They all had/have mental health issues if they dare mess with “The Cruiser”. Da King of squirrel relocation.
2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........
- Thread starter ETipp
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With PA squirrel season opening 2 weeks from today, and all the snake talk, I ordered snake gaiters yesterday.
Can't hurt a thing. Good for you.
.50 + 11
32 Cal
Here too
.50 + 11
32 Cal
I sure feel safer in mine!
Well fellas, it was an interesting hunt this morning.
Woke up the same as the last 3 prior mornings, not feeling well at all. However, after a cup of ambition and a power bar, I grabbed my Crockett and possibles bag and headed out anyway. I was trying my best to be confident but it was a struggle doing so.
Arrived at my buddies house, chatted with him for a few minutes outside his garage, then headed out. It was barely daylight. It was, however, light enough to see that same squirrel up in a walnut tree on the edge of his property. I didn't even try for that one again.
As I eased my way along the mowed part and the edge of the thicket, I noticed a squirrel up in another walnut tree at the end of his mowed part. I almost had a shot at him but due to some brush, it just wasn't going to happen. I said to myself right then and there " ole buddy, on the way back I'm going to trim all of the sapling limbs that's in my way and I'll be ready for you the next time". Then I waded into the thick stuff headed towards the action tree.
Arriving at the action area, I decided I would try to a different approach this time. I would move over to a couple of small diameter trees that grew out of the same stump, then be facing the direction all of those squirrels have been coming from the previous two times when they snuck up behind me. I was never able to get a shot as a result.
As I stood there waiting, the sound of hickory nuts chunks was raining down already. It was early still and I knew that for those squirrels that was up there, ever how many there were, wouldn't be going anywhere. So, I stood and patiently waited. Finally, by 0712 I saw the first squirrel but he was off to the east and was not interested in coming into the main hickory tree. I remained on the spot waiting. Finally, one squirrel came jumping limb to limb from that direction but he came in lower downhill this morning than the previous two mornings. Then a second one did the same thing about 10 minutes later. I said to myself "just my luck".
Remaining on scene I heard several more squirrels jumping limb to limb at off to my left, some off to my right, and some straight ahead. I thought "Oh yeah, its fixing to happen". If I only knew.
Standing there for what seemed like an eternity, and seeing several squirrels, I was starting to feel a little upset. I had pulled the hammer back several times and here it was going on 0900 and hadn't shot the first squirrel. I just couldn’t feel the edge to me that I normally have.
I decided to move over to another tree that I had shot several other squirrels from and stood still. I had only been there for a couple of minutes when I noticed a squirrel jumping in the secondary canopy. It was about 18 yards away before it just happened to have seen me. It ran up the tree a little bit while hiding from the back side. Then it decided to peek its head around from behind the tree. That's all I could see. Instantly I pulled the hammer back and set the trigger but I did not have a steady rest in that position. When taking aim I said to myself "hey little fella, look what I got" then squeezed the trigger. I was actually somewhat surprised to see the squirrel hit the ground. It was somewhat of a low possibility shot. Looked at my watch.....0901 exactly and not much to show for it considering I had been out for 2 hours already.
After that I eased over to another tree where I could see up into that active hickory better but still wasn’t great. I waited and waited, pulled the hammer back at least 7-8 times just to have to ease it back down again. Not feeling great, this was beginning to be a real challenge for me. Another hour went by while standing there watching squirrels in just about every direction, but try as I did, mother luck was definitely not on my side this morning. I couldn't buy a good shot at a squirrel. They were there, but I'll be darned if they would present me with a good shot. Time and time again, I pulled the hammer back only to have to ease it back down.
Okay, this isn't working here today. So, after seeing a couple squirrels in the tops of another hickory near by, I said to myself "what the heck, what do I have to lose", then eased my way over there. The big problem was, the sun was rising higher and higher and I had to keep moving tree to tree to remain in the shadows. Trust me, there were not many trees to choose from under those conditions.
After easing my way over there, I could see squirrels up in the top of that big tall hickory, but the view was extremely limited. Dang it all anyway. I was not a happy camper. Well, that plan didn't work out either.
Finally, I noticed another squirrel making it’s way over to the main tree that was now uphill from me. However, the squirrel stopped in the smaller secondary canopy trees. Once again, when it decided to finally stop for short time, all I could see was part of the back of the squirrel. Now my self-imposed rule is to never shoot at just part of a squirrel, but heck, I got by with it once this morning. So, after pulling the hammer back yet again, and setting the trigger, I took as good as aim as my ole eyes could see and fired. The squirrel hung there for about 10 seconds then hit the ground.
By now the flies were getting really bad. So bad that the first squirrel I shot that took off his head, the flies were covering it up. There was no air moving back up in the head of that drainage with 3 sides around me. What was worse was the humidity. The temp was lower than the last few days but with the higher humidity, it made up for it. I actually buried that first squirrel the best I could to keep the files off of it. That worked so-so, and gave me the chance to hunt a little longer.
After that, I shot at two more squirrels and missed. That's all it took. I had enough for one day. It was 11:10 and I was outta there with little to show for my morning hunt. Also, not only was I not feeling great, I was somewhat frustrated now, too.
On the way out I did, indeed, cut those sapling limbs for the next time I go over there. Might not be the best showing of sportsmanship, but what the heck. I figure the squirrels still have the advantage.
Woke up the same as the last 3 prior mornings, not feeling well at all. However, after a cup of ambition and a power bar, I grabbed my Crockett and possibles bag and headed out anyway. I was trying my best to be confident but it was a struggle doing so.
Arrived at my buddies house, chatted with him for a few minutes outside his garage, then headed out. It was barely daylight. It was, however, light enough to see that same squirrel up in a walnut tree on the edge of his property. I didn't even try for that one again.
As I eased my way along the mowed part and the edge of the thicket, I noticed a squirrel up in another walnut tree at the end of his mowed part. I almost had a shot at him but due to some brush, it just wasn't going to happen. I said to myself right then and there " ole buddy, on the way back I'm going to trim all of the sapling limbs that's in my way and I'll be ready for you the next time". Then I waded into the thick stuff headed towards the action tree.
Arriving at the action area, I decided I would try to a different approach this time. I would move over to a couple of small diameter trees that grew out of the same stump, then be facing the direction all of those squirrels have been coming from the previous two times when they snuck up behind me. I was never able to get a shot as a result.
As I stood there waiting, the sound of hickory nuts chunks was raining down already. It was early still and I knew that for those squirrels that was up there, ever how many there were, wouldn't be going anywhere. So, I stood and patiently waited. Finally, by 0712 I saw the first squirrel but he was off to the east and was not interested in coming into the main hickory tree. I remained on the spot waiting. Finally, one squirrel came jumping limb to limb from that direction but he came in lower downhill this morning than the previous two mornings. Then a second one did the same thing about 10 minutes later. I said to myself "just my luck".
Remaining on scene I heard several more squirrels jumping limb to limb at off to my left, some off to my right, and some straight ahead. I thought "Oh yeah, its fixing to happen". If I only knew.
Standing there for what seemed like an eternity, and seeing several squirrels, I was starting to feel a little upset. I had pulled the hammer back several times and here it was going on 0900 and hadn't shot the first squirrel. I just couldn’t feel the edge to me that I normally have.
I decided to move over to another tree that I had shot several other squirrels from and stood still. I had only been there for a couple of minutes when I noticed a squirrel jumping in the secondary canopy. It was about 18 yards away before it just happened to have seen me. It ran up the tree a little bit while hiding from the back side. Then it decided to peek its head around from behind the tree. That's all I could see. Instantly I pulled the hammer back and set the trigger but I did not have a steady rest in that position. When taking aim I said to myself "hey little fella, look what I got" then squeezed the trigger. I was actually somewhat surprised to see the squirrel hit the ground. It was somewhat of a low possibility shot. Looked at my watch.....0901 exactly and not much to show for it considering I had been out for 2 hours already.
After that I eased over to another tree where I could see up into that active hickory better but still wasn’t great. I waited and waited, pulled the hammer back at least 7-8 times just to have to ease it back down again. Not feeling great, this was beginning to be a real challenge for me. Another hour went by while standing there watching squirrels in just about every direction, but try as I did, mother luck was definitely not on my side this morning. I couldn't buy a good shot at a squirrel. They were there, but I'll be darned if they would present me with a good shot. Time and time again, I pulled the hammer back only to have to ease it back down.
Okay, this isn't working here today. So, after seeing a couple squirrels in the tops of another hickory near by, I said to myself "what the heck, what do I have to lose", then eased my way over there. The big problem was, the sun was rising higher and higher and I had to keep moving tree to tree to remain in the shadows. Trust me, there were not many trees to choose from under those conditions.
After easing my way over there, I could see squirrels up in the top of that big tall hickory, but the view was extremely limited. Dang it all anyway. I was not a happy camper. Well, that plan didn't work out either.
Finally, I noticed another squirrel making it’s way over to the main tree that was now uphill from me. However, the squirrel stopped in the smaller secondary canopy trees. Once again, when it decided to finally stop for short time, all I could see was part of the back of the squirrel. Now my self-imposed rule is to never shoot at just part of a squirrel, but heck, I got by with it once this morning. So, after pulling the hammer back yet again, and setting the trigger, I took as good as aim as my ole eyes could see and fired. The squirrel hung there for about 10 seconds then hit the ground.
By now the flies were getting really bad. So bad that the first squirrel I shot that took off his head, the flies were covering it up. There was no air moving back up in the head of that drainage with 3 sides around me. What was worse was the humidity. The temp was lower than the last few days but with the higher humidity, it made up for it. I actually buried that first squirrel the best I could to keep the files off of it. That worked so-so, and gave me the chance to hunt a little longer.
After that, I shot at two more squirrels and missed. That's all it took. I had enough for one day. It was 11:10 and I was outta there with little to show for my morning hunt. Also, not only was I not feeling great, I was somewhat frustrated now, too.
On the way out I did, indeed, cut those sapling limbs for the next time I go over there. Might not be the best showing of sportsmanship, but what the heck. I figure the squirrels still have the advantage.
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I figured if you wore yours, we'd wear ours in a show of solidarity
Jim K
50 Cal.
Wow Ed you sure did decapitate him. Great shot. Good story too. Hope you feel better buddy!
As always, I appreciate reading about your squirrel hunting adventures.
Thanks for posting them Ed.
You just kidding when ya said head shot.
You definitely have nice area to hunt.
Me thinks you should name that rifle "The Decapitator"
Good write-up!Get some rest of buddy and heal yourself up!
I woke up from a nap, went outside, and witnessed a strange weather phenomenon. It wasn't stifling hot. There were strange white globs up in the atmosphere, and a strange clear liquid was dropping out of the sky with booming noises and flashing lights.
Might take a while for me to get over the shock. If so, maybe I can go scout for squirrel sign at the pawpaw patch.
LOL, well one thing is for sure, I don’t wear snake gators as a fashion statement.I figured if you wore yours, we'd wear ours in a show of solidarity
Thank you.
Thanks, Fred.
Truth be told, it’s literally a hit and miss situation here, in terms of finding squirrels. One year they might be all over a small area, yet the next year they are not. One thing is for certain, squirrels will travel for food. Also, some years certain trees will have good nut crops, other years not so much.
Ya just gots to keep walking and scouting until you find them. Often times, it can be a small spot, such as the ones I’ve been lucky enough to locate.
Me thinks you should name that rifle "The Decapitator"
Get some rest of buddy and heal yourself up!
The weather has changed here, much like what you are seeing, Stan.
Due to not feeling well at all, yet continuing to push the limit, I totally flamed out yesterday evening. After I cleaned my Crockett and squirrels, cleaned up and grabbed a bite to eat, I was in bed before 1700 hours.
Now I don’t know what time it was but I remember a few storms coming through. The wind picked up and I remember hearing rain hitting the side of the house. However, I was so out of it that I went back to sleep.
I was awakened when the easy music I listen to shut off. The power went out at a few minutes past midnight and is still out.
Dang it all anyway. I had planned another squirrel hunt this morning but between light ran, very cloudy skies, and the power being out, it’s not going to happen. It’s been over 7 hours now so I need to get the generator pulled out and fired up for the fridge. So, perhaps in the morning I can go back out.
Seeing open sights under dark and cloudy conditions is a big time issue for me at this time.
The weather people are calling for cooler weather this coming week with mostly clear skies. Should be good for squirrel hunting, other than the forecast wind direction.
Tom, I reckon giving myself time to rest up and get over this crud I have will be a good thing as well. I have the same symptoms as the recent COVID that’s going around here yet I’ve tested negative 3 times now, including yesterday evening.
Oh, BTW, if I were to name my Crockett “The Decapitator” I most likely would never again get a head shot.
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I hear ya on the hit and miss thing Ed.
My area I permission to hunt holds a good amount of squirrels, some years more than others. Last couple of years the oaks weren't producing many acorns
They're looking full this year. Hickories are real good also.
We took a little walk to a spot, Im hoping to hunt for muzzleloading season. There was a lot of deer tracks and droppings. Didn't see any rubs.
The ground is littered with empty hickory shells and the pine cone scraps were everywhere. I know the squirrels will taunt me this year, as they do every year.
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No doubt. It’s too bad that squirrel stupid season is during some of the deer seasons.
We had a couple friends stop by yesterday afternoon, I wasn't able to get out. This morning a from mine is coming over to practice with his crossbow. His climber failed about 3 1/2 years ago and real messed him up bad, he can't pull a compound bow back anymore.
I'm going to try and get out early evening, they're pretty active then. Plus off work tomorrow so hopefully I can get me a few more.
As far as squirrel stupid season last year in the same spot we walked to yesterday, they were crazy last year. I'm thinking about taking the Crockett Rifle with me, but then I'll convince my self I blew a chance at at deer. We'll see this year if I do or not.
Burr oak acorns are coming on strong here. With so many hickory’s producing this year, I reckon the squirrels will be cutting on them for a while. One thing is for sure, if the squirrels can’t find hickory nuts, they can surly find acorns. Also, the deer ought to be happy this year.
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I'm quite lucky as far as snakes go, I'm on the east side of the Missouri River. We have several types of nonpoisonous snakes, on the west side of the river there is quite a few rattlesnakes. But I've only seen one on the east side in my 61 years.LOL, well one thing is for sure, I don’t wear snake gators as a fashion statement.
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