Small game, Small fish and Giant Chant

[Johnsfolly]

Since I had a bunch of wild mushrooms from my last hunting trip and a few feed trees figured out, I went out again on Thursday afternoon. Having seen minnows in the stream on my last trip, I brought along my travel rod and some red worms on this trip. I also brought my daughter. She likes to fish, but also loves to catch frogs and crayfish as much as anything. She had a lot of opportunity on this trip. There were also lots of minnows and a few darters in this little creek.

Olivia's first frog.

My first two fish, a small creek chub and an orangethroat darter.

Olivia caught a creek chub of her own.

Done fishing now it's time to get on those bushytails. It wasn't until after 4 pm that we heard our first cutting up a hill from the creek. Thought we heard another one down the ridgeline. I had my daughter continue down the deer trail towards the possible second squirrel and I headed up the ridge. Once up the ridge there were definitely two and now saw another. Unfortunately the hillside was a bramble forest. No way of getting through this brush without making a bunch of noise and spooking the squirrels. One was heading towards me and then stopped in a high cedar tree. No shot, but pretty certain that it could see me. I moved slightly to try for a shot and it took off. Didn't get any on this stalk. Headed onto the top of the ridge to a hickory/oak flat and Olivia followed. Go on another couple on the ridge top. Couldn't get a clear shot. Tried a shot through several small branches when one was on a small cedar. Missed and spooked one of the others cutting the hickories. Time to look for some others. At this time Olivia is tired, hot, and disappointed. We finally ended up on a flat that I have seen squirrels over the years and had one in a hickory tree ahead of us. Took awhile to get into a good shooting position and finally a one shot kill.

When I got to the squirrel, orange caught my eye and I picked the largest chanterelle that I have ever seen. It's almost the size of Olivia's head.

I just had to pick this one. I also couldn't help myself and picked a few more fresh chanterelles all against my daughters admonishment. We didn't find any chicken mushrooms or black trumpets. We did find several old man of the woods mushrooms. Also kept kicking up a hen turkey. Sure that she didn't appreciate us spooking her a couple of times. Left at 6:30, a bit earlier than the prime time on a hot day, but being hot and tired trumped staking out a couple more hickory trees for another shot at a squirrel. Still had a great time. Will need one or two more for dinner. Got to go out again!

[BilletHead]

  Nice report JohnsFolly! 

BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

Temperature is now feeling like fall. Got out this morning to try to get a couple more squirrels for the mushroom and squirrel meal. They were still hitting the hickory nuts pretty hard this morning. Got this young fox squirrel and a couple of nice grays.

It was a great morning. I Also stayed away from a bunch of these guys as well.

The rest of this story will be posted on the What's cooking thread.

[MOPanfisher]

Them greys don't like to hang around, but fox squirrels will just hide and usually catch a bullet.

[Nitro 750]

Sounds like a really good time, thanks for the report.