I took both dogs north yesterday, and they did ok for the first hour. after that Lefty didn't do hardly anything. Slick found two for me. the second squirrel must have timbered out to a nearby tree as both dogs were hot on one smallish tree that I'm quite sure there was not a squirrel in. after I excused them from the tree, Slick took off to find another while Lefty stood there looking at me and as I started to walk away he let out a bark and started looking up, so I looked up and there was a squirrel in a tree 10 yards from the one they were on. He winded it. He settled on the correct tree fast, giving me enough time for a close off hand shot before squirrel bailed or tried to hide. we walked a long way yesterday to see two squirrels, both of which came home with us. Slick is really doing well. Lefty doing nothing but offering support. At least Slick doesn't pay any attention to Lefty's poor attitude.
Lefty was happy to stay home today, so Slick and I left early to get in a 4 or 5 hours of hunting before the rain set in. I had business to tend to in Columbus this afternoon, so it was going to be a short day rain or shine. the first stop produced three Mountain Jacks, two fled to holes in a blur, the other stood still long enough for me to deliver lethal head trauma. This is the first Pine squirrel I've shot in the woods in a couple of years, and the first time I've seen three in less than an hour. they must be rutting, too. Dog does not know the difference, apparently. Slick managed to find three on the next stop, and did a great job figuring out the tracks on all three. I gave him a little more time that I usually would, and it paid off. two more got head trauma, but the third required a long shot with no rest and I could not hold still at all. three missed shots before it ran in a hole. on the third stop Slick ran off with his ass on fire a couple hundred yards and treed. took me a while to get there across a fast moving, half frozen creek, but dog stayed treed solid the whole time. one more in the bag. Slick treed another pretty quickly and was on this one hotter than I've seen. I eventually figured out why as I made my way about half way around the tree. Squirrel was in a hole and it's tail was sticking out and he could see it. I emptied a magazine around the hole, hitting the tail twice and that sumbich wouldn't budge. was hard to call Slick off of that one, but there was nothing else to do. I lost count of how many dens he treed on today, but it had to be a dozen or more.
Slick is really hunting well, covering ground like I want, and staying treed once he commits. Committing a little faster sometimes now, too, which tells me he's trusting his nose more, which is strictly a function of experience. Three times today he worked tracks to just where he was about to commit, barking and all, but left those tracks/trees on his own. I did give him a little extra time before moving in and I'm glad I did. That is important progress as he is beginning to master his nose, distinguishing between dead ends and tracks worth following without any encouragement (or discouragement) from me. He is starting to chew up my dead squirrels. I juiced him off all four of them today, and he nearly ripped one in half before I got to the button. He does respond well to the stimulation, but it's a problem. rain off and on was a bit of a bother today, but our timing was good. just as I was letting Slick into the cab of the truck to go home it started pouring buckets. Slick done me proud again. We're probably done until at least Sunday with more shit weather coming. Glad we got out today
Lefty was happy to stay home today, so Slick and I left early to get in a 4 or 5 hours of hunting before the rain set in. I had business to tend to in Columbus this afternoon, so it was going to be a short day rain or shine. the first stop produced three Mountain Jacks, two fled to holes in a blur, the other stood still long enough for me to deliver lethal head trauma. This is the first Pine squirrel I've shot in the woods in a couple of years, and the first time I've seen three in less than an hour. they must be rutting, too. Dog does not know the difference, apparently. Slick managed to find three on the next stop, and did a great job figuring out the tracks on all three. I gave him a little more time that I usually would, and it paid off. two more got head trauma, but the third required a long shot with no rest and I could not hold still at all. three missed shots before it ran in a hole. on the third stop Slick ran off with his ass on fire a couple hundred yards and treed. took me a while to get there across a fast moving, half frozen creek, but dog stayed treed solid the whole time. one more in the bag. Slick treed another pretty quickly and was on this one hotter than I've seen. I eventually figured out why as I made my way about half way around the tree. Squirrel was in a hole and it's tail was sticking out and he could see it. I emptied a magazine around the hole, hitting the tail twice and that sumbich wouldn't budge. was hard to call Slick off of that one, but there was nothing else to do. I lost count of how many dens he treed on today, but it had to be a dozen or more.
Slick is really hunting well, covering ground like I want, and staying treed once he commits. Committing a little faster sometimes now, too, which tells me he's trusting his nose more, which is strictly a function of experience. Three times today he worked tracks to just where he was about to commit, barking and all, but left those tracks/trees on his own. I did give him a little extra time before moving in and I'm glad I did. That is important progress as he is beginning to master his nose, distinguishing between dead ends and tracks worth following without any encouragement (or discouragement) from me. He is starting to chew up my dead squirrels. I juiced him off all four of them today, and he nearly ripped one in half before I got to the button. He does respond well to the stimulation, but it's a problem. rain off and on was a bit of a bother today, but our timing was good. just as I was letting Slick into the cab of the truck to go home it started pouring buckets. Slick done me proud again. We're probably done until at least Sunday with more shit weather coming. Glad we got out today
