Targeting Feral Cats: any tips and tricks?

[bigfellascott]

Hey don't knock the Night Camo (blue shorts and T-shirt)

[bigfellascott]

That's a big ginger pussy and looks like you shot it right in the ass....

Using calibres far too heavy for feline, causing explosive bodyshots, at least get it over quick without having to make it look like a mass murder crime scene.

Hit mine with the .204 Ruger, Scotty with a .222 so not even close to being called over powered. If I'd hit it with the Cheytac then fair enough but the little 204 is no where near overpowered for pussy. In fact I'd argue that the .416 with 450Gr HP's is still under powered cause I hate feral cats / dogs more then any other feral pest in the bush and a rapid explosive death is both effective and very humane.

I'd say any cals good enough for feral cats yeah that ginger was trotting away and just about to disappear into some long grass from memory so the decision was made to shoot it ASAP and the only real shot was the freckle so that's what happened, another bang flop as a result.

The 204 goes great on em as do any of the 22 cal family - end of the day they are doing a great amount of damage to our native wildlife and whatever cal you have at hand will do to help eradicate them from the Aussie Landscape.

[bigfellascott]

This one's having a long sleep as a result of a 39bk at about 10m (Came into the Fox Pro) and disappeared down a creekline only to reappear near some blackberries as it slowly stalked into the Fox Pro. The damage was very minimal too with just a small hole being evident (I'd say the projectile never hit any bone),

[Gwion]

That's a big ginger pussy and looks like you shot it right in the ass....

Using calibres far too heavy for feline, causing explosive bodyshots, at least get it over quick without having to make it look like a mass murder crime scene.

Hit mine with the .204 Ruger, Scotty with a .222 so not even close to being called over powered. If I'd hit it with the Cheytac then fair enough but the little 204 is no where near overpowered for pussy. In fact I'd argue that the .416 with 450Gr HP's is still under powered cause I hate feral cats / dogs more then any other feral pest in the bush and a rapid explosive death is both effective and very humane.

I was half expecting to see a photo of a small patch of fur on some bloodied ground from you, Brett.

[Gwion]

Hahaha!
Is anyone else getting the 'Feliway' ad at the top of the page?

Some artificial cat pheromone diffuser to make Felix feel safe and happy. Maybe I should put a few of those around in some known areas.

[RoginaJack]

The shotgun with a cheap tin button fox whistle and a squeaky cat or dog toy from the dollar shop will do the job. Try early morn and late evening and spotlighting.
This is one method I've been gunna try - you know the toy, a crazy ball with a tail that goes round and round inside a circle hoop (?) and a fox whistle. I reckon the movement and whistle should work OK.
I was out early morning the other day calling/howling feral dogs up with the button whistle and a very large tomcat came to the call - only had the .243W with 75gr Speer HP. - handled the job OK.
cheers,

[sandgroperbill]

No such thing as over gunned with ferals. I'd just as readily knock one over with the .30-06 as I would with anything else. Yes, the wounds can look messy, but the shock with explosive wounds causes instant death. It's instant and humane. And (unlike some here) I wouldn't be worried about meat damage as I wouldn't eat them

[sandgroperbill]

Oh, and I'll also add this.
Even if the first shot is not a clean kill, let's say you have to walk up and finish it off, you've still saved thousands of inhumane kills on native species

[Title_II]

No such thing as over gunned with ferals. I'd just as readily knock one over with the .30-06 as I would with anything else. Yes, the wounds can look messy, but the shock with explosive wounds causes instant death. It's instant and humane. And (unlike some here) I wouldn't be worried about meat damage as I wouldn't eat them

I am suspecting a lot of these cat eaters are really Tassies and just not admitting it

[bigfellascott]

That's a big ginger pussy and looks like you shot it right in the ass....

Using calibres far too heavy for feline, causing explosive bodyshots, at least get it over quick without having to make it look like a mass murder crime scene.

Hit mine with the .204 Ruger, Scotty with a .222 so not even close to being called over powered. If I'd hit it with the Cheytac then fair enough but the little 204 is no where near overpowered for pussy. In fact I'd argue that the .416 with 450Gr HP's is still under powered cause I hate feral cats / dogs more then any other feral pest in the bush and a rapid explosive death is both effective and very humane.

Yeah pretty much an arse end shot from memory, I didn't have time to get too fancy with the shot placement as it was just about into the long grass, smash em with anything I say I'd like to see one get hit with a 50cal - that should make for a pretty picture

[bigfellascott]

Considered a feeding station ?

I'm looking at trying a chicken feeder full of cheep dry cat food soon.

I reckon that's what I'd try too and a spotlight to find em and shoot em, should work I reckon or some pheromone spray in a specific spot near the house that you can keep an eye on easily would also be worth a go, get em coming in for a while to feed and when they feel comfortable doing it nail the little bastards!

All my cats are a result of spotlighting and whistling foxes so are a bi-catch in a way but they do seem to respond to the whistle when they are about.

[on_one_wheel]

Deleted ... double post

[Gwion]

Noice...

Just got back from town and i am stocked up on rechargable batteries for the trail cam.

Forgot a box of cat kibble and tuna oil but i'll get that next week. First project is to confirm the presence of Tassie Devils with the cams and a wallaby. Then i''l move on to getting the cats coming in to a feed station.

[on_one_wheel]

Hahaha!
Is anyone else getting the 'Feliway' ad at the top of the page?

Some artificial cat pheromone diffuser to make Felix feel safe and happy. Maybe I should put a few of those around in some known areas.

yep , I thought admin might be showing a sense of humor, or is it just coincidental?

[Baronvonrort]

We don't have the same feral cat problem you do. Sometimes there will be too many and they'll get shot. Heck, sometimes A-holes will shoot their neighbors' cats for pooping around or spraying their doors.

But most of us look at cats like pets first, pests last. I've never seen a Yank post a hunting photo of a dead cat. And certainly never see one admit to eating one. Well, in the English language, at least

Not criticizing at all. I understand life and death, and hunting, and pest control. This is just something a little weird to Yanks, so I am trying to share our culture. Especially that you eat them .

I doubt any of the cats pictured in this thread are any neighbours cats they will all be wild feral cats a long way from anyone's home.

There are posters in this thread who have domesticated cats for pets, they know the difference between a pet and a feral cat.

Feral cats do incredible damage to a lot of our smaller native species they are a big problem in some areas.

[Gwion]

yep , I thought admin might be showing a sense of humor, or is it just coincidental?

Dunno, but it made me chuckle!

[Oldbloke]

I have nailed the odd one with no 5s in the U/O. Sure the 22rf will do the job but I think tbe 22 mag would be a more realistic minimum. Having said that I would use the 3006 if it was in my hands at the time. Lol

[bigfellascott]

I don't like 22's for em, I've shot 2 with em now and both times they have run off before dying (that Grey one with a bullet between it's eyes ran a good 20m or more before I caught up with it and shot it again! The other one I shot with the 22 I never did find but I'm fairly sure it wouldn't have survived but not certain.

Me I'll shoot em with a CF everytime if I had to choose between them and a 22 or any other rimfire for that matter.

[Gwion]

Well, they're not gun shy here; yet.

223 with 40gn vr is what they're going to be lined up with to begin with.

Gotta find the fukkas first.

[bigfellascott]

Well, they're not gun shy here; yet.

223 with 40gn vr is what they're going to be lined up with to begin with.

Gotta find the fukkas first.

That will do the job perrrrfectly!

[Title_II]

Well, they're not gun shy here; yet.

223 with 40gn vr is what they're going to be lined up with to begin with.

Gotta find the fukkas first.

That will do the job perrrrfectly!

^LOL

[RoginaJack]

Not too sure where you are Gwion but one problem I have with baiting traps on the ground is jolly Cane Toads. These little pests can smell a free feed a mile off. Might have to put the bait station up off the ground..

Cheers,

[Gwion]

Mate, I'm in Tassy and all the by catch climb anyway. Possums and quolls are both arboreal.

To be honest, I don't have the patience to use cage traps regularly so don't want to invest in them. I have borrowed a few before and find it tedious and a waste of effort with heap of by catch with no cats. A mate traps cats in cages but says it takes ages for the cats to trust the cage enough to go in it and he catches more possums than cats.

Rather figure out how to effectively search and destroy or at least bait and shoot.

[brett1868]

catches more possums than cats

Possum pie sounds tasty

[Gwion]

We keep threatening to do a cook up with tree rabbit, but haven't quite been game enough yet!

[Oldbloke]

catches more possums than cats

Possum pie sounds tasty

Kiwis love it.

[sandgroperbill]

Need to start practising holding my tongue on kiwi jokes as we may all have to move there soon enough. Might as well start now.

Reminds me, I have to get more mint sauce while I'm at the shops today

[Oldbloke]

Way off topic, but for those where it is legal and are game.
http://erinandstepheninnewzealand.blogs ... ossum.html

[Title_II]

Yucko!

Some Yanks do eat them, though. Our Opposum are much uglier than yours, see pics:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opossum

I lived in Trenton, New Jersey for a while. It's a mix of city and urban-suburban residences. It turns out they have a tradition there that started during the Great Depression. Kids go out with baseball bats and try to scare up an opossum and drive him towards a fence. Them get him on the fence and beat him to death, and bring him home for dinner.

[Tiiger]

Think I'll skip that experience