High Desert huntng starts back up

[PBJ]

It has been quiet as rabbit season is long over and jack rabbits have been few and far between. Ground squirrels have started moving and so today I took out the CFX (CDT tune and trigger with a Leepers 6X Bug shooter and RWS Superdomes) and finally got to hunt a bit. Shot was at 32 meaured yards with a 5-10 mile an hour wind. Hit him a bit hight but he did not move more than two feet and I shot him again in the head. These little guys really tear up my yard; they run tunnels from tree to tree and eat the roots of my fruit trees!!

[shadow]

Nice shot Bob, and the CFX look's so good laying next to her trophy.;)  Ed

[longislandhunter]

Good shooting Bob, enjoyed the picture :)

I see you refer to it as a ground squirrel,,, is it different from a regular squirrel?  Just wondering as it looks like the grey squirrels running around my yard.

Jeff

[PBJ]

The squirrels here in the High Desert have a very short tail, are not very big (8"-12" long) and live in underground dens. They dig extensive tunnel systems and hibernate in the winter and will stay a semi-hibernation state in the hottest part of the summers to conserve moisture and food supplies. They rarely will climb trees except to get to a bird feeder that is readily accessable. I have never seen them eat pine cones even though I have several large irrigated pines that really produce. The one year olds are not hard to hunt, but the older ones are plenty smart and often only give you a running shot as they dodge from cover to cover heading for a hole or place to hide.