I had been planning a squirrel hunt for weeks, but the commie flu interrupted my plans. Postponed the hunt several times; I was one sick puppy for awhile. That crap is no joke. Eventually the weather was right and my energy was returning. So, planned a hunt for 12/16/21, the day after high winds, I’m hoping for at least a chance to get a couple squirrels. The day turned out to be a doozy.
I got to the pasture in a timely way and after closing the gate I started my short drive to the edge of the woods. I drive thru pasture for about 1/4 mile and park next to the woods. As I stop next to the woods in my usual spot a squirrel sits upon a limb about 10 yds away. I missed him!! Had my 17Mach2 and failed to account for it hitting low at that close range. The squirrel runs about 20 yds and presents himself for a 2nd attempt. Since I had my Bergara BXR .22 with me, I switched guns and took out his eyeball. Realizing why I missed helped. I then took the BXR and my walking stick and proceeded on my stroll thru the woods. Overhead were 1,000s of snow geese in wave after wave. I never tire of the migration spectacle. It’s looking to be a beautiful day, about 55 degrees, sunny, and calm. No leaves left on the trees. The forest floor is covered with several inches of dry leaves and I can see for 100+ yards thru the trees and brush. Good day for spotting squirrels, but they can see me too, so I proceed with caution and optimism. Too nice a day to be otherwise.
I then spotted a couple squirrels chasing each other so I work in their direction and found a whole group (5-6 squirrels) chasing each other. Working my way toward them one tree at a time eventually brings me close to the group. They are distracted by chasing each other. Big mistake. In a few minutes I had 3 on the ground. So, I gather them and return to my car. I drive a ways and park near a favorite spot. After scanning the trees for a few minutes, I spot one sitting about 75 yds away. I think….crap, if I hit him, I’ll have to go get him. Oh well, didn’t go hunting to sight-see so remembering which rifle shoots best at distance, I pick the 17Mach2, find a steady rest, settle in with breath control, trigger squeeze, and make a perfect head shot. Booyah!, but now I have to go get him. So, armed with a walking stick I descend down a slope into a dry creek bed, crawl under a fence and climb up the opposite bank, wade thru brush and weeds and actually found the squirrel where I thought it would be. So far so good.
Now I have to go back. So I wade back thru the brush, slide down the bank, crawl under the fence, and start up the opposing bank, only to slide back to the bottom due to a foot of dry leaves covering everything. I have a good laugh and wondered what would possess a 75 yr old man to climb up and down a holler, fight dense brush and weeds to retrieve a dead squirrel
. I make it back to the car, happy that I just shot a limit of squirrels, first and only time this year.
I then drive to the other side of the pasture that is bordered by another large expanse of timber. I pat myself on the back for a job well done and get all my skinning gear out and proceed to process my squirrels. Thirty minutes later I have all the skinned squirrels in the cooler ready to drive home. I spend another hour drinking coffee, snacking on homemade cookies, bathing in the fresh air and goose honking overhead, squirrel barks in the distance. What a day! I decide I need to leave before I fall asleep and wake up in the dark. So I fire up the Nissan and decide I’ll drive by just one more spot, just to have a look. I find another dozen squirrels and celebrate knowing that many good shoots are in my future. It's good to be alive!!
I got to the pasture in a timely way and after closing the gate I started my short drive to the edge of the woods. I drive thru pasture for about 1/4 mile and park next to the woods. As I stop next to the woods in my usual spot a squirrel sits upon a limb about 10 yds away. I missed him!! Had my 17Mach2 and failed to account for it hitting low at that close range. The squirrel runs about 20 yds and presents himself for a 2nd attempt. Since I had my Bergara BXR .22 with me, I switched guns and took out his eyeball. Realizing why I missed helped. I then took the BXR and my walking stick and proceeded on my stroll thru the woods. Overhead were 1,000s of snow geese in wave after wave. I never tire of the migration spectacle. It’s looking to be a beautiful day, about 55 degrees, sunny, and calm. No leaves left on the trees. The forest floor is covered with several inches of dry leaves and I can see for 100+ yards thru the trees and brush. Good day for spotting squirrels, but they can see me too, so I proceed with caution and optimism. Too nice a day to be otherwise.
I then spotted a couple squirrels chasing each other so I work in their direction and found a whole group (5-6 squirrels) chasing each other. Working my way toward them one tree at a time eventually brings me close to the group. They are distracted by chasing each other. Big mistake. In a few minutes I had 3 on the ground. So, I gather them and return to my car. I drive a ways and park near a favorite spot. After scanning the trees for a few minutes, I spot one sitting about 75 yds away. I think….crap, if I hit him, I’ll have to go get him. Oh well, didn’t go hunting to sight-see so remembering which rifle shoots best at distance, I pick the 17Mach2, find a steady rest, settle in with breath control, trigger squeeze, and make a perfect head shot. Booyah!, but now I have to go get him. So, armed with a walking stick I descend down a slope into a dry creek bed, crawl under a fence and climb up the opposite bank, wade thru brush and weeds and actually found the squirrel where I thought it would be. So far so good.
Now I have to go back. So I wade back thru the brush, slide down the bank, crawl under the fence, and start up the opposing bank, only to slide back to the bottom due to a foot of dry leaves covering everything. I have a good laugh and wondered what would possess a 75 yr old man to climb up and down a holler, fight dense brush and weeds to retrieve a dead squirrel
. I make it back to the car, happy that I just shot a limit of squirrels, first and only time this year.I then drive to the other side of the pasture that is bordered by another large expanse of timber. I pat myself on the back for a job well done and get all my skinning gear out and proceed to process my squirrels. Thirty minutes later I have all the skinned squirrels in the cooler ready to drive home. I spend another hour drinking coffee, snacking on homemade cookies, bathing in the fresh air and goose honking overhead, squirrel barks in the distance. What a day! I decide I need to leave before I fall asleep and wake up in the dark. So I fire up the Nissan and decide I’ll drive by just one more spot, just to have a look. I find another dozen squirrels and celebrate knowing that many good shoots are in my future. It's good to be alive!!
