Another pesty Grackle removed

[only1harry]

I 've been trying to get a shot off at this one for more than a week.  I just couldn't sneak up on him.  
Today he was in the front yard off to the side in front of a large oak tree.  Perfect backstop I thought.  I grabbed the 850 .22 and slowly opened the front door.  I slowly moved towards the front bushes that are about 3' from the front steps.  There is a 26-28" gap between the bushes and the house so I was able to move freely behind them.  I got low to the ground on my knees, found a very small opening through 2 of the bushes and put him on my crosshairs.  He kept moving a lot so I was there for a good minute or two and my knees started bothering me but good thing the 850 is only just over 6.5lbs scoped so my arms didn't get tired.  Finally he presented me with a good broadside shot and I squeezed the trigger as he put his head down into the grass which is the only time they stay still for about 1sec. so you have to shoot fast.  Feathers flew out everywhere as the CP struck and he was down.  He flapped around for about 2-3secs and that was it.

A few secs later as I was getting up, a Starling landed about 15ft away from the Grackle so back down I go.  Moved a little to get into position, aimed, and took a shot at the Starling's chest which was farther out but all I saw was feathers coming off his breast under his head, and he flew away looking pretty healthy.  That was 1 lucky Starling because I actually saw some movement on his breast feathers through the scope which I 'm sure was the CP going grazing it.  Oh well, I was a little shaky being on my knees and shooting free-hand but 1 out of 2 isn't bad.  Distance was about 23yds for the Grackle.

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

Way to go Harry!! I saw your post at Diana Werks & had to rush over here to see your pics.!! Man I shure was hoping that you were using the Diana 36 you got from Gene??  The 850 certainly gets er done!! If ya aint got time to shoot the 36,,,,, send it to me,, I will give her a workout!!LOL! I will take it with me to Genes on the 7th & let everyone play with it! Ok, lets keep this between us, I promised Big Bill I was staying outside shooting my guns. Man Im back on this "Puter" again!! GEEEEZZZEEE!! Going back outside now,,,,,,,, Tim.

[PeakChick]

Excellent work Harry. That's exactly how I like to see Grackles.

[only1harry]

Thanks guys.

Tim:
Since you asked.. The 36 is doing g-hog duty.  I just came back from stalking another groundhog.  I couldn't fit the Leapers TS 6x32 ill.mil-dot on the 36's BKL 260D7 scope a few days ago so I put on it the full-size Bushy Legend 5-15x40 and it's a little too heavy for my tastes right now (I can imagine when I scope the 350..).  The 36 is now 9.2lbs and I don't want to mess around with it shooting birds off-hand.  
I sighted her in a couple of days ago and as I was done Curtis called me but I got to shoot about 50 pellets with the big Bushnell scope and sight her in @ 20yds before chatting w/Curtis for an hour.  I only used CPHP's and Superdomes which have a very similar POI @ 20yds.  The FTS was shooting low and the Meisterkugeln a little too high and the Destroyer all over the place (those suck).  
So anyway I got within about 22yds of the g-hog about 15-20min. ago but he spotted me.  I wanted to move in a little closer and was careless.. I think he saw my feet under the car.  I will only shoot a g-hog with the 36 if I 'm well within 20yds.  He was clearly from the neighbor's property.  He ran back down the hole under my shed.  I then was able to get in within 15yds and wait.  2min. later he pops his head out but as as I took the safety off he jumps out and runs clear across the back lawn to his other hole about 20yds away.  As I 'm re-adjusting the A/O and trying to get a little closer, he pops out again after only been there only ~20secs and runs straight back from the hole, up the hill in the back of my house, and then cuts a right and across to the neighbor's behind his chain-link fense where I saw him go down another hole.  I 've seen him go there before after eating my grass.  Sometimes the neighbors leave the dog out and that's when he comes over to my property to feed when he 's desperate or thinks it's not safe to feed there.  
I think there is another g-hog living in the hole at the edge of my lawn (the bottom of the hill) where he first ran to, where he only stayed a few secs.  The other one must 've chased him out.. That's just a guess, because there is another one around in the back that is ligher in color and hangs out behind my chain link fense where it's hard to get a shot at from one of the back windows, but she 's still on my property as my lot goes 3/4 up the 15ft tall hill.  If (and only if..) I had the 350 or a PCP, that g-hog today would 've been dead meat as I had plenty of opportunities to shoot him from 25-30yds.  Oh well, that's ok, I 'm getting better at my stalking skills.  I like it..