Squirrels

[brock ratcliff]

Nice work again, Andrew! Good clean fun right there.

Mason and I have killed several more too. Just forgot to post 'em. It's been a rough year to be a squirrel around here.

 

[Mike]

I took one fox yesterday and one today. There were a bunch.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Before deer season i got a few and now i am ready for some more.

 

["J"]

I'm fixing too blast some of the little tree rats myself after the last few days lol....

 

[epe]

I have seen a ton deer hunting. About ready to tote in one of dads pcp air rifles ...

 

[brock ratcliff]

Mason has been trying to talk me into rolling out of bed in the morning to hunt the farm he killed his deer on today. There is a really good 7 point in there that would be a good one for me to kill. He seems to think if we sat the same stand, I too can shoot him by 730-800 am, he can video it, and then he can start shooting squirrels. There are seemingly an endless supply of them in there. It really isn't a horrible idea, but I am TIRED.

 

[Jamie]

now that I got all that bothersome deer killing and a little bit of work out of the way, I've been able to stop neglecting my dog. got one on a short hunt Wednesday after work, three yesterday afternoon, five this morning. I think Lefty shook off all the rust yesterday. he was at the top of his game today. hunted like his ass was on fire, but he is WHOOPED after two big days in a row. back after it sunday, down in the hills this time.

 

["J"]

now that I got all that bothersome deer killing and a little bit of work out of the way, I've been able to stop neglecting my dog. got one on a short hunt Wednesday after work, three yesterday afternoon, five this morning. I think Lefty shook off all the rust yesterday. he was at the top of his game today. hunted like his ass was on fire, but he is WHOOPED after two big days in a row. back after it sunday, down in the hills this time.

Good deal Jamie....... Always liked the idea of hunting them with dogs, just gotta pick my poison though lol..... Rabbits are the addiction for me.... Although the coyote dogs are sure intriguing.....

 

[Jamie]

yes, coyote dogs is intriguing. don't think I've ever heard of anyone hunting 'yotes with dogs. I think I might need to look into that. :smile:

rabbits, rats, ducks, pheasants, cats, whatever, I don't think it matters much. it's about enjoying watching dogs work, and working with dogs and training dogs. nothing else like it. happy I got off my lazy treestandin' ass and got a hunting dog. brings me much joy. makes me walk more. lol...

 

[brock ratcliff]

Keep us posted Jamie! I haven't even had the beagles out but a time or two...shameful, really. We'll get out more after Christmas.

 

["J"]

Jamie, there's a guy on here who has coyote dogs and one of these days I'd like too tag a long too gain some experience on the subject.....

 

[GoetsTalon]

Read some stories on yote hunting dogs and from what i remember they had GPS tracking collars on them and they went a long ways!!! Would be cool TOO go on one to see how they do it. They would have to corner them some how? Think i'll do some searching to see how this is done.

 

[bluedog]

now that I got all that bothersome deer killing and a little bit of work out of the way, I've been able to stop neglecting my dog. got one on a short hunt Wednesday after work, three yesterday afternoon, five this morning. I think Lefty shook off all the rust yesterday. he was at the top of his game today. hunted like his ass was on fire, but he is WHOOPED after two big days in a row. back after it sunday, down in the hills this time.

Now that is a beautiful thing!

As for coyote dogs, I have never seen them in action but would love to. We have two or three groups that hunt like that up here. My neighbor has a dairy farm and the cows have their calves on pasture so he is all about controlling the coyote population. Whenever the coyote population goes up in our block, he'll have some guys come in and hunt them with dogs. I'll go from hearing and seeing coyotes all the time to not seeing them at all for a year or two (we are in one of those phases right now). The dog hunting groups sure seem efficient at clearing them out and perhaps the survivors move on for a time or two? They'll be back though and the cycle will start again.

 

[Jamie]

yesterday was a lack-luster day of squirrel hunting in Hocking and Vinton Counties. only saw four all day, killed two, one got shot but crawled in a hole before dying. the other, the dog couldn't figure it out, so I didn't shoot it out to him. snowed lightly pretty much all morning down there. rats not moving much yesterday.

 

[Jamie]

Good deal Jamie....... Always liked the idea of hunting them with dogs, just gotta pick my poison though lol..... Rabbits are the addiction for me.... Although the coyote dogs are sure intriguing.....

J, whenever you're ready for a change of pace we'll go squirrel hunting. Monday evening I took Lefty out for a short hunt. was a mistake. the crust of ice resulting from Saturday rain, subsequent snow early Monday made for tough going. after about an hour I could see he was pussyfooting around, so we quit. he followed me all the way to the truck 300 yards across a mowed area. he was walking in my boot tracks his feet were hurting him so badly. he NEVER follows me like that. tried to hunt him yesterday with my buddy and two of Lefty's litter mates as there was no visible damage to his pads, nor a speck of blood. he wouldn't hunt hardly at all, and he was walking quite gingerly after treeing one squirrel. became obvious quickly that I had made a mistake trying to hunt him, so he spent half of the afternoon in dog box. squirrels weren't doing anything anyway, as we just got the one that Lefty treed before going on the injured reserve list. Lefty stayed home to rest today and I went with my buddy and his two pups, Moxy and Nebo, and their mother, Tricks, again and had a fantastic day. got 8 fox squirrels. one of his pups had kind of a breakout day. treed better than he ever has. I did most of the shooting so Dean could encourage his dogs on the trees and all of that. 6 head shots plus the old man made head shots on the two he shot. rats out of their holes today for the first time in several days. should be even better tomorrow. Lefty has a little pep in his step again this evening and I got some Musher's Secret to put on his paws in hopes of giving them some protection until this godforsaken snow all melts. dang hard to leave my little buddy home today, but he needed to rest and give his feet a break. fingers crossed he can hang tomorrow.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Sounds like a awesome time!!!!!

 

[Mike]

I'm getting out Friday. They need thinned out bad.

 

[Archertl]

I rather squirrel hunt than deer hunt most days I just wish my dog. cur Bell was still alive.

 

[Mike]

We only took one today. It was windy as hell.

 

[Jamie]

been pretty busy terrorizing squirrels near and far for the last couple of weeks. had to suffer through the delay of game because of xmas, but we are back in bidness. last sunday on breezy afternoon hunt myself and a couple of friends with Lefty and two of his litter mates took 14. young dogs on fire + rats in full rut makes for some serious action in a woods loaded with squirrels. deleted picture by accident. will try to retrieve and post it later.

today Lefty still on fire. my wife and I bagged 7 in a couple hours on public ground. Nancy did most of the shooting, and woulda made Annie Oakley proud. I'm just about tired of cleaning squirrels. just about.