Mack Hacker, #60477 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Last week, I packed up some brass from my reloading shop and brought it to the house for case prep. I do all my deprime, resize and reprime single stage and then feed resized, primed brass into my SDB. I put the brass in the barn in sealed plastic coffee containers that were in a canvas carry bag. I did not notice, at the time, that the lid had come slightly off one of the containers. I resized and deprimed the first container and then started in on the second one. That's when the problem became apparent. An industrious mouse had decided that the Folgers container was a really neat place to store corn. The kernels will sift down into the cases becoming invisible. A kernel will just fit in a 38 case. You can't decap a case with a kernel of corn in it and if you try, the corn has to be dug out by hand after being compressed by a Rock Chucker. Living in the country is great, but there comes a time when I think the mice and mud wasps are going to win and drive me out. We took one of the furry little creatures with us to Ft Parker this weekend. He seemed to be especially fond of cashews. He chewed through a plastic lid to get at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pee Wee #15785 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 That's why I have 2 barn cats, 2 house cats, and 5 shop cats. You see where I value the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Hacker, #60477 Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 That's why I have 2 barn cats, 2 house cats, and 5 shop cats. You see where I value the most. My 15 year old, declawed feline can handle the house, but isn't very interested in the barn. I also hve three 5'-6' snakes in the well house, but they tend to run it like a farming operation, always leaving enough for breeding stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Cord Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Add a few free range chickens that run around during the day and they will pick off some of them mice as well. I would keep them on the outside of shop for obvious reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Hacker, #60477 Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Add a few free range chickens that run around during the day and they will pick off some of them mice as well. I would keep them on the outside of shop for obvious reasons. I think free range chickens would be very welcome by the free range coyotes and the free range fox and the free range bob cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Add a few free range chickens that run around during the day and they will pick off some of them mice as well. I would keep them on the outside of shop for obvious reasons. BTDT amazing how quickly some chickens will tear up a mouse. If only the foxes didn't like my chickens so much Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegade Roper Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I have 3 union cats, they don't do rodents (not in their contracts). The one will do birds though, the other is strictly a supervisor and the third stays indoors because he is schizophrenic and not capable of being outside without becoming an hors'deurve (sp?). Had better luck with the mouse trap and/or putting a 1/2 filled bucket of water with peanut butter just below the lip and a wood ramp going up to it (the little buggers go up the wood ramp try to lick the peanut butter and fall into the water and drown). Don't tell anyone though or PETA will be knocking at our door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Cord Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Yep- That's why I only let mine out during the day. Most of them are smart enough to head back in before dark. Free range coyotes eat cats too (de clawed cats are easier to catch.) I have no idea if bob cats and foxes eat cats or not. The bonus with chickens is that they lay eggs. Eggs can be eaten. So can the chickens. The stuff cats lay probably not so much! Of course you could always eat the cats if needed: www.catrecipes.com Good luck with your mouse hunting! I think free range chickens would be very welcome by the free range coyotes and the free range fox and the free range bob cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Another thing that can happen if you reload and cast in an open garage or shed like I do, is mud dobbers and other flying bugs like to make larva nests in a bunch of different places. Here's a list of a few of the places I've had to dig out nests. Empty cartridge cases Bullet molds Powder despencing tube in Mec reloaders Primer despencing tube in Mec reloaders I now check everything I can't easily see with a flashlight Jefro Relax-Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Of course you could always eat the cats if needed: www.catrecipes.com I heard them cats taste like a cross between chicken and alligator. Another thing that can happen if you reload and cast in an open garage or shed like I do, is mud dobbers and other flying bugs like to make larva nests in a bunch of different places. Jefro Relax-Enjoy Yep, them dirt dobbers will make a nest almost anywhere, expecially where you least expect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sage Creek Gus SASS #64320 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Speaking of Cats! Our cat has developed a very interesting method of catching mice. He's figured out that if you leave the mice alone to have the run of the place they will eventually attach themselves to a piece of wood about 2" wide by 4" long and about 1/4" thick with a wire loop powered by a strong spring. Then they're easy to catch and proudly bring to me for approval. SCG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegade Roper Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 If you are really good you can catch two at a time w/that little wire looped 2"x4" board and that usually leaves one of em semi alive which one would think would be tempting to a lazy cat to play with. Howsomesever certain union cats still won't touch em. Stickin to that damn contract. Have had a couple of "doubles" but then had to figure out how to "dispose" of the semi live one when aforementioned stupid cat merely watched it wabble around nearby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brasspounder Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Murphy's Laws: 1. In any field of scientific endeavor, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. 2. Left to themselves, things will always go from bad to worse. 3. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will go wrong is the one that will do the most damage. 4. Nature always sides with the hidden flaw. 5. Mother Nature is a bitch. 6. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Murphy's Laws: 1. In any field of scientific endeavor, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. 2. Left to themselves, things will always go from bad to worse. 3. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will go wrong is the one that will do the most damage. 4. Nature always sides with the hidden flaw. 5. Mother Nature is a bitch. 6. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. 7. Murphy was an optimist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Living in the country is great, but there comes a time when I think the mice and mud wasps are going to win and drive me out. Howdy Actually, we lost the battle to the insects long ago, and are only fighting a holding action now. When we are long gone, the insects will still be here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Dog, SASS #20401 Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Ye are a wise man DJ. Saw the Hellstrom Chronicles as a lad. Still the scariest movie I ever saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.