I'M NOT A WUSS AM I ?

Today I decided to come straight home from the studio and not to stop at my rental property where I usually shoot rats at so I went home and went into my backyard to shoot into my new Gamo targets which I got from Sports Authority for $39.99 TOTAL! (they were the last ones left and all out of box and the manager did a mark down, after I got home I went online and saw the actual prices and all I could say was.... YES!!!!!!)
http://www.gamousa.com//Catalog.aspx?Product=111

http://www.gamousa.com//Catalog.aspx?Product=262

http://www.gamousa.com//Catalog.aspx?Product=114

I get to shooting and I see a squirrel run along the top of my fence and jump on a branch about 20yds out to my left.... whoo my heart starts pumping and I load a Crosman Premier up and slowly lay a bead on this sucker. I have him no questions asked and out of nowhere I feel sorry for him.....DAMN! I stomp my foot and he runs off. Now the only thing I can attribute this to is that I grew up in the city and I have always seen rats as pest when I would see a squirrel growing up as a kid I would think of good living in the county and I guess I can't bring myself to look at them as pest..... DOES THAT MAKE ME A WUSS?

[longislandhunter]

That certainly does not make you a Wuss !! You had no reason to kill the critter so you chose not to,,,, nothing wrong with that at all,,, far from it. I commend you sir :)

Jeff

[Gene_SC]

When I used to hunt squirrels at my other house before I moved, I would take them to a man who loved them. I would drop them off on the way home and he would dress em out right there. I do not eat squirrel but do eat fresh road kill..:) It has to be warm when I pick it up..:) This coming summer I will take more squirrels over to the man after I kill them but it is a bit further than before..

Gene

[Big_Bill]

Your no wuss Mike,

Just a normal, well adjusted human being.

Many people that hunt can't make the kill shot, they flinch or pull the shot, and they are just like you and me. Without a need to kill, it can be very difficult !

Now show me a squirrel chewing on my bird feeders, and I'll show you a dead squirrel !

Just my opinion,

Bill

Gene_SC - 3/6/2008  12:15 AM

When I used to hunt squirrels at my other house before I moved, I would take them to a man who loved them. I would drop them off on the way home and he would dress em out right there. I do not eat squirrel but do eat fresh road kill..:) It has to be warm when I pick it up..:) This coming summer I will take more squirrels over to the man after I kill them but it is a bit further than before..

Gene

I'm scared to ask but.....What the hell is road kill?

[longislandhunter]

Ah yes,,,,,, road kill,,,,, I've been eating that for years LOL :)

After awhile you get to be quite adept at being able to tell with one glance what is salvageable and what is crow food :)

Jeff

[Gene_SC]

LOL Jeff, I thought you would catch that.. hehe

Gene

longislandhunter - 3/6/2008  12:22 AM



Ah yes,,,,,, road kill,,,,,   I've been eating that for years  LOL  :)

After awhile you get to be quite adept at being able to tell with one glance what is salvageable and  what is crow food  :)

Jeff

Are you talking about animals thay get hit by cars............. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!

[Big_Bill]

The trick with road kill Mike, is finding one that has just been recently killed, and has not been damaged to badly. If the internal organs have been damaged and exposed to the animals meat, it gives it a bad taste :(

But if just clipped, it can make a fine meal !

Bill

[longislandhunter]

I have 2 fine road kills in the freezer right now,,,,, 1 was a beautiful 10 point buck and the other was a nice big doe,,,, both of em were just a little to careless when crossin the road :)

A lot of times at work I'll take a "good" roadkill, take it home, butcher it up and then the next night bar-b-q it up for the guys I work with. They come in off the road on their meal periods and chow down on some good eats..

Jeff

[davee1]

Hell no, you aint no wuss!!! The squirrel was doin nuthin wrong and so you saw there was no need to kill it. I got tree squirrels runnin around over here but they dont do nuthin to me so I leave em alone. Now rats are a different story and should be shot on site just for the diseases that they may be carrying...and theres a few more reasons too Im sure.

Its like you are not killing for the fun of it, and that doesnt make you a wuss, it makes you a logical thinking man. And that aint a wuss.

[Dave CAG]

 

Hello Mike
I agree with Jeff and commend you sir

Pest control and just killing animals are two different things
If the squirrels are not over populated and are not crewing your house
to get in the attic then I think you made the right move.

Now Starlings on the other hand might take over the world!!
and to to be taken out (LOL)

Dave CAG

L.I.F.T. : Long Island Field Target
Web site: Cobra Air Guns
http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/


Each Air Gun should have a purposes it is not all about velocity or power its
about walking away after a day of shooting,Smiling looking down and saying
"God I Love this rifle"

[shadow]

Never kill for a thrill and eat what you do kill or find hehehe. I've let many varment's move along, icebox was full and it's nice just to watch and admire them at time's. One can learn alot from studying their movement's and habit's and sometime's they show where they live which is good to know. Ed

mike your definitely not a wuss!
        i also come from the city(new york) and can identify with the rats & squirrel scenerio,i have killed three squirrels in my short time of airgunning,(about 2 months)..i tried to be this big bad warrior only to find out what i mush i really am,i would get set for a shot,look this thing in the face and fire my gun into a target...it took about 20x to get up the nerve to finally do it,i  felt horrible,i put my gun in the case and left it there for about 10 days,i used to go on a different forum before i found a home with GTA, i posted my experience,and the reponse that stays with me, is one that read, the way to get over it is to do it again ,i tried  only to end up with the same result,after my girlfriend kept saying to me just to forget about it,that i'm not made for this(she thinks squirrels are pretty),i had to show her how macho i am ,so i shot another,believe me i am a wuss,but as the saying goes... "THE THIRD TIMES THE CHARM"...well for me it was,i didn't feel as bad ,i will be on the prowl this weekend...thanks to some good info from.."MR. LONG ISLAND HUNTER" ......like i said to PEAK yesterday,you never know....LOL!
                                         JOE CUZ (AKITA BREEDER)

[London177]

Hello Mike,
I think you did the right thing Mike. Let it be. Like people have said about bird feeders or eating your house, if the squirrels are doing that then blast 'em. Otherwise just watch them. In my garden there are several large oaks and it is thrilling to see them jump and swing along the branches. I have many squirrels in my garden and often follow them through my scoped rifles for practice. For my purposes here in London I am happy to blast rats and when in the sticks I will shoot a rabbit but only for the pot, never for fun. I am a doctor and can vouch for the deseases that rats carry. Humans and rats do not mix especially brown and black rats. That said rats are fascinating creatures and extremely sucessful on this planet but they are too numerous. I have been told that one is never more than 15ft from a rat in London!
Many airgunners in the UK called squirrels "tree rats" which I strongly object too as it demeans the species but that's just my personal opinion.
Have fun,
Alan :)