Finally back at it (Squirrelin)

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Vetmx

Vetmx

Member
Dec 4, 2017
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4,997
Pa, United States
I was able to drop a good buck on Saturday so now it’s back to squirrel hunting. The woods are considerably more open now that the foliage is falling. Had to put together a pack for squirrel hunting but forgot to throw in a range finder. Yikes, even with my archery ranging skills, I struggled tonight. I didn’t bring a slugger on this trip so my slightly more loopy pellet trajectories had me concerned. Wound up using my parallax wheel at max magnification to confirm my guessing. Scored three squirrels from 45-70 yards. Wished they were closer but I can’t move once set up. The woods are filled with giant tortilla chips. The leaves are so dry that a human sounds like an elephant. I will enjoy some squirrel hunts until my buddies return to camp. Then I will resume camp nanny duties.

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Vetmx said:
I was able to drop a good buck on Saturday so now it’s back to squirrel hunting. The woods are considerably more open now that the foliage is falling. Had to put together a pack for squirrel hunting but forgot to throw in a range finder. Yikes, even with my archery ranging skills, I struggled tonight. I didn’t bring a slugger on this trip so my slightly more loopy pellet trajectories had me concerned. Wound up using my parallax wheel at max magnification to confirm my guessing. Scored three squirrels from 45-70 yards. Wished they were closer but I can’t move once set up. The woods are filled with giant tortilla chips. The leaves are so dry that a human sounds like an elephant. I will enjoy some squirrel hunts until my buddies return to camp. Then I will resume camp nanny duties.

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In those conditions, if you want to move, the trick is to sound like a deer. ;) You just took one. You know what he sounded like. =) and congratulations on the deer!
 
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Vetmx said:
I was able to drop a good buck on Saturday so now it’s back to squirrel hunting. The woods are considerably more open now that the foliage is falling. Had to put together a pack for squirrel hunting but forgot to throw in a range finder. Yikes, even with my archery ranging skills, I struggled tonight. I didn’t bring a slugger on this trip so my slightly more loopy pellet trajectories had me concerned. Wound up using my parallax wheel at max magnification to confirm my guessing. Scored three squirrels from 45-70 yards. Wished they were closer but I can’t move once set up. The woods are filled with giant tortilla chips. The leaves are so dry that a human sounds like an elephant. I will enjoy some squirrel hunts until my buddies return to camp. Then I will resume camp nanny duties.

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Congrats on your buck ! I passed on the squirrels this year, just let them entertain me while waiting for pigeons to land again .There sure are plenty of them though. The nutters are trying to establish a walnut plantation here in our beds & yard. While enjoying my breakfast & coffee I've seen a limit of squirrels in the yard at one time . Can't pop 'em , school kids waiting for the bus , dog walkers ,etc,, Oh well ! And speaking of deer , I've seen way to many mangled on the highway again this year ( thankfully I have not contributed to the cause ).
 
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Thanks. But last night was an eye opener on how much I’ve started to rely on technology. Then I just had to relax and make do. Fortunately I spent more of my hunting life without technology but it doesn’t mean I don’t embrace it. It’s just funny thinking about how 10-15 years ago I’d be plinking away in that hollow dropping squirrels without all the crutches we feel we need now.
 
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Vetmx said:
Thanks. But last night was an eye opener on how much I’ve started to rely on technology. Then I just had to relax and make do. Fortunately I spent more of my hunting life without technology but it doesn’t mean I don’t embrace it. It’s just funny thinking about how 10-15 years ago I’d be plinking away in that hollow dropping squirrels without all the crutches we feel we need now.
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I think it may still be in you. Do you feel that you’ve changed that much over the past decade and a half that you have lost your ability to plink away as you once did?
 
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Ezana4CE said:
I think it may still be in you. Do you feel that you’ve changed that much over the past decade and a half that you have lost your ability to plink away as you once did?
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Yes. But only when I think too much. All my pellet shooters no matter the caliber have basically the same trajectory at squirrel distances. I never needed reticles that look like shattered glass or an elevation turret that I might as well have a motor attached to it. I just always held on high or low. Now out past 50, I’m winding something or picking a branch on the Christmas tree. I’m back at it right now and I brought my little helper. You know what that means, I’m not seeing a thing!
 
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I have a funny story to tell. I’ll try to make it brief. I’ve always brought a slug shooter to my camp since 2017. This year I didn’t. This M3 is good to 100 with its 28gr pellet. Two days into the trip I’m awakened by coyotes. I slip out of my camp, Pard attached. Two of them yipping at about 150 yards in the field. I twist to 100 then start guessing with the reticle. They were jumping and darting but no thumps. In my airgun possibles bag are 100 slugs. So the next day I’m trying to dial the gun in with them. Never shot slugs from this gun. I refused to touch the valve because my pellet tune is extraordinary. When I couldn’t get them to group well enough for confidence at 75 yards, I gave up. Problem is I can’t remember where my hammer wheel was set. I have no chronograph to hit the magic 935fps. Moral of the story, having a super adjustable gun is not always a good thing. I got lost because I was so sure I could make them work that I didn’t take notes. But I think I’m back to within a click or two of where the gun was. I’ll know when I get home and look at my notebook.
 
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