PULLING AN ALL-NIGHTER
Although some farms hold a resident population of rats right through the year, numbers of these unwelcome rodents peak during the autumn and winter months. This is because although rats can live comfortably in the open countryside during the warmer months, life becomes tougher when the weather turns cold and natural food is less abundant.
Most of my farmyard shooting permissions see a gradual increase in rats once harvesting gets underway. With less food out in the fields, the scaly-tails start looking for easy pickings elsewhere and lots of them will settle on the farm where they can usually find a reliable supply of animal feed and stored grain to get them through the toughest part of the year.
Rats that move onto the farm find plenty of shelter from the elements. Barns and stock sheds keep out the wind and rain, while stacks of hay bales and other farmyard clutter provide plenty of cosy nesting sites.
It’s still some time before winter tightens its grip on the countryside but the
