a few hours out yesterday

[ftm 3,357]

droveto one of my permissions yesterday for a look around and the squirrels where there but high up in the big conifers feeding on the cones as i could hear them but found it very hard to spot them i walked to a spot that the sun was warming up and waited for a squirrel to present me with a bit of sport a few moved around but not so i could get a decent shot so i got bored and walked through the wood towardsthe jeep i happened to glance up as i passed a larch wood and there it was sunning itself in what heat it could find in this winter sun [-8 degrees] it had no idea i was setting myself up and once i had moved about a bit i put the crosshairs on it and it fell hitting the branches as it came down .i had hit it perfectlly in the eye with the pellet exiting its skull ,as i was walking back to the motor a jay started making a right old racket as if mobbing something so i stopped and done a bit of squeaking to see what it was that the jay was so annoyed at, to my great pleasure a pure white stoat appeared not a foot from me looking up at the strange thing making that squeaking sound its eyes were so intensly black and it had me mesmerised just watching it scurry back into the wood then back out as i squeaked it made my day and i headed home a very privileged man indeed

[slugger8770 0]

That is a damn good shot ftm, at an upward angle aswell (I personally find those the hardest of shots) The stoat is always a pleasure to see, although they arn`t the rarest of animals I don`t seem to know as much about them as I probably should, I have never seen the stoat in it`s ermine coat though so that`s a good spot.

[StevoSmith 147]

Shame you didnt get a pic of Ermine mate....stunning little predetors wish we had more here in north wales....Nice write up mate and cracking shot

[gurtwurz 793]

Good shooting mate, and nice one for leaving the stoat alone, theyre the most amazing mammal in the uk,i love watching them on the rare occasions you get a chance to.

 

Cheers, wurz

[paulk73 151]

i dont see that many stoats, but when i do it makes my day. great shot by the way, but even better shot not taking one at the stoat.

[roughcoat 8]

Nice when thing's like that happen it'll stay with you,good shooting by the way.

[ftm 3,357]

iwould have loved to take a picture of the stoat lads but i couldnt move for fear of scaring it away and theres no way i would have shot this little fellow thanks for replies lads im out tonight for another bash at a few corvids just need a bit more cloud cover and im out

[The one 8,588]

Never tried baiting the squirrels ?. its more fun and encourages them down to the wood floor so you can stalk them .

[ftm 3,357]

the land i shoot most of the squirrels on is keepered and i sneak up to the odd feeder and kill a few but the keeper had told me they werent eating the corn and were happy up in the canopy eating acorns hence i only managed the one but its abuot being out there that counts cheers for reading lads