Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Squirrel Doggin' 2017: The Chronicles of Lefty and Slick, Chapter II

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
it's a totally custom 10/22 that I built. not a Ruger part on it besides the rotary mags. Whistlepig 16" aluminum barrel, Kidd receiver/action and trigger. Adaptive Tactical stock. the ADTAC pistol grip stock was just the ticket for this compact, lightweight, essentially weatherproof squirrel gun. I'm not really a gun guy, so this project was a real adventure for me. a fun one with a happy ending. this thing really shoots.
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
AdTac stock.jpg

this was supposed to be a "drop in" stock for 10/22, but I had to do some minor shaping to get the receiver to fit and the barrel to free float completely. WP barrels hate being touched.

pretty much of a shit day of squirrel hunting today. Slick treed one, would not stay on tree with Lefty running off of it. I tied Slick and finally got a shot at a very stubborn rat, which fell right on Lefty, who promptly shook it into mush before I could zap him off of it. Lefty didn't do anything today besides cause problems at trees, including somehow knocking over or knocking loose a small dead leaning tree which whacked me across the forearm while I was encouraging Slick on another tree. I didn't see it coming and it hit me so hard I almost fell down. it's really gonna hurt tomorrow. Slick would not stay on a tree today at all. Left two trees just before I could see where he was that I walked a couple hundreds to get to, Slick barking his head off the whole time I was walking. After such a good day yesterday, they both were total fuck-ups today. Lefty might be done for the year.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
Damn, sorry to hear that he was acting up after yesterday’s good hunt... Hopefully the arm won’t be too sore...

We were out the other day and got 7, was t expecting much in that wind but worked out better then we thought... Had one bail outta tree and run on the ground for 150+ yards to a den tree by the time the dog knew what was going on it was to late for him to catch it... My buddy Dickey looked at me and said, well that’s a first Lmao....

Out again tomorrow with the temps moving in it should be good. Good luck if you’re heading out...
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
We out the last two days, giving the girls a break and hitting the squirrels for probably the last time, the rest will be bunny chasing. Dickey had over 80 last year bit with weather and family obligations he’s barely over 40 this season.
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
how's the rabbit hunting been? I don't see any rabbit hunters posting any action.

by all accounts, the squirrel hunting has been down. nobody knows why as there was a pretty good mast crop this year.

Slick and I had a big day today. Three on our first stop, including a double. first and only one this year. I also shook one out of a nest, and a very exciting foot chase ensued. The squirrel had about a 5 foot head start, and if had been a foot less, Slick would have caught it. Alas, the little bastard ran right to a hole. I let two get away on our second stop, both on missed shots, well deflections. Both squirrels ran to a hole as fast as they could. Was a tough day for the shooter as I only had one really "good" shot. The rest were long, or though clutter, or at a sliver of a squirrel. They seldom come quietly this time of year, so I tend to do what I can to knock them out for the dog. We managed one on our third stop. I decided to hunt until dark, and went to a woods that I have never hunted late in the day before. It's a few hundred yards from where we park to the timber, and it was 3:40 when we left the truck. It's a big, picturesque woods with many enormous Red and White Oaks, Beeches, Hickories, Walnuts, Cherries. Slick had one within two minutes of being turned loose, and I broke into a slow trot to get there and managed to find the squirrel and a makeable shot fast. With only one more to go, I was liking our chances. 4 solid, long trees for Slick later, all obvious dens, we had to call it quits as the shadows had grown quite long. Slick treed 8 for me today that I saw, and there might have been one or two more in giant trees that I just could not find by myself. Slick hunted his ass off today for me all day. Man alive, he can chew up some ground. Aside from the 8 squirrels I saw, he went to at least 15 more trees. Any dog that can make two dozen trees a day is doing something right. I was very, very pleased with Slick today. We had a grand time, and I'm glad we made a full day of it as we likely will not have another nice day like today to hunt this season. Slick really coming into his own.

1-26-18.jpg
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
Rabbits are off as well, had a good outing yesterday but nothing like last year.
Hit a state park today (Beaver Creek in Columbiana County) lots of hemlock and pine trees, need I say more...
3.8 miles and one gray that stayed in place long enough to get a shot on with me missing with the .22 and another guy missing with a 12ga. Lol
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Nice updates. Slick sure is a good looking dog. Sounds like he is becoming quite the hunter. Good stuff Jamie.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
IMG_0515.jpg

5 total with all grays and one black....

My marlin was the only other fatality... Sling screw came out and the gun hit the pavement and popped the scope off and bent the tube on it.... trashed the scope and scratched up the barrel....
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
dang, that really sucks about your gun! pisser. did you at least wax a few squirrels before your sling came undone?.

The Goof and I went to southern Ohio today. first trip I've made there to squirrel hunt this year. we got three. Well, I got three. My shooter missed the two squirrels he shot at three times each before I intervened with delivering proper head trauma (to the squirrels, not The Goof) The other one I got the dogs were split treed. Goof went to Lefty, who had a squirrel, but it ran to a hole before a shot was attempted, I went to Slick and killed the squirrel. we saw a total of 5, all Grays, but two ran to a hole. was a pretty good day, really, but I forgot to take any pics. Glad we cut it a little short. Sun was in and out for most of the morning, but the wind went from 5mph to about 20mph in a matter of minutes about 1:00 and it was sprinkling by the time we got loaded up at 2. Light snow ever since. try again tomorrow.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
Jamie, that was just at the truck before we got started. Rushed to Dickies place grabbed his high tech gun like yours and he grabbed a shotgun and we went by his place, 6 total, 4 grays a black and a fox squirrel...
butch did great as we had 4 in one tree, we thought we saw 3 drop but damned if we could find the 3rd one.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio
Great updates guys! Sorry to hear about your gun and scope J! Fugg!!!!

Fried squirrels and gravy over sweet taters sound pretty tasty right now.:pickle:
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
goddamn hippie! :smiley_coolpeace:

Surprisingly, rats out of their holes some today. The Goof shot a little better today, but I still had to pick up his slack. Slick gets credit for 6, Lefty one. :frown: Obviously, Slick hunted his little berries off, Lefty didn't do much again today. debating whether or not Lefty goes tomorrow. Still, seven rats at this stage of the game is a damn good day. We went to a dozen or more dens, too. 6 boars, one sow. We've taken 5 boars for every one sow this season. don't know what to make of that, but it surely means something. one last hoorah tomorrow.

1-30-18.jpg
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
Come on Jamie, I imagine you grew up in the 70’s as well lmao....

No hunting today, but heading out in the morning. 39 with 20 mph gusts lol... Last day swinging for he fence....

Talked to Bonemonger yesterday and he had a couple guys go thru his deer property and they walked away with a 3 man limit.... guys dog has 244 shot over him so far this season...

After tomorrow on comes rabbit Armageddon!!!

Good luck Jamie if you make it out....