[Bullbuster]

Well I finally done got the sucker under my deck and shed. It was a big old rat. I had the shutters open yesterday and just happen to look out back and see this big brown thing bouncing accross the yard. I jumped up and went to the window to get a better look. He was up under the kids play house. I ran to the safe and was gonna get the pellet gun but opted for the 10/22 and a single Super Colibri round. I opened up the window and was given a head on head shot. A single well placed shot under the chin and it was lights out. I got a pic to load and post later.

 

[dennishoddy]

I wondered when you would find out what it was. Some of the big rats can dig a pretty good hole.

 

[Bullbuster]

He was good sized. His body was about 8" with at least a 7" tail. At least it was a male so I don't have to worries about babies, well that I know of. He was a slippery sucker as he avoided the two leghold traps covered in peanut butter I had under the deck.

 

[dennishoddy]

Not into proper rat terminology, or whatever, but we have always called the smaller ones a field rat, and the bigger ones a sewer rat.

I'm sure OKherp can get us corrected.

 

[okherp]

There are a number of rodents in OK people would commonly call a rat, but most are referring to the wood rat or hispid cotton rat. Cotton rats are the smaller ones and they have hairy tails. Wood rats are larger with more naked tails. Of course with interstate travel, pet trade, and escaped breeder rodents, it could be a Norway rat, which is the common "sewer rat" available on the pet trade and for breeding as a feeder rodent for reptiles and large carnivores.

 

[dennishoddy]

Good info! Thanks!

 

[Bullbuster]

Having issues with pic loading. I'll try tinkering with it in a different format and see what happens.