Rat Wars

Rat Wars

Fall is typically the time of the year when young rats leave their nests and strike out on their own. In most rural parts of the country the greener pastures they seek come in the form of warm barns or houses. If they can gain access to some nice soft leather to chew on or a ready supply of grain they are in rat heaven. The problem lies in the amount of damage a rat can do in even a single night. War is declared anew every year.

This year's war started out a little different than usual. I had taken a dump truck over to a timbered field so I could haul logs home to saw into lumber. After making several trips there was a lapse in which I left the truck there for several weeks. The next time I opened the truck door a rat went flying down through the hole where the gearshift comes through the floor. The seat was all rat manure and in back of it was nesting material comprised of sagebrush, pine needles and sticks. I checked under the hood since some other delicacies they love to chew on are hoses and wires. All seemed well so I cleaned the truck out the best I could and headed home.

The next day there were two young rats still inside. I opened both doors and attempted once and for all to rid the truck of the pests. When I tipped the back of seat forward, they would scurry under the seat. I prodded them from one side but they would just huddle up on the other side but wouldn't jump out. I gave them plenty of chances before I took out the artillery, the BB gun. Finally I was able to dispatch them to rat forever after.

I began to wonder if I got all of the varmints. Maybe I should post their heads on stakes on either side of the truck as a warning to their kin. That's me, Dave the impaler. I finally decided to just set a trap on the floorboard as a precaution. I did catch two more. I hope that tales of my carnage spread throughout the rat communities and that they are afraid, very afraid.