Small Game 2017-2018

[Johnsfolly]

Let's hear it for the small game hunting this season. The upland and waterfowl guys will try to monopolize the hunting threads until deer and turkey seasons. This thread isnt for those just sitting on buckets or comfy sports chairs☺! This is about spot and stalk squirrels. Creeping up on cutters. Belly crawling for bunnies. OK Nobody is likely to belly crawl for bunnies. Busting brushpiles for bunnies☺! So let's hear about these hunts. If you hunt from a recliner that's ok too☺!

Actually just missed an opprtunity at two while submittng this post.

[Johnsfolly]

I struck out yesterday on catching a new species. I had small minnows that I haven't caught before on my bait but no hookups. So i had the urge to get onto some game. Still haven't decided to go after doves. Instead went out to get on the bushytails still hitting the hickory nuts. Started down a finger of hatdwoods and heard some cutting ahead. Saw a few squirrels ahead of me but out of range. I could hear ine or two to my right. I gor a bead on a couple in an oak. Shot the trailing squirrel. Waited a little while to see if the other would give me a shot. Nope. Crossed the drainage and picked up this guy. 

Had two more going back into the hickory trees. One stopped to cut the nut but I don't want to shoot them when they are sitting. Too much damage with the pellets. Got the bead on a second one in a cherry tree to my left. Dropped that one.

I chased after some high squealers. Snuck up on another in the hickory tops. Shot it through the brush but must have missed as he ran off onto private property.

I got into more heavy timber and could not find an intermittent cutter. Sat diwn and submitted the first post as two chased each other down a large oak 30 yards from me.  With my game muffs I heard some squealing in the distance. Closed the gap and saw a couple chasing around a large dead tree. I shot one, then another and then a third.  I found two out of the three. The last one either crawled or ended up in the thick brush and wood from the dead tree. In the 15 to 20 min that I looked for that third one the last man standing was still chasing the female in the trees above me. I thought a couple of times about shooting one or the other. Instead let them go off to make more squirrels!

 

[BilletHead]

      A shotgun? Really . 

OK I fully understand. It isn't everybody that can shoot a few from the recliner! Can't hardly wait to see how you cook them up,

  BilletHead wishes tree rats had wings.

[MOPanfisher]

Early season a shotgun is a good choice for squirrels, one the leaves fall it's all.about the rifle.  My dad was a good shot with a shotgun, having actually been around when quail hunting was a real thing.  He could take a .410 and hit them.as they ran along braniches etc.  I never got the hang of that, but did inherit a love for squirrel hinting.  Last several years sadly have worked out to get me into the squirrel woods much.

[Johnsfolly]

31 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

      A shotgun? Really . 

OK I fully understand. It isn't everybody that can shoot a few from the recliner! Can't hardly wait to see how you cook them up,

  BilletHead wishes tree rats had wings.

Yes I am fighting getting glasses. So the rifle will sit until the leaves start dropping. I ended up shooting at seven, missed the one, and lost one. Better ratio than some dove hunts and more and better tasting meat!

 

[BilletHead]

28 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Yes I am fighting getting glasses. So the rifle will sit until the leaves start dropping. I ended up shooting at seven, missed the one, and lost one. Better ratio than some dove hunts and more and better tasting meat!

 

         Trifocals is where it's at! Better tasting meat? How many doves have you eaten? Their is nothing like a dove that has found some grain that has passed through a cow's digestive track .  Then there is the squirrels that do the same and even have been known to eat baby birds. Once all that is processed into muscle we never know the difference!

 BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

20 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

         Trifocals is where it's at! Better tasting meat? How many doves have you eaten? Their is nothing like a dove that has found some grain that has passed through a cow's digestive track .  Then there is the squirrels that do the same and even have been known to eat baby birds. Once all that is processed into muscle we never know the difference!

 BilletHead

I will have to admit that other than squab, no dove has passed my lips. Always hear about dove tasting like liver. You know me always willing to try something new☺.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

I will have to admit that other than squab, no dove has passed my lips. Always hear about dove tasting like liver. You know me always willing to try something new☺.

       Only if you cook it to death. I have never eaten young pigeon but have adult birds and I think they are stronger than dove. 

BilletHead

[Dutch]

The only way I can eat dove it fillet the breasts, deep fry them, then dip them in KC Masterpiece.

[tho1mas]

What is the best (easy) way to skin a squirrel? I have tried the slit across the middle of the back - then pull it off like pants & a tee shirt. The other method is cut under the tail - stand on the tail - pull the hind legs until the skin is off to the head - then skin the back legs. Neither method seems very easy & almost always involves picking hair.

I have 40 + walnut trees on my place & a so-so garden = lots of tree rats. I hate to kill them if I don't eat them.