An early couple of hours

[Acuspell 329]

I have a feeder set up for the squirrels and they have found it. I intended to set up a remote camera to get som epics of one on it, before I shot it...I had the camera and tripod, but I forgot the radio trigger! Numpty - so no pics of the squirrels on the feeder.I'll give it a week and go and do it again.

 

Anyway, I had the dogs for a walk too, got into the woods before it was light and there were patches of fog. I had hoped to find some pigeons sunning themselves before going off for breakfast too, but I didn't even hear the whistle of wings, they must have been up the other end of the wood.

 

It was absolutely calm, the smoke from the farmhouse chimney was going straight up. Ideal, so I started stalking, stopping in a suitable vantage point occassionally to scan and listen and wait. It was so still that I could hear the claws on the branches. I have several natural hides dotted through the wood, so I can make my quietly from one to the other and just melt into the foliage. Trailing holly is abundant and I get suckers at this time of th eyear and plant little groups of holly trees around suitable areas tomake hides for the future. Or cut my way into already established stands of holly, such as this one. The ground is kept raked so the fallen leaves don't build up or twigs either - just clear peaty leaf mould soil that is silent underfoot - it helps when you have quarry close by.

 

 

As we sat there crouched behind the trunk in the shadows I heard the scrabbling of a squirrel. one was heading across the branches. The dogs heard it too and sat up, until I gently laid them down again by just pressig gently on Tig's back and whispering "lie down". Fly lay down without prompting - she has seen it all before. I followed the squirrel through the branches and he stopped at a junction, pausing just long enough for me to draw a bead and get a pellet on its way. That was one in the bag. I let it lie and watched in case a second was followin ghard on its heels, but after 20 minutes I decided it was time to move on.

 

 

The sun was coming up and casting a warm glow over the wood. I let the dogs run a bit to stretch their legs and keep them interested. Tigs put up a big old cock pheasant from a patch of bracken. The old bird cackled a loud warning as he took wing and I heard him flutter down in some more cover further on....Tigs wasn't far behind and he put him up again. I think he took the hint because he flew off strongly then. I gave the little double whistle for recall and the young dog came bounding back. I gave a big fuss and then we crept on. This part of the wood had been pretty well disturbed, but I wasn't serious shooting so I didn't mind.

 

We came to another little spot under a rhody bush. This is more of a spot to stop when roosting, but I crounched in under and glassed the area with the dogs sat beside me. After about 10 minutes there was a squirrel in the high branches. I was surprised because this time of the year they are normally digging up their caches of nuts, but there are already some young shoots on the ends. It gave me an opportunity and I made it a brace - nice big, bushy tailed squirrels too. One buck and one doe.

 

 

 

 

And I was nearly home on time for cooked breakfast.

 

This was the bag on Friday - but i am too lazy to write that one up.

 

Edited January 6, 2013 by Acuspell

[TimS 49]

Fabulous photos! I love the last one. Absolutely beautiful!

 

Good to see some DPM too! I cant figure our why everyone spends fortunes on Realtree and Jack Pyke when Army Surplus kit is so good!

 

Tim

[Hugh Wilton 11]

Lovely photos what camera are you using? Also a top wright up, I like the way you are using natural hides and not leaving stuff all over the woods.

[Acuspell 329]

Hugh - it is the Nikon P7100 - you can get them for £230 now the next version is out. Brilliant little camera, fits in my pocket a treat.. I got a remote release for it for £1.99, it is a cheap Chinese copy, but that price if it does a couple of outings and gives up the ghost I can't complain. I want to get a waterproof housing for it - bought one from hong Kong....doesn't fit, so it has gone back. It does video quite well too. Only 720, but plenty for me and what I need it for. Here is a short clip of mechuckin gone of those squirrels for the pup to do some retrieving practise. I had done a couple already, then remembered the camera so did another one.

 

He is coming on a treat!

 

Edited January 7, 2013 by Acuspell

[chris87 297]

nice write up m@te enjoyed th@t

[j j m 6,626]

Good write up and good pics bud

[Pretorious 3]

Cracking write up and awesome job on the shooting

[muddy 6]

Great pics mate,well done!

[mole trapper 1,705]

not only do you have a great camera, you also have one of those really cool metamorphic guns that changes from springer to pcp, how great is that?lol

pups retreiving is coming along very well too.

[Hugh Wilton 11]

First time I looked at the pics I thought that the dog had taken them as there was only one dog in them.

[The one 8,593]

Nice read and pics mate