Another Great Day in the Squirrel Woods

[Spikebuck]

Mid day today was a beautiful time to be in the squirrel woods. Temps were in the 40 degree range and winds were light. Mostly sunny skies made it feel warmer than it was and I was actually quite warm dressed in my normal wool outerwear.

The squirrels must have liked it as well as they were out in force. While I planned to hike several miles today checking out deer trails and hoping to maybe find a shed, the squirrels kept me so busy I only made it perhaps a 1/3 of a mile in total. I ended up with six squirrels, just one shy of the seven daily limit.

The first was a nice fox squirrel:

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 2 by mdheaser

While I was cleaning this one, I heard a little sound just a few feet away and there was another one sitting looking at me. My hands were not in a condition that I wanted to grab my Virginia Smoothrifle, so I let him wander away while I finished my cleaning chore.

Not to worry because I could already hear one barking just 50 yards away. When I got there he was sitting up high in a tree with a nut. I had a clear shot and down he came. He had such a firm bite on that nut that even falling 30+ feet the nut stayed in place.

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 6 by mdheaser

I was just taking the above photo when I heard another squirrel bark in a tree very close. He spooked and went way too the top of a very tall oak, but he was on very tiny braches and the Virginia did it's job again.

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 5 by mdheaser

I cleaned both of them. I like to get that chore done right away and let them cool a bit in the snow.

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 7 by mdheaser

I had sneaked along for another 100 yards when I saw the next squirrel. This one needed to be stalked as he busily kept moving along the ground searching for a stashed nut or two. I was able to close the gap to within 20 yards. The .62 caliber Virginia smooth rifle came up and the now familiar sight picture settled on the squirrel sitting on a small branch just a few feet off the ground.

Maybe the new Voyager's hat my wife made me was giving me good luck! I had wanted a voyager's hat to match my orange and black capote, so she made one up for me. Was wearing my other capote today, but still need to have one item of orange above the waist to be legal for small game hunting.

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 8 by mdheaser

I no more than finished up with cleaning that squirrel when a large fox squirrel came along. I literally shot that one while standing where I cleaned the one before. It was like he was on a string coming right to me.

Then I could hear another squirrel gnawing on a nut just 30 yards or so away. I left the big fox squirrel lay there while I went over to that group of trees to check it out. Suddenly a nut fell on my head! I thought for moment that maybe SATX's squirrel Yodels had moved from Texas to Minnesota! :grin: Turned out it was just a little pine (red) squirrel, so I went back and cleaned the big fox squirrel completely forgetting to take a picture until it was too late.

With five in the game bag, I only moved along another 40 yards when a nice grey made her appearance. Another stalk and when she cleared the brushy area she had been messing around in, I took careful aim from around 20 yards and put number six in the bag.

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 10 by mdheaser

It was getting on to 3:30 in the afternoon and I've found that on winter days, the squirrels are starting to get back to their hidey-holes in the last 1 1/2 hours of daylight. I walked a bit further as I wanted to visit my ground blind from this year where I shot my doe. Just nice to stand there on a wonderful sunny winter day and dream back to that November day...that was a LOT colder!

The walk back to the truck was uneventful save for seeing another little pine squirrel. Those are just too small to be worth much, so I passed him up...may have been the same one that dropped the nut on my head!

When I got home I finished a little cleanup on the batch of squirrels. Several nice meals for sure.

011815 Squirrel Hunt at 911 Point 11 by mdheaser

 

[Stringbean]

What a day, and with a dandy smoothie to beat! I just recently discovered the joy of spending the day in the squirrel woods with a flintlock. Thanks for the post and the pics,
String

 

[coloradoclyde]

:thumbsup: :hatsoff: :bow: :applause:

 

[ny griz]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: You bet that was a great day in the squirrel woods :hatsoff: Griz

 

[Britsmoothy]

I was there with you brother :hatsoff:
Thank you :thumbsup:

B.

 

[Brokennock]

Wow. What a great day. Good for you.

 

[wattlebuster]

Thats a fine way to relax :thumbsup: Great pics :hatsoff:

 

[Spikebuck]

Just for accuracy....Yodels was the squirrel that dropped nuts on Wes/Tex's head. Had the wrong Texan associated with Yodels. :redface:

 

[Vaino]

You spent a busy time in "Squirrel Paradise" and the results should mak fore a couple of "gourmet meals"......Fred

 

[robinsroost]

Congratulations! What a wonderfully narrated story of a successful winter time hunt. I think squirrels are my favorite game animal, especially to set on the table. Keep yer powder dry.......Robin :bow:

 

[PJC]

I need a good luck hat like that.
Thanks for the photos and wonderful hunting story.

PJC

 

[hanshi]

Man! That was some day in the woods. Squirrel hunting has to be the most fun you can have in the woods...without getting arrested. That's a beautiful smoothrifle.

 

[Brokennock]

Question. What's your load in your smooth rifle, and are you aiming right at them or holding just off the head trying to get them with the edge of your pattern?

 

[BradCayton]

Wow, what a great day! Congrates on a fine hunt. :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

Sounds like a great day with lots of squirrels in that woodlot...minus 6...Congratulations!
:thumbsup:

 

[Spikebuck]

Question. What's your load in your smooth rifle, and are you aiming right at them or holding just off the head trying to get them with the edge of your pattern?

My squirrel load is 50 grains of 2F. Two oxyoke lubed felt overpowder wads that I put extra bore butter on. 1 1/4 oz of #6 lead shot. Two overshot cards.

I aim right at the head. With this load I have taken squirrels cleanly out to 25 yards which is really at the edge. Generally I'm shooting at 20 yds and under. I do end up with some shot in the front quarters and once in a while a pellet or two in the hind quarters, depending on shot distance. But as you can see from the cleaned carcasses, damage to the meat is very minimal.

For turkey I up that load to 75 grs of 2F and 1 3/4 oz of #6.

 

[Brokennock]

Thanks. That's about what I'm loading in my new TVM Early Virginia smooth rifle, but I haven't gotten out but once for squirrel and saw nothing.

I did put out a paper squirrel target at 35 yards and held a couple inches off it's nose. Put 3 in the head and a couple in the spine and ribs. Most shot was centered where I was holding. I am using paper shot cups formed at the muzzle.

 

[Spikebuck]

I did put out a paper squirrel target at 35 yards and held a couple inches off it's nose. Put 3 in the head and a couple in the spine and ribs. Most shot was centered where I was holding.

Sounds like that should do it, but I'd do some testing on a can to see what the penetration is at 35 yards. The shot may be hitting, but does it have enough energy to do the job? Good to check it out.

I have found that when I stretch it out to 25 yards, even though I kill the squirrel, I'll find a number of bb's just under the hide that had no power to penetrate further, especially on the bigger, tough fox squirrels. So the load is still effective, but I'm thinking it's getting to the marginal power level.

Squirrels may be small but they can be one tough critter with an unmatched tenacity for life. :grin:

 

[roundball]

Amen...#6's might be fine out of a modern choked shotgun with shot cups and higher velocity...but my experience with bare bore unchoked MLs is that the larger/heavier shot pellets...at least #5's, even #4's...get the job done fine at 25-30yds.

 

[Brokennock]

I did forget to mention that I was using #5 copper plated shot. My volumes are the same as well as using the two lubed felt wads. I do use one solitary thin over shot card right over the powder, even with my round ball loads, to separate lube from powder.