It's ON! Squirrel time 2017

thrillhill

thrillhill

Assistant TO The Regional Manager
Staff member
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Sponsor
Vendor
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
3,539
Location
Chatham County NC
Rating - 100%
65   0   0
I know we don't often mix old school hip-hop and hunting, but if you listen to the first minute of this song, you'll know exactly what I felt like as I leapt from bed this morning! LOL!




Now if I could catch more than a 10 minute break between rains, it would probably go a lot better. But so far so good.

And Minerva is only 8 months old, so this is her first "magic meat falling from the sky" season. I am awful excited for her too! Our relationship will be forever different after today.

I NEVER thought I would be "old" enough to get more excited about squirrel opener than deer. I was wrong. And with cooler weather coming in and the day off today, I'm on cloud 9.


CLEARMYTHROAT 081.jpg

CLEARMYTHROAT 031.jpg


CLEARMYTHROAT 069.jpg


CLEARMYTHROAT 054.jpg


CLEARMYTHROAT 058.jpg


CLEARMYTHROAT 063.jpg
 
Still looking to get some venison in the freezer, but once I do, I'll be spending a lot of my hunting time chasing bushy tails. Lots of fun and it brings you back to the basics.
 
DCGallim said:
Parasites bad? Figured on it being terrible with the mild winter last year.
Click to expand...


This first one did not have warbles. Even if we get one today that does, they are only in the skin.
 
Got another at Bill’s today. He and his daughter Madison and @tanstaafl72555 were about to head back out after I left and try it again.
 
My daughter is looking forward to using her air rifle. We might try a prb from her 50 cal also.

ETA. I am cleaning up and checking the working order of my rabbit gums also.
 
Last edited:
Sorry I did not make it down today- life crap getting in the way.

Warbles- had our first case in 4 years come in last week in a cat. Fun time, lol
 
Didnt make it either. Work got in the way, then the anniversary stuff took hold for the evening.
 
I meet good people at Bill's place. I am still trying to figure out why they allow me in, but it is always very nice. Missed the one squirrel I shot at, but since all the ones we took were shotgun kills, I dont' feel quite as incompetent with my Fieldmaster .22.
 
tanstaafl72555 said:
I meet good people at Bill's place. I am still trying to figure out why they allow me in, but it is always very nice. Missed the one squirrel I shot at, but since all the ones we took were shotgun kills, I dont' feel quite as incompetent with my Fieldmaster .22.
Click to expand...
If I know next time I’ll be bringing my Ruger MKIII

Good with it on squirrels to about 40 yards or so
 
I've always had way more success with squirrels with a shotgun than with a .22. Got a nice H&R Youth Model 20ga I'm itchin' to try out. Fun to shoot & with a 22", modified choke barrel, ought to be about perfect.
 
Always nice to see folks restraining themselves from mocking my obvious lack of marksmanship.... like, "yeah man, we always use a shotgun too!" Kind people.
 
nchunt101 said:
Braver man than me. Not much bothers me but I refuse to touch/skin a squirrel with warbles.
Click to expand...


Not really. I was brought up thinking the same. But we all handle deer before the first frost don't we? They get warbles too. Just easier to notice on a smaller critter.
 
thrillhill said:
Not really. I was brought up thinking the same. But we all handle deer before the first frost don't we? They get warbles too. Just easier to notice on a smaller critter.
Click to expand...
Dammit man. Why did you have to go point that out? I do love squirrel hunting but tend to wait until the leaves are gone.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
thrillhill said:
Not really. I was brought up thinking the same. But we all handle deer before the first frost don't we? They get warbles too. Just easier to notice on a smaller critter.
Click to expand...
So far my step daughter and I have killed 5 in the evenings and no warbles.
 
It is just a fly larva under the skin. When you clean it, just cut around that spot
 
mj1angier said:
It is just a fly larva under the skin. When you clean it, just cut around that spot
Click to expand...

You could dig it out and drop it in a bottle of tequila. Same difference right ?:D
 
You know, I never even thought of hunting squirrels with my Peacemaker! What the hell was I thinking?!
 
The day started out strong with the .410.

Then I switched to my lever action Henry .22.

Missing 4 or 5 in a row with iron sights convinced me to admit that my eyesight is changing and zero in a scope on a 10-22. Oh well, that's life I guess.

I was excited to have an excuse to use my Queen Cutlery Barlow with blue bone.

I reckon I'll take the scoped .22 this evening if I don't deer hunt.

BLUESQUIRREL 001.jpg


BLUESQUIRREL 019.jpg
 
The last squirrel I shot was covered in bugs. I guess they were lice. Is that normal?
 
You could shoot 20 or more in a few minutes in my backyard in Charlotte! The neighbors probably wouldn't like it much though.
 
My step daughter is tearing them up with a big cat whisper and the red fire 17s. The expansion on the red fires are crazy. I took half the head off a chicken with one. Got one squrriel in the face and man its ugly what they will do.
 
Last edited:
And, I hate to confirm all the stereotypes of homeschooling (not really, we are quite proud our kids are coming up the way they are) but my 15 year old daughter sent me the following image in text this morning. She was right proud that she got a couple by herself while I was on my way to work.

MADSQRL 050.jpg
 
thrillhill said:
And, I hate to confirm all the stereotypes of homeschooling (not really, we are quite proud our kids are coming up the way they are) but my 15 year old daughter sent me the following image in text this morning. She was right proud that she got a couple by herself while I was on my way to work.

View attachment 28596
Click to expand...
Before you know it, she'll send you pics of a deer she just skinned on your way to work
 
Climberman said:
The last squirrel I shot was covered in bugs. I guess they were lice. Is that normal?
Click to expand...

This time of year with this kind of weather it is not unusual. You'll see less of that in January and February.
 
Took one of the teenagers in the youth group squirrel hunting today, trying to get his first one. Had a couple opportunities but he wasn't comfortable with the shots so he didn't take them. Wind got to blowing pretty strong and we didn't see any after that, since the tireder he got, the louder he got when trying to stalk. Still a good morning in the woods.
 
I think I read something about being able to shoot deer on your own land if they're destroying crops/etc and if not being in season.

Is there anything similar for squirrels? Can you shoot them on your own property if they're destroying stuff? Any exception to not needing a hunting license to do that? (I thought I read that about coyotes, since they're considered a nuisance)
 
BigWaylon said:
I think I read something about being able to shoot deer on your own land if they're destroying crops/etc and if not being in season.

Is there anything similar for squirrels? Can you shoot them on your own property if they're destroying stuff? Any exception to not needing a hunting license to do that? (I thought I read that about coyotes, since they're considered a nuisance)
Click to expand...

Remember the three S’s....
 
BigWaylon said:
I think I read something about being able to shoot deer on your own land if they're destroying crops/etc and if not being in season.

Is there anything similar for squirrels? Can you shoot them on your own property if they're destroying stuff? Any exception to not needing a hunting license to do that? (I thought I read that about coyotes, since they're considered a nuisance)
Click to expand...

Out west it's called a depredation permit. Gotten from the Fish&Game office. It was good for the permitie /land owner/ farmer to shoot. Not for them to call their buddies to "hunt" during closed season. Not sure that's an option here. I'll assume there's one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom