In reference to my aforementioned of what I call the "Why and where factor" of squirrel hunting.
Yesterday morning I got out before daylight to a spot in that dreadful thicket that I have seen several squirrels chasing each other in the last week or so. It had been raining, which made walking quiet easy. So I slipped up close to those two trees that the squirrels have been hanging around, and just stood next to a smaller tree and waited for more daylight. There was a heavy overcast, it was warm (about 50*) and calm winds. Looked at my watch and it was 0720. At 0725 I saw the first squirrels. It was that same group of squirrels of 4-5 but they were downhill about 50-60 yards up in another group of trees. They had found some sort of nuts up there and were feeding on them. Running up and down, out to the end of the small diameter limbs, then back down a ways to bigger limbs where they sat and ate their breakfast. It was fairly open in that part of the thicket and with 4-5 sets of eyeballs up in those two trees doing what they were doing, I knew there was no way I could put the sneak on them without being seen. While standing there trying to figure out a game plan, I looked and no more than 10-12 feet in front of me hopped a large gray squirrel. He saw me but I didn't move. Then he jumped up on the side of a small sapling which was maybe 8 feet away and started a light purring sound followed by a light whine. I stood still but Mr. Squirrel determined that it might not be healthy for him to stick around, he bolted to a nearby larger tree, climbed up high, and began barking. It was then 0735. With that, all the other squirrels was on alert so I finally decided that since I had been seen, the gig was up and took the only shot I had at that squirrel, which was through some limbs, and missed. Now all the squirrels headed out. Time to move on.
Light rain began to fall at about 0800 and it was foggy by then as well. Easing around for a couple of hours I did see squirrels, but every one of them either saw me first, or would jump out darn near at my feet. I just couldn't connect to save my life. It was one of those days where most squirrels were parked up in trees and just sat and watched. Now that the leaves have all fallen, that scenario makes it tough to try to sneak up on those little buggers. But I stayed out there anyway easing around and trying to keep a positive attitude.
Somewhere around 1000 hours I happened to notice a rabbit sitting in some brush/briars. Eased around until I could get a good rest off of a tree and made a successful shot. I would reckon it was about a 25-30 yard shot.
The intensity of the rain increased and I was getting fairly wet and I was considering calling it a day, but I reminded myself that its only water and that I had been wet many times before. Also, I was determined that I was not going back until I had at least one squirrel. So the easing around continued until I heard several squirrels whining or barking in several directions, but all were up in higher ground at the top of the thicket. Its steep up there and my damaged knee kept reminding me that it wasn't pleased with me, but I kept limping up higher and higher anyway.
I had made my way up to the very top edge of the thicket where thicker, brushy woods joins it. This was not too far, maybe 60 yards or so, from the top of the mountain. While I was easing my way along an old grown up log road, another squirrel appeared right in front of me. Of course he saw me first and wasn't sticking around. That squirrel ran straight up the very steep slope between some enormous boulders. That was not the first time I have seen squirrels run or hop up that darn near impossible to walk on, steep ground.
Then the "Why and Where factor" kicked in. There's very large limestone boulders and outcroppings along much of the top edge of the slope, and then it levels out (for the most part) into what appears to be an old grown up farm field. There's a few mature trees up there scattered around, mostly near the edges, but for the most part, its smaller trees and/or saplings.
I remembered I had climbed up there one time early last summer, but it was a windy day. I didn't see the first sign of a squirrel nor any reason for them to be up there. So I wrote that location off as not good for squirrel hunting. Then I asked myself "why have I seen some squirrels going up between those large boulders on such steep ground and where were they going"? Time to investigate.
The other time I had went up there was from the opposite direction on a different log road. But it was quite a ways to get in there from where I was at. No way was I going to try to climb up such steep terrain where I've seen squirrels go. So I decided to back track a ways until I found a spot between some boulders that looked more user friendly. It was still steeper than steep, but I finally made it. I actually had to use the butt stock of my Crockett rifle like a walking stick a few times to keep my footing and as to not slide back down.
By the time I got up and on a deer trail on mostly level ground, I looked at my watch. It was then 1150 hours and still raining. At 1155 hours a squirrel appeared out in front of me on the ground. He was busy digging around in the leaves looking for something and didn't notice my presence. It was an offhand head shot of only about 10 yards or so. Things were looking a little better anyway. I was wet and had been out there going on 5 hours. But I finally had gotten a squirrel and a bunny rabbit.
Easing around more up on the top, I didn't see another squirrel but it was mid-day by then. I'm fairly certain most of them were back in their den trees for an afternoon nap. However, the more I looked around, the more den trees I found. I was amazed that there were so many den trees all along the edges of those steep drop offs, and that I did not notice them the first time I went up there. Then I remembered that all the brush and trees had their leaves on during that time and it is pretty thick up there. So understandable.
So, yeah, the "Why and Where factor" worked again and now I know where to go back to on a future hunt.
On the following pages I will post a few pictures of the area of the hunt. Due to rain, low clouds and fog, the quality of those images are not great, so I apologize.
