Sick Day grey hunt..

[only1harry]

I 've been home sick from work for the second day with the flu.  My son got it from school and my wife and I couldn't escape it.  

I was up and around trying to get my sore back to normal after lying in bed for a while resting, and noticed some movement out the window on my big oak tree near the edge of my property about 45yds out.  I grabbed the Bushnell 12X binaculars and I see a squirrel going into a hole way up in the tree.  He 's the same one I 've been observing for the last month or so and have been leaving him alone.. but then I see another one one run up the tree.  The first one comes out and they start chasing each other down the tree.  They started making their way towards the back of the house along the tree line and now they 're within 30yds.  The wife is in bed so I figured this is a good oppurtunity as any.

I first reached for the 350 .22 but I figued it might be more fun and challenging with the 12fpe 850 .22.  I load a clip of CPH's in it and go back upstairs to the window.  The squirrels now have made their way directly behind my house and climb up a tree.  I wait until they are within 25yds because that's the limit I had set for the 850.  One of them jumps to another tree further back so i concentrate on the one closer to me.  He 's on a branch about 25yds out.  I wait for him to stop moving and to my surprise he starts walking on the branch towards me.  He 's now about 22-23yds out and stops to groom himself.  I set the A/O a little over 20yds and the picture gets nice and clear at 9X.  I rest my non-shooting hand on the wooden sill and bring the crosshairs slowly on his eye.  I have about 60 shots on the 88gr CO2 cylinder and I figure it should still shoot with full power, or close to it around 600+fps since I 've been keeping it in a plano case near the radiator in my office.  I hold my breath and squeeze the trigger.  I immediately hear a pop after the loud report.  At the same time I see the squirrel get knocked down off the branch through the scope.  He falls to the ground and stays there for a couple of seconds doing the death dance.  I can see the ice on the ground getting red around his head.  He then slides down the icy slope and comes to a rest by a fallen limb.  He 's done.  Upon closer examination I was surprised to see the CPH had struck his left eye exactly where I had the croshairs of the very fine inexpensive Tasco Golden Antler.  Quick massive bleeing was from nose & mouth.  No exit wound.  Took some pics and threw him in a bag and dropped him off the neighbor's house before my wife new what happened.  Him and I have been feasting on squirrel for the last few weeks :)  She was still full of antihistamines and sleeping when I got back.

[shadow]

Great shot Harry:) , look's like you still got some nutter's around. The pic's are fantastic, thank's for sharing your fine hunt with us. Ed

[only1harry]

Thanks Ed.  Luckily (or not) I have a natural creek behind my house when it rains a lot.  The entire neighborhood's rain water comes down to my back yard and out to a sewer by the road.  So all the ice was melted there at the foot of the hill where it gets "flooded".  This way I had both ice and leaves making it ideal for pics I think.  It just so happens the squirrel fell where the ice met the leafy area because I probably wouldn't have thought to combine them both into the picture  :)

Yes there are still a couple left.  I figured out why I 'm seeing some more of them now after I got 18 of them.  My neighbor behind me, on top of the hill, has put out a bird feeder.  This has been attracting squirrels as well.  Not only that, a house finch family got into my attic because of that bird feeder and have settled in.  They have also built 2 nests under my porch which is fine by me.  I like their singing.  They 're pretty smart by building several nests around the house to fool starlings or other predators I guess.  I 'm pretty sure that bird feeder got them to nest at my house because they 're getting free food every day.  

Oh I almost forgot.  Almost took a shot at a big turkey vulcher when I came out with the camera, he was on one of my trees not far drewling over the squirrel!  It scared the crap out of me at first.  I then raised the 850 and saw his ugly face through the scope, but before I could send a pellet to his head he flew away and was circleing not far away keeping an eye on me.  I 'm glad he took off because I 'm not even sure if they are protected or not.  Most likely they are and I could have made a boo boo.

[shadow]

The buzzard's are scarce in some area's of are great country and are protected. We got em out here, their cool to watch and big as heck. Ed

Nice pictures.  I like the little slide to its final resting place.  How much meat do you get from one of those nutters?  Looks like that one has enough from some squirrel-kabobs.

[Gene_SC]

Well Harry, I see you are giving that 850 a workout..:) And it looks like it did the job...

Gene

[longislandhunter]

Hey Harry,,,,  enjoyed the post and the pics immensely...  Great shooting... That 850 certainly got he job done alright......

Jeff

[only1harry]

This one is above average - big male.  An average squirrel is usually enough for 1 person.  If it's big maybe 2 with potato, veggies and stuff to complement the meat.  It all depends how big you are and your eating habits :)  My neighbor and I are big boys so we fight for scraps.  I usually let him have more since he takes the time to cook the squirrel.  He 's home all the time on disability so he 's gotten good at cooking.  He 's mostly a big game hunter but he loves eating all game.  He 's now thinking of getting an airgun instead of shooting his .22LR in his backyard.  I let him shoot the 850 and he wasn't too impressed.  The CO2 was more than half way down and pellets were going into the wood but still visible close to the surface at 15yds.  I then brought over the 350 and he was amazed.  He was funny looking for the pellets but they were way deep.  He even got his pocket knife out to try and get one out and he gave up.  After 50-60 shots w/the 350 his skinny log started splitting!  He couldn't believe it.  Looks like I 'm going to have competition for the neighborhood nutters and other critters.  At least we 'll get to shoot together so I won't be the only "nut" in the neighborhood  :)

[30-06]

Nice nutter there Harry!! Maybe you should change your name to SquirrelHarry!! LOL!!! You sure dont seem to take no nonsense from any nutters.  If you want to get some more power from youre 850, check out Roalds(SILO) website. They even have a bulk fill adapter for a 9oz paintball bottle and it screws into place with absolutely no modification. I'm gonna try and supply you with the link below. Hope it works!!

 http://www.network54.com/Index/84463

I would like to get my hands on one of those 850's but nobody currently Imports them into South Africa

JOHAN

[only1harry]

Thanks Johan,
I 'm very aware of the AS to PB adapter and the 9oz bottle.  That will be my 2nd mod. after I install the heavier hammer spring in to get an extra 50fps.   I 've been in constant communication with Roald.  He has a great web site with a lot of good info on the 850.  

That's too bad they are not importing it to South Africa yet.  Maybe one of the US retailers can ship it to you?  Jim Maccari ships springs and stuff overseas so maybe you can find someone.  I heard they usually label the box "sporting goods" when they ship overseas.