1st time going squirrel hunting...

[TomcatPC]

Sort of rainy day today, hoping for a dry day next time. But, yes I did go out. Fired out shell, he was dead before he left the tree...Thank You God!!! I was so scared of "just wounding" one... But, it worked out...
Mark

 

[TomcatPC]

That is a 1950's Harrington & Richardson M-48 Topper 16 Ga., used number 6 shot.
Mark

 

[hickslawns]

Congratulations! Now you are rolling. Good luck on your next venture.

 

[Diablo54]

Awesome!!

 

[Joel]

Awesome picture there and that's one to be proud of! Congrats! :smiley_clap:

 

["J"]

Congrats on keeping the tradition that that guns probably seen....

 

[dante322]

Good work!! Fun stuff shooting squacks.
Nice gun too

 

[Dannmann801]

:smiley_clap:

 

[Hortontoter]

Great photo, Mark. Have fun and make the most of it.

 

[TomcatPC]

OK, next time, maybe this coming weekend?...do I take my 1920's Iver Johnson "Champion" Single Shot or my 1936 Remington "The Sportsman" (Three shot only version of the Model 11)? Both are 16 Ga., sort of like that gauge...LOL!
If it is crappy out again, I might take my Mossberg 500 12 Ga., but swap out the wood for, gasp, black plastic stock set (not a big fan of black plastic, but for crappy weather...). Hoping to take a 16 Ga. again though.

How much does the weather affect Squirrels and them coming out and about? I only saw one, and shot it. Even though I was not 100% silent, I didn't go through the bush singing Sex Pistols songs either. I did find a place and just stand for 20 minutes or so and really did not see much.
Anyway, looking forward to going again.
Mark

 

[Hortontoter]

I always liked sitting with my back up against the trunk of a 100 year old oak with a nice stand of hickory or beech trees in front of me. I did almost all of my squirrel hunting with a Remington 552 .22 rifle with a 3-9 power scope on it.

 

[TomcatPC]

With all the misgivings I might have about the aspect of killing what I plan on eating...I did feel a bit of guilt to be honest... But when I was driving home, I must have driven past almost ten dead, smashed Squirrels on the side of the road. Maybe this guy went the easy way, in the whole grand scheme of things?

I do feel 110% positive that I killed him outright and quick... I'm so grateful of that! I saw no suffering what so ever...that was something I was scared of to be honest.
Mark

 

[Hortontoter]

Making quick humane kills is what we all strive for. But, hunt long enough and you will wound and lose an animal. If this happens and you just shrug it off then one would question your integrity as a hunter. I don't think we need to worry about this in your case.

 

[TomcatPC]

Just grateful that my first one was a clean quick end. Killed outright, but did not mangle him either. When I skinned it, it looked like a lot of the shot went right through the underside and through the body, but not out through the top side of the hide. There were quite a few shot right under the hide.

 

[Hortontoter]

Number 6 shot is a little light for squirrels IMO, especially in the late season. I possibly go with 4's or 5's in your 16 gauge.

 

[xbowguy]

Congrats on the squirrel and nice pic. We like pic's around here!

 

[Jackalope]

Congrats on the squirrel and nice pic. We like pic's around here!

I've always thought that too but the other weekend my nephew killed 5 graveyard dead with 7 1/2 shot. Same loads we shoot dove with. No treetop busting but good shots none the less.

 

[giles]

Way TOO go Mark! All guilt will go away when you eat it. It's some of the best small game meat IMO. I don't hunk theres a bad way to fix it either. My favorite has to be stir fry though, followed very closely by pot pie…or cooked in foil over a fire…or maybe…lol, you get the idea.

 

[TomcatPC]

Stir Fry...was thinking of something along the Asian route... Squirrel Adobo? Wait till I get a couple more...
Mark

 

[TomcatPC]

Two more photos I took before I actually had to fire that one shell.
Mark