GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : only1harry November 20, 2008, 04:07:24 AM
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Well I 've been letting this nutter go for 2-3 weeks now because he was a little small. I saw him again yesterday morning and let him go since I had gotten a good size squirrel the day before. I did not spot another one after that all day and it's actually very rare now that I see any at all. I have taken 16 squirrels since September and their #'s are dangerously low.
Today I was looking out a window admiring the small now flakes coming down when I spotted him again feeding on some berries up high on one of the trees on the small hill in the back. I 've been working from home since a lady backed into my car on Monday, waiting for the body shop to finish fixing it. So again I find my self looking out the window. This time I walked away to give him a chance, but 5min. later I got drawn back looking to see if the squirrel had gone away. Nope he 's still pretty much where I saw him the first time. Fighting the urge to get the gun I go make some instant coffee and light a cigarette. I return 5-6min. later and this guy is still out there on an adjacent tree out in the open eating whatever he can scavange off the trees. This time I could not help myself any longer. I reached for the Condor .22 and loaded a Predator. If they can't abide by my 10min. rule to go through my property, then I can't be blamed for my actions :-)
The squirrel was at least 32-33yds out and I figured I 'd aim at his head and if I miss, it's all good, maybe he 'll get away. No such luck. He was facing me for the most part but at a slight angle. I found an opening through the branches, put the crosshairs on his right eye, and as I was squeezing the trigger I thought I saw him move his head but he still got hit and upon impact he jumped up off the branch and fell 35-40ft to the ground on the slope of the hill. Only his tail was moving a little and then nothing. The predator had entered the base of the neck when he moved his head to the right. I then spotted the hole on the tree behind him the Predator made after it went through him. Found him with a pool of blood on the ground, customary of the damage a Predator does when hitting a critter with a lot of energy (35-40fpe in this case). Surprisingly the exit wound half way down his body on the other side near the spine was kind of small and dry, but the Predator did travel through most his organs and half his body because of the angle, but drained him out from the entry wound.
I snapped a pic of a section of the hill in the back mostly to capture the snow flakes because it looked so beatiful but the flakes didn't come out at all and it doesn't look like it's snowing in the pic. Goes to show you how much I know about photography. I just set it for auto and let it do its thing. It would probably help if I had a better camera. My brother's costs 3X more and takes much better pics, but I 'd rather use the $ on some more airguns (hint, hint, hehe).
Well I hope his buddies come to visit sometime wherever he came from. I promise to give them a chance the first 2 times I spot them. The 3d time all bets are off :) On a serious note though, I would feel really bad if I have wiped them all out. I can't wait till deer season is over so I can hit the woods in search of some small game and take my sights off the neighborhood squirrels.
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Great shot and pic's Harry but you might have to set up some of those nutter knock down targets to shoot at and let the live ones repopulate for a while lol. Your baby look's sweet next to her harvest buddy.:) Ed
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Conservation baby, conservation....or you won`t have anymore to shoot at next season. Another great hunt story and shooting with the Condor....congrats.
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Thanks guys.
I kind of knew this would happen but I just have no self control when it comes to fur :( Even my wife said a few weeks ago to slow down or there won't be any left. You would think I learned my lesson with the groundhogs. So now it looks like no G-hogs or squirrels for next year. I deserve that.. but it was great while it lasted! hehe
That's ok, this will force me to hit the woods this winter. I 'm ready with all new stuff like camo winter parka, thinsulate camo pants, boots, gloves, everything from Cabelas. To be honest I did not fit into some of my old hunting clothes :) It seems I have gained a couple of pounds.. I don't know what happened..must be all that sitting and typing on the keyboard :) I tried on all the new stuff the other day and 2 minutes later I started sweating so I think I 'll be ok out there in the elements :-)
I hope I can find a squirrel city or nut city like Ed's :) I 've heard rumors.. many people went in the woods in search of the "squirrel city" and never returned. Maybe I 'll get lucky, find it, and make it back safe :)
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Harry have you ever heard of conservation, game management???? Man your killin me and my relationship with these condor kills... The wife has a sharp eye on the account now and is watchin me like a crow....
nice shootin breaux....
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Of course I 've heard of it, but my trigger finger hasn't. It can't help itself, don't blame me for it :-)
I love your new Avatar. It's like Marauder's and other youtube slow-mo video's showing the pellet in flight :)
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well now that I am going nocturnal its changed.... lol.
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One of my tactic's for new hunting ground is if I spot a area with potential I'll stop and make new friends with the resident, everyone that I've met and explained what I would like to do and with the type of shooter were happy to have me around. I'm the local varmint control guy, day or night.:) Check out the prices for a wild pest control company to come in and do what I do, I also relocate them right to the dinner plate. Ed
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It looks like you have made a lot of friends Ed and you know how to approach land owners and what to say.
I 'm going to head to the woods soon when deer season is over. I should have done that earlier in the small-game season but I had enough to shoot here in the backyard.. I 'll be looking for acorns on the ground and for any nut or berry trees and try and conceal myself and wait after I scout the area. 5,000 acres is a lot so I 'll be making a few scouting trips until I find a good spot with good squirrel activity. Hopefully I 'll run into a coyote too during the day cause everyone's been telling me they see them out there all the time. I think I 'm going to purchase a good call for the coyotes because I believe they 're allowed, but I better check the laws one more time. I know my Condors are up to it, but I don't know how I 'm going to control my adrenalin (shaking) when I see one and try to put the crosshairs on its head :) I 'll probably freeze and chicken out like I did on my first deer hunt :-)
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I'm sorry your targets are thinning out. I've been leaving them alone.... for now, until they start trouble.
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wow you have a lot of will power :) What are you feeding them?
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Will power , I guess... but as long as they don't damage anything they are kinda safe. There is cracked corn in the feeder for the birds, and whole corn on the ground for the deer. My wife likes to watch the wildlife. Not many turkey this year. This just a stop for the deer as they just pass thru on thier way to the apple trees near by. Nutters really seem to like the whole corn. I have counted as many as 14 back there at one time. Do you think thats too many????
Skip
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14!!!!! Need to thin out the herd.
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14 at once? Dang, where do you live in Jersey? I work near Parsippany. I can be anywhere in Jersey from here in 2hrs :-)
I take it you don't really shoot critters or your wife will send you to the dog house? hehehe
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Thats about the size of it. They get a pass until she ticked off about her garden.feeder,flowers etc. I'm 5 min. from Parsippany we'll have to meet for lunch sometime.
Skip
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Skip: I work actually 15-20min. SouthWest of Parsippany, right off 78 and very close to 24, but I do visit my friend in Whippany once in a while which is right next to Parsippany so we may be able to work something out. He works at Bear Stearns and my company also owns a large office building in Parsippany. I visit that site every few months. I live in upstate NY btw!
A co-worker asked me today how does one get into airguns in NJ and I told him he would need a license. He has no idea how to go about doing it so I told him to call his local police dept. Is there anything else he should know? Once he submits the paperwork, how long does it take? Do they have a license just for airguns in NJ, or does one have to take a safety class first, and then apply for the regular shotgun/firearms license, which would include airguns?
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Only a firearms ID card is needed for along gun, and a pistol permit for a handgun. NJ treats airguns as firearms. He has to fill out the paperwork at local PD , get fingerprinted and wait...... It could take months depending on the Town. I waited for 3 months for a handgun permit, and already have the ID card which is required for any gun. The ID card is a one time deal and he could buy as many shooters (long guns) as he wants as long as he dosen't move. A pistol permit is needed for each pistol. He should to apply soon its only getting harder, and the fees they charge are getting out of hand. NJ is not a very gun friendly state.
Skip
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Thanks Skip. Once you have the firearms ID card, are you allowed to shoot your airgun in your backyard? or does that depend on your local town and/or county laws like here in NY?
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NO , DON'T shoot in the yard!!! Most towns have no discharge laws. As I said before NJ treats airguns as firearms. It would be like firing a shotgun in the yard. The safe bet is to check local law enforcement. Even if there is no law against the discharge it should be kept out of sight. Someone may call the cops and report a man with a gun. That could put you on the wrong end of a BIG BORE powder burner when they arrive. Belive me thats a place you don't want to be, it could ruin your whole day. NJ really sxxks.
Skip