BR Rimfire Hunting 2010

2011-10-22T20:09:00.005-04:00

This blog is continued at '2010-2011 Hunting'

Final Hunt Till Pheasant Season

2011-09-30T18:31:00.000-04:00

Hunting with a Ruger SingleSix .17HMR

It was raining out this morning, and sunrise is when I should be out hunting squirrels. It's rare that anything moves at noon, but I went out anyway, grabbing the revolver instead of my Henry. The handgun is much easier to carry, and though my odds of hitting something as small as a squirrel are greatly reduced, chances are that I wouldn't get a shot at anything anyway. It's sometimes nice to travel light and walk through the woods with my hands free. I did run into a few deer and saw a chuck run across the path; too fast to even draw the gun. Flood water cut the meadows in half, which once again limited my hunting area. I pulled up a stump in one spot and sat there for fifteen minutes and just listened. Everything was wet and quiet, though with my ProHear amplifier plugged in my ear, I was able to hear movement way up in the trees. I didn't spot a single squirrel today, but it was an enjoyable three hours. The smell of fresh air, the sound of birds in the trees and the sight of nearby deer always make the hunt worth while. Mosquitoes are still a problem, but it will only take a single freeze to make them a thing of the past. I sure hope that happens before pheasant season opens so I can get rid of the netting. I wouldn't last five minutes out here these days without it.

That's the end of the season until hunting resumes on October 15th with the opening of pheasant season. So far I've only bagged 3 squirrels this month. A hurricane and major flooding that submerged the meadows under around 7 feet of water have once again ruined the season. Last winter five plus feet of snow made the woods impassable. Hopefully this Fall and Winter will be an improvement over last. If you're having a good season, feel free to share your experiences in the comments section of any of my posts. See you again on opening day.

Two in the bag on a perfect morning

2011-09-17T10:26:00.003-04:00

I had no idea if the woods would be in any condition to hunt today following the flooding caused by hurricane Irene and the hurricane that brushed by us the following week. I was amazed that water levels have gone from 7 feet to bone dry in just two weeks. What a fantastic day to squirrel hunt.

Season total: 3

'The Hunt' by Jim Drescher

2011-09-11T18:43:00.002-04:00

Hi, Bob.

This morning, I woke to some fog and very little wind, just right for a walk. Ruger in hand, I got into the woods about 7:30 or so knowing on a day like this, the squirrels like to sleep in a bit. Stood for a bit, just looking and listening, as usual, and sure enough, saw the branches moving and shaking. Yep, is gonna be a good day.

Snuck along and spotted a black squirrel cutting nuts. Had never shot a black one before so I got ready. Could see him well enough with the eyes but when I put the scope on him, almost couldn't! He was so black that he blended in perfectly with the wet bark on the trees. And talk about fast! Them little buggers sure can move when they want to. Never did slow down enough for a shot. He had an idea of where he wanted to go. Then I saw the fox squirrels jumping in the branches. Passed the black and started the sneak on the bigger ones. Nearly twice the size of the blacks, I was going to get them for sure. As I was sneaking, I saw another black to my left. Then another! They were moving well. After getting to my favorite tree, I just stood. By this time, I could hear the rain coming thru the trees. Oh, great! But could tell by how it was acting that it wasn't gonna be a toad choker so I stayed put.

The fox squirrels decided it was time to play hide and seek so I sat down, hoping the rain didn't get any worse. Covered the scope and wasn't getting too wet, so I waited for something to show. Not sure what it was that saw me, probably a coon, but he sure wasn't sticking around for me to see HIM! Then the tree in front of me produced a nice shiny little black squirrel. He was doing his normal routine so I got ready. Leaned on a small tree, rock steady, crosshairs on his chest, and down he came. Great, my first one!! (I know they are a color phase of grays, but this is a novelty to me) Sat back, didn't move, and there was another one that came down the same tree. Bingo, double. Then the fox squirrel showed up. 40 yrd shot, easy, but he was traveling too. I watched him disappear into the undergrowth.

Heard a tree fall, the section ahead of me was very flooded and it must have been an old one because it made a tremedous racket! Crack, boom, crash! Then could hear it get all ground up by the moving water. Interesting sound for sure. Walked down to where I thought I heard it fall and learned an important lesson. A fox squirrel was barking his head off at me, seeing me come down the trail. Ok, another to add to the bag. Careful aim, shot, he hit the ground like a sack of potatoes and immediately bounced into the water. Sank like a rock. Didn't even get to see what he looked like!! Note to self, make sure you can get them if you shoot one. Not gonna make that mistake again!

The rain stopped, the sun came out, turned into a beautiful day. Now I have to go skin so that's the new story!

Jim~

Great story buddy! Thanks for brightening up our September 11th. Jim and I served together in the Navy Seabees at the Naval Station Adak, Alaska in the Aleutian Islands.

Opening day, 2011

2011-09-01T22:06:00.003-04:00

Squirrel season opened today so I took a vacation day to try my luck. It's less than a week since hurricane Irene trashed our state, so I was expecting the worst. The CT River had reached a record level, which tends to end up in the Meadows, flooding everything out.I was hoping for the best, but in the back of my mind I knew what I would be facing.

As I neared the parking area, my worse fear was a reality. The entire parking lot was under at least a foot of water. If you follow this blog, you are aware of how bad it's been the last couple years. In those years we had as much as 5 feet of water in spots. Today was worse. The entrance gate was almost totally submerged. I've never seen that happen before.

Today is opening day, so I decided to make the best of it and hunt the small paths that run left and right of the parking lot. Even here hunting was limited because much of the path was submerged and impassable. I turned around to hit another path, and soon I heard movement in a tree. The floodwater prohibited me from getting any closer, so I stood still and waited about a minute until I had a clear shot. I brought along my Henry Pioneer H001T lever gun with a Cabela's 9X scope. Usually I wouldn't have taken the shot because the squirrel was over water and irretrievable, but who knows when or if I'll see another squirrel for some time? I got the squirrel in my cross hairs and squeezed one off. The squirrel dropped and splashed into the water. One down. 39 to go. That broke the ice for the season, but after about an hour more of walking around and seeing nothing, I decided to leave. Next stop, Roraback WMA.

Roraback is a beautiful area to hunt, and I've posted plenty of photos of it over the years. The problem is that small game hunting in the area stinks. The WMA has plenty of deer and turkey, but small game is rare. The DEP says the problem is habitat. Who knows, but one thing I do know is that I usually see nothing.

When I arrived, I started down the main dirt road. This is really a beautiful place. Unlike the Meadows, it's dead quiet and bugs are few. Nut trees line both sides of the road, and it wasn't long before a found nuts split and chipped all over the ground. I sat down and listened. Tiny objects were dropping from the trees, and a squirrel was barking in the distance.

The state converted Roraback's old house into the DEP headquarters, and it's only a couple hundred yards from where I was hunting. There are also houses that surround the WMA, which a .22LR could easily reach. For that reason I left the Henry in the car and brought along my old Mossburg bolt action 20 gauge shotgun. I knew that these trees would be high and leafy, making it almost impossible to get a visual on a squirrel for more than seconds. A shotgun would increase my chances enormously, as well as removing the concern that a stray shot placed up in the air might make it to a neighbor's house.

In time that squirrel showed itself at the top of a high tree. I took a shot and it dropped to a lower branch, likely stung by a few BBs but not badly wounded. It was clearly out of kill range. In about 5 minutes I spotted the squirrel again, but I lost sight of it and couldn't acquire the target again. I sat the spot out for 30 minutes, and though I could hear squirrels in the tree tops, I couldn't spot them. In time I left and hunted other areas. That was the end of this morning's action, so I put the shotgun away and headed home.

Today was a disappointment, and I'm not really sure what to do next. Roraback is a long haul, and the squirrels are so few and far between that I don't plan to return very soon. The Meadows will not be huntable for months. Where to go next? I have tomorrow off, so I think I'll spend the day shooting my Henry's at the range. I hope you're having better luck than I am. Please post a comment if you have a story to tell. We're all looking forward to reading about your day.

In the woods at 5:15am

2011-07-16T18:28:00.003-04:00

It's been some time since I've been in the woods for two reasons. First, because small game hunting stinks around here due to the explosion in the predator population, which includes hawks, fisher cats and coyote. And second because it's so hot and bug infested. The state is broke and laying off over a thousand state workers this month. They are no longer spraying for mosquitoes, and 'White Nose Syndrome' has decimated out bat population, so the area around the swamps were I hunt is even more infested than usual. That means I have to be covered from head to toe, and I over heat once it gets much over 70F. Last night was in the low 60's, and it was going to quickly go up to 90F by about 10am, so I decided to get into the woods early.

I set the alarm for 4am and reached my hunting spot by 5:15. Sunrise is supposed to be at 4:35, but when I arrived it was almost pitch dark, even with a full moon and I could barely see well enough to make my way through the woods. I was carrying my scoped Henry .22LR octagon and my objective was to bag a woodchuck.

I reached the place in the woods where I planned to sit it out until I could see something through my scope, and took a seat to just listened. There was a crash to my left, which I'm guessing was a deer that I spooked. It really is quite spooky sitting in the dark while knowing that the nocturnal animals can see me, but I can't see them.

By 5:30 the sky was bright enough to begin hunting. I came across 2 rabbits, but as usual, they are not in season. By October they will be gone as they are every year. Very few survive the predators until fall, and when they do, the pheasant hunting dogs flush them out.

I hunted for about 2 hours without seeing a single squirrel, which doesn't raise my hopes for the September squirrel hunting season. I definitely need to explore a new spot over the summer. No woodchucks either. That's not unusual, since small game hunting has been horrible here for years since the increase in the predator population. Coyotes can be hunted, but the hawks are protected and fisher-cats can only be trapped. The DEP needs to get involved in getting these populations under control. WMA stands for 'Wildlife Management Area'. The problem is that there's very little management. I've contact the DEP and the DEP Biologist numerous times regarding this problem, and thus far they have done nothing. Since the state is drastically budget cutting, I don't see things getting any better.

Once again today's hunt has turned into another nice walk through the woods. I sometimes wonder why I bother to carry a rifle. Next time I will be hunting from a new location and maybe things will begin to turn around. Time to Google a new hunting spot.

White Nose Syndrome Continues to Decimate Bat Populations Outlook for Connecticut’s Bats is Bleak (From the DEP wedsite)

"A syndrome that attacks hibernating bats continues to kill them at alarming rates both in Connecticut and in expanding areas range-wide, which will lead to a dramatic reduction in the size of the state’s bat population this summer, according to wildlife experts at the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella said, "On the eve of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the outbreak of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) that we are seeing serves as a reminder of the fragility of our planet and the interconnectedness of all living things. The massive die-off of the bat population that it is causing is also likely to have serious impacts on agriculture, forestry and other sectors of our economy."

Jenny Dickson, DEP Supervising Wildlife Biologist, said, "White Nose Syndrome continues to have a catastrophic effect on bats. Just three short years ago, one of Connecticut’s largest hibernacula had over 3,300 wintering bats. This year fewer than a dozen remain—all but one showed active signs of WNS. The outlook for their survival is grim."

The DEP says visits to other winter hibernacula – caves and mines where bats hibernate– revealed similar mortality rates. Another large site showed a 95% decline in bat numbers since a winter count in 2007. The only positive note from the 2010 surveys was that only three of the remaining bats at that site showed visible signs of the fungus.

Dickson also noted that WNS continues to take a devastating toll in the nearby states of New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont, where a significant percentage of the state’s bat population hibernates for the winter...."

Spam hitting my blog!

2011-07-08T11:44:00.002-04:00

I just noticed that there were two posts on my blog that I didn't put there. They are obviously spam. If you happen to come across any, I'd really appreciate it if you'd post a comment telling me 'this post is spam' so I can get rid of it. Sorry, and thanks very much for your help.

Ready to hunt in the morning

2011-04-29T22:24:00.005-04:00

Hunting has been so bad lately that I'll enjoy an early morning walk through the woods, traveling light with a Ruger SingleSix 17HMR and a Triple-K holster. If I happen to come across a chuck or a coyote, I'll be ready because this revolver is now shooting nearly like a rifle at 25 yards. I talked to a delivery driver at work today and he said that his yard is full of chucks, squirrels and coyote. Small game is thriving in suburbia where food is abundant. Predators like coyote follow them there where neither can be hunted.

Not a bad one-handed shot while taking a movie with the other. Ruger SingleSix .17HMR

SingleSix in a Triple-K Holster

When will management of the growing hawk population begin?

2011-04-23T00:10:00.007-04:00

Took the scope off my 22LR and sent it to Henry for repair. When it returned I screwed the scope back on and took it hunting this morning. Wasn't sure if it would still be on target. Took one shot at a one shot whiskey bottle at 50 yards and blew it up. Excellent!

I hunted this morning but I'm sorry to say that I have nothing to write about. It seems that everywhere I went there was a hawk sitting in a tree hunting the same area. Is it any wonder that all the small game appear to be cleaned out? I can't remember the last time I saw a squirrel, and chuck hunting last year was lousy. How can we stand a chance against a predator who is patrolling our hunting spots around the clock from a constantly moving tree-stand with the eye of an eagle? The DEP needs to manage the predator population in the WMA's or small game hunting will be a thing of the past, and so will youth's entry into the sport.

The difficulties of hunting in CT

2011-03-28T23:06:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday was a beautiful day and I decided to go on an early woodchuck hunt. Chances are slim that I'd see anything so early in the year, but the season is open so I thought I'd give it a shot.

About halfway through my hunt, I veered off the main path and began hunting the water's edge. I had my ProEars on which greatly magnify sound, and at a distance I began to hear the deep roar of engines. Within a minute two dirt bikes came blasting down the path that I had just been walking for chucks. Getting on my cell, I dialed up the DEP Hotline. Their response was that there were no officers anywhere in the area. No offer to call the local police since bringing a motor vehicle into a Wildlife Management Area is illegal. Nothing.

The woods are lawless in Connecticut's WMA's during these days of budget cuts. Only four years ago CO's could be seen regularly in the woods, greeting hunters, checking licenses, verifying calibers, etc. But over the past three years CO's simply don't exist where I hunt. I sometimes wonder how many hunters don't have licenses, tags, and may be exceeding the game limit?

Most hunters in this state only have Saturday to hunt due to the Blue Laws which prohibit Sunday hunting (an idiotic law). One incident like this and the week's opportunity to hunt is over. This is not good for an already dying sport. The numbers of hunters in this state is steadily declining. Along with the decrease in CO's there's obviously a reduced number of birds being stocked weekly. Too many hunters are leaving the areas on Saturday with an empty bag and without even having the opportunity to take a shot. Read through my blog to see how many times I've walked the WMA's without a single squirrel sighting.

How many young people from this digital generation are inclined to spend their Saturday's walking the woods and seeing nothing? Most (including my son) would prefer to be in their heated, bug-free room playing a networked game of 'Call of Duty' with their online friends. There they socialize with their buddies in the comfort of their room while firing the most awesome array of weapons of war in incredibly realistic high definition environments. I hate to say it but days like this make me wonder why I bother to beat a dead horse. Maybe I should return to river fishing instead. Didn't I say that last year? I guess it only takes one good sighting and a clean kill to remind me how great it still can be and why it's still worth all this frustration.

This video was taken the following weekend

Effective Range (According to Henry)

2011-03-26T22:33:00.003-04:00

Caliber 22LR 75 yards
Caliber 17HMR 200 yards

Eagle spotted in CT!

2011-03-19T13:54:00.011-04:00

The weather was amazing yesterday, sunny and 73 degrees, so I decided I'd take advantage of it and take a walk through the woods. It's still early in the ear for chucks, but you never know. It wasn't quite as warm today (50F) but nice enough compared to the constant snow we've had all winter. I didn't spot a chuck, but I did confront a herd of deer, spotted lots of muskrats, saw coyote tracks and scat, and amazingly had a huge beautiful bald eagle glide over my head. In the Navy Seabees I spent a year stationed on Adak Island, AK in the Aleutians, which is a wildlife sanctuary. The island has one of the largest American Eagle population anywhere, and I worked as a telephone lineman. While on those poles I came face to face with countless eagles, and they can be intimidating while being held in place with only two thin spikes. Eagles were to Adak as crows are to Connecticut. There was no mistaking them, and there was no mistaking that what I saw today. I didn't have the camera on, so you'll have to take my word for it. I've seen plenty of hawks in the area in the past, and some have had semi-white heads. This was clearly different. Pure white head and tail with pitch black torso. I could see it clearly for around 20 seconds and it flew just over treetop level. I am still amazed by the sighting. Not by the eagle itself, but rather by the fact that it's in Connecticut! Things like this make it worth coming out.

By the way, since this was the first time taking out the new scope on the Henry 22LR octagon so I thought I should test it out. I put a plastic bottle on its side, cap forward and took one shot from around 25 yards. Took the cap right off. This should work nicely.

I received this quick response from the DEP Biologist on Monday:

Thanks Bob:

Your sighting was reported to me on 3/21/11 by the DEP Webmaster. Connecticut is home to about 100 eagles in the winter months and last year there were 22 pairs of eagles during the nesting season in the state: 4 were territorial, 18 were active. Of the 18 active nests: 6 pairs failed and 12 pairs fledged 23 chicks...

Last hunt of the season

2011-02-25T23:06:00.004-05:00

FRIDAY EVENING
It's been raining all day today but should stop by morning. It will be the last hunt of the season. It's been so bad this year that I don't expect much, but I do enjoy walking through the woods in the very early morning with a lever gun or revolver. Who knows what might be there? It's always sad to see the season end, but before we know it we'll be out for chucks and coyote and the snow will be a distant memory. Good luck if you're going out tomorrow and have a great weekend!

"I hear coyotes howling everywhere must be a pack"

SATURDAY MORNING
I text messaged the line above from the field this morning. I was in the woods at 6:30 am. It had rained all yesterday and today the snow was frozen solid. I reached my hunting spot and minutes later I heard dogs barking. I was a bit concerned that there could be some lose neighborhood dogs running around, so I put on my ProEars and listened. The barking soon turned into howling! In all the years I've hunted these areas, I've never heard a coyote howl. It was amazing. They were in the meadow, across the ice on a small piece of land. I was truly amazed by how much the coyote calls sound like the real thing. Some of you may be thinking that I was hearing hunters calling. First, there's no way to reach the piece of land over the thin ice. There were no cars in the lot and no one hunts coyote here anyway. The calls were coming from 3 or 4 locations, all east of the meadow. They'd bark, howl, then maybe bark a little more, followed by a few minutes of silence before they'd start up again. They sounded more like dogs growling and fighting than the barks we make with calls. Very guttural sounding. This happened over and over. It soon became obvious that we way over call. We call over and over. They call once and stop. Sometimes the calls would overlap from various locations, but they didn't last long. This went on for about 20 minutes and then it was over. It was a fantastic way to end the hunting season. Next time I go out with full camo, without the blaze (not required after Feb) and I'll have my coyote calls. Better get into practice! Bark Bark Bark Waaoooooooooooooooo!!

The windiest hunt I can remember

2011-02-19T18:52:00.004-05:00

I just returned from spending the last three hours walking through the woods during one of the windiest days in memory. It reminded me of the Aleutian Williwaw, with the wind roaring through the trees and the branches swaying about as far as they could bend. How the heck did we climb telephone poles in those conditions? (Click here for more on that).

Trees had been snapping and lay on the surface of the snow, with branches strewn everywhere. Squirrels stayed hidden, but they were smart to stay off the branches. The way the trees were swaying, it wouldn't have surprised me to see a gray squirrel catapulted through the air like a flying squirrel. I had my ProEars on which helped keep my ears warm, but I had to turn off the volume because the roar of the amplified wind was deafening.

Over the past week the temperature has risen to 60 degrees, causing a major meltdown, dropping the 5 feet of snow on the ground about a foot. Today's major drop in temperature made it possible to walk on the snow surface if I stayed on the path. For some reason the moment I stepped off the path I fell through the icy crust, well past my knee. The same thing happened occasionally while on the path, but it was the exception rather than the rule.

When I reached the very end of the WMA, I stumbled upon and startled a herd of deer. 4 deer broke straight ahead, walking on frozen pond and crossed towards a main road. 4 more broke to my right, circling around and headed towards the center of the WMA. I tried to make out if any of the 8 had racks, but they moved so quickly and my view was obstructed so it was impossible to tell.

This morning I did some wheeling and dealing with one of my shooting buddies. We did a bit of horse trading and I came home with my old Ruger 17HMR SingleSix. Today was the perfect day to carry a revolver instead of a rifle, freeing both hands to pull myself out of holes. A cross-draw shoulder holster was the perfect solution, giving me quick access to the handgun should an unfortunate critter cross my path. I took the opportunity to fire off a few rounds to be sure all was well with the gun. Now I have to explain to my wife the bullet holes in my handkerchief.

Next weekend will be the last squirrel hunting weekend of the season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that conditions improve so I might have some chance to finish out the season with something in the bag.

The following weekend Dan "Red Bear" and I will be visiting my friend Dirk's range, and we'll have some fun blasting together again. My Henry 22 Octagon began misfiring Wednesday at the range, so I called Henry and two days later I received a prepaid shipping label to return the rifle free of charge for repair. I'm sure I'll have the rifle back next week, so sighting it in will be a priority to prepare it for chuck season. I also want to zero in the SingleSix, and Red Bear is bringing his muzzle loader and offered to teach me how to load and shoot it. Check the blog in a couple of weeks for a report on the shoot. Now get out there next week and bag some squirrels.

This has been one lousy hunting season

2011-02-17T22:51:00.001-05:00

We near the end of the worst hunting season in recent memory. March of 2010 was the wettest March in Connecticut history. Unending rain put my hunting area under five feet of water until summer. When the Fall hunting season opened and the pheasant hunters finally left the woods, we began a winter of record breaking snowfall. The snow became so deep that it became impassible until recently when melting and refreezing began, making it possible to walk on the ice crust. Tomorrow it will be in the low 60's which will turn the woods into 3 feet of wet snow. I plan to give hunting a shot Saturday since there are only two weekends left of the season, but I don't expect much.

Maybe this weather is a good thing, keeping those like myself out of the WMA's which will allow small game to repopulate the woods. I'm afraid that once the melting begins, flooding will follow, displacing the woodchuck population as it did last year. We can only hope for the best. Best of luck over the next two weeks, and keep your fingers crossed for the rest of the year.

Walking above three feet of snow

2011-02-12T12:28:00.004-05:00

Ct has been blanketed with over 50" of snow this winter, which has ruined small game hunting this year. The snow is up to mid-thigh (I'm 6') so it's been impossible to hunt. We've been getting thawing followed by freezing for the past month, which had dropped the snow height a bit and today made the snow hard enough to walk on in places. Being so high made it easy to look over the terrain, and the snow being above the brush really opened things up. If anything was moving today I would see it, but I'm sorry to say that the woods were dead. It was nice to walk around out there after doing nothing but shoveling on the weekends for the past month. This may be my last squirrel hunt until September, since the season closes March 1st. This has been one heck of a lousy year for small game hunting, with record flooding early in the season followed by record snowfall at the end. Lets hope things turn around as things warm up, and that melting snow doesn't begin a season of flooding which will prohibit woodchuck hunting. I am hoping to get a couple coyote hunts in prior to the resurrection of the woodchucks in the spring, so check back to see if that happens. Hope you had a better season than we did in the northeast.

A final observation: In this video you will see a hole that a squirrel made digging into the snow for a nut. I saw 6 holes like this today, and all but this one had pieces of nut shell all around it. That means that somehow, these squirrels have the ability to locate the nuts they buried in the Fall, under 3' of snow, and they were able to dig directly to the spot, as if they had a GPS implanted in their head. God's creations never cease to amaze me.

Check out the Feb 2011 issue!

Will the snow ever stop?!

2011-01-23T10:15:00.004-05:00

My son helping to dig us out. We've received at least another foot since this was taken.

It's killing me that the snow is now so deep, and it's so cold that it's become impossible to hunt in my neck of the woods. CT has received more snowfall this year than during any time on record, and the snow continues to fall. We received more snow on Friday and it will hit again on Wednesday. They just got around to using a mini-plow to clear our sidewalks, and when I took my dog for a walk yesterday, I was amazed to discover that the snow was from 2-4.5' deep! I'm not talking snow piles or drifts. I am not even going to attempt to plow through that snow carrying a rifle considering that I'm not 18 any more. The fact that there's only a little more than a month left to squirrel season makes it even worse. On the positive side, squirrel populations have been down in recent years, so maybe this is God's way of keeping us out of the woods so the population can regenerate. Who knows, but it's harder to get mad if God is behind it.

FEB 1 UPDATE
And the snow keeps coming! We've had 2 more storms since I wrote the last post, making the snow chest deep in my front yard. Tonight we are having an ice storm, expecting to dump more snow and 2" of frozen liquid on us, in one form or another. The hunting areas are impossible to pass, and if the snow ever stops, the flooding will last for months once the CT River begins to overflow. I expect that the disasterous 2010 flooding will seem like nothing compared to this. Until there's a major weather change around here, the 2011 Small Game Hunting Page will only remain a future hope.

A reminder for all my hunting friends in CT that your hunting license is valid from Jan. 1st thru Dec. 31st. Some of you may think that if you bought your license for the September season, it's good till next September. It isn't. Don't get caught in the woods with last years license. I love this new hunting license system which allows us to purchase our licenses online. It should take only a matter of minutes to renew your license if you're already in the system. Another thing I like about this is being able to print out multiple copies. I print one that I keep in my wallet and one to pin onto each of my hunting jackets (in those little plastic cases). If you haven't renewed, consider doing so now before you forget. I think the price has increase a few bucks since last year, but at least it hasn't doubled as originally planned. The democrats now have total control of the state, so I expect all licenses and gun permits to substantially increase in price. Don't blame me. You can guess who I voted for.

In the single numbers with knee deep snow

2011-01-15T16:32:00.004-05:00

I think this will be my last post before I start my 2011 Hunting Page. The snow was from 12" to knee deep and it was in the single numbers. I would have gotten out earlier, but it was below zero. Guess who forgot to put on his snow pants?! My legs were stinging from the cold. I stayed out for about 1 hour, then left because nothing was moving (including me). This was one morning that I was actually looking forward to seeing snow mobile tracks so I'd have a path to walk in. It was even too deep for them. It was beautiful out there though.

I Know Where You Live

2010-12-31T18:00:00.002-05:00

I arrived in the woods well before sunrise and it was so dark I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I hunted yesterday and saw plenty of tracks in one area, but though it was early and the tracks were fresh, there wasn't a squirrel to be found. My thoughts were that these squirrels had to be foraging around very early, so it was my plan to be there early enough to greet them. I was able to locate the spot in the dark by spotting the familiar outline of a big tree. I could barely make out its silhouette against the deep violet hint of light that was in the sky. It was now one half hour before sunrise and I was free to load my rifle.

I sat silently under a tree in the snow and watched for any sign of movement. Within 10 minutes I saw the shape of something moving to my left. It was the squirrel I was looking for and it was about 25 yards away. Excellent! For a few moments it was in the clear, then it disappeared behind a tree as it foraged around in the snow. It still hadn't see me, but I quickly lost sight of it. "Where the heck did it go?" I thought. I was amazed how quickly the area was beginning to light. Literally second by second what was only a shape moments ago began to fill with warm color and become recognizable. About 50 yards in front of me I caught a gimps of another squirrel on a tree trunk. This is great! Was it the same squirrel or another? I had no way of knowing, so I sat tight so as not to give away my position. I figured that once I took my first shot, I was busted and the game would be over. I held off taking a shot, hoping to still bag the squirrel that was closer and on the ground. I needed to move in.

Getting on my stomach in 6" of snow, I began to slowly crawl towards the target. "Where is it?" I still couldn't locate its position. Maybe that one 50 yards out and this one are one in the same. From the tracks I studied yesterday it was interesting to watch how these squirrels moved only a few feet on the ground, then leaped to the nearest tree, moved to the back of the trunk, leaped off and moved onto the next tree. Never did I see a track run around a tree. They moved tree to tree, which made it obvious why these bushy tails were so difficult to hunt. I would only see them for seconds before they disappeared to the back of the tree and moved on to the next. They were smart, and that's why they're still alive. "Survival of the fittest", and these survivors were the best. After all, they made it through five months of hunting in this intensely hunted area.

In time I silently got on my feet and carefully scouted out the area. My hunch was correct that these squirrels only moved in the dark, and once it was light they were gone. I hunted for the next two hours and saw nothing.

It was a fun morning, crawling through the snow in the dark while stalking a squirrel like I did when I was a kid. These squirrels will survive to see the new year, and it was good to know that I now know where they live and how they move, which opens the new year to the possibility of some interesting and fun hunting adventures.

Wishing you a Safe and Happy New Year, and may it be filled with many new hunting adventures!

Just one in the bag today

2010-12-04T17:09:00.006-05:00

It was a perfect morning for hunting, and the only guys in the woods were the deer hunters that were silently waiting in their tree stands. I hunted for a couple of hours without seeing anything, then a squirrel finally showed up to add some excitement to the morning.

Thinking back, I've been hunting this area for 3 years and have likely taken a hundred of so squirrels out. It's very possible that the squirrel population has simply become too thin between my constant hunting and the predatory hawks and fisher cats that are always working the area. It's time to find a new spot.

At least today I had some fun and got to bag another with my Henry 17HMR at around 75 yards. Watch the video.

Season total to date: 12

2010 Season Highlights

2010-11-25T18:19:00.004-05:00

Just unpacked a new Henry Golden Boy .17HMR

2010-11-20T22:08:00.000-05:00

A restful afternoon in the woods, and sounding off on the WMA's

2010-11-20T13:00:00.011-05:00

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After working 12 long, high pressure days, it was good to once again rest under a tree in freshly fallen leaves, waiting for the appearance of a gray furry friend. I really needed some rest today, so there was no way I was going to get up at sunrise to meet the squirrels while they feed. Instead, I didn't get into the woods until noon. Everything was against me; it was cloudy, windy and the time was wrong. As expected, nothing moved, but it was good to just 'be there' today.

It was quiet in the woods for a Saturday. Usually most of the pheasant hunters are out early, and get frustrated and leave by around 11:00. There were still a few stragglers that I had an opportunity to talk with. I'm sorry to report that the feeling from all was frustration and disgust. One hunter said that he piled stones on the fence that the DEP has to open to drop off the birds. It had been many days since he set the trap and the stones were still untouched. That means that they aren't stocking 3 times a week as they should. Two hunters said that they would no longer waste $28 on a pheasant stamp. I'll make that 3. I haven't seen anyone walk out with a bird in weeks.

One guy I said that he called the DEP and they told him that they are only stocking twice a week, and not on Saturdays. As I've said before, working people only have one day to hunt in CT. Are they stocking only for the retired and unemployed? They must be, because by Saturday the shotguns are mostly silent. It's a fact that the number of hunters in CT has been decreasing every year. I took my son out a couple times and it was so dead that he never came out again. Many teens would prefer to spend the afternoon firing a large caliber automatic weapon in a HD movie-like battle of 'Tour of Duty' that to walk in the woods for hours and leave bored, tired and dirty, with an empty game bag. I'm almost sure that he will never again develop an interest in hunting. What a loss, and I blame the lack of wildlife management in the Wildlife Management Areas.

When I've contacted the DEP over concerns I've had about the decrease in wildlife in these areas, there has never been a follow-up or an investigation. My comment is always treated like 'I know, you don't'. Well I'm the guy who is in these woods just about every weekend throughout the entire year. They're sure not out here (I haven't seen a CO in years), and they have never asked me for my observations or taken any comments I've made seriously. Maybe this is a department that needs to be privatized, but that would never happen in this liberal state.

What does the 'management' in WMA mean? Simply cutting paths through the woods in October and dumping some pheasant off for two months? You know I'm finding the lack of small game in these areas very disturbing. If predators like Fisher-Cats are the problem as a DEP biologist told me, why isn't a hunting season open on them instead of trapping only? I've seen 2 this year that I might have been able to take out with my rifle. I'm not looking for fir. I would like to 'manage' the population. How about managing the hawks? I'm guessing the left-wing environmentalists wouldn't allow that. There are roving packs of coyote in some of the WMA's. Why not increase the allowed calibers to something exceeding a 22LR in the more open areas? Not even a .22 Magnum allowed? They've got to be kidding. I'm not a biologist, but it seems to me that underbrush could be introduced into an area like Roraback to increase small game populations. How about capturing and moving around some wildlife? The industrial park where I work is infested with squirrels. Why can't some of this population be trapped and moved to the WMA's to breed? Food is plentiful and could easily support an increase in population. I've offered to do this myself, but the DEP told me not to because if I were seen with a squirrel in a trap, they might think I was taking the animal out instead of seeding the area. How about issuing a special permit to do so? Let's be a little creative! It's worked with turkeys and other species. If they had to close squirrel season for a year to bring back the population, I'd even be in support of that.

It's obvious that small game is being hunted out of existence by predators and hunters. I hope the DEP finally takes notice before the sport of hunting is lost for good in CT. By the way, Thanksgiving Day is the last day pheasants will be stocked. That means that bird hunters will be gone in a couple of weeks and we can get serious about hunting again. Although it is often discouraging, there are those moments when things come alive and it all becomes worth it. I'll be out and I hope you will be too. Good luck, and post a comment to let me know how you make out.

Make some noise to open Sunday hunting in CT!

2010-11-10T10:41:00.005-05:00

Mr. Rich,

I apologize for the delay in responding to your email dated 10/30 concerning Sunday hunting in Connecticut, the election season can be a little turbulent. Anyway, as a quick introduction I am currently the Director of Government Relations/State Affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. It came with great pleasure to read your email concerning finally getting Sunday hunting passed in Connecticut . I wanted to let you know that it has become a major priority to pass this legislation in the 7 states that currently outlaw Sunday hunting completely. The state of Connecticut is very high on the priority list esp. since it is right in our backyard.

As we have come to understand everything comes down to dollars and cents. Fortunately, the passage of Sunday hunting legislation can be a quick economic catalyst that many states could use in these difficult economic times. NSSF just recently completed a study on the economic impact of Sunday hunting for Connecticut . In total the economic impact is in the area of 500 additional jobs and over $38 million impact for the state.

I will be happy to forward you a final copy of the report when it is completed in the near future. Also please feel free to forward my contact information onto anyone that may be of assistance to getting this legislation passed in Connecticut . I would ask that you reach out to any friends or family who support Sunday hunting and ask them if they could contact both their state representative and state senator. The more noise created by sportsmen on the topic of Sunday hunting; the greater the chances for success.

Thank you again for your time.

Jake McGuigan
Director, Government Relations
National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470-2359
(203)426-1320 ext 238
(203)426-1087 - FAX
jmcguigan@nssf.org
www.nssf.org

From my Oct 30th post...

One last thought: Can anyone explain to me the reason for the blue law against hunting on Sunday in CT, and if not, how the heck can we get it repealed? I'm in contact with a lot of hunters from across the country on facebook, and none of them can believe we can't hunt on Sunday in this state! Working people only have 2 days available to hunt, and the rest of the week the woods are quiet. There's no reason for this law to exist! If it rains on Saturday we are screwed for the week. It also might give us a chance of bagging something if the stocking truck doesn't show until Saturday afternoon. When I was a teen I remember watching the store manager from 'Two Guys' department store on the Berlin Turnpike get arrested for opening his store on Sunday. They finally repealed those laws some 40 years ago. Has it been a left-wing environmental group or politician that has been working to keep this anti-hunting law in place? If the Republicans can get control of the state, it's something we should work to repeal, though I'm not holding my breath.

UPDATE: Now that we got our backside kicked during the recent election in just about every CT office, I'd be amazed if the left in this state would even consider opening hunting on Sunday. In fact, I think it would be a good idea to make some noise about this just to preserve the hunting rights that we currently have! Write your state and local legislators, as well as the newspapers and let your voice be heard. Once our hunting rights are gone it will be almost impossible to get them back.

Bagged just one today

2010-11-09T22:02:00.003-05:00

Only saw one squirrel this morning. I can't wait until it snows and the pheasant hunters go away so I can do some serious squirrel hunting again with the Henry 17HMR. The leaves are gone, the cold is coming and I'm itching to go!

Lots of action but an empty gamebag

2010-11-01T17:59:00.003-04:00

Last weekend's hunt was so disappointing that I decided to see if I could take off from work today at noon, using 3 hours of vacation time to hunt. My buddy said that the state stocks on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, and since I didn't see them stock on Saturday, I was hoping that they stocked after everyone had left. There's no Sunday hunting in CT, and if they stocked today, there's a good chance that I'd see some action.

Today was in the upper 40's, maybe 50 when I hit the woods. I pushed through brush for about 45 minutes and didn't see a thing or hear a single shot. Even though it was cool, the sun was shining and I was beginning to sweat out the shirt that was under my jacket and vest. I decided to stop, take a drink and cool myself down. I leaned my shotgun against a tree and the moment I began to undo my jacket, a hen flushed from the dried ferns, just to my left. I grabbed the shotgun and it headed into a huge mass of pricker bushes. I chased it as far as I could go, then made my way around the other side. I could hear the distinctive cooing of the pheasant somewhere in the dense prickery brush. I pushed through the area and examined every inch within sight, but there was no sign of the bird. After half an hour I finally gave up the chase. It was time to move on.

That was a good sign. The DEP must have stocked as I had thought, but though there were a half dozen trucks in the lot, I still hadn't heard a shot. I plowed through brush for another hour and now I was starting to tire. I decided to head back, walking the edge of the swamp. Many times when birds are released or they escape a hunter, they fly directly into a reeds that make up the swamp.

I passed through an area of ferns and weeds that is miserable to walk through during the summer, being chest high and swarming with bugs. Now that we've had a freeze, everything has died down and it was actually nice to walk through the area. The dried brush now stood only six inches to a foot high, and with such thin cover, I really didn't expect to see anything in the area. I threw the Mossburg over my left arm and continued walking.

Suddenly about 25 feet in front of me rose a beautiful ringneck pheasant! This was not a black cock like the last one I bagged, but instead, a brown and red classic ringneck. I couldn't believe it! I quickly tossed the shotgun into my right hand and and flicked off the safety. I put the bead just ahead of the bird and pulled the trigger. The bird stopped dead, feathers flew, and it dropped end over. I bagged it! Awesome! There was no doubt because I saw it drop like a stone. But not to take a chance, I ran toward the bird to be sure it wasn't moving.

"It was like hitting the lottery, then realizing that I was really just one number off. Total disappointment."

What an understatement! There was the brown head of the bird poking up above the brush and moving as fast as it could toward the swamp! If I wasn't so stunned, I would have had to laugh. It reminded me of Daffy Duck hightailing it out of trouble.

I took another shot as I ran but the bird headed directly into the swamp. It was gone. Could there have been two? Hey, I'm an optimist. I retraced my footsteps, hoping to see my bird lying there. Maybe the running one was a drinking buddy. No such luck. It was like hitting the lottery, then realizing that I was really just one number off. Total disappointment.

Then I thought back to the beginning of the hunt. As usual, since I need all the help I can get, I prayed silently as I walked, "Lord, chances are really slim that I'll come across anything today, but you can make anything happen. Even if I can get some action, I'll be happy." Well my prayer was answered, so I'm not going to whine about the birds that got away. I saw two birds when even the guys with dogs weren't shooting, and actually knocked down a huge cock pheasant. Maybe my 20 gauge wasn't enough. I'm guessing a 12 would have bagged it for sure. Whatever, I did have fun so I thanked the Lord for giving me a story that I could pass onto you today. It was a heck of a lot better than working, but I'm sure glad I don't have to depend on hunting for food. I'll get him next time.

First Pheasant of the 2010 season

2010-10-16T12:20:00.005-04:00

Bagged a pheasant and a squirrel opening morning. I'm tired.

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Hit the woods at 7:00am this morning along with an army of hunters dressed in blaze. Hunting dogs were everywhere with their owners yelling and blowing whistles to get their attention. I ran into a guy with his young son and dog that I found were searching for their lost hunting license. The guy told me that if his dog put up a bird I could shoot it since he couldn't by law take anything. His son was obviously greatly disappointed that the day he likely had been waiting all summer for was here, and his hunt was already over.

I headed off in my own direction and within 10 minutes I ran into a guy carrying a blaze orange sleeve. He asked me if I lost a license and I told him that I didn't, but I know who did. I tracked the hunter and his son down and they were ecstatic! The father actually offered to give me a reward, but it was enough to see the relief in their faces.

Competition is fierce for birds, especially considering that so many hunters have at least one dog. Some have as many as five! How can I find something if they can't? They can cover ten times the area that I can in a fraction of the time, and they can smell the birds! If you can't beat them, use them.

A lot of the dog hunters remind me of golfers that drive from hole to hole in their golf carts. Forget doing any work. They just stroll down the path with their buddies and scream at their dogs while the dogs do all the work. I estimate how far they can shoot before that bird that their dog puts up is hidden by trees, and I hunt outside that area. That way when a dog flushes a bird and I hear a shot, I ready myself in the direction of the sound and wait to see if a bird comes hightailing it in my direction. Today that strategy worked, and a hen came flying right at me. Within seconds I was on it, took a shot and knocked it down. There's nothing like the feeling of coming out of the woods with a bird in your bag when the guys with the expensive shotguns and dogs come out empty handed. See, God does answer prayer ;) Hope you had a fun and memorable opening day.

Last chuck hunt before opening day of squirrel season 2010

2010-10-14T00:24:00.005-04:00

Squirrel evolution

2010-10-03T21:37:00.001-04:00

As you can see, the squirrels in my area have been evolving to withstand small caliber gunfire.

Squirrel Calling

2010-09-25T14:50:00.002-04:00

I went squirrel hunting this morning, but it was so windy that nothing was moving so I thought I'd see if I could call some out. The problem is that when they do come out to investigate the calls, they usually stay on the branches. With the wind causing ambient noise and movement, and with the dense leaves hiding them, even if they were out they'd be almost impossible to locate. At least it was a chance to play with the call without my wife yelling at me to knock it off.

2010-09-24T22:27:00.001-04:00

A reminder that tomorrow is the last weekend in CT you can hunt before hunting closes for 2 weeks prior to opening day of the regular hunting season.

Jacob's squirrel hunt

2010-09-19T23:04:00.005-04:00

Bob, here are a couple of photos from Jacob's squirrel hunt. He was pumped though about getting out and getting a few shots off! Seen 5 and shot at two with the Ruger .17 HMR bolt action. I hope to get him out on Wednesday morning before school. They have late starts on Wednesday's so we can get in about 2 hours of hunting and the woods are only about 10 miles from my house so we can get out and sneak in a few hours of squirrel stalking!

Mike Adams, Mossy Oak Pro Staff, Up North Journal

UPDATE

Jake with his two squirrels he shot today while hunting with my dad. One Grey Squirrel & One Fox Squirrel. Jake is a squirrel shootin' machine! My dad took him out after school for a quick hunt. He shot at and missed two others. That little Ruger .17 HMR does a job on them when he head shoots them! The scope is a little BSA 4 x 16 with illuminated crosshairs that I got at Cabelas for less than $100. I got it for night hunting coyotes. Works great!

Shot 3, bagged 2 this morning with the Mossberg

2010-09-18T14:06:00.009-04:00

It was a cool and overcast morning, and by the time I reached the WMA at 6:30am there were about 10 pickups in the lot. "You've got to be kidding!" I thought to myself. These can't be all squirrel hunters! As I began walking down the trail, I discovered that deer season must have opened, and bow hunters were everywhere. I told a couple of young guys that I passed that I saw 8 or so deer two weeks ago. The deer seem to sense the season, so I'm betting they high-tailed it deep into the swamps where know one travels.

Within a couple of minutes, I spotted my first squirrel on the ground. It headed for a large tree and disappeared, so I decided to give it five minutes to make a mistake. It did, moving to a profile position on the trunk. I fired the Mossberg 20 gauge and it went down like a bean bag. Later, when I gutted the squirrel I noticed that 2 BB's hit it in the head. The rest penetrated only the fir, not making it into the muscle or the inner layer of flesh that contains the organs. When I pulled off the fir, all the shot simply fell out! I guess it's not really that surprising, considering how tough that outer layer of skin and fir are. It's not easy getting my sharpened knife to make that first cut, especially if they've begin to assume room tempature.

SQUIRREL CALLING

Once I reached my planned destination, another squirrel appeared, running towards a downed tree. I fired, and it shot straight up into the air, hit the ground and began thrashing wildly. I chambered another shell and fired. Once again I hit it, but it continues moving and dragged itself into the swamp's tall reeds. I searched the area for about 20 minutes for it, but I'm sorry to say that was the last I saw of it. That's one of the drawbacks of hunting squirrels with a shotgun. It's easier than a rifle to knock them down, but it doesn't always finish them off like a bullet does, especially if there's a substantial distance between yourself and the varmint.

Next I took a seat under a big tree, snapped off a tree branch and got out my squirrel call. I began giving out a frantic-type wounded squirrel call while slapping the leafy branch against my leg. That simulates a hawk attacking a squirrel. Though it won't always draw them out, it sometimes starts them barking which gives me a location. This time it started one running across a branch and I was able to nail it. That was the last one I saw through 11am. The call must have been convincing, because within 5 minutes I spotted something big about 60 yards out sitting on a branch. It launched itself straight at me and in a second I knew I had called in a hawk! It took a hard left and disappeared. I'm guessing it was looking for leftovers.

The Mossberg shot great, though the new magazine stuck on me a couple of times. I'm going to hit it with a dab of grease tonight and that should fix the problem. I wore my new ProEars today and they were fantastic. I could literally hear a pin drop. I remember thinking at one point how active the woods was this morning! Then it dawned on me that I had the ears on. I took them off and it was completely silent. Amazing! Shotgunning for squirrels is fun, but I still think that there's nothing like dropping a squirrel from a distant treetop with a rimfire rifle.

Dear Uncle Bob,
Thank you for the squirrel tails! We got them in the mail this week. My dad is going to put one up in his class room, Anne-Marie is going to take one to show her teacher and I am going to tack one on to my teacher....heh heh! I look forward to hunting with you one day. ~Alex

Season total: 8

Squirrel calling

2010-09-15T23:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't done much with squirrel calling over the years because I've never had much luck with them. This week I decided to order a new call from Cabela's and I hope this might draw some of that tree bacon out of hiding. It's worth a try. This should be fun, and I'll post something as soon as I give it a try. Your squirrel calling tips are welcome. Please consider posting a 'Comment'.

September 11, 2010 Hunt

2010-09-12T01:48:00.003-04:00

Season total: 6

4 in the bag on a fun morning!

2010-09-06T13:56:00.010-04:00

This morning was perfect. I was in the woods before sunrise and the temperature was a crisp 50F with no clouds or humidity. Within minutes a got a glimpse of my first squirrel, but I wasn't fast enough to get off a shot. Further down the path a fisher-cat came out of the bushes 20 yards in front of me! It was pitch black with it's huge tail pointed straight out. It must have been as long as its body. I'm guessing it was following something because it didn't even look in my direction. That's the 2nd one I've seen this year, and only the 2nd I've ever seen.

To my left I heard a CRASH and 3 deer took off. A minute later 2 leap out at my right. As I entered my hunting spot, I set up a stool and took a seat. It wasn't long until another deer was standing right in front of me, followed by another. Until I started waving my arms they didn't move. Taking off my backpack, I began sneaking around the area looking for squirrels. I hear a rustling in the brush and move in, thinking it's a squirrel. It was another deer, and we were face to face. I think I should start deer hunting. In total I counted 9 deer.

Squirrels after a few hours in my crockpot

By 9am I had bagged 4 squirrels with my Henry 17HMR, and they are now in my crock pot slow cooking. Squirrels aren't the greatest things to eat because there isn't a lot of meat and there's a lot of small bones, but my dog loves them, so I cook them up and mix a little in with her food every day. Be careful to pull out the small bones before feeding it to your dog. In case you're wondering, yes, you can eat the squirrels (I have on many occasions) and it tastes like roast beef when prepared this way. When I cook squirrel for myself, I pull out all the bones, then add potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic and whatever. It does make a nice stew, though I'm the only one in my house that will eat it. I think my family relates it to something like eating the neighbor's cat.

Today was a great ending to my much needed vacation. Hope you're having a nice labor day and are having some luck this squirrel season. Drop me a 'comment' to let us know. Alex asked me to mail him a squirrel tail. You've got 4 coming buddy!

I can still clearly remember being 16 (the year before I entered the Navy), sitting under a tree with my brother who just returned from a year in Nam, smoking a cigarette with a light snow on the ground waiting for a squirrel to come out. We didn’t often sit down and talk, so these times were important, and they return to me often when I’m in the field today.

My first squirrel of 2010

2010-09-03T22:37:00.009-04:00

This was my first time out during the 2010 squirrel season. I was on vacation Wednesday and at 37,000 ft, so I missed opening day this year. Day 2 was in the mid 90's with oppressive humidity, so I worked on mounting my scope and quickly sighting it in. Even though it was a bit cooler today, it couldn't get more humid. Being covered up to keep from being eaten alive by bugs in the swamp, I could only hunt a couple of hours. My goal was to bag a squirrel dedicated to my nephew's son who lives in Washington State. He's chomping at the bit to get his own 22LR and start hunting. This one's for you Alexander.

2010-08-15T21:20:00.001-04:00

Please note that I will not be available to approve comments from August 22 thru September 1. Continue to post them anyway, and they'll all appear on the 2nd. Thanks! ~Bob

Landed two 17HMRs into the 'one that got away'

2010-08-14T21:31:00.014-04:00

This has been two weeks from hell, having to work 11-14 hr high-pressure days plus Saturday for the past two weeks. Today was my first Saturday to hunt, and my last chance to bag a chuck before squirrel season opens September 1st. The air was warm but with the humidity low and a slight breeze, it was just a perfect day. I have been so exhausted that I couldn't get myself to be in the woods at sunrise this morning. Instead, I had a pancake breakfast and got out there at 11:00.

Two weeks ago I was busted by a chuck before I could get close enough to take a shot (see my Aug 1 video). This time, the DEP cut the grass way back along the path in preparation for squirrel season, exposing the chuck's den. On my first pass by the den I saw nothing, but my return trip was a replay or Aug 1st. It busted me again!

This time, I pushed into the brush at the right of the path and waited 15 minutes. When it didn't return, I headed back to my car, grabbing my Theracell bug repellent, my backpack and a folding stool. I found a nice spot around 40 yards across the path from the den and took a seat. It took around 50 minutes for it to show its face again... see video for the rest of the story. (Hint: I was hoping to put some meat on the table for my 25th wedding anniversary dinner, but I guess I'll just have to take the wife out tomorrow ;)

Final note regarding 17HMRs: I've found that 17HMRs respond very differently to different targets. I've had the bullet enter one side of a chuck and pass out the other with barely a trace and with almost no blood. I've also had the bullet totally gut a chuck. Why? I'm guessing it has to do with the area that it hits and the amount of moister in that area which causes the hollow point to mushroom or simply pass straight through. If the bullet passes through without hitting a vital organ, the animal will continue on almost unaffected. My brother used to tell me stories of how he would "Roll" chucks with his 22 Magnum revolver by hitting them in the head. I have never had a chuck "roll" with a 17HMR shot; even to the head. It seems to either rip them up or pass right through, but it seems to lack that 'knockdown power'. I do know for a fact that whenever I shoot and obviously miss, the chuck always runs like hell. When a hit is questionable or there's good odds that it was hit, the chuck slowly walks away. I think what is happening there is that the bullet is passing through and does so little damage that the animal too wounded and confused to run but not hurt enough to stop. I've seen that happen twice this chuck season.

My point is that if it's legal to hunt with a 22 Magnum, I would definitely choose the 22 over the 17 any day when it comes to knockdown power on chucks. A 17HMR will easily bring down a squirrel, but will often destroy much of the meat in the process. A 22 Magnum is way too much firepower. I suggest sticking with a 22LR or use a scope and go for head shots on squirrels with the 17. Use a scope for chucks with either caliber so you can place the bullet into the head or chest. Rarely will any other shot bring one down. I'm ordering a cantilever scope mount for the Henry 17HMR Golden Boy so I can better place those tiny 17s.

A quick report on one that got away

2010-08-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

Replacing the damaged receiver cover

2010-07-06T20:40:00.004-04:00

I contact Henry about the damaged receiver cover and they were nice enough to ship me out a replacement today. After supper I decided to pull off the old cover so I could give the rifle a good cleaning. Take off 4 screws and the cover slide off (Henry does not recommend dissembling it). I couldn't believe the crap that was in the receiver! It looked like it was caked in mud, so I took off the stock and forearm and submerged the receiver in my bucket of Dunk-Kit and let it soak. After an hour, I scrubbed it with a nylon brush and it looks as clean as new. Since I am replacing the receiver cover, I had to remove the scope. That really kills since just last Saturday, I took it to the range and zeroed it in. For a change, I replaced the iron sights and I may put the scope on my 17HMR Golden Boy. It's nice to see the rifle returned back to its original state. When I first bought the rifle, there was a scratch on the stock caused from a staple that was in the shipping box. I contacted Henry and they immediately shipped me off a replacement stock and forearm. This one was even more beautiful than the original. Deep dark walnut with a beautiful grain. I didn't want to wreck it hunting, so I left the new wood wrapped in bubble wrap and I haven't pulled it out until today. When the receiver cover arrives, I'll finally install the new wood. The fall caused a few scratches on the barrel, so I touched them up with bluing tonight. The rifle should be back to near original condition by next week. I think I'll break out the 17HMR and hunt with that for awhile. It will be nice to have the added punch on chucks, and I'll pull the 22 out come September and the start of squirrel season. Today is 102F, humid and I have poison ivy which is as itchy as all get out. The Fall can't come soon enough for me!

July 31, 2010

Here's a LINK story on the repaired rifle.

The game must love this heat

2010-07-05T12:27:00.002-04:00

To see the deer and rabbit, click the 'full screen' symbol (the 4 arrows) in the lower right corner of the video.

Bagged my first chuck of 2010

2010-07-03T14:23:00.003-04:00

By 9am I saw 10 rabbits, a deer, a chuck and a squirrel. The area that was flooded earlier in the year is basically still lifeless. I am very pleased with the increased rabbit population, and bagging my first chuck of the season which was an excellent way to start my 4th of July holiday weekend. The rifle used was my HENRY 22LR Pioneer with the octagon barrel. Ammo: Aguila SuperExtra. Have a great weekend!

Important information on hunting with the Taurus Judge

2010-06-29T19:59:00.000-04:00

If you read this blog you know that I'm a small game hunter. Though I have hunted small game a couple times with a shotgun, I personally don't like the practice. I prefer the challenge of a rimfire rifle, and the only rifle calibers that can be used on state land in CT are 22LR and smaller, which includes 17HMR. I started pheasant hunting again this year, which is something I haven't done since I was in my 20's. The problem that I faced was that when I carried my shotgun, I didn't want to hunt small game with it. When I hunted small game with a rifle, I couldn't take a bird even if I stepped on one. So what's the solution other than one of those strange rifles that has 2 barrels; one 22LR and the other a 20 gauge?

How about 'The Judge'!? I had the idea today that I could carry my 17HMR while hunting small game, and if I had the Judge revolver loaded with 410, I could pull that if I flushed a pheasant. It would be a long shot but I still might be able to bring it down if I were fast enough. It sure would be fun to try anyway. Handgun hunting is legal on state land and so is 410 shotgun hunting. So a 410 handgun must be legal... or so I thought.

"The Taurus Judge revolver, chambered for .410 shotgun cartridges, would not be legal to hunt small game on state lands in Connecticut. This restriction was verified by Captain Lewis, of our EnCon Police Division."

Just to be sure I wrote the DEP, told them my idea and asked if it were legal. The following day (a VERY quick response for the DEP) I received the above answer.

I responded by saying that logic tells me (and possibly others) that 410 handgun hunting is legal, so that information should be included in next year's 2011 CT Hunting Guide. The guy I corresponded with thought that was a great idea because he said at first he though of it as I did. But he checked with the Captain and it is illegal, so I'm guessing we will see this information added to the handgun hunting section in October. I don't think this was even an issue before Taurus came out with this revolver. It's a very popular handgun, so hunters need to know the law before they drop over $400 to discover that they can't use it. I was also told in the letter that revolver handgun deer hunting on private land will now be allowed, so the entire handgun section of the Guide needs a rewrite. I'm glad I asked the question, but I sure wish I could pack that 410 while I'm squirrel hunting. Maybe they'd consider changing the law if enough people asked. It's worth a try. ~Bob

Saw 8 rabbits, 4 deer this morning

2010-06-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

Went for a quick morning chuck hunt. Saw lots of wildlife but no chucks. Here's my report on the way home.

Spotted 3 rabbits and suggestions on how to improve the hunting season

2010-06-19T22:30:00.004-04:00

I didn't bother to shoot video today because there was nothing in my usual spots. Not a single chuck or squirrel (real unusual, ha?). I'm wondering if the Spring flood drowned them or pushed them to higher ground? There is a high-ground area in this WMA which may have served as a refuge. This is the area where I took a crack at a chuck a few weekends ago, and today in this same area I saw 3 good size rabbits, each in different locations. That should be really good news for anyone who hunts the area.

The problem is that once hunting season begins in October, there won't be a rabbit to be found. I'm guessing that the dogs and shotgun hunters take them out the first week, and only the deeply hidden survive to breed the following spring.

What do you think about a 'rifle-only' rabbit season which opens September first with the opening of squirrel season? What if September become a 'rifle-only month, even when it comes to squirrel hunting? That would leave the small game to the serious small game hunters, and make it illegal for bird hunters to shoot a squirrel or a rabbit just because it's there. I've seen too many squirrels impaled on branches and left to rot because someone shot it and didn't consider it game worth bringing home to eat.

Let me know what you think of this idea by posting your thoughts in the 'Comments' area.

That's it for now. After church I'll be at the range, then home for dinner with the family. Wishing you a Happy Father's Day tomorrow.

Woodchuck Stories

2010-06-08T19:14:00.000-04:00

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Hunting update - a miserable, rainy hunt

2010-06-05T09:27:00.003-04:00

Got up early to chuck hunt. It started raining while on the way to the WMA but I hunted anyway. Got soaked to the skin and only saw 1 squirrel. No chucks. Slipped on some wet rocks and trashed my rifle. Humidity is near 100% and the temperature is rising. I'm home now, took a shower and sitting in the AC. Not moving for the rest of the day.

Saw two chucks and got a crack at one

2010-05-31T17:26:00.007-04:00

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." — General George S. Patton

Memorial Day marks the start of woodchuck and coyote season in Connecticut. For the past month it's been closed due to turkey season, so even though hunting has been worse than bad, I was itching to get back into the woods. I got up at 4:30 and was in the woods by 6:00. It was an absolutely beautiful morning. The weather was perfect and the bugs laid low until it began heating up around 7:00. If you watch the video, you'll see that I got a shot at a big chuck and spotted another as I was leaving. Hopefully things are beginning to change. If you click the YouTube logo on the video you can see it in semi Hi-Definition if you don't believe I saw the deer ;)

Why do I bother?

2010-04-21T22:28:00.009-04:00

In case you're wondering, I have been hunting every weekend, as well as occasionally after work, as I did tonight. I hate to report that recent hunts have harvested little more than disappointment. Squirrel sighting have become extremely rare, and no chucks have been spotted so far this year. I saw my first squirrel in the wild in I don't know how long last Saturday, but that was the only sighting after hours of walking. Sometimes I ask myself why I bother? I walked down the trail this evening and the answer became obvious...

As I hike through each stretch of path and around every corner, memory after memory flash through my head. Looking in the distance, I re-experience the rush of spotting something a hundred yards off at the edge of the brush. With no scope or glass, I move slowly and silently, hoping to get close enough to identify the object before being busted. By now I can see that this one is real; a huge woodchuck, and not just a rock or stick. It was actually moving, and it still hadn't spotted me. Going prone, I got it in my sights and finally squeezed off a round from my Henry 17 magnum. There was the sound of the 'CRACK!', and the sight of my trophy rolling over. That entire memory flashed through my head in what must have been mere seconds, until I rounded the next curve and the image of another chuck hightailing it down the path appears. This one was too fast and it got away. Whenever I pass that spot I can't help but wonder if today will be the day that it re-appears. A new story replays with every turn, I'm actually amazed how these little moments of excitement are burned into my memory.

As I neared the parking lot, I thought back a couple years, being tired and at the end of a long hunt. Unloading my rifle, I had given up on seeing anything for the day. Rounding the final corner, I spotted a dark shape, off the path around 50 yards away. I froze and slowly moved off the path, taking cover behind a tree. I had never seen a chuck in these woods, so I wasn't quite sure if it was only a stick and the product of my active imagination. Without magnification, I just couldn't tell. I stood still and watched it, but it still didn't move. Suddenly the shape dropped onto all fours and began to run. Damn! It was a chuck standing upright to get a better look at me and I blew the shot. I recalled the excitement as I realized that chucks could be found in this area, and from that day forward I vowed never to unload my rifle until I was out of the woods. I still regret not squeezing the trigger, and I wonder if that one will re-appear some day. Around every corner and down every stretch, I find myself reliving little moments of excitement from hunts of the past. That's one reason I return to hunt this area, even when the odds of seeing anything are slim. Maybe today will be that lucky day and the one I missed will be just around the corner, giving me a second chance.

Woodchuck and Coyote hunting ends April 27th and reopens May 31st.
No hunting for over a month!!

CLICK HERE to see the CT Hunting Season Calender

SATURDAY UPDATE

I got up early this morning to be in the woods at sunrise. The weather couldn't be better. We had frost last night which eliminated all traces of bugs, and as time progressed, the temp slowly moved into the 40's. The sky was blue and cloudless with no wind and the warm sun began streaming through the trees. If there was ever a day for small game to be out, this was it.

To make a long story short, after three hours of walking, I did not see a single squirrel, woodchuck, rabbit or even a chipmunk. Nothing but songbirds. Small game hunting this year is once again non-existent. I realize that I just wrote the story above about not giving up, but over the coming month I'm going to have to seriously reconsider whether this is worth it. How many times do I have to go out and see nothing to finally realize that I'm wasting my time? For whatever reason, whether it be predators, over-hunting or the flood, small game has neared extinction is the WMAs that I hunt. There are deer and turkey, but my thing is small game. I'll let you know what I decide in 30 days, but for now, I plan to switch my concentration to range shooting, testing and reloading. I just received an email asking me to do a test on Henry's H001, and I think I'll take him up on it. I'll also be reporting on the Henry Golden Boy 17HMR and the Big Boy 44 Magnum. Thank Martin for the suggestion. Check back over the summer for these reports and others. If you're having a good small game year, I'd sure like to know about it.
Regards, ~Bob

A Woodchuck Story from a few years back

2010-04-11T22:20:00.006-04:00

FIRST CHUCK KILL WITH MY HENRY H001 22LR

It was a long day, and I had been walking the fields in the heat for hours without seeing a thing. It was as if someone dropped a neutron bomb in the field. The landscape was untouched but there wasn't a sign of life anywhere. I was hungry and thirsty and it was time to call it quits. I unloaded my rifle, opened the receiver and began the long, uphill walk to my car. Since I had thrown in the towel, I walked the next 5 minutes looking down at my feet. Approaching my car, I lifted my head, not believing what I saw. There stood a woodchuck on its hind legs staring at me. What a perfect shot! For some reason a standing chuck always looks bigger than I expect them to. "Damn!", I remembered that my rifle was unloaded so without stopping, I reached slowly into my pocket, pulled out a bullet and manually loaded it into the chamber (not always easy with a small caliber lever action rifle).

"I pull back the hammer.........my cell phone rings! Scrambling for it, I picked up the call before it rings again. ...."HELLO?" I whispered. It was my wife checking up on me."

I closed the lever and the chuck started running. I ran and followed him as he ducked into a big hole that was in the side of a hill. I positioned myself on a high spot where I could look into the hole and laid on my stomach in wait. I used this opportunity to load my tube with ammo in case I had shoot on the run. Looking into the hole with my scope, I could see something that appeared to be the glistening of its eye. I pull back the hammer.........my cell phone rings! Scrambling for it, I picked up the call before it rings again. ...."HELLO?" I whispered. It was my wife checking up on me. I couldn't believe it. She's never called me during a hunt! What are the odds? I whispered, "...I'LL CALL YOU BACK" and hung up. The chuck began to move out of its hole. I fired one shot and hit it in the chest. It didn't move but I fired again to be sure it was dead. Hey, I don't get to shoot my rifle much in this place and I wasn't going to give this one the opportunity to crawl back into its hole. I then took the photos above and called my wife back, "Nice timing!"

The worst flooding in Connecticut history

2010-03-25T16:33:00.023-04:00

WEDNESDAY'S REPORT

The CT River has overflowed its banks, and it's backing up into Cromwell Meadows. I walked through knee deep water to hunt today. Lots of Muskrats around but no chucks yet.

THURSDAY'S REPORT

This is the first time I have ever seen the Meadows totally submerged. Very few areas are accessible and it's going to rain again tonight. I expect that the parking lot will be under a foot of water by morning. There are still plenty of Muskrats around, but still no sign of woodchucks. I wonder where they go when their dens are flooded? I've seen a chuck climb a tree, so they could be up with the squirrels. The water level is so high that I have no idea when I'll be able to hunt the Meadows again. I used to wonder where are all garbage came from that's in the woods; tires, plastic and glass bottles of all kinds, and whatever else can float. It's now my understanding that there's a dump along the CT river, and when it floods, garbage is carried down river and dumped into the Meadows. I need to investigate the situation. I bet I can find it on GoogleEarth.

It looks like the water has receded about a foot, but I still couldn't get through the main path. I tried everything I could come up with, but still couldn't get 1/4 the way through. As I was tangled up in the pricker bushes trying to make my way across via the trees, 2 swans swam by about 25' directly in front of me and didn't seem to see me.

A few minutes later two young hunting beagles saw me and dove right into the water to came over and greet me. Their tails were wagging, I petted them and they smelled me, then they took off to smell better things. I had no choice but to turn around.

I then hunted the side roads that didn't flood, but didn't see anything. Along the path I found an overturned chair in the tall grass, so I turned it over and took a seat. I was in full camo today, so I thought there might be a chance of a chuck coming out of a hole or a coyote passing by, because I've seen scat and dead moles in this area many times before. The temperature drastically went down last night and there was ice on the puddles, but the sun was so warm that I had to keep myself from nodding out. I'm sure it didn't help that I had walked for miles through mud with boots on that weigh about 20 lbs. So I got some exercise, saw some wildlife (including 2 friendly dogs), and had it bit of relaxation. Not a bad way to start a weekend. Next week we're getting 2-3 more inches of rain, so I wonder when this water level will return to normal? I'll be bock!

APRIL SECOND'S FLOOD REPORT

The entire parking area is submerged, thanks to the wettest March in Connecticut history. There really is no place else to hunt at the meadows. To the right of the parking area, what isn't submerged is like a swamp. To the left, there's only around 75 yards semi-dry before it turns into a lake. I'm sure the squirrels are safely in their trees, but I am concerned about the other small game in the area. I wonder how many chucks have dies in their dens? What about the Fisher Cats, the chipmunks and the rest? If they are alive, they have likely exited the area, which will make a lousy year for hunting even worse. How about opening muskrat reason. They're lov'n this and are everywhere, if you can get to them. I'm hoping that when things finally dry out and the temperature rises into the 90's, the chucks will miraculously return. I have a feeling they will surprise us again. At least that's my hope. Happy Easter my friends.

ONE WEEK LATER

A Connecticut March in the 70's!

2010-03-20T18:28:00.007-04:00

This is my second woodchuck hunt of the season. It is chuck season, but I rarely see any before the summer when it really heats up. This is an unusual year in Connecticut with record breaking temperatures; today being in the 70's. I didn't spot any chucks today but I did enjoy a few hours in the woods, seeing muskrats, deer and birds everywhere.

You'll notice that this video is linked to YouTube. For some strange reason, all uploaded video to Blogger is showing up on blog posts with simply a black box, which doesn't look very good. The image quality has also become very low. Tonight it dawned on me that I should upload a higher quality video to YouTube and embed it in my blog post. We'll see if that works.

Muskrat city!

2010-03-17T19:36:00.011-04:00

Today was absolutely amazing! It was almost 70 degrees, no breeze and not a cloud in the sky. Since chuck hunting opened 2 days ago, I couldn't pass this day up. I emailed my boss and asked him if I could take off an hour early and work an extra hour tomorrow, and he said "no problem". At 2:30 I was out the door and by 3:45, in the woods.

It had been raining for days, so half the woods were flooded out and impassable. I walked as far as I could, then turned around and covered as much available area as possible. No chuck or squirrel sightings, but I did run into a herd or deer which is always cool when it happens. Ducks were taking off everywhere I went.

I then checked a spot near the swamps where I had seen chuck holes in the past. I walked quietly into the area and took a seat on a stump, and within 5 minutes the area came alive. 2 muskrats were sitting on a log about 25 yards to my left fluffing their fir, and there were 3 nearby swimming in the water. 2 were directly in front and another in the water to my right. Then I saw the leaves move and just a stone's throw to my right another one was digging around and totally unaware of my presence! I've seen muskrats before, but never like this. I put my scope on them and just watched. At 9X, their faces filled my field of view. The problem is that there's no open season on hunting muskrats with a firearm. Only trapping, but this was so much fun that I was content to watch. If this is any sign of what the summer will be like, I'm looking forward to it already. The nice thing about today was that the weather was perfect but unlike during the summer, there were no bugs, and I hate bugs.

I'd be out again Saturday, but I've been invited to shoot with Dirk at a private club and I'm not about to pass up that opportunity. Check out my 2010 Range Report over the weekend so see how Bill, Bill's grandson and I made out. Lots of new reloads to try out, including my first 38 Special rounds, and for the SKS new TechSights and bipod.

Final hunt of the 2009 - 2010 Season

2010-02-27T11:54:00.018-05:00

A magnificent morning in with woods.

Got my first good look at a Fisher Cat this morning about 25 yards away. I had my crosshairs right between its eyes as it sat there and looked right at me. It was curled up and almost black, so I had a hard time telling what it was for sure until it decided to stretch out and run. Because there's no open season on Fisher Cats I didn't pull the trigger. Absolutely no doubt what it was. Can't mistake that long bushy tail and those eyes. Very cool, and from what I've read, not many people see them! It was about the size of a medium size dog and I ended up seeing about 5 sets of similar tracks; 3 to the east and 2 in the west side. Here's one just like it (CLICK) , and what the DEP emailed me about this last July when I wrote them about the decrease in the squirrel population:

"It could be a predator issue, which is part of the natural cycle. The cycle includes a rebound, so I would expect them to increase over time. If you are concerned about predators, try some fisher and fox trapping in the area during the season." Jason Hawley, Furbearer/Bear Program, CT DEP Wildlife Division, Sessions Woods WMA, Burlington, CT

Photo of a Fisher Cat that was on the weather page

Interesting Fisher Cat videos:
Boy attacked by Fisher Cat
A Feeding Fisher Cat
CT DEP info sheet on Fishers

Dan bags one with a Ruger 22LR

2010-02-19T23:50:00.003-05:00

Dan Gregory, a gunshop owner in Salem, MO sent me this photo of a squirrel he bagged with his Ruger. I can't help but notice how different the coloration is from the Gray's we have in Connecticut. Glad to see he has something to hunt in his area. Dan is also into casting bullets, and you can read about it on my 38 Special Reloading Page.

Not a trace

2010-02-18T17:25:00.009-05:00

Work has been slowing down, so the company gave me a furlough day today. It's a program the state has to keep small businesses from laying off employees. If things are slow, we work 32 hours and collect for a day. It comes out almost the same, so it isn't bad. My department has been extremely busy and working 40+ hours while the rest of the company slowed down to 32, so this is a welcome mini-vacation, especially at the end of hunting season.

I slept in this morning because I really needed it after an extremely high-pressure week. Hunting has been so bad that it makes things worse when I get up at 5am on my day off to see nothing. This morning I made it into the woods at about 10:00. I was the only one there, and it looks like no one has walked through the area since the snow fell Tuesday. The weather was spectacular today; 42F, sunny with a bright blue sky filled with scattered puffy clouds. If it was 40 degrees warmer it would have been the perfect beach day.

The Henry's octagon barrel

This was a perfect time to see what's really out there, with a fresh 5" of snow on the ground. It hadn't snowed since Tuesday, so this snow gave me a lot of information. Specifically, that nothing is or has been on the ground. After walking 3 hours I only saw a single set of tracks. Three hawks were patrolling the area directly above me, so that wasn't a good sign either. The hawks were likely grabbing any squirrels that were hanging out on the branches like they did when I saw it happen while I coyote hunted.

The only tracks I saw today

So my season total is 19, a poor showing for what started as a good season. 2010 has been absolutely dead. Hope you had better luck. Please take a few seconds and click the survey at the top of the right-hand column to let us all know how your season was. If you have time, tell us in words how you did by posting your story to the 'Comments' area under this post. Thanks for continuing to check out this page, even though things were so bad for so long. Let's hope chuck season turns out to be a good one. Let the range shooting begin!

Checked out a new spot today

2010-02-14T12:23:00.007-05:00

A Henry 22 mag accurate at 200 yards!

2010-02-06T09:41:00.003-05:00

"...I actually love this rifle its pin point accurate and with the .22 mag cartridge its accurate out to about 200 yards, maybe more than that too but I only shoot with open sights on my Henry so far... sure you can use it if you like and @ 200 yards I can hit a silhouette I cant see that well but my eyes are ok I can tell you that at 100 yards that rifle is almost unfair in its accuracy ~ Maximillian L."

I was telling Maximillian what I'm lucky if I can see a target at 200 yards with iron sights, never mind hitting a target. I usually always shoot at 50-100. ~Bob

How often do squirrels breed?

2010-01-25T07:01:00.001-05:00

Squirrels have 2 breeding seasons per year, with litters born Feb/March and June/July. Each litter averages 3 - 4 young. (LINK)

Ted Nugent is Visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past

2010-01-24T20:34:00.002-05:00

Throwing in the towel after a perfect morning's hunt

2010-01-16T15:02:00.010-05:00

Everything came together this morning for a perfect hunt. I got out nice and early, at least an hour before sunrise. The temperature was 31 degrees and when I arrived in the parking area it was empty. It was just getting light enough to see, so I waited 15 minutes then headed into the woods. The horizon glowed with warm light, most of the snow was gone and the sky was blue and cloudless. There was no wind at all, which is extremely unusual for this area. To top it all off the temperature was predicted to reach 50! What more could I have asked? Over the past two days it seemed that squirrels where everywhere. There hadn't been a squirrel to be seen in months, but something happened on Thursday that changed all that (read my post below). If the WMA was anything like the woods that I drive through on my way to work every day, I was sure to be coming home with my limit today!

The first spot I hit was the area that was filled with tracks last weekend. It didn't look like anyone had been through the area, so I found a good spot in the middle of the area and took a seat. After a thirty minute wait, there was nothing, so I moved another 75 yards and sat out that spot for half an hour. Nothing! Don't tell me I got out this early for nothing? I picked up and moved to my favorite area, and 3/4 way through the stretch I spotted a squirrel's tail flashing in the sun about 75 yards away. It was under a tree, and in moments it began to climb. It was dead center on the trunk, and though it was a long shot I wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. Hell, it's been two months since I've had anything to shoot at in this place. I steadied myself on a tree trunk and slowly squeezed off a round. CRACK! I saw a cloud of smoke about 2" to its left on the tree bark. The squirrel disappeared. I moved in about 35 yards and took a seat for the next half hour. No sign of it or anything else. I then walked the area to the end, turned around and made a return pass. There was a squirrel about 35 yards away foraging through the leaves. There was too much brush in the way to take a shot, so I changed my position and waited. It took about ten minutes for the squirrel to reappear, but this time it was running up a tree trunk. I moved in closer to give myself a shot that was around 30 yards. It was still in the center of the trunk, so I leaned up against a big tree, got the squirrel in my cross hairs and slowly squeezed off a shot. At first it didn't move, then it scampered around the back side of the tree. "I must have hit it!" I thought. It wasn't a very high tree and it only had a few branches. There wasn't a tree close enough to jump to, so I studied every inch of that tree before I moved forward, "Maybe it was dead at the base of the tree" I thought, so I moved in and looked everywhere. No squirrel. I circled the tree numerous time and studied the branches with my scope. The damn squirrel seemed to simply disappear! How the heck do they do that? It's a young tree so there's no rotted center or holes in the trunk anywhere that I could see. I don't think it could have gotten away with laying flat on the branches without me spotting it. The only thing I can figure is that it got around the back side, fell or ran to the ground and quickly ran away with the tree blocking my view. This isn't the first time a bullet caused a squirrel to freeze. The problem is that if you hit a squirrel in a non-vital area with a 22, it will likely live. The 17HMR would have created an exit wound the size of a quarter. It would have fallen dead, leaving you with something to put in the bag, but so damaged that the meat is left a mess of broken ribs and a chest cavity filled with blood. 22LR kills are much cleaner, but require a more precise hit in a vital area. I'm afraid this one got away wounded because it was gone. I would have rather missed than to leave an animal wounded. There was no blood trail, but that's not unusual for a 22LR. Many times there's only a single drop of blood at the wound. Whatever happened, it was gone.

I ended up hunting from about 6:45 - 11:00, and those were the only squirrels that I saw. That's really bad, so this day I've made a decision. In the past there was always an excuse, but today was just perfect. The area should have been running with squirrels, but it wasn't. My only conclusion is that the population has become dangerously low. For that reason I've decided to suspend squirrel hunting in this area until September 1st. The season actually doesn't end until the last day of February, but I no longer feel right about hunting these few remaining squirrels. I hope you feel the same way. I think we should leave them alone until Fall so that those that remain can replenish their population.

For the remainder of hunting season I've decided to find new areas to hunt and to reload until the ranges reopen. I just returned from a trip to Cabela's and bought the dies I need to reload 38 Specials (check out my new 38 Special Reloading Page). You can check back over the next month for additional squirrel hunts, but if I come up dry I won't be posting anything. Things should should start getting active in the Spring when woodchucks come out of hibernation, and keep an eye out for regular updates on the rest of the site. Send me your small game hunting stories and photos, and feel free to add constructive comments to the posts. I think I'll go deprime some 38 cases and throw them in the tumbler. Until next time.

Amazing!

2010-01-14T10:38:00.003-05:00

This is a quick post from my computer in work. You guys know I haven't seen squirrels anywhere in 2 months. I have a 25 mile drive through back roads to work every day, and just this morning I've seen at least a dozen squirrels running across the street at various locations from the beginning of my drive to the end. I later took a walk around the block at 10am and saw 4 squirrels, 3 chasing each other in a line. It was like old times! Why are they out today? The temperature hasn't changed, it's cloudy and in the 20's? Amazing! I wish I wasn't in work today.

END OF DAY
This is interesting. It was in the 20's when I saw the squirrels this morning, but by afternoon the temperature had risen to just above 40 for the first time in weeks. I wonder if they sensed the coming of warmer weather? It never ceases to amaze me how God has programed wildlife. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Saturday.