Field Rats?

Graueradler

Graueradler

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Joined
Apr 11, 2005
Messages
2,021
Location
Russellville, AR
Display Name
Graueradler
Home Airfield
KRUE, Russellville, AR
When mowing around the airport with a bush hog, I frequently see critters running through the grass that are obviously wanting to get away from the ruckus I'm making. I don't know what they are. They are about the size of young rabbits but are running, not hopping and not long and slender like a rat, more like oversized Guinea pigs. They are moving to fast to get a good look. The location is Arkansas about half way between Little Rock and Fort Smith. Any thoughts on what they are?
 
squirrel?
shrew?
weasel?
badger?
armadillo?
opossum?
nutria?
mm....pika?
 
Out in Ramona in So.Cal. There are centipedes that get over a foot long. They move very fast and have been mistaken for snakes. They are venomous, but not lethal.

-John
 
How do they look like after the BrushHog is done with them ?
 
Not as big as ground hogs. We have those too. In fact, other than alligators, elk, and bear, I think that if it lives in Arkansas, we have it. I've seen wild turkey (no, not the drinking kind), heron, geese, various hawks, all kinds of small birds, beaver, coon, possum, armadillo, bob cat, deer, coyote, ground hogs, water moccasins, puff adders, various others ---
 
Nutria.

nutria.jpg


nutria1.jpg
 
Could be. Guess I'll have to set some traps so I can get a better look. I thought that we were too far north for nutria. I'll read up on them.
 
Voles are bigger than mice, but smaller than rats, chipmunks, and ground squirrels.

Here's one: It barely fit into the mouse trap.
 

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Matthew said:
Voles are bigger than mice, but smaller than rats, chipmunks, and ground squirrels.

Here's one: It barely fit into the mouse trap.
Click to expand...

At least he didn't give up!!:D
 
Graueradler said:
Could be. Guess I'll have to set some traps so I can get a better look. I thought that we were too far north for nutria. I'll read up on them.
Click to expand...

We have Nutria around the Chesapeake bay. I think they are hardy little bastards.
 
Bigger than voles. bigger than guinea pigs, smaller than grown cotton tail rabbits. I've never knowingly seen a nutria but these probably are not nutria. I'm seeing them in the grassy area between the runway and parallel taxiway (no water other than a drainage ditch). I'll have to trap one to get a look at one that isn't moving too fast to get a good look at.
 
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Maybe you just need to mow faster.


--

When our airport guy mows the infield, it's like a buffet for the turkey vultures. They feast on all the rabbit and snake parts left over.
 
Field Rats? I thought you were asking about C rations or MREs. The barbecue beef cubes were my favorites. Broiled nutria isn't bad if done right.:wink2:
 
A .410 might help. :D When I was a kid on the farm, we always had rats in the fields, I would stop the tractor and try to stomp them when I could. :yikes: I was much younger, more flexible and faster then.:D Shooting them would be my suggestion now. ;)
 
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