GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : Furseeker April 01, 2010, 06:32:11 AM
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Well with the change in weather I had a change in luck. Got back out to the dairy today, no snow a little wind and a lot of mud. I waited in the truck like I had the day before but they now seem to wise to that as well. So I went on a walk about the property to see what I could find. My first target was some pigeons that were 62 yards out and not going to come in closer, so I guessed the hold over and wind correction and took the shot, missed him by a good bit. Walked back to the truck and spotted this Starling sitting on a post at 42 yards, again I guessed the wind correction needed and sent the CPHP on its way. This time I was right on and watched the feathers fly but the bird also took flight. He only made it about 20 yards and then crashed into a fence and went down for good. Just as I was headed over to get him I noticed a small flock of black birds land on the corn pile, I took him from about 45 yards. I walked over and collected both birds and went back to the truck to continue glassing for pigeons. I noticed this squirrel sitting on top of the tire pile sunning himself, I didn’t think he was going to let me get close enough for a shot but I thought I would give it a try. I was able to close the distance to about 40 yards and rested the Discovery on a fence post, settled the crosshairs on the base of his neck and took the shot. He just rolled over the edge of the tire, the shot felt really good but in the wind I couldn’t hear the pellet strike. Because he was on one side of the silage pit and I was on the other side I took a good mental note of his location and walked around to try and find him. When you have several hundred tires stacked together they all look the same and it’s easy to loose the exact spot where you took the shot. I made it over to where I thought he was and couldn’t find any sign of the squirrel. I knew the shot felt good and it looked like he just rolled of the tire instead of running off. I kept looking around and finally found him, slumped over right next to the tire.
All in all not a bad day to get out and do a little shooting. It looks like I may have smudge on the camera lens so sorry about the blurry spot.
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Nice shooting day!
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That's the way to do it :) Excellent shooting and a great pic. That disco has a really nice stock on it,,, I love the grain.
Jeff
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Wow.....all pretty long distance shots. And 3 different species with the Discovery in a few minutes time.
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Well after my curiosity got the best of me I did a little studying up on what kind of squirrels are running around down at the dairy. The best description and the pictures that looks most like them call them a “rock squirrelâ€. From what I’ve read they will eat grasses, seeds, and grains, and other animals. That one took me by surprise! What can you guys tell me about your kind of squirrels, reds, grays, fox and what ever other kind you guys shoot? Are other squirrels carnivorous? We do have some Gray Squirrels in the state, are those types edible? When I first started hunting down at the dairy they were not very spooky, in fact the first 3 I shot were shot one right after another. I shot one and then a second stood up to see what was going on, when I shot him a third one stood up and met the same fate as the previous two. But know when I go down there they see me and are on the move, diving for cover in the tire pile. I want to lay off them long enough for them to breed and raise their litters, so I guess they will get free passes from now until I start to see some little ones poking around. The owner wants them all gone but as long as they duck and cover when a vehicle pulls in maybe he won’t see them and think I’m not doing my part to rid the place of them.
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Pretty much all squirrels are edible. Now what they taste like or how they look THAT is another story. If they are a form of ground squirrel like prairie dogs, I'd be wary of diseases. Lots of folks won't even touch PDogs without gloves due to the plague.
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That's why I make it a point not to touch the ground squirrels without my gloves on.
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nice shooting
good pic