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Hunting I thought rats are nocturnal

I used to ambush them at dusk but they learned quickly and changed their routine. I got a low powered red light and used that with some success, but again they adapted. Clever little sods.
They started stealing eggs from under the birds my in law kept so I employed drastic measures to get rid of them. I found they were living in the hollows under a dry stone wall nearby. Plugged all the holes I could find and poured a small amount of petrol down into the nest. Just a cup full, didn't want to demolish the wall. Made a long fuse and lit it, retired to watch the fireworks.
There was a dull thud and some smoke shot from the cracks in the wall, some smell of burning meat, and we never had a rat problem after that.
 
Former said:
I used to ambush them at dusk but they learned quickly and changed their routine. I got a low powered red light and used that with some success, but again they adapted. Clever little sods.
They started stealing eggs from under the birds my in law kept so I employed drastic measures to get rid of them. I found they were living in the hollows under a dry stone wall nearby. Plugged all the holes I could find and poured a small amount of petrol down into the nest. Just a cup full, didn't want to demolish the wall. Made a long fuse and lit it, retired to watch the fireworks.
There was a dull thud and some smoke shot from the cracks in the wall, some smell of burning meat, and we never had a rat problem after that.
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That must have started smelling after a while with dead rats
 
I've been dealing with visitors to our garden from a neighbour's garden which is 8ft nettles and overgrown and then from their neighbouring farm....since the end of April, I have now reached 89 kills. Finished work tonight at 1730, went outside with the HW100 and between 1730 and 1830, shot 4, missed 2 and sawa 7th. I've even drained the pond, cut back much of our garden and still they come. I'm getting sick of it now.
 
Unfortunately if you're remotely 'rural' complete eradication is always going to be a challenge. In perfect conditions one pair could breed out to 1000 in a year. Here every other house has horses or chickens so they're a constant presence, it's just finding ways to reduce or control their areas of interest; our last chicken died around Christmas so the run is no longer the major pull, and RSPB guidance to remove bird feeders for the summer due to the virus affecting Greenfinches has also seen a noticeable drop...but there's still the odd one here and there looking hopeful.
 
I'd say that rat activity in daylight, not only points an abundance of food and lack of predation, but a larger than you'd think population

If I ever see rats in the garden in daytime, I'm straight out to the nearest agricultural merchant, for a few bags of poison
 
Have seen this, especially around take aways, told by a Pest control bloke it was probably because they were suffering from poison ?, it causes them to seek water ?.
 
P8X said:
I'd say that rat activity in daylight, not only points an abundance of food and lack of predation, but a larger than you'd think population

If I ever see rats in the garden in daytime, I'm straight out to the nearest agricultural merchant, for a few bags of poison
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I set up the venari wildlife camera up at night didn't see one rat just a hedgehog I've only had young rats after shooting a adult rat.
I wouldn't know were to put poison that wouldn't effect hedgehogs or be a risk to great grandson granddaughter's
 
gen100 said:
Have seen this, especially around take aways, told by a Pest control bloke it was probably because they were suffering from poison ?, it causes them to seek water ?.
Click to expand...
Mrs. H said:
Unfortunately if you're remotely 'rural' complete eradication is always going to be a challenge. In perfect conditions one pair could breed out to 1000 in a year. Here every other house has horses or chickens so they're a constant presence, it's just finding ways to reduce or control their areas of interest; our last chicken died around Christmas so the run is no longer the major pull, and RSPB guidance to remove bird feeders for the summer due to the virus affecting Greenfinches has also seen a noticeable drop...but there's still the odd one here and there looking hopeful.
Click to expand...
I had to stay over at household recycling plant due to a fire all the lights went out about half hour after thousands of rats were climbing out of the walls down steel beams come daylight they all went back up into the walls never have I seen a sight like that before.
These had large thick bodies this was about 10 years ago.
 
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gen100 said:
Have seen this, especially around take aways, told by a Pest control bloke it was probably because they were suffering from poison ?, it causes them to seek water ?.
Click to expand...
These aren't suffering fit and healthy no takeaway near me they are coming for the the bird food im gathering I shoot one don't see them for a while..
 
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If they not disturbed and have no threats they will come all day if there is food around i have shot some of the biggest bags before during the day around feed --like grain stores etc --my record was 73 in a afternoon a few years back around a grain store
 
And whilst I said I was getting sick of my issue..... I've been away a couple of nights and looking forward to clearing more on my return. They are just not welcome.....
 
Knocked one off this morning in daylight. They will appear at any time if they aren't disturbed. Bad picture, but here's one at 2pm in our local park. I saw a muntjac close by a few minutes earlier.
PXL_20260502_142155908.webp
 
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