Some know that I've had some medical issues this year. I was unable to hunt dove, turned in my deer tag as I wasn't allowed to go to the elevation where I deer hunt, missed the start of quail and squirrel seasons all due to limitations and 4 surgeries on my eyes. Work didn't help either. Things are getting better, and I'll know more about my vision in 4 or so weeks. But so far things are on track to get all of my vision back. For now I'm hunting with a patch on my right eye. Unfortunately that was my good eye. I lost about 30% of my peripheral vision in my left eye about 8 years ago due to a TMI or transient stroke. Driving at night is 'Exhilarating' at best. Hunting by sight with 70% of the vision in one eye is 'depressing'.
Today I was just fed up with not hunting a lick yet this year and traveled about 2 1/2 hours north to Happy Jack Arizona to get in on the last week of Squirrel season that ends on the 31st. I left in the daylight and arrived late. I wasn't expecting much, and I wasn't surprised. Needless to say, all I saw was some snow and not a shot rang out today. But I did get into the field today for the first time this year. Although I didn't see a thing, I also didn't hear a thing. Yes, I said 'hear'.
I hunt squirrels in unit 6A just up on the Mogollon Rim North of Payson. The majority of the unit is filled with Oaks and other Deciduous trees mixed with few evergreens and grasses in between. It is a pretty open forest. It is populated almost exclusively with Abert's squirrels. An unusual looking squirrel that is fun to hunt but tends to be pretty spread out. They make little noise and have to be hunted by sight. FYI - Arizona is different in that the geography changes quite a bit in pretty short distances. So, my description is a generalization. There are actually some grasslands on the west side of the unit and I have seen pronghorn in the forest. But it is accurate for the part of 6A I hunt.
Inside of unit 6A there is an experimental forest that is made up entirely of pine trees with a high and dark canopy. It is maybe a mile and a half long and 3/4 of a mile wide surrounded by a short, barbed wire fence. The floor inside the experimental forest has little underbrush/grass due to the lack of light and abundance of pine needles. The experimental forest is populated with the smallest grey squirrels I have ever seen. And they are not grey but mostly black. What they are is very territorial and very vocal. The season runs from 10/1 through 12/31 every year and the bag limit changes depending on population. In October, most of the hunting is done by ear. Just sit and wait and eventually you will hear two or more squirrels arguing between themselves. Your ears will guide even the newest hunter to the general area. This is a great place to bring kids and new hunters when you want to make sure there is action and a very good chance a novice hunter will be successful. It also has the advantage of having a fence all around it and it isn't that big. The squirrels are small and it takes a good shot with a 22. This is one place in Arizona it might make sense to hunt squirrel with a shotgun.
To give you an idea of how separated the experimental forest is from the adjacent forest, I have never seen a grey squirrel outside of the experimental forest and I've never seen an Abert's squirrel inside the forest. I've seen an Abert's squirrel 6' outside of the fence for the experimental forest, but not inside it. And the trees change at the fence line.
Getting to the title of this thread, the combined age of the three firearms I brought squirrel hunting today added up to just under 300 years. A Steven's Tip Up Single Shot Pistol made probably between 1913 and 1915. Another Steven's this time a model 1896 Favorite made probably around the same 1913 to 1915. It has all of the model of 1915 upgrades but is marked as an 1896. The Favorite went through continuous changes/upgrades throughout its history. And a Mossberg 146B made between 1949 and 1953. So 287 years old combined.
Although I've had the Steven's Tip Up Pistol for a couple of years, the Steven's Favorite and the Mossberg were both bought this year with the sole intention of using them this squirrel season.
And don't feel sorry that I got skunked. The best Chile Rellenos can be found in Payson, Arizona.
Today I was just fed up with not hunting a lick yet this year and traveled about 2 1/2 hours north to Happy Jack Arizona to get in on the last week of Squirrel season that ends on the 31st. I left in the daylight and arrived late. I wasn't expecting much, and I wasn't surprised. Needless to say, all I saw was some snow and not a shot rang out today. But I did get into the field today for the first time this year. Although I didn't see a thing, I also didn't hear a thing. Yes, I said 'hear'.
I hunt squirrels in unit 6A just up on the Mogollon Rim North of Payson. The majority of the unit is filled with Oaks and other Deciduous trees mixed with few evergreens and grasses in between. It is a pretty open forest. It is populated almost exclusively with Abert's squirrels. An unusual looking squirrel that is fun to hunt but tends to be pretty spread out. They make little noise and have to be hunted by sight. FYI - Arizona is different in that the geography changes quite a bit in pretty short distances. So, my description is a generalization. There are actually some grasslands on the west side of the unit and I have seen pronghorn in the forest. But it is accurate for the part of 6A I hunt.
Inside of unit 6A there is an experimental forest that is made up entirely of pine trees with a high and dark canopy. It is maybe a mile and a half long and 3/4 of a mile wide surrounded by a short, barbed wire fence. The floor inside the experimental forest has little underbrush/grass due to the lack of light and abundance of pine needles. The experimental forest is populated with the smallest grey squirrels I have ever seen. And they are not grey but mostly black. What they are is very territorial and very vocal. The season runs from 10/1 through 12/31 every year and the bag limit changes depending on population. In October, most of the hunting is done by ear. Just sit and wait and eventually you will hear two or more squirrels arguing between themselves. Your ears will guide even the newest hunter to the general area. This is a great place to bring kids and new hunters when you want to make sure there is action and a very good chance a novice hunter will be successful. It also has the advantage of having a fence all around it and it isn't that big. The squirrels are small and it takes a good shot with a 22. This is one place in Arizona it might make sense to hunt squirrel with a shotgun.
To give you an idea of how separated the experimental forest is from the adjacent forest, I have never seen a grey squirrel outside of the experimental forest and I've never seen an Abert's squirrel inside the forest. I've seen an Abert's squirrel 6' outside of the fence for the experimental forest, but not inside it. And the trees change at the fence line.
Getting to the title of this thread, the combined age of the three firearms I brought squirrel hunting today added up to just under 300 years. A Steven's Tip Up Single Shot Pistol made probably between 1913 and 1915. Another Steven's this time a model 1896 Favorite made probably around the same 1913 to 1915. It has all of the model of 1915 upgrades but is marked as an 1896. The Favorite went through continuous changes/upgrades throughout its history. And a Mossberg 146B made between 1949 and 1953. So 287 years old combined.
Although I've had the Steven's Tip Up Pistol for a couple of years, the Steven's Favorite and the Mossberg were both bought this year with the sole intention of using them this squirrel season.
And don't feel sorry that I got skunked. The best Chile Rellenos can be found in Payson, Arizona.
