Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game Getting back to Spring Squirrel

Okay, first the setup: I'm coming up on 2 years since Chemo. My energy and stamina are back to nominal. I'm still having trouble with neuropathy. Walking on level ground is cool. Walking on hills and off the beaten path is still a challenge. I'm just finishing spring turkey season here in Kentucky. I've got one tag filled and a couple days left to fill the other.

Last year, I was determined to try my Brown Bess on Spring Squirrel. Yikes. I was having trouble just getting around and then I tried to throw a 10 lb musket into the mix. I was still too weak to hold that mother steady. This year, I was sitting in the turkey blind with a pair of squirrels bugging me and realized I can at least hold my Mossberg 500 up long enough for a shot. I had Mooselette's 20 gauge bolt gun along as well. It was a breeze. There was so little weight ahead of my left hand.

I've been thinking about a 12 GA bolt gun for some time. I got on GunBroker and put a bid on a Mossberg 295. I got it for $100 off the buy-now price.


It's got the C-lect choke. I plan on putting a rifle sling on it so I can walk with both hands-free. I'm still back up to picking them off with a 22 in the leaves, but at least I can blast them.

Hang in there, you’ll make it. Good luck with the squirrel hunting! I bet they will tremble when they see you!

I was looking forward to spring squirrel in Virginia in June until it was hitting 90 degrees in April. Yesterday it hit 92. Luckily tomorrow its only suppoosed to be 79. Last two Junes were mild. I'm thinking this June is going to be miserably hot.

I like a 20 ga SxS with #6 in the spring, and a .22 in the fall when the leaves have mostly fallen off.

I understand, shaman. January 6th of this year was 5 years since I completed my chemo. On February 13th my oncologist told me he didn't need to see me for a year. On July 2nd of this year it will be 6 years since my surgery. God apparently isn't finished with me. I still have neuropathy in my feet as well and the balance of that 17 year old high school halfback ain't comin' back. Now we're into joint replacement. Boy it'd fun gettin' old!!

Squirrels! They were my favorite game to hunt and eat. I had an einstecklauf in 22 LR installed in one of my drillings and that was my favorite squirrel killer for a few years. Now, if I go, I think I'll go back to my 36 cal. Southern Mountain flinter or, my CZ-455FS. 'Course, here I can sit on my deck or front porch and shoot them.

Dad killed a pile of squirrels, rabbit and quail with a 16 ga., Marlin bolt action shotgun.