Hey at least you're getting to hunt! I've been stuck here in California working for the last 5 weeks. Hope I get home to hunt the last two weeks of deer season in MS. Anyway, those rats can be tough in the late season. My favorite tactic is to take a really accurate .22 and ease around taking long shots before they know I'm around. If you see several, just sit and shoot; waiting to retrieve several at one time. Just be really careful to mark them all so you don't loose any. Good luck with that venture.