Kentucky squirrel season opened Saturday, but I couldn’t make theirs, so I had mine today. Mine will be hard to beat.
I was in a primitive mood, so I wore moccasins, leggings, breechclout, linen smock and felt round hat. I carried my Jackie Brown 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore loaded with 70 grains 2F, a brown paper wad, tow, 1 ounce of #5 shot, tow, primed with 4F using my little gourd primer. I carried my double bag, game bag, butcher knife and belt bag for the modern necessities.
The day was tailor made for squirrel hunting, partly cloudy, totally calm wind, morning temperature 58° rising to 80° when I left mid-afternoon. Because we had been having a long hot wet spell, and last night a mass of much cooler air moved in, there was heavy fog along all the waterways, and dew was as heavy as it can get. I was wet skin deep to the knees before I had moved 50 yards from the car.
I collected a large fox squirrel and a small gray, the gun was perfect. Lot’s of good sneaking, hiding, strategizing and some plain good luck made it an old-fashioned squirrel hunt, the likes of which I can never get enough of. That was grand, but not the best part. I love wandering the woods in primitive garb with a flintlock smoothbore, the feel of the ground through my moccasins, the use of age-old technology and gear I’ve made and made my own. For some reason, that’s what this one was all about, for me, and I enjoyed it more than I can describe. Shooting squirrels didn’t interfere with my enjoyment, but it took second place, today. Having a beautiful, delicate little whitetail fawn panic and bolt right by me, ten yards away, jumping like a gazelle and waving that showy white tail didn’t break the spell, either.
I think it will take a while for this hunt to wear off.
Spence
I was in a primitive mood, so I wore moccasins, leggings, breechclout, linen smock and felt round hat. I carried my Jackie Brown 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore loaded with 70 grains 2F, a brown paper wad, tow, 1 ounce of #5 shot, tow, primed with 4F using my little gourd primer. I carried my double bag, game bag, butcher knife and belt bag for the modern necessities.
The day was tailor made for squirrel hunting, partly cloudy, totally calm wind, morning temperature 58° rising to 80° when I left mid-afternoon. Because we had been having a long hot wet spell, and last night a mass of much cooler air moved in, there was heavy fog along all the waterways, and dew was as heavy as it can get. I was wet skin deep to the knees before I had moved 50 yards from the car.
I collected a large fox squirrel and a small gray, the gun was perfect. Lot’s of good sneaking, hiding, strategizing and some plain good luck made it an old-fashioned squirrel hunt, the likes of which I can never get enough of. That was grand, but not the best part. I love wandering the woods in primitive garb with a flintlock smoothbore, the feel of the ground through my moccasins, the use of age-old technology and gear I’ve made and made my own. For some reason, that’s what this one was all about, for me, and I enjoyed it more than I can describe. Shooting squirrels didn’t interfere with my enjoyment, but it took second place, today. Having a beautiful, delicate little whitetail fawn panic and bolt right by me, ten yards away, jumping like a gazelle and waving that showy white tail didn’t break the spell, either.
I think it will take a while for this hunt to wear off.
Spence
