After weeks of above normal temps and a brown Christmas, a storm blew threw Friday night/Sat Morning that dumped 2 - 4 inches of heavy wet snow on the area. As usually happens after a storm passes, the cold air mass came in and today was a crisp, cold day with abundant sunshine. Time for a squirrel hunt!
I decided to head for my lease since the squirrels are abundant there and I hadn't been back since the November deer season. It was good to head down the 8/10's of a mile field road that leads to our "hunting shack," a century-old farm house. It was good to be back.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 1 The House by fillmorelease
I quickly got into my Capote, loaded up the .62 cal Virginia smooth rifle, and headed into the woods. I immediately saw squirrel tracks and not 20 yards into the woods I spied a squirrel make a couple of quick jumps and then go about 10 feet up the side of a large oak. He was about 20 yards away just hanging on the side checking me out. The Virginia came up and as soon as the sights settled she roared to life and the first squirrel of the day was in the bag.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 2 First Squirrel by Full Moon by fillmorelease
After skinning and gutting it and packing it into a plastic ziplock then putting that in my leather game bag I moved on. A few hundred yards further and I could hear a squirrel "squeaking." Not a bark, but it's a low "squeal" that rises in pitch. I crept forward but the new snow with frozen leaves underneath was pretty noisy. At about 30 yards we saw each other and he headed up a large oak full of branches. The next 20 minutes were spent going around the tree, throwing sticks, etc. Finally I could see about 1/2 of his body/head way up the tree and figured it was as good as it was going to get. Well...somehow I missed and that squirrel ran down the tree, jumped onto the end of a large oak deadfall 20 feet away and proceeded to scold me like there was no tomorrow! I've never had one do that before!!! :shocked2: I was reloading as fast as I could while he used every four-letter squirrel word and just as I was ramming the load down he took off into the mass of branches and leaves of the deadfall. I crept up to it to see if he was hiding in there, but it was so thick he could have been and I probably wouldn't have seen him. I worked around it's perimeter peering deeply into the mass of branches when a big black eye surrounded by fur caught my attention. I no more than recognized it as a rabbit when it took off in high gear. No shot.
After congratulating those two on outsmarting me, I slipped along just enjoying the afternoon. While it was cold, the wind was calm and the bright sunshine was something we haven't seen for about three weeks here, so I was soaking in the beauty of the day. I walked out to a small rock outcropping and looked down our lease's narrow valley to a small field we call "dogleg."
122814 Squirrel Hunt 3 Looking down on Dogleg by fillmorelease
I could hear the creek in the bottoms gurgling it was so quiet. My mind drifted to mid September when I first saw a very nice buck in that field with strips of velvet still hanging off his antlers. I even managed to get a few trail cams of him in that field, but we never met on terms that allowed my bow or muzzleloader an opportunity. I wondered if he made it through the season.
Dogleg 093014 10 Pt 1 by fillmorelease
The point I was on had a number of fresh deer beds under the cedars as well. Maybe this big one was made by that buck. I had been seeing a fair number of tracks and was glad to see the deer were hanging in there.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 4 Deer Bed on Point above Dogleg by fillmorelease
I walked a ways before seeing my next squirrel but that one went right up a tree and into a hole. No chance there. But not a minute later I saw another one and I put the sneak on him. He finally saw me and ran up a tree, but he was more curious than scared and sat on a branch just watching me. I brought up the Virginia and "KLATCH!" I knew before I went out today that my flint had about had it, but I didn't take the time to change it. I quickly reset the cock, but the squirrel had moved around the other side of the tree. I figured I'd be making circles for the next 20 minutes, but low and behold when I went around to the other side he was just sitting on another limb. This time, though with a little hesitancy, the shot went off and number two was in the bag.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 5 Second Squirrel by Tall Spike by fillmorelease
As stated earlier, even though it delays my hunting time a little, I like to clean my squirrels right away. I carry a small hawk to cut off the head and feet, then I skin, gut, cool them with a little snow, and pack them. It's a lot easier to skin them when they are hot and it saves time when I get home tired.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 7 Prepped to Clean No 2 by fillmorelease
My main accouterments include an October Country bag, along with a matched powder and priming horn also of their make, though I darkened them a bit. I use one of Cutfingers' turtle shot bags. Behind my main bag is a fringed leather pouch from Northwest Traders I use as my game bag.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 6 Accouterments by fillmorelease
It was getting late into the afternoon, so after changing my flint, I started wandering back. The earlier encounter with that rabbit made me decide to follow a field edge back as there was a lot of brush that could hold another. I worked slowly along the edge peeking deeply into every thick spot that could hold a wary rabbit. I came to a very large, thick bush that bent over providing a perfect hidey-hole for a wascally-wabbit. Sure enough, deep inside I could see a big eye looking back at me from about 10 feet. The shot to the head was actually pretty clear so I leveled the Virginia and took my last shot of the day. A nice cottontail was my reward!
122814 Squirrel Hunt 9 Rabbit by Long Strip Alfalfa Plot by fillmorelease
What a great way to end a perfect afternoon. I cleaned the rabbit and put him in with the two squirrels. I felt privileged to have the opportunity to spend such a perfect afternoon in God's creation and thanked Him for allowing me this harvest. It couldn't have been better.
Thanks for coming along and sharing my afternoon with me. I hope it stirred memories of your best days afield.
I decided to head for my lease since the squirrels are abundant there and I hadn't been back since the November deer season. It was good to head down the 8/10's of a mile field road that leads to our "hunting shack," a century-old farm house. It was good to be back.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 1 The House by fillmoreleaseI quickly got into my Capote, loaded up the .62 cal Virginia smooth rifle, and headed into the woods. I immediately saw squirrel tracks and not 20 yards into the woods I spied a squirrel make a couple of quick jumps and then go about 10 feet up the side of a large oak. He was about 20 yards away just hanging on the side checking me out. The Virginia came up and as soon as the sights settled she roared to life and the first squirrel of the day was in the bag.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 2 First Squirrel by Full Moon by fillmoreleaseAfter skinning and gutting it and packing it into a plastic ziplock then putting that in my leather game bag I moved on. A few hundred yards further and I could hear a squirrel "squeaking." Not a bark, but it's a low "squeal" that rises in pitch. I crept forward but the new snow with frozen leaves underneath was pretty noisy. At about 30 yards we saw each other and he headed up a large oak full of branches. The next 20 minutes were spent going around the tree, throwing sticks, etc. Finally I could see about 1/2 of his body/head way up the tree and figured it was as good as it was going to get. Well...somehow I missed and that squirrel ran down the tree, jumped onto the end of a large oak deadfall 20 feet away and proceeded to scold me like there was no tomorrow! I've never had one do that before!!! :shocked2: I was reloading as fast as I could while he used every four-letter squirrel word and just as I was ramming the load down he took off into the mass of branches and leaves of the deadfall. I crept up to it to see if he was hiding in there, but it was so thick he could have been and I probably wouldn't have seen him. I worked around it's perimeter peering deeply into the mass of branches when a big black eye surrounded by fur caught my attention. I no more than recognized it as a rabbit when it took off in high gear. No shot.
After congratulating those two on outsmarting me, I slipped along just enjoying the afternoon. While it was cold, the wind was calm and the bright sunshine was something we haven't seen for about three weeks here, so I was soaking in the beauty of the day. I walked out to a small rock outcropping and looked down our lease's narrow valley to a small field we call "dogleg."
122814 Squirrel Hunt 3 Looking down on Dogleg by fillmoreleaseI could hear the creek in the bottoms gurgling it was so quiet. My mind drifted to mid September when I first saw a very nice buck in that field with strips of velvet still hanging off his antlers. I even managed to get a few trail cams of him in that field, but we never met on terms that allowed my bow or muzzleloader an opportunity. I wondered if he made it through the season.
Dogleg 093014 10 Pt 1 by fillmoreleaseThe point I was on had a number of fresh deer beds under the cedars as well. Maybe this big one was made by that buck. I had been seeing a fair number of tracks and was glad to see the deer were hanging in there.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 4 Deer Bed on Point above Dogleg by fillmoreleaseI walked a ways before seeing my next squirrel but that one went right up a tree and into a hole. No chance there. But not a minute later I saw another one and I put the sneak on him. He finally saw me and ran up a tree, but he was more curious than scared and sat on a branch just watching me. I brought up the Virginia and "KLATCH!" I knew before I went out today that my flint had about had it, but I didn't take the time to change it. I quickly reset the cock, but the squirrel had moved around the other side of the tree. I figured I'd be making circles for the next 20 minutes, but low and behold when I went around to the other side he was just sitting on another limb. This time, though with a little hesitancy, the shot went off and number two was in the bag.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 5 Second Squirrel by Tall Spike by fillmoreleaseAs stated earlier, even though it delays my hunting time a little, I like to clean my squirrels right away. I carry a small hawk to cut off the head and feet, then I skin, gut, cool them with a little snow, and pack them. It's a lot easier to skin them when they are hot and it saves time when I get home tired.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 7 Prepped to Clean No 2 by fillmoreleaseMy main accouterments include an October Country bag, along with a matched powder and priming horn also of their make, though I darkened them a bit. I use one of Cutfingers' turtle shot bags. Behind my main bag is a fringed leather pouch from Northwest Traders I use as my game bag.
122814 Squirrel Hunt 6 Accouterments by fillmoreleaseIt was getting late into the afternoon, so after changing my flint, I started wandering back. The earlier encounter with that rabbit made me decide to follow a field edge back as there was a lot of brush that could hold another. I worked slowly along the edge peeking deeply into every thick spot that could hold a wary rabbit. I came to a very large, thick bush that bent over providing a perfect hidey-hole for a wascally-wabbit. Sure enough, deep inside I could see a big eye looking back at me from about 10 feet. The shot to the head was actually pretty clear so I leveled the Virginia and took my last shot of the day. A nice cottontail was my reward!
122814 Squirrel Hunt 9 Rabbit by Long Strip Alfalfa Plot by fillmoreleaseWhat a great way to end a perfect afternoon. I cleaned the rabbit and put him in with the two squirrels. I felt privileged to have the opportunity to spend such a perfect afternoon in God's creation and thanked Him for allowing me this harvest. It couldn't have been better.
Thanks for coming along and sharing my afternoon with me. I hope it stirred memories of your best days afield.
