I belong to a writer’s research group on Yahoo, hosted by the fabulous Rayne Hall (I reviewed her book here).  Even when I don’t have an open question for the group, or the topic isn’t one I can contribute knowledge to, I still read the posts.  That’s how I came across the following story, courtesy of Pedar Bloom.

An author had asked about details concerning rat hunting, and Pedar posted a true tale so amazing that I repeatedly pulled it up on my smart phone and read it to people.  Everyone loved it.  Thanks Pedar, for letting me share:

Imagine thousands of these. . .

“My wife’s cousins used to hunt rats for bounty. Their city had a problem with
rats in the sewers and paid per rat killed. They were given access to the sewer
system, vests, hard hats like miners wear with a flash light in them, and were
otherwise expected to bring their own gear.

The first time they went they brought 22 caliber repeating rifles. They entered
at the access point.  The access point was about two blocks from where the big
rat colony was, and was used because it gave the hunters a way in and out away from
the main colony.  They could hear the rats down the pipe even two blocks
away.
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