2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........

[ETipp]

Your correct if you can afford those lens put into your eyes. My Va. told me they were not paying for any of those. I could come to the Hospital & get fixed up with free pr. of glasses.

That's what I was thinking. Its tough to get VA and insurance companies to pay for anything but the minimum. I have been fighting eye doctors for several years before one finally referred me to a specialist for a glare test and special eye equipment testing. I failed them badly. That's the only reason anything is being done. It all boiled back down to insurance companies not wanting to pay until my corrected vision got to 20/30. The problem is, that is under a controlled environment, at one location. IMO, that does not take into consideration changing/different light conditions and bright lights.

Insurance is not paying for the trifocal lenses. I am paying for those, the surgeon fee, as well as the special machine to install the lenses. Insurance is paying for the surgery center cost and maybe a little more. I figured that this is a once in a life time ordeal. If I'm going to have to go through it, I might as well get the best I can get.

 

[ETipp]

Mine are like that. Not as bad as yours but symptomaticaly the same. It's the distance and night vision that's the worst. I don't understand how it varies day to day I have deer and elk tags running from 12/1 to 1/31 so I'm waiting until February 1st to start wrangling the insurance company.

Best of luck .

Good luck, Cruiser. Please see my post above. Perhaps that will help you some on your quest. The only way I finally got somewhere was by holding my eye docs feet to the fire before she finally gave me a referral to see an eye surgeon for a glare test and other precise testing. If/when vision becomes a safety issue, then its time and insurance should step up to the plate.

Difficult to hunt or do what we like to do if we cannot see well enough to do it.

 

[Greg Selner]

Thanks fellas. Surgery is early Thursday morning for the right eye. Two weeks later is the left eye.

Yes, the surgeon and I had a pow wow about hunting. He is a big hunter and precision shooter as well.

Mike, I’ll definitely post the results.

I did just get some good news about this. Insurance is paying half of the cost. So it’s only costing me $800.00 per eye instead of $1,600.00 per eye.

Tom, indeed. I’ll gladly accept a little cultural shock in exchange for good vision again.

I’ll be praying for you Ed.
My sister had cataract surgery on both her eyes about 8 months ago and she had excellent results.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Best to ya Ed. I'm glad you are getting your vision corrected. All will go well my Friend. Then in no time at all you'll be shooting them squirrels better than you are now!

 

[longcruise]

Good luck, Cruiser. Please see my post above. Perhaps that will help you some on your quest. The only way I finally got somewhere was by holding my eye docs feet to the fire before she finally gave me a referral to see an eye surgeon for a glare test and other precise testing. If/when vision becomes a safety issue, then its time and insurance should step up to the plate.

Difficult to hunt or do what we like to do if we cannot see well enough to do it.

There's no doubt in my mind that they won't cover corrective lens implants but that's OK with me. I've been wearing trifocals for many years and I'm OK with continuing to wear them. Just need this fogginess gone.

 

[yellowhammer]

Same here, cruiser.

 

[Hermit Tim]

I wouldn't be surprised the guberment gets involved and says we can only shoot the males.

Man it will be hard to see the antlers while they're still in the tree. Gonna have to start carrying binoculars.

 

[Duk]

Good luck with your surgery ed can't wait to here about your first trip back in the squirrel woods.

 

[ETipp]

There's no doubt in my mind that they won't cover corrective lens implants but that's OK with me. I've been wearing trifocals for many years and I'm OK with continuing to wear them. Just need this fogginess gone.

If the eye doctors cannot seem to get your corrected lenses prescription right so as to get rid of the fuzziness, that might be due to cataracts. It definitely is in my circumstance. Generally speaking, insurance companies will not cover cataracts removal until your corrected vision gets to 20/30, unless there's special tests conducted that proves your vision is a safety issue.

Good luck, Mike.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Well, the saga has a happy ending.
View attachment 350701

What a wayward little gun. He decided to go sight seeing before deciding like the prodigal son to come home...

Hammer, how is the assembly going?

 

[yellowhammer]

Hammer, how is the assembly going?

Assembly is more or less finished, Fred:

That's the easy part. Finishing the metal parts and the stock is a much longer process!

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Assembly is more or less finished, Fred:

View attachment 351225

That's the easy part. Finishing the metal parts and the stock is a much longer process!

Looking good.
You are 100% correct about the finish.

 

[snakebit]

Assembly is more or less finished, Fred:

View attachment 351225

That's the easy part. Finishing the metal parts and the stock is a much longer process!

Heck yeah Hammer! Geter done!

 

[ScottK]

Assembly is more or less finished, Fred:

View attachment 351225

That's the easy part. Finishing the metal parts and the stock is a much longer process!

Looks great! Was thinking of doing Crockett # 2 as a kit then trying an SMR, so interested to hear how it goes for you…

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

I can imagine so. As it is now, much of the time it’s like trying to look through a piece of plastic lunch baggie. It’s like there’s a film over my eyes that changes, depending on the lighting. Sometimes it’s worse than others. Where things becoming worse is the eye doctors cannot seem to ever get my glasses prescription right.

Very frustrating. I sincerely hope I’m done with this stuff soon. It worked for JimK and some others so it should work for me.

Wishing you the best with your surgery!

 

[longcruise]

If the eye doctors cannot seem to get your corrected lenses prescription right so as to get rid of the fuzziness, that might be due to cataracts. It definitely is in my circumstance. Generally speaking, insurance companies will not cover cataracts removal until your corrected vision gets to 20/30, unless there's special tests conducted that proves your vision is a safety issue.

Good luck, Mike.

I'm pretty sure that's going on. Last year the examiner did some tests to confirm whether or not it was the cataracts and she said yes it was. Not sure that test or another like it will get me over the hump though. The only way I can see for safety consideration is the effect on driving. My wife no longer drives for several reasons so that leaves me. I do drive without issue in daylight but signs are very difficult to read at night. My night driving is mostly in places where I'm so familiar that I navigate without problems, but throw in a road project and I need to be very cautious and become that old guy who is driving too slow.

 

[yellowhammer]

Exactly my case to a T Cruiser. I can read the eye chart one line below 20/20. Focus is not my problem, although I have some astigmatism. Its the cataracts. My doc will do them right now, but I'm still functional except for low light / night driving. Starlight effect from headlights blinds me. I don't need to be driving at night, really.

He said within 2 years I'll be in his office agreeing "yeah it's time, let's do it".

For right now, I can still hunt squirrels and see the sights reasonably well if it's bright enough, but I can read the writing on the wall (pun intended).

 

[ETipp]

It appears that right eye surgery went well yesterday. I could see fairly well when I got out of surgery. Not great but not bad. Couldn’t help myself so after I got home I took a peek with Mr. Crockett. I could see the front sight fairly well but the tang peep was a blur.

Had to be at the surgeons office first thing this morning. He checked me out and said everything is good and I’m right where I’m supposed to be at this point. Tested out to 20/40. He said things will slowly improve. Might take 2-3 weeks.

A few minutes ago I thought I’d give it another try so I shouldered Mr. Crockett. I’m pleased to report that both sights are clear even though I’m testing to 20/40, or did earlier this morning. Even though it’s cloudy out, I could clearly see the small pearl bead on my front sight. That’s never happened before. It had to be in sunlight in order for me to see that pearl bead.

Next I grabbed my GPR. Same kind of front sight with a different style peep. Both were basically clear with the peep being a tad fuzzy. It is completely doable, however.

I cannot explain how or why I can see those pearl white front beads now when before it had to be in the sunlight, even though I was testing out to 20/20 with corrected lenses. The only thing I can think of is it had to have been the cataract.

Also, due to not being able to wear glasses with this new lens installed, now lm finding that every time I look at my desktop screen or this cell, my vision in my left eye is obscured big time afterwards. Definitely cataract related. Left eye surgery in 2 weeks.

I hope this information helps anyone that may be experiencing the same issues. I will update as things progress.

 

[ScottK]

Great to hear Ed!

Unless you’re a squirrel, then this is terrible news!

So happy everything went well…

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

It appears that right eye surgery went well yesterday. I could see fairly well when I got out of surgery. Not great but not bad. Couldn’t help myself so after ai got home I took a peek with Mr. Crockett. I could see the front sight fairly well but the tang peep was a blur.

Had to be at the surgeons office first thing this morning. He checked me out and said everything is good and I’m right where I’m supposed to be at this point. Tested out to 20/40. He said things will slowly improve. Might take 2-3 weeks.

A few minutes ago I thought I’d give it another try so I shouldered Mr. Crockett. I’m pleased to report that both sights are clear even though I’m testing to 20/40, or did earlier this morning. Even though it’s cloudy out, I could clearly see the small pearl bead on my front sight. That’s never happened before. It had to be in sunlight in order for me to see that pearl bead.

Next I grabbed my GPR. Same kind of front sight with a different style peep. Both were basically clear with the peep being a tad fuzzy. It is completely doable, however.

I cannot explain how or why I can see those pearl white front beads now when before it had to be in the sunlight, even though I was testing out to 20/20 with corrected lenses. The only thing I can think of is it had to have been the cataract.

Also, due to not being able to wear glasses with this new lens installed, now lm finding that every time I look at my desktop screen or this cell, my vision in my left eye is obscured big time afterwards. Definitely cataract related. Left eye surgery in 2 weeks.

I hope this information helps anyone that may be experiencing the same issues. I will update as things progress.

That's great Ed.
It's so good to hear.
Very happy for ya.
Soon you will busting them squirrels right in the head. Take slow and easy I know it's your nature to push through any obstacles in front of you, but you're just about there.

Take Care my Friend.