Squirrel Doggin' 22-23

[xbowguy]

Just getting caught up on all this. There is NOBODY like MOM! Never will be either.
You ever shoot a deer (or any other help needed) I am not far at all. In fact we are closer than I even thought.
In the squirrel department, I'd gladly walk along just to be an extra license with you. Squirrel hunting with dogs sounds like quite an adventure.

 

[Jamie]

You will love it, Rick. Just let me know when you and Maxx aren't busy and we'll turn my two loose and put some rats in your game bag.

 

[brock ratcliff]

I truly enjoyed our time today, and hope to do more. The squirrelagedon was a sight to see, as I’ve never witnessed anything like it. @brock ratcliff the bias is honest as lefty spent most of his time looking good standing on down trees waiting for Slick to light up the woods. However there was an instance that Jamie left him behind with disbelief, and I stayed back having faith. In fact Lefty did have a rat in a tree, unfortunately I was to slow in finding it, as it bailed before I could get a shot.

The bias is bullshit. As you saw first hand, Lefty knows where the squirrels are. Slick is all flashy and loud to draw attention to himself while Lefty just stands where the squirrels are, barks and wishing Jamie would give him some attention. I’ll promise you this, at the end of the day when you only need one squirrel to fill the bag, Slick will quit on ya and Lefty will not.

 

[Jamie]

Lefty cannot quit on me because he rarely ever gets started anymore.
The reason Slick quits at the end of the day is because he runs 10 times further than Lefty. It’s ok, though, Lefty is old and broken down. I can relate.

 

[Jamie]

It was a pretty lack-luster day in the squirrel woods. Dogs struggled to find active rats. Squirrels just not out of their holes today, although they should have been. Lefty found one and just left the tree while I was trying to get into position for a shot. I have no idea why, as that is unusual for him. I’m afraid he might be having some Biden moments where he forgets what he is doing. He did remember to demolish all three of the squirrels that Slick found and stayed on until they hit the ground. On the plus side, I did manage to finally get the electric current adjusted properly enough to remind dog who those squirrels belong to. Saw 4, killed three. Not much action today. Only went to a few dens. Try again tomorrow. I’ll have a shooter, too…

Slick 36
Lefty 14

 

[brock ratcliff]

I got Peanut to the field finally. He worked over a covey of quail pretty good but we didn’t find a single pheasant. They were probably hanging out with the squirrels. Hope you boys have a good hunt tomorrow!

 

["J"]

Good luck tomorrow, Jamie!

 

[xbowguy]

A bad day in the squirrel woods is better than a good day working...

 

[Jamie]

We had a very good hunt today. The dogs worked pretty hard, covering lots of ground in the two places we put them out. The fact that Lefty actually hunted today was nice. Showing off for Rick to make a liar out of me, presumably, lol. He made two trees, one of which was a double. Slick made four trees. We went to lots of empty trees and dens today, but it was a beautiful day to be in the woods and we killed every squirrel we saw. Cannot do any better than that. I did all of the shooting today, and I shot pretty well. I did make Rick shoot the last one, though. I'm officially implementing a new policy. If you come squirrel hunting with me, you must do some shooting. It is more fun for me if I don't have to do all of the shooting and can instead keep Lefty off of dead rats when they hit the ground. Thanks for coming along, Rick, and thank you for the goodies. We really enjoyed your company. We go again whenever you're ready.

first three

the rest

Slick 40
Lefty 17

 

[Jamie]

I'm not sure if a single photo has ever captured the true personality of my dogs as well as this one. Slick expressing his love and gratitude, Lefty staring off into space like some teenage diva on an album cover with someplace better to be.

 

[brock ratcliff]

That’s Lefty showing his disgust for you bringing another dog into his game. An that is Slick kissing your ass as always. Figuratively, of course.

 

[Mike]

This thread is just epic.

 

[xbowguy]

I'm not going to lie it was more fun than I even imagined...I can't thank you enough Jamie I had a ball today! And I got a Box of goodies to bring home with my own so life is extra good!

 

[Jamie]

Good grief, I haven't updated this journal in two weeks. Well, there has not been much to report, lol.

Nancy and I went one day last week when there was a little bit of snow still. Nice sunny, calm day, but we only saw two squirrels. Lefty treed one and Nancy aired out its skull. Dogs did not see the other squirrel. Whole lotta walking, not much shooting.

I finally got back out today for a short hunt. Took Uncle Charlie along. Lefty got two, Slick got two, and we did not see any more than those four. They all met the skinning boy. Two Greys, two Fox, no pics. Pretty slow day today, too. Try again after the smokepolers are done.

Slick 42
Lefty 20

 

[brock ratcliff]

Good grief, I haven't updated this journal in two weeks. Well, there has not been much to report, lol.

Nancy and I went one day last week when there was a little bit of snow still. Nice sunny, calm day, but we only saw two squirrels. Lefty treed one and Nancy aired out its skull. Dogs did not see the other squirrel. Whole lotta walking, not much shooting.

I finally got back out today for a short hunt. Took Uncle Charlie along. Lefty got two, Slick got two, and we did not see any more than those four. They all met the skinning boy. Two Greys, two Fox, no pics. Pretty slow day today, too. Try again after the smokepolers are done.

Slick 42
Lefty 20

There were fox squirrels crawling all over near my perch this evening. I think they had a love triangle or octagon going on. Unfortunately I wasn’t chasing rats and that is all I saw.

 

[Jamie]

Definitely ought to be some love in the air in the squirrel woods right now.

I wonder how many early human dudes got taken out by some hungry large carnivore because they were preoccupied with pussy and throwing caution to the wind?

 

[Jamie]

Today is the first time I've been able to hunt since last Friday. There was an awful lot of water that made creek crossings quite hazardous to my dry feet today and the squirrels were not doing much. The dogs tried hard, especially Slick, but it was just a tough day. I made four drops, saw four squirrels total. Dogs went to lots of half-baked dens and leaf nest trees, which is what they always do when rats are not out. They try so damn hard for me, but they are fucking up in the process. A first class quandary for dog handler. Another one of my first-world problems...

Still, I made three nice headshots on the ones that came home with us. I missed the other one 8 times. I shot 7 times from one position and was either hitting twigs or just plain missing because this tree was swaying about a foot and a half in either direction in the wind. After I relocated, I think I grazed it's head on the last shot based on what I saw through the scope, and it ran up and down the tree, hopped on to a vine, then the tree next door, and into a hole. This was a grey squirrel, and the first one I've ever seen in this woods. The Grey's numbers are rising fast in this neighborhood. Nice. The way these two look pretty well captures the flavor of our hunt today, lol.

We'll rest up for our first annual MLK Day Rat Massacre down Greenville way with Brock and Mason on Monday. (Head shots only to honor Dr. Kings untimely demise. )

Slick 45
Lefty 21

 

[brock ratcliff]

Today is the first time I've been able to hunt since last Friday. There was an awful lot of water that made creek crossings quite hazardous to my dry feet today and the squirrels were not doing much. The dogs tried hard, especially Slick, but it was just a tough day. I made four drops, saw four squirrels total. Dogs went to lots of half-baked dens and leaf nest trees, which is what they always do when rats are not out. They try so damn hard for me, but they are fucking up in the process. A first class quandary for dog handler. Another one of my first-world problems...

Still, I made three nice headshots on the ones that came home with us. I missed the other one 8 times. I shot 7 times from one position and was either hitting twigs or just plain missing because this tree was swaying about a foot and a half in either direction in the wind. After I relocated, I think I grazed it's head on the last shot based on what I saw through the scope, and it ran up and down the tree, hopped on to a vine, then the tree next door, and into a hole. This was a grey squirrel, and the first one I've ever seen in this woods. The Grey's numbers are rising fast in this neighborhood. Nice. The way these two look pretty well captures the flavor of our hunt today, lol. View attachment 170807

We'll rest up for our first annual MLK Day Rat Massacre down Greenville way with Brock and Mason on Monday. (Head shots only to honor Dr. Kings untimely demise. )

Slick 45
Lefty 41

You’ll be happy to know that should we run out of squirrels to kill in the flats, we are invited to fully use a buddy’s 1600 acre farm east of Bainbridge. Now before you go getting excited at the prospect of climbing hills and crossing ravines, it’s important for you to know he supposedly has a gravel roadway built to traverse his squirrel-rich river bottom. Also, he said if we didn’t want to take my sxs, we are welcome to use his. It will surely be a day of suffering.

 

[Left field]

You’ll be happy to know that should we run out of squirrels to kill in the flats, we are invited to fully use a buddy’s 1600 acre farm east of Bainbridge. Now before you go getting excited at the prospect of climbing hills and crossing ravines, it’s important for you to know he supposedly has a gravel roadway built to traverse his squirrel-rich river bottom. Also, he said if we didn’t want to take my sxs, we are welcome to use his. It will surely be a day of suffering.

at least the dogs should be worn out & I know lefty’s going to pass slick up

 

[Jamie]

You’ll be happy to know that should we run out of squirrels to kill in the flats, we are invited to fully use a buddy’s 1600 acre farm east of Bainbridge. Now before you go getting excited at the prospect of climbing hills and crossing ravines, it’s important for you to know he supposedly has a gravel roadway built to traverse his squirrel-rich river bottom. Also, he said if we didn’t want to take my sxs, we are welcome to use his. It will surely be a day of suffering.

Sounds like my kind of suffering.