A Squirrel Foray

[Acuspell 329]

With the clocks going back I took advantage of the early morning to get out and had every intention to be back for breakfast. I loaded the dogs into the car and set off for the woods, only 5 miles away. I got my bits together and then let the dogs out to sort themselves out. I always take them out across the stubble first, it gives them a chance to burn off their frustrations, race about a bit and get into 'mode'. Tigs was ahead and he suddenly turned and started sniffing intently into the thin copse beside the field...I urged him in, hoping for a squirrel out in the early morning light gathering nuts and acorns. There was a small oak beside us. He dived in and roused a fallow buck from his bed amongst the holly! He took off through the wood in hot pursuit, the deer crossed into the next wood, he came out into the stubble and made up ground rapidly, diving back in to the trees 100 yards later, cutting the fallow off from it's intended route. Poor old Fly knows when she is beat - she gave up, she is getting too old to chase across fields, but is still earns her corn poking through the bushes or scouting squirrels and pigeons.

We regrouped and stood beside a tree, in the shadows, and I scanned the trees with the binos, looking for squirrels, the focus of my foray.

 

 

 

It was pretty windy, so I concentrated on the trees with food on them - sweet chestnuts abound in this wood, plus beech and oak in addition to all the usual smaller trees. As I disected the tree boughs, one by one, using the differential focus the binos allow to pick out any noses and eyes that might be peering round the corner of a branch. Sure enough, there was the head of a squirrel between the fork of two boughs, sat motionless. I slipped the binos inside my jacket and lifted the rifle onto aim. It was about 35 yards to the tree, so I aimed dead on, and squeezed the shot away.

 

 

There was a loud smack as the pellet hit home and the dogs shot forward as they saw the squirrel falling. "Fetch it Tigs", I whispered and he brought the fallen squirrel back, having made sure it was well and truely dead. He has been nipped a couple of times by squirrels he has caught, now he takes no chances! I parked the squirrel in a tree, to collect on the way back to the car.

We gathered ourselves together and gently made our way further down the wood, scanning the trees for any more squirrels. There were pigeons roosting, but they were very restless witht he tops of the trees swaying and vibrating in the stiff breeze. I didn't bother trying for one, we had enough meat for the freezer so instead concentrated on looking for squirrels. We saw one that ran up the tree only yards ahead, but it didn't stop or offer a shot. We continued to stalk slowly from tree to tree, stopping to use the trunk as cover and scanning around the trees for any signs of movement or grey fur. Eventually, I spotted one, hunched up in the lee of a big chestnut, sat on a side branch in the classical characteristic pose of a squirrel, with its tail curled over it's back. There were a couple of twigs coming off the point of his branch, so I had to gently move slightly to find a clear path through to him.

 

 

A carefully placed shot hit home right at the base of the squirrels ear and it just fell out of the tree without so much as a flinch. Tigs was sent forward for it and again, he made sure it was well and truely dead before fetching it back to me. A brace, the bag was building and other than the wind it was a lovely morning. As I stood with my back to another big chestnut, some fallen branches in front of me, Tigs got wind or heard something in the rhodies about 15 yards away. He shot in and I could hear him crashing through. Moments later not one, but two, squirrels bounded out, one ran up the fallen branch on my left and jumped onto my shoulder on it's way up the tree! The other one went up the other branch and used my hat as a stepping stone...unbelivable! Tigs came crashing out in hot pursuit and was trying to climb the tree after the squirrels.

 

 

They had disappeared into the thick of the branches and we didn't see them again - until one came back down the tree and started barking at Tigs. The cheeky little chappy got a pellet in the chest from about 10 yards, I had to aim over at the range and it was out of focus, but I could see the outline. At that range I wasn't going to try anything clever and from offhand with an instinctive shot, the boiler house is as good as any. The smack knocked it off the tree and Tigs pounced on it, he squealed as the squirrel gave him a last gasp nip, just under his eye it turned out. He brought it back and we decided, with a trio in the bag, it was breakfast time.

Working our way through the trees back to the car we disturbed a sparrowhawk eating a pigeon fledgling. It didn't fly off far, so we backed up and hid in the fronds of a yew tree. Within a minute or so the bird of prey came back and lifted its meal up into the branches and finished it off. I was able to watch through the binos. What a fabulous treat for the eyes. We went to collect that first squirrel, only to find the bloody crows had had it, it was an empty skin! The buggers. We had only been gone an hour or so. That was it for the morning, but it worked up an appetite for breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

[Daz 7 563]

Superb read bud,

 

And some lovely Pic's as well, The MK 1 in the Tyrolean stock is a stunning uncluttered thing of Beauty in My Eyes also.

 

atvb Daz 7.

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

lovely rifle, lovely dog, lovely read. lovely bird of prey, lovely result!!

 

binoculars to find some squirrels tho..? your eyes must be worse than mine!

[silentshot1 206]

Really enjoyed that. Lovely looking rifle and a great set of pictures!

[j j m 6,479]

top pics bud

[gosling1960 191]

Really enjoyed that, nice pictures as well.

[moxy 617]

Nice write up

 

Took me back a bit, it was like reading an old airgun mag.

 

Cracking rifle and thanks for sharing

[The one 8,395]

Nice write up

 

Took me back a bit, it was like reading an old airgun mag.

 

Cracking rifle and thanks for sharing

 

Aye it was just like a article in the Countrymans weekly

[Acuspell 329]

 

Nice write up

 

Took me back a bit, it was like reading an old airgun mag.

 

Cracking rifle and thanks for sharing

 

Aye it was just like a article in the Countrymans weekly

 

 

[Rimfireboy! 1,463]

Enjoyable read Simon, good write up.

[Gaz 177 263]

Quality post that

[Rez 4,957]

Beast of a rifle. Looks like it left the factory yesterday. Nice shooting and day by the looks of it.

[Rez 4,957]

With the clocks going back I took advantage of the early morning to get out and had every intention to be back for breakfast. I loaded the dogs into the car and set off for the woods, only 5 miles away. I got my bits together and then let the dogs out to sort themselves out. I always take them out across the stubble first, it gives them a chance to burn off their frustrations, race about a bit and get into 'mode'. Tigs was ahead and he suddenly turned and started sniffing intently into the thin copse beside the field...I urged him in, hoping for a squirrel out in the early morning light gathering nuts and acorns. There was a small oak beside us. He dived in and roused a fallow buck from his bed amongst the holly! He took off through the wood in hot pursuit, the deer crossed into the next wood, he came out into the stubble and made up ground rapidly, diving back in to the trees 100 yards later, cutting the fallow off from it's intended route. Poor old Fly knows when she is beat - she gave up, she is getting too old to chase across fields, but is still earns her corn poking through the bushes or scouting squirrels and pigeons.

 

We regrouped and stood beside a tree, in the shadows, and I scanned the trees with the binos, looking for squirrels, the focus of my foray.

 

 

 

It was pretty windy, so I concentrated on the trees with food on them - sweet chestnuts abound in this wood, plus beech and oak in addition to all the usual smaller trees. As I disected the tree boughs, one by one, using the differential focus the binos allow to pick out any noses and eyes that might be peering round the corner of a branch. Sure enough, there was the head of a squirrel between the fork of two boughs, sat motionless. I slipped the binos inside my jacket and lifted the rifle onto aim. It was about 35 yards to the tree, so I aimed dead on, and squeezed the shot away.

 

 

There was a loud smack as the pellet hit home and the dogs shot forward as they saw the squirrel falling. "Fetch it Tigs", I whispered and he brought the fallen squirrel back, having made sure it was well and truely dead. He has been nipped a couple of times by squirrels he has caught, now he takes no chances! I parked the squirrel in a tree, to collect on the way back to the car.

We gathered ourselves together and gently made our way further down the wood, scanning the trees for any more squirrels. There were pigeons roosting, but they were very restless witht he tops of the trees swaying and vibrating in the stiff breeze. I didn't bother trying for one, we had enough meat for the freezer so instead concentrated on looking for squirrels. We saw one that ran up the tree only yards ahead, but it didn't stop or offer a shot. We continued to stalk slowly from tree to tree, stopping to use the trunk as cover and scanning around the trees for any signs of movement or grey fur. Eventually, I spotted one, hunched up in the lee of a big chestnut, sat on a side branch in the classical characteristic pose of a squirrel, with its tail curled over it's back. There were a couple of twigs coming off the point of his branch, so I had to gently move slightly to find a clear path through to him.

 

 

A carefully placed shot hit home right at the base of the squirrels ear and it just fell out of the tree without so much as a flinch. Tigs was sent forward for it and again, he made sure it was well and truely dead before fetching it back to me. A brace, the bag was building and other than the wind it was a lovely morning. As I stood with my back to another big chestnut, some fallen branches in front of me, Tigs got wind or heard something in the rhodies about 15 yards away. He shot in and I could hear him crashing through. Moments later not one, but two, squirrels bounded out, one ran up the fallen branch on my left and jumped onto my shoulder on it's way up the tree! The other one went up the other branch and used my hat as a stepping stone...unbelivable! Tigs came crashing out in hot pursuit and was trying to climb the tree after the squirrels.

 

 

They had disappeared into the thick of the branches and we didn't see them again - until one came back down the tree and started barking at Tigs. The cheeky little chappy got a pellet in the chest from about 10 yards, I had to aim over at the range and it was out of focus, but I could see the outline. At that range I wasn't going to try anything clever and from offhand with an instinctive shot, the boiler house is as good as any. The smack knocked it off the tree and Tigs pounced on it, he squealed as the squirrel gave him a last gasp nip, just under his eye it turned out. He brought it back and we decided, with a trio in the bag, it was breakfast time.

 

Working our way through the trees back to the car we disturbed a sparrowhawk eating a pigeon fledgling. It didn't fly off far, so we backed up and hid in the fronds of a yew tree. Within a minute or so the bird of prey came back and lifted its meal up into the branches and finished it off. I was able to watch through the binos. What a fabulous treat for the eyes. We went to collect that first squirrel, only to find the bloody crows had had it, it was an empty skin! The buggers. We had only been gone an hour or so. That was it for the morning, but it worked up an appetite for breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

In fact your the dude that writes for a magazine.

 

Ive seen your rifle in one of them... never forget a rapid in that condition, looking that good, with a Nikon like that running along side.

[mark williams 7,549]

Nice read Acu`, good photo`s too.

 

Again, thank`s for sharing

 

atb

[Acuspell 329]

 

With the clocks going back I took advantage of the early morning to get out and had every intention to be back for breakfast. I loaded the dogs into the car and set off for the woods, only 5 miles away. I got my bits together and then let the dogs out to sort themselves out. I always take them out across the stubble first, it gives them a chance to burn off their frustrations, race about a bit and get into 'mode'. Tigs was ahead and he suddenly turned and started sniffing intently into the thin copse beside the field...I urged him in, hoping for a squirrel out in the early morning light gathering nuts and acorns. There was a small oak beside us. He dived in and roused a fallow buck from his bed amongst the holly! He took off through the wood in hot pursuit, the deer crossed into the next wood, he came out into the stubble and made up ground rapidly, diving back in to the trees 100 yards later, cutting the fallow off from it's intended route. Poor old Fly knows when she is beat - she gave up, she is getting too old to chase across fields, but is still earns her corn poking through the bushes or scouting squirrels and pigeons.

 

We regrouped and stood beside a tree, in the shadows, and I scanned the trees with the binos, looking for squirrels, the focus of my foray.

 

 

 

It was pretty windy, so I concentrated on the trees with food on them - sweet chestnuts abound in this wood, plus beech and oak in addition to all the usual smaller trees. As I disected the tree boughs, one by one, using the differential focus the binos allow to pick out any noses and eyes that might be peering round the corner of a branch. Sure enough, there was the head of a squirrel between the fork of two boughs, sat motionless. I slipped the binos inside my jacket and lifted the rifle onto aim. It was about 35 yards to the tree, so I aimed dead on, and squeezed the shot away.

 

 

There was a loud smack as the pellet hit home and the dogs shot forward as they saw the squirrel falling. "Fetch it Tigs", I whispered and he brought the fallen squirrel back, having made sure it was well and truely dead. He has been nipped a couple of times by squirrels he has caught, now he takes no chances! I parked the squirrel in a tree, to collect on the way back to the car.

We gathered ourselves together and gently made our way further down the wood, scanning the trees for any more squirrels. There were pigeons roosting, but they were very restless witht he tops of the trees swaying and vibrating in the stiff breeze. I didn't bother trying for one, we had enough meat for the freezer so instead concentrated on looking for squirrels. We saw one that ran up the tree only yards ahead, but it didn't stop or offer a shot. We continued to stalk slowly from tree to tree, stopping to use the trunk as cover and scanning around the trees for any signs of movement or grey fur. Eventually, I spotted one, hunched up in the lee of a big chestnut, sat on a side branch in the classical characteristic pose of a squirrel, with its tail curled over it's back. There were a couple of twigs coming off the point of his branch, so I had to gently move slightly to find a clear path through to him.

 

 

A carefully placed shot hit home right at the base of the squirrels ear and it just fell out of the tree without so much as a flinch. Tigs was sent forward for it and again, he made sure it was well and truely dead before fetching it back to me. A brace, the bag was building and other than the wind it was a lovely morning. As I stood with my back to another big chestnut, some fallen branches in front of me, Tigs got wind or heard something in the rhodies about 15 yards away. He shot in and I could hear him crashing through. Moments later not one, but two, squirrels bounded out, one ran up the fallen branch on my left and jumped onto my shoulder on it's way up the tree! The other one went up the other branch and used my hat as a stepping stone...unbelivable! Tigs came crashing out in hot pursuit and was trying to climb the tree after the squirrels.

 

 

They had disappeared into the thick of the branches and we didn't see them again - until one came back down the tree and started barking at Tigs. The cheeky little chappy got a pellet in the chest from about 10 yards, I had to aim over at the range and it was out of focus, but I could see the outline. At that range I wasn't going to try anything clever and from offhand with an instinctive shot, the boiler house is as good as any. The smack knocked it off the tree and Tigs pounced on it, he squealed as the squirrel gave him a last gasp nip, just under his eye it turned out. He brought it back and we decided, with a trio in the bag, it was breakfast time.

 

Working our way through the trees back to the car we disturbed a sparrowhawk eating a pigeon fledgling. It didn't fly off far, so we backed up and hid in the fronds of a yew tree. Within a minute or so the bird of prey came back and lifted its meal up into the branches and finished it off. I was able to watch through the binos. What a fabulous treat for the eyes. We went to collect that first squirrel, only to find the bloody crows had had it, it was an empty skin! The buggers. We had only been gone an hour or so. That was it for the morning, but it worked up an appetite for breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

In fact your the dude that writes for a magazine.

 

Ive seen your rifle in one of them... never forget a rapid in that condition, looking that good, with a Nikon like that running along side.

 

Thanks - and yes I do write for many of the shooting and fishing titles.