Diana 36 back in action!

[only1harry]

I 've been shooting my Condor a lot lately and felt I had neglected my 2nd most favorite gun, the RWS Diana 36 .177.  Wife & son are at a kid's Bday party so it's the perfect opportunity to go in search of a gray squirrel.  I 'm also excited because she has not taken a gray before since I only got her in May - out of season.  I took a couple of shots at my silent trap and hit my favorite window which gives me a good view of about 30 out of the 40yd long hill behind my house (and as much as 45-50yds up).  

The trees are full of leaves and I can't see a dang thing.  The good thing is the vegetation is so thick, that the sun is not getting through to blind me.  So I 'm sitting there in a chair waiting for a nutter to mess up and reveal itself.  I caught a glimse of a few shadows, a squirrel jumping, and then finally after 20min. I was able to pin-point that squirrel and follow him.  He kept running back & forth very fast without stopping or pausing it seemed, from one end of the hill to his nest in my oak tree 45yds out at the other end, several yards past where the hill ends.  I never shoot at them on that oak tree because this tree is actually the border marker of my neighbor's property whose house is diagonally behind mine.  

Anyway this went on for about an hour and my neck was hurting from watching this squirrel running back & forth tirelessly.  Now I 'm thinking the gun is going to shoot high if I ever get a shot off at this squirrel because I had been sitting there since 3pm and it's now 4pm.  I had backed out the magnificaton on the Bushy Legend to 5X so I can follow this squirrel through the scope in case he stopped for 1-2secs.  He did stop a few times very briefly but always behind some leaves and I could only see his tail or nothing at all.  I assumed he was carrying food back to his nest getting ready for the Fall/Winter.
Finally he doesn't go past my view of the hill this time and just before I was going to lose sight of him I see a shadow coming down a tree about 25+yds out.  I lose him and then find him again about 6-7ft off the ground on a branch behind some leaves.  I can see his tail hanging down off the branch but not much else.  I zoom in to 10X and can see the top of his head above a leaf with his ears pointing up!  It's now or never because I didn't want to sit there for another hour watching his acrobatics.  I aim about 1" lower because I wanted a head shot and calculated the gun would shoot high about 1/2" since it's "cold" now.  I squeeze the trigger and let the 8.3gr Superdome fly to its target.  The squirrel falls and doesn't move!  I take another look at him through the scope.  His head is facing me and he seems to have something in his mouth.  I see him doing a little stretching with his back legs and then no movement.  I looked at the A/O and it reading a little over 25yds, about 26 or so.  
The pellet had hit him right between the eyes (just above) and exited his right ear as he was angled that way when I took the shot.  The small nut was still in his mouth so I snapped a few pics where he had fallen.  I then realized it was full of Poison Ivy where he had fallen so I removed him and brought him inside the fence.  I laid the 36 on my son's old play-house that I have not been able to give away to anyone, and snapped some pics.  Finally I realized it has its uses! :)  
Look at the 3-leaved Poison Ivy all around the nutter.  That stuff is everywhere beyond my lawn and on the hill side.  I realized I took the previous pics with the Condor in the same area which explained why I have some Poison Ivy on my legs since I took the last squirrel on 9/11 (duh)!  So pics will not be so pretty from now on..  I hate getting Poison Ivy on me! :-)

[J0HN]

hah congrats on the sucessful hunt harry lol i love the nut still in his mouth i think it gives the nutter charecter hah, glad to see the 36 in action it must be hard to put that beast the condor down, thanks for the story and keep em comin.

[Gene_SC]

Guess that was a mouth full Harry...:) Great account of your harvest and that 36 looks beautiful..

Gene

[longislandhunter]

Fine shot Harry, nice pic too...   I had a bunch of poison ivy in my yard a few years back, it was all over the place.  I bought a can of that spray stuff,,, you spray the plant and it kills it root and all.. Worked like a charm,,, everything I sprayed died and never grew back....

That 36 is one fine lookin rifle and it spells death to any critter you aim it at....  

Jeff

[only1harry]

Jeff thanks,

Gene,
I hope you recognize it - it used to be yours!  :-)

I 'm going to be sending it out for a "check up" & some maintenance/lube, etc. next month.  Every 50-75 pellets or so, it doesn't want to shoot, unless I re-cock it, but other than that it works great and it is very accurate with Superdomes & CPL's.  I did not know a Springer could put 3-4 out of 5 pellets in the same hole (at 25yds) time after time until I got your tuned 36.

[only1harry]

Thanks John,
Yeah the Condor is hard to put down especially because it's so "quiet".  I had not realized how quiet it was, until I shot the 36 which I thought was below average in noise to begin with (and it is), as far as Springers go (my 350 is much louder)..  First I was like: what's wrong with my 36?  It's so loud!  I think I have a busted piston seal!  :-)  Nope, I just had to get used it all over again after 4-5 weeks of shooting the Condor and nothing else.  My wife came in while I took a few shots at the silent trap and said "what are you shooting?  I could barely hear your "black" gun", is this a new one you got?"  "No honey it's an older one I haven't shot in a while...recognize it now?" :)  I think she was just checking to see if I bought another one.. I don't know why, I don't check to see how many pairs of shoes she gets every year.. because I can't count that high! :-)

[Gene_SC]

Dang I thought that looked familiar Harry..:) Send it to me Harry and I will check her out. Be glad to work with you on it.

Gene

[only1harry]

Thanks Gene!  
I 'll think I'll take you up on that.  Much appreciated.  I have a very busy next couple of weeks so definitely in October.
Just keep it away from Tim or it will come back a few inches shorter, or not at all  :-)  I know he wanted this 36 :)

[Gene_SC]

Your welcome Harry, and I will keep it just the way you like it...:) I should be ready for your by then. As an after thought. I was thinking I must of been nuts to sell that 36 at all..:( But it is in good hands and being used at its best with you..:)

Gene

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

Now Harry,, you know you can trust me,, I would NEVER "Chop" your brl. against your will.  Im really tryin to be good now,, just ask Peak,,, Oh never mind,, Im not fooling anyone!! (Not even myself!!) "Chopper". (Tim.)

[gamo2hammerli]

U did good with that 36. U had the patience to sit, look and wait for over an hour...my hat's off to you. Good hunt and good shooting. Nice pics...and yes I do see the poison ivy. U've got to go there and wipe them out....not the squirrels, the poison ivy!!!!!

Btw, I think you're the third hunter that's shot a squirrel with a nut in it's mouth THIS week!!!!

[only1harry]

Thanks Gene, I 'm taking care of your baby, don't worry :-)  It has rewarded me with a dozen groundhogs this summer!  It has exceeded all my expectations :)

Sure you can keep it the way I like it now, OR you can improve it, I won't stop you :-)    

BTW, it was in PRISTINE condition when you sent it to me, so I 'm trying to keep it that way which is why I lean it gently up against a 4yr old's plastic playground thingie :)  
BTW, what do you use for the wood finish?  The wood looked great & was shiny when I got it, but it wasn't "oily" like when you wipe it with a Silicone cloth.  I need to buy some good wood finish or preservative for these fine Diana beech stocks.  Silocone cloth is getting old and it comes off fast, not to mention it gets all over your hands next time you use the gun.  

[only1harry]

Stanley thanks!  
Believe me, I 'm not a patient man but I make an exception when it comes to hunting sometimes :-)  I have to with these guys until late in the Fall.  Then it's usually easy pickings as they are out in the open sort of speak with not much cover.
 
The vegetation on these trees is very thick, plus I have some wild rasberry or blackberry trees mixed in with them and it's nothing but a shield of leaves.  I really can't see anything but very small parts of the trunks here & there.  Unless they jump a lot and make noise or shake branches, or walk up & down the tree trunks, there could be 20 squirrels there, and I wouldnt' see 1 from my position inside the house.  When I get out and under the trees, they just hide from me on the opposite side of the trunk and it's nearly impossible to get a clear shot at them.  You just end up going round & round while they do the same and my neck is not that young anymore and tire fast looking 60+ft up.  

About a month ago before the season opened there were more than a dozen squirrels fighting in my trees back there on the hill, and I could not see any of them.  I could see branches swinging and moving all over but not 1 squirrel.  Only about 20min. later when they moved the fight to one of the big tall oak trees I realized how many there were and later when some ran across the street and went back where they came from.  It had to be at least 15 of them all together, probably fighting over new territory or a coup d'tat going on :)

[Gene_SC]

Well Harry she still shines..:) And I am very pleased that you have been happy with it. I generally use Carnuba wax on all my wood stocks. A little goes a long ways. I use plain rim oil on all my synthetic stocks. After spraying a terry towel with the rim oil I then wipe it down and there is not resdue left.

Gene

[only1harry]

You 're definitely not fooling anyone "Chopper buddy" :-)  I 'm preparing a big sign for Gene now to put on his door that reads:  "Tim you are not allowed to enter the premises - keep out while 36 is in-house"  :-)  

I know you can't help yourself when you see a barrel longer than 15".. I understand.  It's ok.. but just keep away from Gene's house while my gun is there!!  hehehe.  Don't make me point the big "C" towards your house.  I got your coordinates you know :-)  What am I saying?  For the first time you 've outgunned me with that "Slayer" of yours!  I have to get something bigger now, hehe.  Hmm.. do they make an air-bazooka?  :-)