[Keith]

Found this picture on another forum. They are claiming these things are running loose in East Texas and Louisiana and breeding like rabbits.

I couldn't find anything on Google. Anyone here heard any rumors about 100 pound rats in the local bayou?

Keith

[Keith]

Another shot...

[BHPshooter]

R.O.U.S.'s? Rodents Of Unusual Size? I don't think they exist.

:rolleyes:

Seriously though, it sounds like another jackalope tale to me.

Wes

[Al Thompson]

Yep, they exist. If they're competeing with the nutria, that would be interesting. Had not heard that they've gotten into the US, mainly a South/Central American critter.

[Keith]

It's a real rodent - a capybara native to South America. And the picture looks authentic.

I'm just wondering if these things are running around in the wild in this country. I can't imagine anyone importing them for a game ranch - who would pay to shoot big rats?

Ever heard of a Nutria? It's another enormous rat, and somebody once thought it would be great idea to import them and turn them loose - and now they are a nuisance all over the gulf coast.

Keith

[Correia]

They are real. The first reports I heard about them came from Florida and Alabama. They are a South American rodent.

How they got here? Beats me. I hear they taste like chicken. :D

[Triad]

They're not jackalopes. Those critters in the pics are real and hail from Brazil. I've heard there are some of them running around parts of Texas, but I never hear about how they got here.:confused: Maybe they'll do us a favor and eat the fire ants.

[atk]

Thefumegator,

I stopped at a local zoo recently (http://www.southwickszoo.com/), and I can confirm that capybara really do exist. I saw two of them walking around. Of course, they're not mentioned on the web page, so you'll just have to go visit if you're interested :) According to the zoo, they are from South America, not Texas.

[Master Blaster]

My local zoo has two of them, they weigh like 150-200lbs, and they look like a giant guinea pig. I thought that they preferred dry land though.

Nutrias are similar in appearance but smaller (15-30lbs), and they have bright orange teeth. The nutrias are a big threat to wetlands because they eat the roots of water plants and leave a barren swamp behind them. The nutrias have gotten as far as Va and Md. last I heard.

[Steve Smith]

I wouldn't be near one of those giant rats! Killin em is different than handling them!

[Keith]

I just googled up an info page. They are the worlds largest rodent and range up to 145 pounds! That's a BIG rodent!

http://www.k12.de.us/warner/capybara.htm

Keith

[Bigjake]

i read that one of those ripped a zookeeper ladys arm off a while back in the paper, but i can't recall where.

i think 44 mag with hydrashoc would do nicely on em'

[ojibweindian]

I was dropping off my kids at my ex-wife's house one night, and on the way home I saw what looked like a huge stinking rat. Now I know what it is.

These things are huge!

[Okiecruffler]

We had a zoo keepers arm ripped off here a few years back by a Brazilian taper, different critter same country. I used to do some snake trading with a fellow down around Waco that had a pair of capybaras (capybari?). He had kinda a weird sense of humor, makes me wonder...:scrutiny:

[Dr.Rob]

223 works well on nutria. Might want something heavier for a capybara.

Oh a side note the Capybara is a semi aquatic giant rodent, so much so that in Brazil its considered a "fish" and therefore you can eat it on Friday.

People apparently do eat the things.

[Labinnac]

Just remember to jump when you hear the series of gas veting noises coming from the ground...

[buzz_knox]

Like nutria, capys are supposed to be quite good to eat. I haven't had the pleasure yet but if they make it to TN, I might.

[TallPine]

Just remember to jump when you hear the series of gas veting noises coming from the ground...
And watch out for quicksand, too ....

[El Tejon]

Hmmm, same size as a rat in a Chicago dumpster, especially now with the strike!:D

How about 6.5x55mm? Of course, that's my answer for everything.:)

[gun-fucious]

some of y'uns didn't pay attention to Marlin Perkins did'ja?

http://www.landenweb.com/images/imgvenezuela/Capibara.jpg

[Flashpoint]

They have at least one at the Memphis zoo. The next time I'm there I'll ask the Zookeepers what they think would be a good caliber for one those giant rats.:evil:

[El Tejon]

Flash, maybe you should write PETA instead?:D

[Langenator]

I figure a good hot 10mm should do the trick...now to find a SW 610 with the long barrel...

Given that they're imported rodents and probably destructive, does the state require a license to kill them? I know WA doesn't require a license to kill pigs for that reason.

[Keith]

I'd shoot them with a light caliber and hope they jumped in the water and disappeared before croaking. That way I wouldn't have to eat them...

Of course, one of those would make an interesting full shoulder mount. Can you imagine the comments?

Keith

[teppo-shu]

I think I'd hafta be MUCHO hungry to eat anything in the rodent family! Would be fun to bowhunt like that gentleman, though.

And just think -- a year's supply of kitty chow in one shot!;)

[Bravo11]

I don't know what I would do if I saw one of those in the woods.
It looks like something from Jurassic Park.

[280PLUS]

that dave attel guy on "up all night"???

i think he was down in louisiana and was riding around with the local sherriffs dept while they were jacklighting these things along a river bank.

the shooter was (supposedly) the local dept sniper and he was shooting from the back of a pickup while sitting in a lawn chair.

he was using a suppressed .22 bolt action with a scope while another sherriff was shining the old searchlight on em'

attel finished the show by saying, "a lot of animals were hurt and killed during the production of this show"

:D

[gun-fucious]

heres a nutria "rat" ~ life size
http://www.animalcapture.com/images/nutria_front.JPG
they are about as big as a beaver
i find their giant orange-yellow teeth particularly disturbing
i think this ones a boy

[ShaiVong]

Now THAT is a vile looking creature! Do they get the orange teeth from their diet, like flamingoes? :confused:

Look at those FEET!

Time to head down to the swamp and try out this nitrogen filled EO Tech 511!

Wonder how they would react to Q3131A? :evil:

[sm]

AS if we don't have enough acroynyms for loadings. PP, SP, STHP, JSP..."gimme a box of them loads, yeah yeah them, so they are $5 a box more...these are the BRL* gotta have them".

*Big Rodent Load, gotta be worth at least $5 more...:)

[Keith]

Dave Attel was shooting nutria's. These new rodents are many times larger.

Keith

[Andrew Rothman]

First of all, I don't think they'll rip your arms off, since they are vegetarians. (well, THERE's a reason to shoot `em! :) )

Second, I'd bet that, like most herbivores, they taste just fine. Certainly worth a try. People eat squirrels, rabbits and the like.

Tell ya what. Just have three bites. Then, if you don't like it, push it to the side of your plate. :)

Matt

[gunsmith]

they're lawyers for VPC:neener:

[NewShooter78]

I'm from Louisiana, and I hadn't even heard about these things being on the loose. I've always known what they are, and seen them at the zoo, but thought that nutria's were the BFR in these parts. I'm sure it wouldn't take too much to bring one down though. A good handgun load should do the trick.

[Futo Inu]

.17 HMR (Nutria)
.223 (Capebarra - doubt they're in the US though)

[Keith]

Anybody got a good graphics program that might help reveal what state those truck plates are on the second photo I posted? I can't make them out.

Keith

[bogie]

Aw heck - just use a 12 gauge with deer slugs... Just make sure you stand back a little...

[bogie]

Oh, and I've seen smaller deer in the backs of pickups...

[Dave R]

Jumpin Jiminy...if those things are invading Texas, and if they compete with armadillos...that could be a major disaster! Could you imagine singin "Back to the Giant Rodent" instead of "Back to the Armadillo"? And man, those things would ruin your suspension if you hit 'em with a car!

I think this calls for immediate action.

What gun? Well...if you want something to hunt with your AK, I think this would be the critter.

[BHPshooter]

And watch out for quicksand, too ....

Ah, I'm glad someone caught on to my post. ;) :D :p

Yeah, I was joking in the vein of The Princess Bride.

As for a practical answer to the question, I'd take a good .45-70 gov't chambered lever-action rifle.

Wes

[gunsmith]

urban myth in the making?

[Mark Tyson]

150 lbs is pretty heavy. I think a .243 would do the job.

[TallPine]

What gun? Well...if you want something to hunt with your AK, I think this would be the critter.
My thought, exactly. :)

[gun-fucious]

some rodent need a 50bmg:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/09/photogalleries/giantrodent/

Phoberomys pattersoni, a 1,500-pound (680-kilogram) rodent the size of a buffalo, roamed South America eight million years ago. Researchers say Phoberomys looked more like a giant guinea pig than an oversized house rat. Like the buffalo and many dinosaurs, it flourished on a diet of vegetation.

[gunsmith]

http://www.thisisworcestershire.co.uk/worcestershire/archive/2001/08/24/malvern_news_latest008ZM.html

[yy]

made me look...:what:

what's the big deal? Chinese people (such as residents in Hong Kong) routinely eat new born rats. Live. These rodents just fill the plates better. :evil:

Guess they'd have less of a problem with lawyer overpopulation...:neener:

edited to add post script:

p.s. "lawyer" = ambulance chasing, intern sodomizing, sticking it to the rich because they are rich, JD holders. I make exception for the JD's who defend the constitution and the pro self defense victims of gun-grabbers.

[Cacique500]

Tell ya what. Just have three bites. Then, if you don't like it, push it to the side of your plate.

And what are you going to do with the other 140+ lbs of meat thats left over? :barf:

I'd have to be running damn low on Spaghetti-O's to resort to eating that :uhoh:

[jsalcedo]

I thought it was Rosie O'Donnell.

[Balog]

jsalcedo
I thought it was Rosie O'Donnell.

So vicious, yet so true.;)

[DesertRat]

Keith,

Jeez, that sorta reminds me of the damn Chupacabra problem I had last fall: http://www.kingkongvsgodzilla.com/chupa/

Use a .30-06 or 12 guage, worked for me. :D

DR

[StuporDave]

I see nutria almost daily. As mentioned in another post, the sheriff's dept shoots them at night in the drainage canals. Most of the canals have streets on either side. Really big rodents dig really big burrows under the streets that make then tend to collapse. Expensive, dangerous nuisance.

Never seen a Capybara, except in the zoo.

Dave

[Freedspeak]

Can you imagine the problem I would have getting folk to eat that, when I have so much trouble getting them to eat HOG!

Personally I have a few recipes that might go well with that!

[gun-fucious]

http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/

http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/capy2.jpg

UPDATE:
According to Emilio Herrera, a biologist and capybara expert at Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas Venezuela:
"It is true that capybaras are eaten during Lent, but only in Venezuela, and even there not everywhere. However, its dried and salted meat is highly appreciated and is a traditional lenten dish. The annual capybara harvest is legal and regulated by government. The well-designed management plan (based on a study by Juhani Ojasti published in 1973) has been in operation for many years and is very successful, contributing income to ranchers, meat for people, and not damaging their populations."


http://www.rzu2u.com/capybara.htm
http://www.rzu2u.com/jpg/capybup.jpg

Capybara can make captivating pets, but it is our unanimous opinion that a PET capybara should be neutered. Males can become aggressive, territorial and frustrated. They may even make you the object of their 'affection', not a pleasant thought when you are showing off your little "fella" to a visitor.

[Mike Irwin]

"a 1,500-pound (680-kilogram) rodent the size of a buffalo..."

Uh, they're not extinct.

Unless the rats in DC are growing to truly monumental proportions...

[citizen]

Sheesh, guys; sometimes I'm really ashamed of you. NO ONE has mentioned the same thread running over at www.falfiles.com. where I've been learning about this for over a week. TRY to get out more often......

Anyway........from what I've gathered there, yes; it HAS invaded Texas, etc.
Also, (the best part; I imagine) since it is NOT considered native species wildlife, it is Always open season on them; no bag limit. I'm no hunter; just relating what's posted there. Damn repulsive ugly!!!!
(Though I WOULD consider a hunting trip there, now....:what: )

[twoblink]

308 softpoint or hollow point??

When I saw the thread, I thought ".22LR" but when I saw the pic, I was like.. oops.. gonna need a bigger gun..

.30Carbine would be good, but I think (and I can't believe I'm saying this) but something like a Ruger Mini-14 is DESIGNED for this.. so a .223 ranch gun will do nicely..

They don't look too fast to me.. So not too bad, unlike huntin' rabbits, which require maybe slightly higher shot-to-shot firing rate..

Of course, you can try a .50BMG...

[243_shooter]

Anybody got a good graphics program that might help reveal what state those truck plates are on the second photo I posted? I can't make them out.

Not much detail to go on.. but here it is blown up a bit..

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=530418

[Bigjake]

looks like a colorado plate to me...

[Kharn]

Damn, that guinea pig must have gotten into the PuppyChow...

I'd definitely go for the AR, the AK or the FAL if I had to deal with a few of them.

Kharn

[sm]

Not being a cat person myself, respectful of those that are...but...forget the gun, get one of those REAL CATS that have been sighted around the city, collect tickets to "Observe the Life Cyle In Action"...educational, to say the least. Here kitty kitty...found some rodents over yonder...:)

[Sparky]

Hadn't heard about capybara runnin' loose. Hope they don't turn into another "exotic" run amok! There was a show on the Comedy Channel several weeks back that had Louisiana police riding arund spotlighting nutria. It was a HOOT! The shooter was usin' a supressed Ruger 77/22 and he was really, really good with it. The high point of the whole thing ,for me at least, was the host assuring members of PETA that there were many nutria killed & maimed in making the show. Ya GOTTA JUST LOVE IT!!!

[gburner]

In the words of Jules from 'Pulp Fiction'...."sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I ain't gonna be eatin' the mutha-f@%$#r".
:barf: :what: :uhoh:

[280PLUS]

"Dave Attel was shooting nutria's. These new rodents are many times larger"

oops,,,well, i was jealous anyway,,,i want that guys job,,,looks like a heck of a lotta fun to me

:D

[RustyHammer]

Not only do they shoot them down in these parts, but they EAT them too (no joke)!

Here is a recipe or four for you (from the Government, no less):

http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/special/recipes.htm

YUM, YUMMMM ... Enjoy!

++++++++++++++++++++++

Ragodin au Choux Rouge
(Nutria with caramelized red cabbage and honey mustard sauce)

2 hind saddle of nutria (available at Calvin's Bocage Supermarket)
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped carrots
Bouquet garni:
- 1 branch french thyme,
- 1/2 bunch of parsley,
2 fresh bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil,
2 teaspoons flour
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 1/2 cup honey
1 cup red wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed fresh rosemary
2 cups hot water
Season to taste

Caramelized choux rouge: 1 thinly sliced red cabbage, _ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, season to taste.

Saute red cabbage with oil, sugar and seasoning until sugar is caramilized (4 to 5 minutes).

Place oil, chopped vegetables and bouquet garni in a large saute pan. Rub each hind saddle with mustard, honey and rosemary. Place hind saddle into large saute pan with the vegetable and saute on medium high heat, until golden brown, sprinkle flour and stir will until flour disappears, deglaze with red wine, stir well then add hot water, simmer on low heat for 1 - hours. Remove hind saddle, strain juice into a sauce pot, bring to a low boil, skim the fat off of surface, add cream, reduce for 5 minutes and correct seasoning. Remove meat from bones and plate, top with sauce, garnish with caramelized red cabbage.

Recipe by:
Chef Philippe Parola
The Louisiana Culinary & Hotellerie Institute International
Bear Corners Restaurant
Phone: (504)634-2844
Fax: (504)634-2846
Website: www.chef-parola.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nutria Sausage
Recipe by: Chef Enola Prudhomme

2 pounds nutria meat
1 pound pork meat
10 1/2 ounces potato, peeled
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Enola's Secret Seasoning (or Creole Seasoning)
1 teaspoon sage


Ground nutria and pork with potato. Add all other ingredients mix well. If using a bar-b-que pit to smoke, build fire on one side of pit. Place sausage on the other side of pit; this will allow smoke to get to sausage without cooking to fast. If you have used bacon fat, put on your fire this will create lots of smoke. This will take less time to get a good smoke taste. Let sausage smoke 1 hour and 15 minutes; turn, let smoke 1 hour; remove from pit; let cool. Makes 4 pounds 5 ounces.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nutria Chili
Recipe by: Chef Enola Prudhomme

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds nutria ground meat
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder +1 teaspoon
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup tomato paste
4 cups beef stock (or water)
1 can red kidney beans (opt.)


In a heavy 5 quart pot on high heat, add oil, heat until very hot. Add nutria meat cook and stir 10 minutes. Add salt, red pepper, chili powder, onion, both bell peppers. Cook and stir 15 minutes. Add tomato paste, 4 cups stock. Cook 30 minutes; reduce heat to medium. Add red kidney beans; cook an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stuffed Nutria Hindquarters
Recipe by: Chef Enola Prudhomme

Stuffing for nutria:
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound nutria meat, ground
4 cups chopped onion
1 cup green bell pepper
1 cup red bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Enola's Secret Seasoning (or Creole Seasoning)
1 cup stock or water
1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups fresh Louisiana crawfish, peeled, deveined and chopped
13 slices of bread (stale)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put bread in food processor; press pulse button several times. Bread crumbs must be course; set aside.

In a 5-quart pot on high heat melt butter. Add meat, onion and both bell peppers, cook and stir 10 minutes. Add red pepper, salt and seasoning; cook 5 minutes. Add stock; cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add cream of mushroom; cook for 7 minutes. Add crawfish, reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add bread crumbs, stir until mixture is moist but holds together.

Preparation of hindquarters:
15 nutria hindquarters
5 tablespoons Enola's Secret Seasoning

Remove the large leg bone, then pound out legs, sprinkle seasoning evenly on both sides. Lay leg flat, stuff inside, roll and tie with cooking string. Place stuffed legs in oiled baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees covered, cook for 1 1/2 hour or until tender. Uncover; cook an additional 10 minutes or until brown. Makes 15 servings.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enola's Smothered Nutria
Recipe by: Chef Enola Prudhomme

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-3 pounds nutria, cut in serving pieces
2 tablespoons Enola's Secret Seasoning + 2 teaspoons
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt (opt.)
3 3/4 cups chicken stock or broth

In a heavy 5 quart pot on high heat, add oil, heat until very hot. Sprinkle seasoning on meat, stir well. Add meat to pot, brown on all sides. Cook and stir 10 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper and flour, cook and stir 10 minutes. Add salt and chicken stock to pot cook and stir occasionally, (about 15 minutes) scraping the bottom to pot to remove all the goodness. Serve over hot cooked rice, pasta or cream potatoes.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smoked Nutria and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
Recipe by Brian Berry from Hotel Acadiana's Bayou Bistro

2 smoked nutria, cut into serving pieces
1/2 pound sliced andouille sausage
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup diced garlic
3 quarts chicken stock
2 cups sliced green onions
1 cup chopped parsley
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

In a two gallon stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add flour. Using a wire whisk, stir until roux is golden brown. Do not scorch. Should black specks appear, discard and begin again.

Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute approximately three to five minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add smoked nutria and andouille sausage. Saute in roux approximately fifteen minutes.

Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated. Biring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer.

Cook until smoked nutria is tender, adding additional stock to retain volume of liquid. Once tender, approximately one hour, add green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt and pepper. Cook additional five minutes and serve over cooked rice.

[Balog]

Gourmet ways to prepare giant rats :confused: . Your tax dollars at work, folks! :banghead:

[TallPine]

How about a recipe for socialists ...?

:D

[SDC]

There was a news story going around a couple of weeks ago that said they'd uncovered fossil evidence of something like this that would've weighed ~1400 pounds, full-grown (this was in the Central and South Americas). For a 1400 pound woodchuck, I'd at least want a .50 Browning :D

[280PLUS]

poor s&w,,,a couple million years late on that one i guess,,,

now i'm all hungry and have to go eat something,,,

no cold nutria in the fridge, i'm afraid ,,, :cuss:

:D

[TallPine]

fossil evidence of something like this that would've weighed ~1400 pounds, full-grown
Extinction isn't all bad.

[10-Ring]

I'd seen some huge rats in the Philippines, but nothing like that! :what:

[dow]

Anybody got a good graphics program that might help reveal what state those truck plates are on the second photo I posted? I can't make them out.

Looks like a Texas plate to me. There's the blue bar across the top.

[dow]

Also, this window sticker:


http://www.ktc.com/~dow/images/window.jpg

seems to look a lot like the Texas Trophy Hunters Association logo.

http://www.ktc.com/~dow/images/header_slice.gif

[mtnbkr]

These things look kind of like the critters I saw in the woodland around some minor ruins in Mexico. Those were smaller though, about 20lbs, give or take. Wonder if they're related...

Chris

[gun-fucious]

de small ones are called Agouti (http://images.google.com/images?q=agouti&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wi)

[Labinnac]

Raising giant rats for fun and profit!

[Keith]

I think you're right. I think that is a Texas plate which bears out what the original poster of the pix said. I mean, it's not some Yanks with pictures of trophies taken down in Brazil or Argentina.

If the critters are in Texas, they really must be wild.. right? I can't imagine a game ranch spending money to import giant rats. Who would pay them for the privilege of shooting them?

Keith

[kalibear45]

.500 S&W magnum :evil:

[Bigjake]

that site said they've seen mass heards of up to 100 :what: Ma Duece for the sake of enough gun :evil:

[mtnbkr]

de small ones are called Agouti

Thanks Gun-fu, that's what I saw. All I could ever think of was the name of it's larger cousin.

Chris

[dow]

Well Keith, if this is a legitimate photo, then I'm sure SOMEBODY brought them here. I just can't see a South American herbivore migrating this far north. At least, not in the relatively short time since they've ben known (maybe 400 years at the outside). My guess is that somebody imported them as an oddity, and they either got loose, or the owners got tired of them and just turned them loose.

No matter how they got here, they might make some fun hunting.

[sm]

Mike Irwin , we members apologize. We kidded and razed you when you shared how your home was prepared for Invasion of Hottentots.
With Bears, mountain lions, and now BIG Rodents...your obviously better prepared that the rest of us...;)

[Keith]

if this is a legitimate photo, then I'm sure SOMEBODY brought them here. I just can't see a South American herbivore migrating this far north.

Well, yeah... It just makes a big difference whether these are on some private game ranch (Texas is filled with ranches offering exotic hunting) or whether these are indeed escaped critters living and breeding out in the bayou.
I just can't imagine paying to shoot a big rat, so I question whether these guys are on one of these game ranches. Yet, nobody seems to have any hard info on the critters, which you'd think would be out there if giant rodents were taking over the Houston suburbs...

Keith

[trvlr905]

Geez, speak of the devil. There's a flock of ducks that wanders the neighborhood so I decided to feed them some bread. And look what comes wandering on over.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid83/p1c0de2391e366f4f3b5968dd94d27c25/fae05f49.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid83/p91c5f9b85c6b7d005dbf79265df34fe1/fae05f47.jpg

Note that brownish lump in the lower edge is the toe of my boot and that I wear 12s.

I kid you not that rat tried to climb my leg at one point for some bread.

(Had to fix the pics.)

[Bigjake]

i hope you had some large caliber revolver in the hand not occupied with the bread....:evil:

[StuporDave]

Nutria make nice coats. I have seen them in up-scale stores.

The story I've always heard is that the nutria were originally imported and farmed for their fur. When there was no more market for their fur they just let them go. Now we got giant rats all over the place.

Dave

[Bob F.]

El-tejon: 100-120gr HP in that .256 Gibbs, huh? Sweet cartridge!!!
Rabbits are rodents, as are groundhogs....Wonder if these things have tough hide, gristle, small vitals, etc??

[LiquidTension]

If the things get up to 150lbs, I'd be using some sort of deer rifle. .30-30 would probably do the trick, but I like .308s :D

[tex_n_cal]

trvlr905, that's a Nutria. By the way, they have been known to kill dogs, no way in hell I'd let one get that close.

By the way, Nutria are very popular among alligators, and probably helped the big lizards back from endangered status.

In the spirit of my "California Needs Siberian Tigers" thread, I will remind everyone that the natural predator of the Nutria is the jaguar. Send them Capybaras to California, then we can justify sending in Jaguars - almost as cool as tigers

:evil:

[RustyHammer]

Yeah, and they make a nice bowl of gumbo too!

[Zach S]

Tell ya what. Just have three bites. Then, if you don't like it, push it to the side of your plate.
And what are you going to do with the other 140+ lbs of meat thats left over? Well, I do have a cat...

For some odd reason, I'm picturing a giant rat chasing my cat around, kinda like that vid of a dog chasing a cat out of the camera's veiw, and then running away from the tiger...

[stevelyn]

If anyone here has eaten a squirrel or rabbit, you have eaten a rodent. Of course squirrels and rabbits seem a little more appetizing than rats, capybaras, nutrias, and the like. Those of us who've spent any time at all along the Yukon River have eaten muskrat and beaver (the furry kind that swims and chews on trees) also considered rodents. A .30-30 should work just fine for dispatching these critters.

[Nestor]

Bad... Man Hit dog with Street. ;)

That is for all you TICK fans (animated not that Live action error )

[TallPine]

Rabbits aren't technically rodents.

They belong to some other odd family of critters ... IIRC, distinguished by having two rows of teeth. (my wife is the expert, not me)

[Dave R]

that site said they've seen mass heards of up to 100

And that, my friend, is exactly why you need your AK with that 75-round drum for sporting purposes.

[Keith]

And that, my friend, is exactly why you need your AK with that 75-round drum for sporting purposes.

What? And let 25 get away!

Keith

[FireInTheHole]

Those of us who've spent any time at all along the Yukon River have eaten muskrat and beaver (the furry kind that swims and chews on trees)

LMAO

[Mike Irwin]

"Mike Irwin , we members apologize. We kidded and razed you when you shared how your home was prepared for Invasion of Hottentots."

Why do you think I've since added a Phalanx system?

[amprecon]

StuporDave is correct as to how they arrived in N.A. . The Nutria will destroy swamplands (like swamplands could be any less desirable) by eating not only the grass shoots but the roots as well. They were imported for the fur trade then released into the wilds when there was no more profit from them.

I'm told that the state of MD had placed bounties on them at one time and that there were quite a few people who visited the killing grounds, they breed like rabbits. There is no bounty on them anymore that I know of.

Some friends and I had the opportunity to go down to the Blackwater Swamp near Venice, MD. There were four of us and we took the boat and just steered down canals winding through the swamp. We all used .22lr rifles, 10/22's, Marlin M60 and a pump .22lr, when we would see one swimming down the canal we would cut the engine and coast as close as we could then all four of us would open up on it. It was a blast, we never hit them half the time, everybody competing to be the first one to hit it, water flying all over.

We were amazed after examining the first kill, them things are butt ugly, just as in the photos. After awhile we got out on foot and spread out walking as far as we could and popping them along the way, some would run like crazy and others would just stop and pretend you didn't see them, those weren't much sport, but notches anyway.

Almost as fun as the prairy dogs in MT :)

[Gator]

like swamplands could be any less desirable

I beg to differ, dear sir!

Swamplands are excellent wildlife refuges and they provide much needed resting spots for migratory birds; consequently they provide great areas for hunting and fishing.

Swamps are natural water filters.

Swamps are important in controlling floods.

And most importantly......where do you think Gator's are from?


P.S. Yummmmmmmmm..........Nutria!

[Zach S]

And that, my friend, is exactly why you need your AK with that 75-round drum for sporting purposes. What? And let 25 get away! lmao!

I'm sure with a drum loaded, thered be a mag or two within easy reach.

My Thompson's drum wont fit in my pocket, my mags will. Too bad I need three hands to unload the drum. 50 of the critters would get away while I was reloading, and they wouldn't even have to run...

[45King]

TallPine wrote:How about a recipe for socialists ...?

[satire ON]
Here ya go:

1 socialist (dead or alive)
50 gals. lye
50 gals. hydrochloric acid

In a ceramic tub, slowly blend the lye with the acid. Insert the socialist (preferably dead; the screams can be nerve-wracking) and let simmer for two days. When done, flush down nearest sewer drain, or use it as "soup" for other captive socialists. One 150 lb. socialist can feed nearly 2000 socialist captives.

[/satire OFF]

;) :D

[Mike Irwin]

"In a ceramic tub, slowly blend the lye with the acid."

Uh, you know, it's been a LONG time since I took chemistry, but I do remember that:

Lye is a strong base.

HCL is a strong acid.


Mix a strong base and a strong acid together, and they neutralize each other.

With your soup, you'd end up with a lot of hydrogen gas given off from the reaction, some oxygen, a lot of released heat, and some sodium chloride formed...

[kentucky bucky]

If you have rats that big it's time to MOVE !!!!!!!!!!! :what::D

[BigG]

Would Brenneke slugs in this one do the job? ;)

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=537077

[Justin]

I used to bullseye wamp-rats back home with my T-16, they weren't much bigger than 3 meters.

:D

[Sven]

http://www.imageseek.com/sven/2003_10_11/capybara_solution.gif

[Bigjake]

Rabbits aren't technically rodents

correct sir. a little bit of useless knowledge left from my ffa days- rabbits are lagomorphs, which is roughly translated to "hare-shaped" in greek. just a little FYI


i wish we had these things around here, i love explodin varmits!

[NewShooter78]

In New Orleans, and surrounding areas, the local po-po's had bounties for Nutria tails. You needed a certian type of comercial licsence if I remember correctly, but if you could preserve the tails and bring them in they'd pay you cash for them. And its not like they aren't everywhere. Any place there is a drainage canal, there are nutrias (not to mention actual waterways). And silenced .22s are the only silent killer of these rodents. I once put one down with a shanked golf ball that skipped across a pond right into the base of the things neck. It wasn't pretty.

[V-fib]

Dr Rob, they are called “fish” cause most people that eat them are catholic and the church has to keep the “don’t eat meat on Friday” Catholics happy since they would eat them anyway.

Anyone see Dave Attells show “Insomniac” when he was in New Orleans? They have cops that ride nightly in the backs of pickups with suppressed .22’s and another cop holding a spotlight and they shoot the nutria along the waterways cause they cause so much damage to the canals. Nutria was originally brought to this country for their fur.

Squirrels are rodents too and lots of people eat them. If these animals were in my area I would at least try them. They would probably be pretty good.
:cool:

[gunsmith]

are giant rats stalking down in the bayou?

[VaughnT]

Well, it's an interesting problem we're facing here.

Not knowing the specifics of the capybara, I would hedge my bet with a large, heavy bullet. If you have to punch through thick skin like on a boar, you want to PUNCH through.

Of course, if they are thin-skinned, a .223, .243 or .270 would suffice. Range to target would have to be factored in, but I'm confident in that selection.

One question I have to ask, however, is how could this creature have made it in to Texas, the land of guns and men, and we not hear about it before now? More importantly, how could any good Texan on this board sit idly by while the second invasion from across the border takes place? Remember the Alamo!!

".....when we should be packing full-auto, preferably Belt-Fed!!!" Burt, Tremors II.

[Strange1]

We got those in downtown Detroit.:neener:

I was in Florida, we had cockroaches that were as big as a small dog too!:p

[HunterGatherer]

I was in Florida, we had cockroaches that were as big as a small dog too!dem's palmetto bugs


lmao

[telewinz]

Well, I'd use my giant mouse gun against them. Fairs fair. Your real name isn't Willard is it?

[ChickenHawk]

telewinz, I can't believe you just did that! :)

I was just reading this thread and was getting ready to post, "Funny no one has thought of a mouse gun!! :D :D

Oh, well,

ChickenHawk

[MicroBalrog]

Jumpin Jiminy...if those things are invading Texas, and if they compete with armadillos...


Lawdog is in BIG trouble.:)

[grnzbra]

Hey, can someone catch a few mating pairs and bring them to PRNJ? It would be great to watch the reactions of the limousine liberals here on Little Jimmy McGreevey's sandbar. Once they start wiping out their flowering ornamentals, they'll hire an outfit of professional hunters from New Hampshire to hunt them and pay them a couple of hundred dollars a head, as they did with the deer. (But they wouldn't consider selling special hunting licenses for them to actually make a little money)

By the way, rodents are family (or genus or one of those words) rodentus while rabbits are lepus (Remember that classic movie, Night of the Lepus?). Rabbits toes are 4x4 (front and back) while rodents are 4x5.

[SDC]

Here's what we have.. . just in case :D

[morganm01]

Insomniac with Dave Attell, in the New Orleans episode Dave went rat hunting with a group of guys from the city, they sat in the back of the p/u truck with rifles and spotlights and cruised the city canals.....looked like fun!

[admar2]

10mm of course.


:D

[Bruce H]

Claymores.

[Strange1]

dem's palmetto bugs

taste like chicken:barf:

[Matt G]

Moved to the Hunting forum.

[Mike Irwin]

"Jumpin Jiminy...if those things are invading Texas, and if they compete with armadillos..."

I think you should probably be more worried about them mating with armadillos...

Imagine that... a large land tank!

[MicroBalrog]

I suggest we all send Lawdog an S&W 500, just in case...:neener:

[MicroBalrog]

taste like chicken

Strange1, I DON'T want to know wow you found out.:) :)

[azrael]

Maybe I have been breathing to much leather glue...but...am I the only one that thinks these things are cute???

BTW if you can eat squirrell then you can eat capybara!

My weapon of there destruction?? My 8mm Mauser of course!!:D

[BIGR]

Kinda Cute.just joking..Though I wouldn't want one with a disease after me. Shoot it with the ol 44 mag.