One Dead Leaf

[Trench]

Howdy! I spent a gorgeous day at Indiana's 24,000 acre Morgan-Monroe State Forest on Sunday for some squirrels and a 10 mile day trek. This leaf is the only thing I've killed this squirrel season. Morgan-Monroe was my 2nd time out this season. I had mentioned before that I had been practicing all summer to be able to put my little .36 ball through a squirrel head, standing, at 20-25 yards. I can't explain it, but every squirrel has been a miss. :hmm: At the end of the day I decided to see if I could still hit this leaf off-hand at 20 yards and I'll be darned if I didn't put it dead center...like I'd been practicing all summer. Do squirrel heads warp time and space?

 

[Birdman]

Trench I hate to say it but it sounds like ya got a "flinch" going on. Some times folks have a hard time actually shooting live game n flinch just as they pull the trigger. If ya can get a buddy to watch ya while hunting n pulling the trigger it might help some cause ya may not even realize yer doing it. That or try useing a cartrige gun(22 or .17 if ya got one) in the morning n the BP in the afternoon. If your hitting with the cartrige gun then ya should hit with the BP. Remember to breath n let your breath out easy n SQUEEZE the trigger until the gun suprises ya by going off.Keep at it you'll figure it out after awhile

 

[Zoar]

No. And Yes: Only if they are shaman squirrels. :wink:

But are you sure you can see your front site in the low light of the forest? Especially when it is up against the gray of the squirrel's head. You might not be seeing the front site as well and may be mis-aligning your sites when you can't see the front site really, really well as when you are shooting at a white/red target or a GREEN leaf. The front site POPS OUT against a different colored target.

Just a thought.

 

[bdhutier]

i don't think it's anticipation, Birdman... He'd have pulled that shot out of center if it was. I'm guessing with front sight post fade-out, like Zoar said.

 

[alaskasmoker]

Well sounds like your Muzzleloading hunting goes about like mine! I missed a moose last year at 50 yards! You'll get em' next time!

 

[Trench]

I have to guess I'm not getting a good sight picture. Good for the range, but just horrible for the squirrel head.
I just ordered a silver blade front sight for my rifle that is just a tad bit thinner than what I'm using to put more light on either side of the blade in my sight picture. We'll see how that goes next year. :grin:

 

[bdhutier]

For now, just daub a little true-white paint on the back side of the post & try again. That should help some this year!

 

[Birdman]

bd I think you n Zoar are right, sticking that sioght way the heck out there can make it hard to see in dim light. Trench I think that silver sight will be a big improvement for ya, until then like already posted, paint the blade white for some dim light contrast

 

[Zoar]

Yeah seeing the front gray colored site in dim light against the fur of the game is quite different that looking at the same gray front site against a factory made bright white/red target in the yard or at the range. My aging eyes are needing more and more help to see that front site and I have had to cheat with paint. Lordy, I even broke down an put a black light on my bow today so I could see my sites of my bow. (Gasp!).

 

[longcruise]

Trench, looks like classic "squirrel fever" ta me.

 

[Protrucker]

I take a file & just touch the back of the top rear corner of the front sight enough to give it a shiney spot when the light hits it. Then keep that spot shined up once in a while with steel wool or sand paper. It's much easier to see in dim light.