8/15 Nothing..Yet

[Johnsfolly]

I wanted to take advantage of a slight drop in the temperature last night and try for some squiirrels and wild mushrooms. With all the rain we have had I have been thinking about some spots that have had chicken mushrooms and black trumpets in the past. Those spots also have had squirrels as well. Took containers for mushrooms and my pack for any bushytails. Hiked around and was only finding single and doubles on chanterelles. Its been a great mushroom summer, so finding just a few was a little dissapointing. I did find a large oak tree with acorns and hulls scattered underneath. Nothing in the branches above. Have it check it out later. Finally found a large group of giant chanterelles. Most were a day or two older than I like. So I only picked the newer ones. Now that I had enough mushrooms, I really needed the protein for my meal. After another 30 minutes ended up back at the oak tree and there were two young squirrels tearing up the acorns above me. I tried and tried but just could not get a spot for a good shot. If I had a shotgun maybe a different story. I let them go after about 20 to 30 min of positioning and repositioning for a shot that never came. It was now getting dark. I got out into the grassland area of this property and was walking the field edge and heard the sound I was hoping for on this trip. It was the unmistakable sound of a squirrel cutting a hickory nut. I got into the brush and found a couple of hickories and could not find the cutter. Did see one other squirrel in the branches but it was too dark for a shot. Didn't get one on this trip, but now know a couple of feed trees to get on them when I get back down to hunt them again.

[MOPanfisher]

Lots of foliage and spider webs to the face are the worst thing about summer squirrel hunting.  I have spent more than a few minutes of my young life trying to out maneuver a squirrel, sure had a lot of fun doing it too.

[Johnsfolly]

MOpanfisher

I agree about the spider webs. I hate having to peel them off of my face. However, I do love to find the squirrels hitting the hickories. They just love them and come from all over once there is a tree with ripe nuts. It can get to be like a video game. Too much fun to pass up.

[MOPanfisher]

Yep, they should be pounding the Hickories, live easing up to a tree and it sounds like rain from hickory nut pieces falling.  Have thrown sticks and rocks to get them to move around to where I could get a shot, sent the dog, easing around etc.  Don't need much of the head to slip a bullet into but gotta have more than a leg or fluffy tail. Have done the summer hunt for several years, but used to terrorize the squirrels.  Nowadays I am.more likely to complain that all the different deer seasons mess up some of the best squirrel hunting time of the year.

[Johnsfolly]

I used to salt and sell my tails to the folks that make Mepps spinners. Now I don't get more than a dozen squirrels a year and most of them are during this time of year when the tail hairs are not prime. So I typically don't even bother keeping any tails. If I get out after deer season, maybe I'll get back into keeping the tails. Need a lot of tails just to pay the postage, but it was fun to know that the Mepps spinners that I have may have been made with tails that I sold them in the past. Also you can't beat getting the younger squirrels early in the season.

[Ham]

You need to add "Killer of the tree rat" to your official title.

[MOPanfisher]

When I was a kid, with an old Ithaca M49 single shot lever action rifle I fully intended to corner the market for squirrel tails to sell to Mepps.  I had a whole box of them and stored them in an out building and of corse when spring arrive and crappie fishing got I forgot them.  Bugs and mice ended my young attempt to become a millionaire without having sold one.  I used to fish the creeks around here with Mepps spinners, the buck tails and the red white ones.  A couole Mepps (because you didnt dare return home and admit to losing one) and a couple offset beetle spin tyoe lures, jeans and tennis shoes, good thing dads old truck had vinyl seays ans floors.  But he always like to see a stringer of black perch (green sunfish).  Now I am wanting to buy a few Mepps just to have again.