rainy day squirrel

[George]

My early muzzleloading deer season opens next Saturday, so I took a little scouting trip this morning. It was a dark, cool morning, with occasional drizzly rain. That seemed like a good morning for a squirrel hunt, so I combined the two. The woods were pretty, early fall color here and there, and quiet, in spite of all the leaves on the ground. I was hunting with my 20 gauge flintlock smooth rifle, using brown paper and tow as wadding, and I continue to find it pretty effective. I killed one squirrel at about 25 yards. Hunting squirrels on a rainy fall day in Kentucky is still one of my favorites.



Spence

 

[Britsmoothy]

I hear you Spence :hatsoff:
Always a joy to hear from your walks sir.

B.

 

[ny griz]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Nice.What was your load? Griz

 

[Rickey Brown]

I'm heading out in the morning. Waiting for the storms and wet weather to blow through and bring some cooler temps

 

[George]

I'm shooting 60 gr. 3F and 70gr. #5 shot for squirrels, these days.

Spence

 

[Roguedog]

Nice work Spence. How did you choose to prepare that bushytail? I enjoy hearing you talk about your wildgame recipes as well. I usually almost always fry mine but sometimes I will make a stew or even squirrel and dumplings. I guess it depends on which way the wind is blowing that day and how it affects my mood.

Jeff

 

[hanshi]

Looking good, there; i still prefer rifle for squirrels, though.

 

[George]

Looking good, there; i still prefer rifle for squirrels, though.

Talk to me again when you are 81. :haha:

Spence

 

[George]

Nice work Spence. How did you choose to prepare that bushytail?

Yeah, I check the wind first. I'm in the mood for some squirrel and dumplings, I think. Soaking it overnight in salt water, don't have to decide until tomorrow, and the wind may shift. :grin:

Spence

 

[Spikebuck]

Nice picture and good luck on the upcoming deer hunt. Hopefully you found some good deer sign to go along with that bushytail! Will look forward to another picture soon.

 

[roundball]

Sounds like a nice outing
:thumbsup:

 

[Brokennock]

Might a suggest something a bit different, squirrel pot pie.

 

[Skychief]

Way to go Spence! That's a nice looking squirrel gathering kit you have there. :thumbsup:

Good luck with the Whitetails my friend!!!

 

[PJC]

Always makes my day to see a squirrel thread by George.
Thanks for the story and photo.

Pat

 

[Wes/Tex]

Excellent account and picture! Wish I was doing the same. After last fall, don't think I could shoot one unless I knew for sure it wasn't ole Yodels! :wink: :haha:

 

[Vaino]

Thanks for sharing your "walk" and the squirrel is a bonus.

At 82 I no longer can shoot iron sights and you just gave me an idea....might just build a smoothbore which should enable me to still put some squirrels on the table.....Nice going.....Fred

 

[Roguedog]

Spence, this is off topic but do you ever find your early season squirrels to have what the old timers called "wolves", or the larvae from the bot fly? I typically hold off on squirrel hunting until first frost because I myself have killed a few early season squirrel that contained this larvae and I can tell you that it is quite disgusting. It really makes me not want to eat squirrel, especially that particular squirrel. I have seen them so infested that the squirrel may have two or even three of the larvae actively working their way from the squirrel's skin. One can pinch around the wound and often "pop" these maggot looking larvae out upon the ground. It is quite unsettling, at least to me.

Jeff

 

[BrownBear]

Excellent Spence.

I'd put money on you taking deer on rainy days, too. Nothing like experience to carry you through challenges.

 

[George]

I'm familiar with the wolves or warbles in squirrels, but I believe I've only ever seen one of them in all the years I've been hunting squirrels. We've had a spring squirrel season for more than 20 years, don't see them then, either. I think my area must not in their common range. Same thing for rabbits, same bot fly parasitizes them, but they are very rare here.

They are pretty gross, but they are harmless. It's OK to eat the meat. Or not.

Spence

 

[Roguedog]

Yes, I have read that they are indeed harmless physically, but the mental damage that they do to me is another thing entirely! I just can't bring myself to eat a squirrel that I just popped a maggot out of. I would not say that I see a lot of squirrels infected in such a way within my area of middle Tennessee, but I have seen enough of them that it is something that I check for after harvesting a squirrel. If I had to give an average, I would say 1 in possibly 10 within the August/September hunting season. As with other things, seasonal and yearly variances do apply. Some years I see none, some years I see several.

Jeff