Dawn in SE Minnesota broke at 36 degrees and rising. Not a typical January day. Forecast was for a severe cold front to come in early afternoon with 50 mph North winds. I figured the squirrels would be out trying to get some feeding in before the front hit, so headed to "The Land" (our lease) with the 62 Virginia Smooth Rifle in hand.
Arrived around 9:45 and loaded her up with 50 gr of 2F Goex and 1 1/4 oz of #6's. It was absolutely beautiful out. Partly cloudy, "warm", and a light wind from the West.
About 20 minutes into the hunt I saw my first squirrel. A grey popped out from behind a tree and ran like his tail was on fire. I shouldered the rifle, but never pulled the trigger. He was dodging through a thicket and a clear shot never presented itself. At the end of the thicket was a tree with a hollow, which he quickly scampered into. One point for the squirrels.
A bit later, I had stopped to look out over the valley (see summertime picture below with my grandson in it). The sun had come out strong and it was nice to just take in the scenery.
As I was standing there, a movement caught my eye. No, it wasn't a squirrel, it was the shadow of a squirrel on the side of tree shadow!! I slowly turned and about 20 ft behind me was a big fox squirrel hanging on the side of a tree flipping his tail. As I turned she went a bit further up the tree, but the Virginia sparked and barked and down she came. One point for the Virginia!
The next one I saw was similar to the first...a dead run. Two for the squirrels.
I began to make my way down the hill on an old logging trail when I spied a grey down the hill a bit. I slowly moved toward him and he went about two feet up a tree and I could only see about the top 1/3 of his body...not enough for a good shot. As I tried to work closer he broke and ran down the hill and then up another tree and to the side away from me. No problem. I just took a small rock and sent it rolling down the hill. Instead of just coming around to my side, however, he came down fast and ran for another tree. I could see a hollow in that one, so I charged him to make him go on the opposite side and not into the hollow. It worked. I set up ready to shoot and tossed a stick to the other side of the tree. This time he just came around to my side. Another shot and a nice grey came tumbling down. Two for the Virginia!
On my way up the hill I found the site of another predator's meal. Some Pheasant feathers were all that was left. Was it a red-tailed hawk, an owl, a coyote? Whomever, they didn't have flint and shot to help them get a meal. I picked up the tail feathers and put them in my possibles bag as they make nice decorations at home.
I was nearing the top of the hill when I heard a couple of soft squirrel barks on top. I froze, searching for him. Not seeing anything, I gave a couple of soft barks back and here he came down an oak tree which was right on top of a 10 ft high rock facing. Since he was too far away, I waited for him to disappear from sight, then started the stalk. I figured if I could get up to the rock facing, I could work my way down it to where it was only about 4 or 5 feet high and peek over. The plan worked and when I took a peek, he was sitting about 30 feet away on a log chewing a nut. At the shot he just disappeared off the log as the thick smoke swirled in front of me. I climbed around the rock facing and walked up to the log and there he was laying on the other side. Three for the Virginia!
By then it was mid-afternoon and the weatherman's forecast was coming to fruition. The cold winds came on fast and furious, so no more squirrels on my way back to the Jeep.
What a great day. Three out of five and a good portion of delicious squirrel meat for the freezer.
Arrived around 9:45 and loaded her up with 50 gr of 2F Goex and 1 1/4 oz of #6's. It was absolutely beautiful out. Partly cloudy, "warm", and a light wind from the West.
About 20 minutes into the hunt I saw my first squirrel. A grey popped out from behind a tree and ran like his tail was on fire. I shouldered the rifle, but never pulled the trigger. He was dodging through a thicket and a clear shot never presented itself. At the end of the thicket was a tree with a hollow, which he quickly scampered into. One point for the squirrels.
A bit later, I had stopped to look out over the valley (see summertime picture below with my grandson in it). The sun had come out strong and it was nice to just take in the scenery.
As I was standing there, a movement caught my eye. No, it wasn't a squirrel, it was the shadow of a squirrel on the side of tree shadow!! I slowly turned and about 20 ft behind me was a big fox squirrel hanging on the side of a tree flipping his tail. As I turned she went a bit further up the tree, but the Virginia sparked and barked and down she came. One point for the Virginia!
The next one I saw was similar to the first...a dead run. Two for the squirrels.
I began to make my way down the hill on an old logging trail when I spied a grey down the hill a bit. I slowly moved toward him and he went about two feet up a tree and I could only see about the top 1/3 of his body...not enough for a good shot. As I tried to work closer he broke and ran down the hill and then up another tree and to the side away from me. No problem. I just took a small rock and sent it rolling down the hill. Instead of just coming around to my side, however, he came down fast and ran for another tree. I could see a hollow in that one, so I charged him to make him go on the opposite side and not into the hollow. It worked. I set up ready to shoot and tossed a stick to the other side of the tree. This time he just came around to my side. Another shot and a nice grey came tumbling down. Two for the Virginia!
On my way up the hill I found the site of another predator's meal. Some Pheasant feathers were all that was left. Was it a red-tailed hawk, an owl, a coyote? Whomever, they didn't have flint and shot to help them get a meal. I picked up the tail feathers and put them in my possibles bag as they make nice decorations at home.
I was nearing the top of the hill when I heard a couple of soft squirrel barks on top. I froze, searching for him. Not seeing anything, I gave a couple of soft barks back and here he came down an oak tree which was right on top of a 10 ft high rock facing. Since he was too far away, I waited for him to disappear from sight, then started the stalk. I figured if I could get up to the rock facing, I could work my way down it to where it was only about 4 or 5 feet high and peek over. The plan worked and when I took a peek, he was sitting about 30 feet away on a log chewing a nut. At the shot he just disappeared off the log as the thick smoke swirled in front of me. I climbed around the rock facing and walked up to the log and there he was laying on the other side. Three for the Virginia!
By then it was mid-afternoon and the weatherman's forecast was coming to fruition. The cold winds came on fast and furious, so no more squirrels on my way back to the Jeep.
What a great day. Three out of five and a good portion of delicious squirrel meat for the freezer.
