Getting off to a slow start, this year. Got almost 4" of rain, Mon. and Tues. Season opened Mon. Got to hunt all of 15 mins. befor it started raining, and I got a wet azz.

Went this am. Got to the woods right at 7am. Heavy overcast and almost 100% humidity. Both my glasses and scope fogged up after getting out of the truck. decided to sit rather than walk around. Saw 2 squirrels about 8am. Clean miss on the first one [happens every year on the first squill]. Second one I THOUGHT I had head shot. It came straight down out of a pignut hickory. Hit the ground and took off running before I could get the rifle on him, and got in a hole. Not exactly a great start. About 10 am, I saw one bouncing around in another hickory. I eased up on him, and red headed it with 1 shot, DRT




Our season goes til Jan 31st of 2017, so I have some time to redeem myself. Turned out to be a young female. Fried limb chicken, gravy and fresh maters in the not too distant future.


maddog

Great start, gotta wait till Oct here.

Alabama opens mid September, so waiting waiting waiting here. I'm stocked up on good .22 ammo and have a new to me Beeman R1 air rifle to try out. Used to hunt quite a bit with airguns, but had lost interest in that for a few years. Got the urge to try it again. Great to see the Maddog thread going for the season!

I don't know whether to live vicariously or just not open this thread for a few weeks. We have WEEKS before season opens.

Well, I'm really off to a slow start, this year. Went yesterday, and the humidity felt like 100%. Glasses and scope both wanted to fog up after getting out of the truck. The squirrels were really quiet. In 3 hrs. I say just 2 squirrels. The one that I had a shot at, just had his head peeking around a limb. I shot too quick and missed him. I hung on til 10 am, and quit. I'm not going out again until next week when the storming is over and the heat and humidity goes down.


maddog

Same here-- first Sat. in Oct.

Went this am, on what has to be the most beautiful day since the season opened on the 15th. Went to one of my favorite places[first time this yr.]. Got in and saw one cutting on a bare limb about 65yds, away. No way to get closer, so I winged one and......MISSED! Went on, and sat down in a small group of hickories. Saw a limb swish, and......didn't miss!





Went on, and hunted for another hr. or so. Saw a couple, but couldn't get a shot. Heading for the truck, and saw one swishing around in another hickory. Snuck up, took a shot, and dropped him. Working my way in to pick it up, and saw another. free handed it, and down it came. Head shot to boot! . Went back to get the first one, and it was in some tall weeds. Looked for 30 mins., and the lil bastid crawled off somewhere.

Ended up with two for the morning.




Going again tomorrow, if the weather cooperates.


maddog

Too nice of a morning, not to go hunting. I've decided this year to set more and walk less[prolly due to age].

Saw 4 but only got a shot at this one.





Probably it for a couple days. Rain in the forecast.


maddog

[img:center]http://s570.photobucket.com/user/JH...69750507812651743_n_zpsot6wbieb.jpg.html[/img] Got these Sunday morning with the air rifle.

JimH, SWEET! Great shooting!



maddog

I sure wish this weather would straighten up. Heat, humidity, and storms. Also heavy overcast. I'm waiting for low humidity and sunshine, before I go again.


maddog

I got ha this pm. I've been calling squirrels "limb chickens", for years. My buddy took it serious.

I present to you the 1st number one Boone and Crockett

"LIMB CHICKEN"!!!





maddog

Went out this am. Saw a few, but man they were skittish. Managed to get one, and it was a head shot.





Finally found a hickory that they are cutting pretty hard.





By the end of the week it's supposed to cool off. Gonna try to get after em over Labor Day.


maddog

Took ole Dexter[my min pin] with me this am. Nailed one right after sun up, and ole Dex found it in the weeds.





Ended up with two, for the morning. Heard a bunch barking, but only saw four.





maddog

Still waiting for AL season to start, two weeks to go.

Went this am. Beautiful day. Hadn't been out since last Sunday. No wind, sunshine, and mid 50's, temp wise. It kept the skeeters somewhat at bay.

Saw 3 and nailed 2.








maddog

Couple of pictures from the first week of the season here in Alabama.

Fellows, yall are killing me! Sadist, every one of you!

Our season dont open till 10/1.

(It's been in the 90's every day this week, so I really haven't missed much... cept skeeters, sweating, and a sore neck and back)

Got this one yesterday morning. Felt bad didn't get out any today. Hopefully tommorrow. Air temps slowly getting better. Kimber Hunter 22 with Weaver RV9.

Got these two early this morning. Sat in a good spot with the Beeman R.177 pellet rifle, but had worried about multiple squirrels showing up and not being able to get a followup shot on a moving target, so I had the Grulla 209E 12 gauge SxS with me too, and I did shoot one then another running away as I had thought might happen.

Finally!

Tomorrow is opening day for us and I plan on being in the woods before daylight. Its been in the low 60's, the last few mornings and high '50's forcasted for tomorrow morning.

The wind didnt come up until around noon today, so maybe it will be still tomorrow morn.

Cant guarantee I will see or kill anything, but I'm gonna get caught trying.

Got 5 gray squirrels this cool morning..

And we're off!

I should save these for a batch of that chowder, but they're getting chicken fried and gravy for the sake of being festive on opening day. Went 2-3 on these two. I was "still hunting" aka getting impatient and moving around when one popped up out of a dry creek bed and froze. Easy 10 yard shot. The other one tried to slip off a few minutes later. First shot went I dunno where, second one got him through the lungs, maybe 15 yards. Not bad for a fuzzy front sight if I may puff my chest.

(Muzzleloader opened the same day, so ostensibly I'm deer hunting :D)

Nice! I was bowhunting deer yesterday and could have killed a ten squirrel limit with a .22 pistol. The young grey squirrels were absolutely thick on the ridge I was hunting.

Got out early Sunday morning around seven, beautiful cool morning with no wind, easier to spot squirrels. Just a beautiful morning right after sunrise here in Alabama.
Spotted this squirrel around thirty yards away moving around in the top of a pecan tree. Had to be patient a few minutes to get a shot not obstructed by leaves, then dropped a .22 caliber Eun Jin Dome pellet right through the old noggin, and it dropped straight down without even a twitch. Spotted a couple more later across the woods with binoculars, but the wind had picked up a little bit and I could not relocate them as I crept closer to where I had spotted them. Rifle is a .22 caliber Evanix AR6 Renegade pcp air rifle with Nikon's 3-9x40mm EFR scope.

I am having the absolute worst squirrel season I think I've ever had. Only shot 9 since Aug. 15th. Heat, rain, humidity, dry eyes, old age [you name it] are all conspiring against me. Just not seeing that many, then shooting too quick and missing.....this sux.....heaven forbid, I may take a shotgun [choke] the next time out.....



maddog

There's no shame in taking a shotgun.

Wished I'd a shotty this morning. Missed two with the pistol.

I swear, Phillip, you've got more nice stocks on squirrel shooters....

Got one more shotgun that I have not used in years, a Stevens 94 16 gauge single shot; it was my fathers and grandfathers. It stayed over at Mom & Pops from 2000 until he died in 2012, and I brought it home. I should get it out and shoot a few with it, if not just for old times sake for the memories of Pop. Very light weight gun, easy to carry but lot of recoil. Not a beauty but a good ol' gun from the '50's.

That is a good old reliable shotgun. My grandpa used a Winchester M37 Steelbuilt .12 gauge. Grandpa always bought a 30" full choke and sawed off 2" of barrel. He would finish off the cut and remount his bead. Gramps claimed that was the perfect amount of choke for a rabbit, quail and squirrel gun. My guess is that ended up as a light modified constriction. For rabbit and quail that's about right, mite open for a general purpose squirrel gun I think.

Our opener was Saturday but I had to work. Went for a couple hours late Sunday afternoon. Saw a few, heard a few more but only got one close enough for the Browning Auto-22 .22 Short. The canopy is just unforgiving right now. Went with a buddy yesterday "runnin' & gunnin" with scatterguns on some GMA land and I killed 3 with the Ithaca 37 16ga and some ancient paper hulled Remington #5s that were loaded before I was born. During the last hour, we crept into a small oak grove on the edge of a cow pasture and I swapped the Ithaca for a Savage 24 .22/.410 thinking there might be a chance to snipe one with the rifle barrel. I did get a clear shot but neglected to flip the barrel selector so killed the last one of the day with the .410 barrel, again with an old paper shell. It'll be a couple weeks before I can go again so hopefully it'll be a bit cooler and the leaves will be thinned out a bit.

Mt little bonny and clyde

First rabbit of the season; I was going through the edge of a small open area in my woods that is full of weeds and a big brush pile when it flushed and ran, but then committed a fatal error and stopped right before running into the thick growth, somewhere around about 20 yards or so away. Peeked the barrel of the Kimber Hunter around the tree I was standing behind just enough to clear it and put a CCI Subsonic through the head. It flopped around on the ground for a few seconds and I thought it might need another bullet to finish it off, but in a few seconds the thrashing around was done. Not a big rabbit, but probably average sized for a cottontail around these parts.

Nice work..

Really cute! Congrats to the young hunters!

This has been the worst season, I've had in recent memory. But today was beautiful, and I nailed a couple, despite my horrible shooting.









Gonna try to hunt the next few days, to make up for the last month and a half.


maddog

Went this am, and it was prolly the most beautiful day, since the season opened. I did a change in firearms, and took my single shot .22 H&R Sportster. Got shots at 3, and nailed 2, with 4 shots.








This ole girl died eating her last acorn.





Cleaned them and headed for home. Gonna hit er a lick again tomorrow.


maddog

We got a little shower, less than an inch, Friday and it really helped things a lot.

Decided to chase squirrels this morning and had a good day. Got the limit, before the wind came up.

We finally got some cooler weather down here in KY, and I was able to get out Friday evening. Ended up with 5 (1 short of the limit) all activity had ceased when I took this pic so I figured that was it for me; but on my way out I managed to pop 2 more.

Got one Friday, missed on another. Thought I'd hit number two but if I did it got away.

Me and the boy cleaned up yesterday morning glad to see them come back after a die off havnt had none to eat for 2 yrs

Been a rough season for me so far. Gorgeous morning, so I ditched work but then went 2-12! And the first one I hit, shot number 8, after a bunch of maneuvering and sneaking, fell straight into the river.

They were waaay up in the canopy and leaves haven't come down.



Glad to see some of you getting them. Cute kids.

That's a GORGEOUS rig! Is that a CZ?

Looks like a Ruger 77/22

Yeah, it's a 77/22.

Thanks AJD, the light just happened to hit it right and didn't show up the marks. It's a hunting rifle!

Brought down 2 with the Kimber so far this weekend.

Got one squirrel this morning with the Kimber; flushed two rabbits but no chance of a shot at either.

Finally got back out for a hunt yesterday. Been out a couple times, since late Oct., and just wasn't seeing any squirrels. I think the population is down some, in my area. With deer gun season opening next Sat., I may only get out once or twice, the rest of Nov. Some pics.




Nice female I shot yesterday.





A pic of my son with one of two he got while hunting with me a couple weeks ago.





Here's a pic of my little min pin Dexter. I took him out a while back, while the stick tights were still hanging on. He got so many stuck to his sweat shirt, that I threw it away.


maddog

Got out again yesterday. Beautiful day in the woods. Saw 3-4 running on the ground, but couldn't get a shot. Hunted for two hrs., and headed for the truck. Got within 100yds. of the truck, and found two different squirrels in two separate trees. Head shot both with my H&R Sportster single shot .22.

I’m glad some of you are getting it done.

Here’s the sum total of my last three squirrel hunts:



Where are the fat languorous squirrels of yesteryear?

The squirrel-hunting-deer-pistol came in handy. I’ve seen more deer around the acorn woods than squirrel. Don’t know what’s going on.



Holy cow, MD, that pup looks like a porcupine!

Well, prolly done squirrel hunting for awhile. Firearm deer season opens, here in Indiana, tomorrow. Gonna try to put one in the freezer, for me and mama, then back to the limb chickens!

I am motivated to make my first hunt in the morning; a long drive for a short hunt but gas is cheap! I will take an early model 17 Remington, and a Revelation .410 bolt action and try to get each one it's first kill under my ownership!

Well, finished up the deer hunting yesterday. All I wanted was one fat doe, for the freezer. Nailed this ole girl, with one shot from my CVA Scout .44 mag. Dropped her on the spot. She weighed 94 lbs., field dressed, which woulda made her about 120 lbs. live weight. Me and mama will eat good.





Now, back to the limb chickens!

Nice work. You have the right priorities IMHO.

How does the CVA compare to the H&R? I have three barrels for my H&R but I like the single shot break opens and thought about getting a CVA since H&R closed shop. Are the triggers better?

Ella, I love that CVA scout. It has a faster barrel twist than either the handi rifle or the Marlin in that caliber[.44 Rem mag]. I shoot the Hornady FTX 225 gr. load for deer hunting.

Interesting. Is the trigger better than on the H&R? I had my H&R's cleaned up at the factory but it's still heavier than I like.

I like the trigger. On my H&R Sportster that I squirrel hunt with, I used some liquid graphite, on the trigger. I would cock the trigger, and hold the hammer back, then squeeze the trigger. I did this 30-40 times, and it dropped the trigger pull from 4 1/2 lbs, to a little under 3 lbs., with less creep. You might give it a try.

I'll try that MD.

Went 1-9! on a short hunt this morning. And the one was a missed headshot that went in the throat and out the ribs. I need to cut back on the coffee or something.

Got out for a couple of hours this morning. Beautiful day, hardly any wind. Went 2-4, both of them gave me a second shot. First hour or two, I couldn’t get one to hold still. Here’s the second one. It was calling, even after I missed the first time. Standing offhand, shot at what felt like fifty yards.:) Happy Thanksgiving to the ‘Fire.

Beautiful morning yesterday. Went 4-5 on squirrel (and 0-1 on does with the squirrel-hunting-deer-pistol). One shot got into a shoulder, but the rest were clean headshots. I think we're in that sweet part of the season when the leaves are down and limb chickens haven't gone into "hibernation."

Forgot to take pics I was enjoying myself so much.

Only squirrel seen so far this week.

Well, at least you got him, PN.

I got busy at work and won't get out again until early next week. Too bad, this morning it's clearing and cooling after a couple of days of rain. It'd be a good morning to be in the woods.

Quiet days in small game land....

Got out for a few hours before sundown yesterday. It was cold and overcast. Didn’t think there’d be much action. Sat for about 10 minutes and saw one sneaking away through the tree tops. Got him when he paused. Moved to a new spot and after about 15 minutes one poked its head out of a tree hole. I watched him for a while as I didn’t want to hit him and have him fall back inside the tree. Finally, he came out and I got him just as he emerged. I missed a couple more and started hiking back to the truck. The last one was on the ground scampering around in a bunch of fallen sticks. He finally cleared the cover and I shot him off a fallen log and was out of the woods just as night was falling. Fun little hunt.



Hope everybody’s staying warm.

We've had rainy weather, blasting wind etc.,the last few days, and I haven't gotten to hunt much. Got to get back after those little rats very soon.

I hear you, PN. It's been wet and windy here too. Was hoping to get out tomorrow afternoon but there's rain and 10 mph winds forecast. Not my favorite squirreling weather.

Got out for a few hours this afternoon. At this point, I was 2 for 2:




But #2 was odd. It fell like a stone but this was the only mark on it:




Ended up 3 for 6.

I've hunted a couple different locations for several hours on multiple occasions since the last posting I'd made and seen NOTHING. This is the worst hunting season that I can remember in many years. The woods are just devoid of life. It's been a huge disappointment for me; I'm disabled and cannot do a whole bunch of long walks or afford trips to distant hunting grounds and small game hunting is something that I look forward to every year. Last year I was bringing home 4-6 squirrels at a time from a half day hunt, now I'm not even seeing anything to try a shot at. It might have been the drought we had this summer forced all of the small critters to where they could find water, or they didn't survive, just speculating about that. Got an old friend of mine who has a few acres that I haven't been through in a while, might try there next week or so. In the meantime all I can do is some target shooting and wishful thinking.

Hate to hear it, PN. The season here started slow but picked up the last couple weeks. I think the weather cooling off brought them out. Hope things improve.

Went 4-6 this morning, but accidentally deleted my pic.

Got out yesterday afternoon for a little hunting at the inlaws place. Only saw this one, but one's better than none I guess.

Indiana season ends on the 31st of this month. due to dry eyes and shoulder pain, I haven't been out since Nov. Would like to get out once or twice, before the end of the month. Sure been a slow season for me.

Mine has also been a bust, seems like poor mast crop where I hunt and windy weather were forces to contend with the few times I got out.

..just brought a single home today.

Big guy:



dave

Went to some TVA property I hadn't been to in a while and walked up the creek for a while this afternoon. Saw only one; there's got to be more there because there are nests all over the place, just need to find the right time to be there.

Weather has been unseasonably warm here the last few days and with a couple of rare weekend afternoons with nothing pressing, I figured the bushytails might be out and about. Yesterday I took the 10/22 RSI and managed to get three. Saw several others but they were very shifty, so today I pulled out the little IGA/Stoeger 28ga SxS and put four more in the freezer. I now have enough to make my big annual crockpot of Limbrat Etouffee that I take to work at least once a year.

I like that knife

SC, where are you hunting? Things have definitely slowed down around here. I’m in gamezone 2 towards the GA border.

I only took one shot this morning, but it was my best shot of the season. 30 or so feet up and 30 or so yards out. Hit right below the ear. This little morsel is getting the gravy & biscuits treatment.



PN always has nice stuff.

These were in Kershaw County.

Thanks. Just curious. Last week or two has been slow around this way....

They are calling for almost 60, Sat. If so, it might be my last hurrah for this season.

Sniped this one late afternoon today with the Kimber, tough shot with the wind swaying trees all over the place.

well, today is the last day of squirrel season, here in Indiana. Not going, cloudy and extremely windy. Hope to see more squirrels next year, as opposed to this yr. Come on Aug 15th next season!

Woah, that's too bad. We have until March 1. But the wind's got to drop some. I got skunked this morning and the last time I went.

Decided to go "retro" today on what may be my last squirrel hunt of the season. Carried an old Mossberg 190-KA 16ga bolt gun that I haven't carried in years. Managed to get three while walking creek banks on some GMA land. It was cold and windy so felt fortunate to get these.

Nice going, SC. I was out today and conditions were tough.

Took my new .22 WMR out today, and tried the FMJ to minimize meat loss. Only saw two. Got the first one at about 45 yards through the top of the chest. The second one popped out right under my nose and I forgot to aim high. Hopefully I can find some of the 40gr CCI gamepoints soon.

Somehow deleted the previous photo...



Should have mentioned, only one of these was out roaming around, the other two were run out of a nest and a hollow tree trunk.

Hunted Saturday, my dog treed six, got a shot at one and connected. Other five made it into den trees. 12 degrees and over a foot of snow made it interesting. Our season here in Pa. ends Feb. 28, planing on a couple more days in the woods

That's a good looking pup, BR. Snow?!





Ended up with three but it was a pretty slow morning. Missed a gimme shot.



On the plus side, turkey season looks pretty promising. Alot of big birds running around.

Ending our season on a good day in the woods with two coons and two squirrels

Nice pics Br284. Love your little dog.

Thanks for your comments on Gunner, my squirrel dog, he has been a great hunting partner. Squirrel doggin adds another method of hunting limb chickens, also enjoy still hunting. Rimfires are my favorite firearms for harvesting tree rats, just have trouble deciding which one to take out of the gun vault, my Winchester 9422 lr gifted from my father puts the biggest smile on my face. Attaching one more pic, it's my favorite of the season,thanks for looking and can't wait till next season.
Ray from NW. Pa

Your kid, Br? That's a cool photo.

I got skunked the last two times out. The '17 season was not a freezer filler.

The Mach II and I managed to get out for the last couple hours of the closer on Wednesday. Saw three and got two. October seems like a long time to wait for it to come back around again...

That is Gavin, my grandson, he loves to go squirrel hunting.

Gavin and Gunner really enjoy each other's company.

Sounds like a perfect fall afternoon, Br--kid, dog, and squirrel hunting.

Counting down the days to the season opener....

We had a good season this year, didn't fill the freezer but had some good days.

Still taking Gunner to woods, he's been really trying to shake them squirrels out of the trees!

great job you guys, squirrel meat are awesome.

Squirrel season reopens here May 28th and runs until February 15th. That's the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. With any luck it'll be cool, cloudy and still with little breeze or wind just after a nice overnight rain shower that ends at daylight that morning. I'd like to hit the woods with either the Marlin M39A and peep sight or my little Belgian Browning Light Twenty A5. The limit here is ten and I'd take ten if possible because squirrel hunting days will be fewer and fewer as the heat and humidity of summer take over. Then it's a long wait until it cools enough in September and October for me to beat the heat and hit the woods again. Plus at that time in the fall of the year squirrel hunting competes directly with bowhunting deer and fall turkey season. Smallmouth bass start tearing it up in the rivers in October and all the summer warm temp floaters are long gone. With the fall colors it's a beautiful float on a scenic clear water Ozark stream and a fat hard fighting bronze fish sweetens the day. God I love the fall of the year!!!