Legit use for the odd foot rest (LHD only)

[DD8V71]

Your feelings on firearms notwithstanding, that odd little footrest makes a great place to keep the muzzle up out of the dirt. Just a bonus feature.

Context: Of late I’m on mountain lion patrol. I’ve lost three lambs to what I and my local warden is certain is a lion so my nights consist of deterrence cruises.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

The “Cat-B-Gone Rifle Rest” - love it.

 

[Martin S]

View attachment 7893495

Your feelings on firearms notwithstanding, that odd little footrest makes a great place to keep the muzzle up out of the dirt. Just a bonus feature.

Context: Of late I’m on mountain lion patrol. I’ve lost three lambs to what I and my local warden is certain is a lion so my nights consist of deterrence cruises.

but isn't the footrest more suited to put the rifle upside down, with the butt on the rest and muzzle in the air (also even less chance of dirt) ?

 

[CrazyOldMan]

but isn't the footrest more suited to put the rifle upside down, with the butt on the rest and muzzle in the air (also even less chance of dirt) ?

Exactly - just rest the muzzle in your crotch so it doesn’t move around. More great ideas from Benelux.

 

[Gaffer]

Slick! Given the muzzle is on the floor, have you considered inserting a plug in the muzzle to keep the dirt out? A little more trouble but perhaps a little safer.

 

[Bayford]

but isn't the footrest more suited to put the rifle upside down, with the butt on the rest and muzzle in the air (also even less chance of dirt) ?

Its quite difficult if the barrel is pointing upwards in a Grenadier to turn the rifle round and mount the stock in your shoulder if you are shooting out of the window..

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Its quite difficult if the barrel is pointing upwards in a Grenadier to turn the rifle round and mount the stock in your shoulder if you are shooting out of the window..

Ummmmmm - safari windows, bro’

 

[Martin S]

Its quite difficult if the barrel is pointing upwards in a Grenadier to turn the rifle round and mount the stock in your shoulder if you are shooting out of the window..

Ah - yes, valid point, didnt consider the quick draw Anyway not sure of any of this is legit in Europe

 

[Bayford]

Ah - yes, valid point, didnt consider the quick draw Anyway not sure of any of this is legit in Europe

It not really a question of a quick draw Martin - nor are we doing drive by shootings at jewellery shops.

It's quite cold sitting outside at night waiting to shoot foxes. Much warmer to sit in the Grenadier in listening to the radio and to wind the window down when you see a fox and then shoot them from the car. If you open the door and climb out to shoot the fox tends to run off up the hill where you often can't get a safe shot off. We are a small crowded island here in the UK. We lost half a dozen lambs last week and shot 8 foxes in the same period. Touch wood all losses this week look like they have been to Ravens. We can't do much about them as they are a protected species in the UK.

 

[DD8V71]

It not really a question of a quick draw Martin - nor are we doing drive by shootings at jewellery shops.

It's quite cold sitting outside at night waiting to shoot foxes. Much warmer to sit in the Grenadier in listening to the radio and to wind the window down when you see a fox and then shoot them from the car. If you open the door and climb out to shoot the fox tends to run off up the hill where you often can't get a safe shot off. We are a small crowded island here in the UK. We lost half a dozen lambs last week and shot 8 foxes in the same period. Touch wood all losses this week look like they have been to Ravens. We can't do much about them as they are a protected species in the UK.

We have black vultures as well that will kill new lambs. They too are a protected species but I’ve not had any problems with them so far. Well done on your fox operation. I think they’re interesting creatures but they can go be interesting not around sheep.

Honestly I’d rather deal with foxes than a lion. At least you can see a fox. I’m under no illusions that the odds of me shooting the cat are so low as to be nonexistent, but it makes me feel a little better.

 

[Bayford]

We have black vultures as well that will kill new lambs. They too are a protected species but I’ve not had any problems with them so far. Well done on your fox operation. I think they’re interesting creatures but they can go be interesting not around sheep.

Honestly I’d rather deal with foxes than a lion. At least you can see a fox. I’m under no illusions that the odds of me shooting the cat are so low as to be nonexistent, but it makes me feel a little better.

Can you trap Mountain Lion in a cage trap using a live or dead lamb as bait?

We shoot on average around 130 foxes a year on the farm. When fox hunting on horseback was legal in the UK we never shot any foxes as we left them for the hunt. They never killed many but we didn't seem to have a fox problem. Now 20 years on from the hunting ban we have 3 points on the farm where well meaning animal lovers covertly release urban foxes that have been live trapped in cities to release them "back into nature". They are generally quite sad creatures, often afflicted with mange, that lack the skills and instincts to survive away from garbage cans and fast food outlets. Hence they tend to go for the really easy pickings like newborn lambs and ground nesting birds trying to hatch and fledge their young. If they were like proper country foxes and helped keep the rat and squirrel population down I wouldn't begrudge them a few lambs but they have no redeeming features that I can see.

I have never seen black vultures and I guess that they are much bigger than ravens. I have a sneaking admiration for the cleverness of our ravens though - crows go for the new born lambs - pecking their eyes out first and then going into the flesh of the blinded lambs through the sift tissue around the anus - warding off the irate mother as they eat. The Ravens take the ewes eyes out as she is giving birth and having disabled her then have free rein on the new born lambs as the ewe cannot see to protect them. Most years we only have two nesting pairs of ravens on the farm but they can do a fair bit of damage.

 

[DD8V71]

Can you trap Mountain Lion in a cage trap using a live or dead lamb as bait?

We shoot on average around 130 foxes a year on the farm. When fox hunting on horseback was legal in the UK we never shot any foxes as we left them for the hunt. They never killed many but we didn't seem to have a fox problem. Now 20 years on from the hunting ban we have 3 points on the farm where well meaning animal lovers covertly release urban foxes that have been live trapped in cities to release them "back into nature". They are generally quite sad creatures, often afflicted with mange, that lack the skills and instincts to survive away from garbage cans and fast food outlets. Hence they tend to go for the really easy pickings like newborn lambs and ground nesting birds trying to hatch and fledge their young. If they were like proper country foxes and helped keep the rat and squirrel population down I wouldn't begrudge them a few lambs but they have no redeeming features that I can see.

I have never seen black vultures and I guess that they are much bigger than ravens. I have a sneaking admiration for the cleverness of our ravens though - crows go for the new born lambs - pecking their eyes out first and then going into the flesh of the blinded lambs through the sift tissue around the anus - warding off the irate mother as they eat. The Ravens take the ewes eyes out as she is giving birth and having disabled her then have free rein on the new born lambs as the ewe cannot see to protect them. Most years we only have two nesting pairs of ravens on the farm but they can do a fair bit of damage.

Two problems with attempting to trap a lion: 1, they are unbelievably sneaky and clever. They’re incredibly cautious and it’s very rare to even see one. 2, I’d be much more likely to trap a bobcat or a coyote and then that would just teach the cat about traps. The only reliable way to hunt a cat is to trail them with hounds and tree them up, but that’s illegal in Missouri as they claim there are no permanent resident lions (conservation department claims a lot of things that aren’t true).

I have lived in Gloucestershire a couple times and I was amazed at how brazen and dumb the foxes were. Like, you’d see them rummaging around in bins and just staring at you as you walked by. I had never seen a fox act like that until I lived in the UK. I definitely agree that hound hunting is a reliable way to keep them scared of humans. The animal lovers piss me off. I get being tender hearted and feeling bad for animals, but when they make it our problem I take issue. We deal with dumped dogs and cats, and the house cats, and they do so much damage. A few months ago there was a pack of feral dogs going around killing calves and it was a cluster. Dead calves all over the county. Fortunately, feral dogs are easy to control, the house cats are more difficult but we keep chipping away at them.

Sounds like black vultures act like your ravens. Scavengers like corvids and vultures never cease to amaze me. Vultures are protected as well, but it’s so rural around here we kind of do the “take care of business and keep your damn mouth shut” thing. That said I’ve not had any problems with vultures but I’m not going to begrudge a neighbor for protecting stock.

 

[INEOS OG]

The “Cat-B-Gone Rifle Rest” - love it.

I thought the same thing. A peeformamce option.