THE HUNT

[JimT]

The hunt was not going as I had hoped. It's challenging when hunting in an environment where you not only are looking for the prey, but you have to be alert as to which direction you are shooting and where the other people are. Add in a large number of other creatures and it takes moving slowly, cautiously, always thinking of safety concerns.

After a short stalk I spotted the one I was after. He was larger than the others and more aggressive. Not only that, but somehow he seemed to sense that I was after him. Every time I spotted him and started to get into position to shoot he would move. After a few times he simply started to leave the area.

I liked where we were because it was open enough that I could get a clear shot. And I could approach from different angles so that I had a good “backstop” of sorts if any shots ricocheted. As he moved away I went away from him at a 90 degree angle, then moved through the clutter and got in the path of where he was headed without alerting him. I waited until he appeared headed for me and stepped out, ready to fire, only to have him reverse and go back the way he came!

I thought “stuff!” and headed back the way I had come. I was able to get to where he was headed before he did and I had the rifle ready. As he came into sight he spotted me, gave an alert call and reversed, going directly away from me. I put the bead on his butt and pulled the trigger. At the shot feathers flew and he took off running. He ran maybe 10 feet and piled up, kicking his last. The Federal .22 Long Rifle hollowpoint worked really well!

He was old, a very large rooster, weighing close to 10 pounds. I carried him around to the compost barrel and tossed him in. He was too old and tough to try to eat, but he would make good compost.

Now we only have 9 other roosters to deal with, all young enough they will be good eating!

[GunnyMack]

Reminds me of a buddy's wife. They had one rooster that had a very strong dislike for 'Mouse'. Mouse is a very small woman, a lover of all animals, especially of Elk(meat) . Anyhow this rooster would attack her at every opportunity. She would kick,swat and cuss that bird.
One day she got spurred, clawed pretty bad while collecting eggs. Her hubby got home , saw her cleaning up the cuts and went for a shotgun. She took the 28ga out of his hands, told him she was going to kill that (expletive deleted) herself. She gave that rooster both barrels!

[Bill in Oregon]

Heh!
I only ever kept a half dozen or so hens.

[JimT]

Heh!
I only ever kept a half dozen or so hens.

We have close to 40 right now. 20-some are young ones and there are 8 or 9 roosters among them I think we are gonna eat. We had 2 large roosters, one of which was mean. He is now composting. That's the best work he's ever done.

[Bill in Oregon]

Had Banties, Americanas and Buff Orpingtons. Many places I have lived ban roosters within town limits to cut down on that morning racket that many understandably find unwelcome.

[JimT]

Our hens are a lot noisier than the roosters .. when they are laying their eggs. The durn roosters will crow all night long sometimes while hens are only noisy when laying.

[Paladin]

That is almost a rite of passage on a farm. I had that problem, and my daughter had that problem.

[Drawdown]

Dangerous game hunting not for me

[JimT]

Dangerous game hunting not for me

laughing.JPG

[Ysabel Kid]

There was a rooster that attacked my wife when she was growing up. The rooster knew the school bus meant my wife was either coming or going, and would chase her down the driveway. One day he tried to flog my FIL. He was invited for dinner that night.

[piller]

Grandma had a rooster which terrorized my 2 older brothers and me. Our family was out visiting one Sunday. It had cornered us, and was not letting us go. Dad came out and hollered for us. We yelled back. He came looking for us. He got close, and that rooster spread his wings and attacked. Fortunately, he kept his feathers numbered for such occasions. Dad's brogan connected AND THE FEATHERS EXPLODED. The rooster did a one and a half backflip. He got up, shook himself, and we could easily read his mind. That was enough. He took off for parts unknown with the afterburners lit. From then on, he recognized Dad when he got out of the car, and that rooster would disappear until after we left.

[Bill in Oregon]

Never realized roosters could be such stinkers. Now, an angry goose …