NIGHT VISION RAT RAID

Cold weather is setting in and rats are becoming even more of a nuisance than ever around farmyards. It’s an annual problem; most farms are home to modest populations of rats right through the year, but numbers usually increase rapidly during the winter when cold weather, rising water levels and dwindling natural food supplies force the rats onto the farm in search of shelter and an easy meal.

The exodus from the fields and into the sanctuary of the yard usually begins in the autumn as farmers bring in their harvests. That was certainly the case this year and I made some good bags during the early part of the season. I was using lamping kit on quite a few of those outings as I like the simplicity of this traditional approach.

With more and more rats moving in as winter advances, I’m having to up my game in order to keep the infestation under control on the three farms where I do most of my ratting, and that means switching to hi-tech equipment.

So tonight I’m using an infrared night vision scope. This gear gives a huge boost to concealment by enabling me to snipe rats without using conventional lamplight. Being hidden