everything should be free. We couldn't live in the city. We are currently far enough into the country where people are still people and kids are raised hunting & fishing with RESPECT for People and Property.
Do love these stories of our youth when there was respect of each other and freedom to hunt and shoot responsibly. Still remember the days, like yesterday, walking to and from school with a .22 rifle of shotgun to hunt or check a trap line.
What it all comes down to is parents teaching their children and paying attention to the elected officials policies.

Kids at young age playing video games shooting people that don't have parents to teach them what's real and not and right and wrong are at a real risk . I took and taught my son how to shoot and safety starting at age 4. He learned right and wrong about guns and safety . When he played video games I knew he wasn't living some fantasy . And if I got home and his chores weren't done. Bye bye XBox and Playstation. That was the worst punishment for him. He grew up a great son. He works for Lockheed at Peterson Air Base in Co. Springs now. Before that General Dynamics at Ft. Irwin in Ca. He taught Army how to fly and interact with drone strikes . Guess all those video games paid off
Love this thread. Brings back memories. Sad sometimes though.

 

[Muddyboots]

Caroga Lake is a jewel of the Adirondacks! I spent a lot of time there, met a girl visiting a friend in St Johnsville and would drive down from Speculator to there. There was an old resort there that escapes me right now that we would go to.

Man, talk about memory lane!

 

[35desoto]

When I was in high school, before I had a driving license, I brought my 12 GA to school on the bus. Put it in my locker,take my friends bus home with him. Hunt ducks, then in the morning, take his bus to school with said shotgun,locker,and home on my bus.

Never got a second look from anyone. Gun was cased.

I used to do something similar. I use go target shooting when in college. Took the rifle on the school bus, put the gun (in a case) in the teachers locker, picked it up when the time was right, walked 250yard to the range carrying the gun and ammo and reversed the procedure on the way back/home. Never ever had an issue - no one ever questioned me nor confronted me. It was just something I did and there was never an issue. Do it today and see where that goes LOL
And yes it suggests we have lost an "innocence" even here in New Zealand

 

[WYO300RUM]

Caroga Lake is a jewel of the Adirondacks! I spent a lot of time there, met a girl visiting a friend in St Johnsville and would drive down from Speculator to there. There was an old resort there that escapes me right now that we would go to.

Man, talk about memory lane!

I have Realitives in Johnsonville also. Caroga ! There was an Amusement Park across the lake from my aunt and uncles house. My cousin and I used to take the motorboat across lake at night and mess around there until it closed and motor back across the lake at 10pm. We would fish for bass at night on the other side of lake where trees came to edge of water. Each catch one and haul butt across lake in dark back home. I remember my grandpa spitting Redman juice in lake while fishing. I'd tell him that oil slick is gonna scare fish away. He'd say no, it attracts them. Just like his farts were thunder . Lol ! I remember telling you some of that awhile back ! **** near half century ago

 

[WYO300RUM]

When I was young we would eat armadillo. But now I hear they carry leprocy? A squirrel is a tree rat. I've seen them in town coming out of dumpsters. Yes, we ate them also.

When I was a kid for some reason I wanted an armadillo for a pet . Little did I know it would of tunneled out of backyard in no time. Later I learned of leprosy and armadillo's. On way to upstate NY. Going through panhandle of Texas on I-40 I'd see a lot of dead armadillo's. Their armor didn't work with a vehicle !

 

[Mcranch]

Don't know about the "We didn't shoot each other". We would watch "Combat" on Sunday evening through a 12" B&W TV with (3) stations. The next Saturday we would be in the coal stripping's with all the holes like bomb craters (NE PA mountains) play WAR and shoot at each other with BB guns. Had a few that we had to take the BB out with tweezers from under the skin. Then my dad would instruct me to go into the "Cellar" lean up against the "Coal Bin" bend over and take a bunch of straps against my backside for disobeying and playing WAR with BB guns. I never had a BB gun (borrowed the neighbors) my father would not let me have one. Said it was too dangerous, but gave me a Savage Pump 22. I know my dad was right-BB & Pellet guns were just as dangerous, but even as a kid we knew that a BB sting was different than a hot piece of lead going through you. Still shot each other with BB & Pellet guns, but real guns were respected
Well that is how kids grew up during my time in the mountains. Different world than today. Kids play violent video games, de-sensified and have no morals. They kill with real guns and have no feelings or remorse. No respect for property, everything should be free. We couldn't live in the city. We are currently far enough into the country where people are still people and kids are raised hunting & fishing with RESPECT for People and Property.
Do love these stories of our youth when there was respect of each other and freedom to hunt and shoot responsibly. Still remember the days, like yesterday, walking to and from school with a .22 rifle of shotgun to hunt or check a trap line.
What it all comes down to is parents teaching their children and paying attention to the elected officials policies.

Yes, Combat with Vic Morrow. I also watch but there wasn't much with just 4 channels. If I would have shot my brother with a BB I would have had the razor strap or the leather off a bottom of a shoe. I picked pecans and saved my 8.00 dollars for my BB gun. I guess I can say that was my first and my start toward a hobby I still can't get enough of.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Yes, Combat with Vic Morrow. I also watch but there wasn't much with just 4 channels. If I would have shot my brother with a BB I would have had the razor strap or the leather off a bottom of a shoe. I picked pecans and saved my 8.00 dollars for my BB gun. I guess I can say that was my first and my start toward a hobby I still can't get enough of.

Love it!!!!

 

[Muddyboots]

That Caroga Lake amusement park pulled in young folks from quite a ways in the Adirondacks! We would drive down from Speculator, spend whole night there until closing, last call with the girls, stop 10 times back to Speculator getting rid of the beer rental. Nasty drive in the mountains and we never had a scary moment. At least we could actually remember!

 

[WYO300RUM]

That Caroga Lake amusement park pulled in young folks from quite a ways in the Adirondacks! We would drive down from Speculator, spend whole night there until closing, last call with the girls, stop 10 times back to Speculator getting rid of the beer rental. Nasty drive in the mountains and we never had a scary moment. At least we could actually remember!

You're older than me !

 

[dgpcpa]

Yes the 60's we would walk down the tracks to the grain elevators with our Benjamin and Sheridan and Crossman pellet rifles in town and shoot rats pigeons. Nobody said a thing. And we didn't shoot each other. Maybe we were more responsible than the kids of today. Like some said on another page we also had our rifles hanging on racks in the back window and they didn't get stolen. People just didn't take others property. Respect for others was the norm.

MCRanch: How true! I can recall pickup after pickup with rifles or shotguns in the back window mounts - in the school parking lots. Times have changed - for the worse. Long after high school with a high schooler of my own, I recall a nervous trip to the high school. It was fall - football season and the opening of Dove season. I had three shotguns in the back of the pickup with at least two cases of shells. I didn't think anything of it. I pulled up to the backdoor to the football dressing room waiting for my son to get dressed and head out to the Dove hunt. Sitting there minding my own business - all of a sudden a scary thought - I WAS ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS WITH LOADED FIREARMS AND ENOUGH AMMO TO REPEL THE RUSSION HOARD!!! Oh my, I immediately drove-off into the neighborhood waiting for my son to call - "where are you dad?" I was certain I was going to end up in jail with all my citizen right removed. Now that is a change in our society just 30 years later. I wouldn't dare try that again today. The libs would not listen nor try to understand.

 

[TENHunter]

Aren't rats just squirrels without the fuzzy tails?? So maybe they do count as small game...

 

[Donneric]

I guess I should of checked this thread out sooner ! Great one ! And then you wouldn't of seen a bunch of my posts in a row ! I was fishing at the local lake here yesterday catching a bunch of catfish only and my buddy yells at me, look at that muskrat ! Swimming right towards me. He had a pistol and I jokingly said shoot it ! He had a 9mm so I knew he wouldn't . I left my net in the truck. Watched it swim past me 4 ft. away. Turned right and went to other side of the lake to a dead tree stump laying in water. Tonight I'm going to take my Sig 226 pellet pistol. Don't want to shoot a 22 pistol that close to hwy.
7 posts in a row. Has to be a record

Muskrat is also good fare. On a muskrat line I watched a rat swim into a 110 I had just set. Took him home and prepped him for the table. Wife found a "marsh rabbit" recipe. My son and I ate the critter and no leftovers!

 

[WYO300RUM]

I

Muskrat is also good fare. On a muskrat line I watched a rat swim into a 110 I had just set. Took him home and prepped him for the table. Wife found a "marsh rabbit" recipe. My son and I ate the critter and no leftovers!

Was wondering about muskrat. One swam past me while fishing few days ago. I could of netted him. Saw one Wed. Swim across but didn't come my way.
I think I said that already...