I got up at 6am and it was flat calm so I slid into my overalls and old jacket then headed out the door. Good to be back in familiar hunting clothes again, we all know how that feels.
Hit the timber just at daylight, plenty chilly and nothing was moving yet. I walked all the way to the back end before I heard the first limb shake. A pair of fox squirrels up a big pin oak making a racket.
I managed to slip up close where I had a good clear shot at the first and dropped him out, the 2nd started off like devil's were chasing him but hesitated on a stub branch and I figured I had a true right and left on squirrels but the left barrel just snapped and nothing happened.
Should have taken a Parker but I wanted my childhood Lefever Nitro to get some action after it had been locked up at the gunsmith for the past two years. Apparently they don't test fire them even in all that time, the left barrel won't fire at all. I tried it a couple more times over the course of the morning and nothing.....
Went over to pick up the squirrel I did kill and soon as I had it in hand realized something was wrong. It had hard scabby knots all over it's hide from head to tail! Can't imagine what would cause that but I was scared to try and eat it so left it in the woods sadly. I hate to waste game but if you'd have seen it you would have left it too.
Moved on from there and a few minutes later had one start barking at me. Squirrel was real close but not moving, finally I caught a flip of it's tail and managed a snap shot. Nice young fox squirrel, no strange ailments apparent thankfully. By this time it was pushing 9:30 and I needed to start heading towards the truck. Got lucky and killed another one out of a pin oak on my way out of the woods so I've got enough for a meal.
The woods I tried won't hold many squirrels, there are no hickory in it at all and mighty few pin oaks, mostly maple and ash. I got permission from the owner on a fluke and thought I'd give it a try but believe my next hunt will be somewhere a bit more suited.
DLH
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I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
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