Help me catch this rat!

[Randle]

Probably the only picture you would get would be him giving you the one finger wave

 

[D S 319]

Master splinter maybe?

 

[bowhuntrben]

Before you get too carried away. May be good to contact the meateater folks. This could make for a good episode. It would be interesting to see what recipe they use. Alternatively, you could start up your own show. It would probably only go downhill after this episode though.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Rat gotta name?

 

[Fatcamp]

Euro mount. It's the only way.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I’m having difficulty finding an aftermarket harness for my kid to wear that I can attach the camera too, but I’ll figure something out and will get some pics and vid of this rat up ASAP.

I’ve run into this dilemma myself while checking caves for sleeping bears during winter. I’ve had pretty good luck super glueing the camera to my kid’s forehead. He’s able to slip back into places much easier than I can.

 

[3forks]

I‘m very disheartened as I relay this information, but I didn’t catch the rat last night.

I feel particularly defeated today because as I was getting out of bed this morning, my wife said she thought she heard one of the traps go off about 3:00 AM. I‘m sure you could imagine my excitement. I asked why she didn’t wake me, but didn’t wait for her to answer and I hurriedly dressed and ran outside to check which trap had finally caught this rat. I now realize it pure arrogance and probably jinxed me, but on my way out the door, I was even thinking what kind of liquor I should take a shot of with my breakfast to celebrate finally beating this bastard.

As you already know, I didn’t catch the rat and no trap was sprung so I can only assume the rat has upped its game to match my efforts and is now trying to mess with our sleep by taunting us and making noises in the middle of the night.

I have to keep reminding myself and my wife of the long game we’re playing, but she’s meeting a realtor for brunch this morning to ”look over some numbers“. I’m really starting to stress.

 

[WRM]

Dang! Ok--napalm time. I've got a smallish cobra.

You need to set up live feed cameras and stream. This rat's got legs.

 

[Dos Perros]

The rat is engaged in psy-ops. That’s a whole other level rat!

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Assuming that you are dealing with a Bull rat.

I tried to find a decoy for you to deploy, but all I could find was Halloween type figurines. Some of them have merit, so I would suggest that you take a look and see if one of them seems usable for your situation.

I would then implement a scent into your decoy spread. I was unable to find any commercially available rat estrus urine.
However, I did find a good research document on the subject:

Male rat odor preferences for female urine as a function of sexual experience, urine age, and urine source

Sexually experienced Long-Evans male rats preferred estrous to diestrous urine odor and estrous urine odor to distilled water odor in an automated tes…

www.sciencedirect.com

Perhaps you could contact a research facility and get some from them. Perhaps you could become part of their research and testing.

I also have no knowledge of the black market availability of rat estrus urine...maybe one of the other Sliders can get you hooked up.

 

[Still Hunter]

Every man needs a "Quest" at least once in his life!

"BACON"! lol!

 

[WRM]

Business opportunity--rat estrus urine. Who wants to collect?

 

[3forks]

Assuming that you are dealing with a Bull rat.

I tried to find a decoy for you to deploy, but all I could find was Halloween type figurines. Some of them have merit, so I would suggest that you take a look and see if one of them seems usable for your situation.

I would then implement a scent into your decoy spread. I was unable to find any commercially available rat estrus urine.
However, I did find a good research document on the subject:

Male rat odor preferences for female urine as a function of sexual experience, urine age, and urine source

Sexually experienced Long-Evans male rats preferred estrous to diestrous urine odor and estrous urine odor to distilled water odor in an automated tes…

www.sciencedirect.com

Perhaps you could contact a research facility and get some from them. Perhaps you could become part of their research and testing.

I also have no knowledge of the black market availability of rat estrus urine...maybe one of the other Sliders can get you hooked up.

I appreciate your assistance and suggestions.

I‘ve made inquiries with the major rat trap and poison companies advising that I have a next level smart rat, and asking if they would be interested in studying my situation and potentially assisting in an effort for a live capture of this rat. I’ve pointed out that a live capture effort that includes participation of their experts would help defray my costs and be mutually beneficial for them in terms of product development on enhancements to their existing product offerings. Also, I pointed out that we’re racing against time. If this rat breeds, and we start getting rats that are unable to be caught by traps available to us commercially, we could be in a superspreader type situation that will make the COVID pandemic look like a day at the beach.

 

[Danomite]

Be careful not to let the rat know he's getting to you. When I was in high school we had a pack rat that similarly eluded all attempts to trap him for several weeks. We left for a weeklong vacation and upon return realized the rat had gotten into the fan in the shop freezer, which was full of meat. It was summer and a total loss of all freezer contents. To this day my dad thinks the rat committed suicide as a final act of spite.

 

[WRM]

I simply don't understand where Gates/Beez/Branson/et al are when you REALLY need them.

On rapist island or in space I guess.

 

[ChrisA]

Had a tricky rat in the barn once that didn't want anything to do with peanut butter. Ended up getting him by wiring a strip of raw chicken breast to the trigger of a Victor rat trap.

Then I found out I had more than one when the others ate the dead body leaving only the head and hide. Then the poison came out. Nasty vermin to be sure.

Chris

 

[HUNT.HARD.82]

Dear god,

Please have the OP catch this SOB before my Montana trip I have saved for 3 years to go on this hunt but heading into the woods not knowing what happened could ruin my concentration, I may have to cancel.

Its time to get series. Proximity Mines & exploding arrows !!!!

 

[Dos Perros]

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

 

[3forks]

Dear god,

Please have the OP catch this SOB before my Montana trip I have saved for 3 years to go on this hunt but heading into the woods not knowing what happened could ruin my concentration, I may have to cancel.

Its time to get series. Proximity Mines & exploding arrows !!!!

This is my cross to bear.

I‘m coming to the realization that my archery season is shot because of this rat. Even if I do catch him before the season starts, I’m mentally exhausted and I‘ve got adrenal fatigue as well. I just don’t think I’d be able to effectively hunt after dealing with this.

But, promise me you won’t let my situation ruin your trip. I don’t want to let any of you guys down and wish I wouldn’t have posted about his because I know a lot of you are emotionally invested in this now, too.

Also, for the guys who have PM’d me asking about whether I would like some help via a GoFundMe, thank you, but I cannot accept. My wife and I are reallocating monies from my daughter’s college fund and so far, we’re doing ok.

 

[rayporter]

da rat patrol episode 10 will be right back..