Fox Squirrels 2010

It had been a good day as far as the weather went.  Sunny, yet cool, not much of a breeze at all.  It would've been a good day for squirrel hunting.  Except it wasn't.  Id only bagged a small grey squirrel so far, also I had lost a glove and my knife.  So I thought maybe it was time to head home.  I had been in the woods most of the afternoon to avoid the trick or treat time in town.  It was Halloween 2010 and I always forget to get candy.  I could do as Max Goldman did in Grumpy Old Men and throw in some staplers and stuff, but I don’t have much on that line either.

I made my way quietly toward the open field I would have to cross to get to my truck.  Even though I considered my day done, it wasn’t really done until I was in that field.  Never give up hope!  I sort of took my time leaving, I would walk a bit, then stop and post up near a tree or other landmark that could conceal me for a bit.  I was next to a slim tree, and about 25 yards  from me I saw another squirrel about four feet up on the side of a large oak tree.  She hadn't spotted me yet, but she knew something was amiss.  She twitched her tail and moved around a bit, going to the opposite side of the tree from me.  This gave me a chance to get myself in a position for a shot at her.  I braced against the tree and held steady with the gun raised.  As she stuck her head from the side of the tree again I lined up my cross-hairs, took a deep breath, and squeezed Jethro.  Jethro is my Rugar 10/22 rifle, we are very close in the squirrel season.  A moment later I was at the base of the tree, looking at my latest kill!  My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught for a second as I looked at her.  She was a nice fat clean squirrel!  She had only one small hole from my gun, and the rest of her was in great condition! 

I had often wanted to get a squirrel to have mounted, and I finally felt I had the one!  I took a picture with my phone, the squirrel next to Jethro, and sent it to a friend who hunts squirrels with me sometimes.  Scott text ed me back and thought the she looked great too!  So I had finally found the squirrel for my wall!

I carried her out of the woods like a sleeping baby, cradled in my arm.  I wrapped her carefully when I got home and put her in the freezer for when I could get her to the taxidermist. 

The next day I found myself in the woods again.  Scott was with me this time and we were having a good day.  Neither of us had lost anything, no bad shots, and Scott had a nice gray in his bag.  I didn’t have any squirrels, but I still considered it a great day!  The smell of November was intoxicating.  The difference between Scott and myself as far as hunting goes, he is a sitter, and I am a stalker.  I love to listen to where they may be, then make my way over to them.  I don’t have to take a shot every time, sometimes I enjoy watching them as they prepare for the winter, or play with their mate.  Scott and I were standing at the corner of one of the trails in the woods, making small talk and deciding if we should head out.  Suddenly he heard something, there was a squirrel barking to the north of where we were at.  There is a small low level area that was between us and the squirrel, since it was about ankle deep and Scott didn’t have the right boots on, I went over to the other side myself. 

It was great fun!  The squirrel was far to the north, but making his way toward me at a comfortable speed.  I could hear him in the leaves on the ground as he approached.  I got myself set up, trying to figure out his line of travel so as not to spook him.  I was ready for him when he came hopping over a dead fall.  There he was, searching through the leaves for some cache of nuts.  He stopped and looked around a few times, each time I as I was about to squeeze the trigger he would move along!  It was looking as though he was going to be going on his way because he moved along, getting out farther and farther away from me.  I had to be careful of my shot because the squirrel had started to move in between myself and where Scott was waiting for me.
Finally I got my chance!  He stood up for a second and I didn't waste time, I placed a .22 bullet in him, knocking him dead instantly.  The way it should be.  A clean kill, and I went to retrieve my trophy!  It wasn't something you expect to see, not a call you can make ahead of time.  Who would have thought I would have two squirrels to put on the wall?  Now I had to make a decision, which one would go to the taxidermist?  The squirrel I had was another huge one, not as fat, but just as heavy and a little longer!  I walked back by Scott and held up the squirrel, showing him.  He was shocked as well, and told me to mount them both!  But I didn't know if that was a good idea.  I had to think it over.
When the time came to drive out by Smitty, the taxidermist, I couldn't choose so I left them both.  We came up with a nice idea of putting both animals on the same log, as though they were on  a tree.  I got a chunk of wood with a hole in it, so it will look like one squirrel going up to the hole and one coming down.  It will be pretty awesome when it is done and I can't wait!