I just returned from an annual trip to Eastern Oregon to shoot "Sage Rats" by the grundle.  Sage rats, for the non-locals, are the Richardson Ground Squirrels, "Picket Pins", Gophers, etc, depending upon location.

My 17 year old son and my brother shoot for 2 1/2 days, about 6 hours per day. &nbsp;(Sunburned!<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo--> &nbsp;We fired over 4,500 rounds total and killed between 1,200 to 1,500 squirrels (although I tend toward the lower number, as I had to remind my son that "volume shooting" refers to the number of rats killed, not the number of rounds expended in that effort. &nbsp;He does like to shoot!<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo--> &nbsp;Most of this was offhand shooting, which provides the most challenge and the lowest average. &nbsp;Good time, and stayed with my in-laws, so they got to see the kid a lot. &nbsp;Good hunt!

dclark

I was raised in the Klamath Falls area of Southern Oregon, and we too shot the fire out of "sage rats" every spring, especially when the young squirrels came out of the dens. &nbsp;The squirrels we killed there were Belding's Ground Squirrels, but went by many of the same local names mentioned in the previous post. &nbsp;

I've sat along or under an irrigation wheel line, in order not to be shooting towards irrigation pipes, and expended a full carton of 22's on nothing but squirrels while sitting in a single location! &nbsp;I miss that springtime fun!

The Idaho Panhandle really lacks small game hunting and varmint shooting in general. &nbsp;We just don't have the shooting opportunities here as is found even in central and southern Idaho.

Thanks for bringing back good memories from days gone by!

God Bless,

Marshall

My father is to blame for the demise of so many sage rats that they can not be counted! &nbsp;He got me started, and I am simply passing it to my sons. &nbsp;Hopefully, we will go to Eastern Oregon for the other annual ritual of shooting rockchucks. &nbsp;My older son is finished with college and coming home. &nbsp;Before he starts summer work, I hope we can go shoot 'chucks. &nbsp;Younger son may, or may not go, but brother will meet us there near Jordan Valley. &nbsp;Last year we shot about 300 rounds at the critters, but the weather was cool, so not many out at a time. &nbsp;Looking for warmer weather this year and going later by a couple of weeks. &nbsp;If I remember, there were a few 'chucks in the K Falls area.

dclark

In May I was lucky to receive an invite to shoot rats in the Fort Rock area. Well we all showed up, some brought RV's. I just took my pickup with shooting bench in the back and my new .223 Ruger VT77, and 200 rounds of Nosler BT's. I was pumped up for this because the only rat shootin' I'd done before was on local ranches with my single shot .22 thirty years ago.

Wouldn't ya know it, it turned cold that day and the clouds blocked the sun, so I never fired a shot. Bummer. Maybe next year. :(

Another area you might want to try is between Post and Paulina. The ranchers up there have always allowed shooting, but I am speaking of nearly 20 years ago. The rats were in GREAT numbers in May and June and the growth was low enough to shoot lots.

Don't even think of the area around Post or Paulina, that area has been over run with tree hugging ranchers that love the ground digging critters. The last time I was out there and asked the land owners if I could hunt their property you would have thought I was asking them to drink poison. Look farther east out towards Indian Prairre. there is alot of open land with sage rat hunting opportunities.