Thanks for posting that recipe, Russ! I've used one quite similar to that several times and it's a true winner. Just to share a tale with you guys, here's how it went for a me a couple of weekends ago when the weather, family obligations, and time off from work all came together...
The weather finally turned cool for a few days so my best friend Kyle and I hunted Clark State Forest in southern Indiana on Saturday. We saw a few squirrels but could never manage effective shots at them. He carried his old Iver Johnson .410 and I had my little Mossberg 20 ga. I knew we'd be climbing so I carried the lightest thing I had larger than a .410. Kyle insisted on wearing some orange on the state land and I think that hampered our cause more than a little. Still had a really good day afield, climbed a massive knob, and then we drove to Corydon, IN afterward to have a late lunch and spend money at Gun World.
I took the 12 ga. "Browning" (one of the Miroku-branded Citoris I bought for literally used-.22 rifle money because they didn't know what it was) squirrel hunting near Acton, KY on Sunday. This was down in the central part of the state not far from where I grew up. I took this particular gun because it offered the advantage of being choked full and improved cylinder. Went into the woods looking for a half limit and the old gun delivered handily. I think I saw fifteen total, but only took the shots that seemed proper. The Browning is big and heavy, but reduced the high-brass pheasant loads’ recoil to a solid shove. That was a nice change from the ultralight 16 ga. Parker that nearly beat me to death trap shooting the weekend before.
The woods were surprisingly cool and still as I slipped into them shortly before sunrise. I had crept some distance before seeing the first squirrel, which would not allow me within range for a shot. Moving along, I soon had a good longer shot at one flattened out on the base of a tree. I swung the gun up and centered him with the full-choke barrel, dropping him neatly into the weeds. A nice gray squirrel, he would make fine table fare. I trussed him onto my lanyard and moved on.
Lots of squirrels spotted over the next hour's hunting, but they were all skittish. This area is on public land and I suspect they still get hunted pretty heavily.
When unknowingly nearing Robinson Creek, I was startled by the guttural screaming of a heron that was only about 40 yards away, concealed by the thick undergrowth. It sounded like a pig! This all started while I was stalking a squirrel spotted about 80 yards distant in the treetops. As I slipped along, another materialized out of nowhere to my right and offered a clean shot at a little under twenty yards. Another little gray made the lanyard heavier. This helps explain my affinity for the tight/open choke setup for squirrel hunting in this particular area. The undergrowth makes for very close shots on the ground but the tall trees need some serious choke for the high ones.
Hunting along the creek for about a half mile produced almost no sign of game. The heron was still there making his terrible racket, but soon spotted me directly and flew out of sight, growling, barking, and generally offering his discontent with my presence in the hideous language of his species. Only one squirrel was spotted along this stretch and he was far too cautious to allow my approach. While hunting one of the ancient washes back toward the truck, another gray offered a shot as he bounded out of a tall, old walnut tree. I was unable to get a clean sight picture, as he was obscured by leaves just as I got the gun mounted. Waiting patiently, I soon saw him materialize in the weeds moving toward the adjoining corn field. I tracked the rustling grass with the bead until he passed a thin spot and I could clearly see him, and the lanyard was heavier, still.
Farther along still, the day was growing warm and the bright sunlight was a bit much to be standing in. I kept to the shadows and moved with a bit less stealth than exercised earlier, looking at spiders in their now-drying webs, bothering a box terrapin, and things like that. I suddenly spotted a big red squirrel on a tree trunk about forty yards ahead. I had come for three, but the red is the squirrel of my youth. More common than the gray in these areas I used to hunt back then, I grew accustomed to carrying home specimens the size of a smallish house cat. Properly handled in the kitchen (see Russ's recipe just recently posted!), they are every bit as tasty as the more appreciated gray. I fired the full-choke barrel and the squirrel appeared to fall, but in retrospect, I think he jumped at the shot. He was immediately out of the weeds and back upon the base of the tree, looking around as if to ask “what just happened?” I hit him with the open-choked under barrel and he was gone. A solid half hour of searching produced not a sign of squirrel or injury to him. I gathered my kit and bounty, laughed at the squirrel's good luck, and moved on to the truck.
It was a glorious morning:
The old "Browning" I like so much and three grays that didn't care for it one bit!
I just acquired an old Trojan 12 ga. a few weeks ago that will likely give this gun a run for its money in this particular setting. With any luck, I'll post another report in the near future telling you guys how it performed...
Threaded Mode