• The AGN App is ready! Search "Airgun Nation" in your App store. To compliment this new tech we've assigned the "Threads" Feed & "Dark" Mode. To revert back click HERE.

I am so smrat!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
D

Dingfelder

Member
Jul 18, 2020
1,125
9
Oregon, United States
Hunting the elusive California ground squirrel up here in Oregon, no camo on ... walking around from the other side of the house so they only see me when I round a corner, don't really hear me super well when I open a door or tread toward them so that's okay ... and I can almost never catch up to these guys to pull a bead on them before they're either gone or dashing so fast I couldn't possibly kill them. At least without iron sights?

Beautiful male deer with big antlers comes walking by from my right while I'm still walking carefully, crouching down, looking for that squirrel to my left. I stand up slowly and lean against the wall, wondering if I should even bother shooting a ground squirrel if the noise denies this guy his drink of water from our pond/fountain on this blistering day. He keeps walking, the whole time eight yards away parallel to me and sometimes much closer still, for probably 25 yards. Eventually sees me and looks me in the eye, keeps on walking. Finally starts to run while I'm frozen in place, and never gets his drink.

I felt weirdly honored that, first, he didn't see me even without camo and while I was still moving, and that secondly when he did see me, he didn't seem to care until I moved, and not right away even then. Our deer here aren't domesticated, and we have cougars and such.

So here is me. With the right rifle, I could have dropped a beautiful deer laughably easily as he walked almost right up to me. Mr. Hero Hunter/Stalker who can't even catch a ground squirrel I've been working on all week.
 
GS can be tricky little snits. What helped me was to download a squirrel call app on my phone. The sounds that I use the most are ANGRY GREY SQUIRREL and SQUIRREL DISTRESS. You don't need to boom it out over your car stereo. 1/2 volume on the speaker phone to start with. That call is not going to get them to come to your feet like a Disney Princess and her forest creatures. It will help coax them into sticking their heads out of their hiding spots. Don't over use the call - they will get accustomed to it in a matter of 5-6 exposures. As Master Motorhead said... Be Ready. Know your distance and your sight picture. Let lead fly and get that little snapper 👍
 
Upvote 0
Thats why they call it HUNTING ..... While chance encounters happen & if READY !! More times than not it is not the case.

The deer has FAR LESS to be afraid of than the ground squirrel .... simple truth.
Click to expand...

I guess so. He's just bigger, plain and simple. Heck, I saw a video of a deer actually eating a squirrel! whole!! Don't think I'll ever see a video of a squirrel swallowing a deer.
 
Upvote 0
GS can be tricky little snits. What helped me was to download a squirrel call app on my phone. The sounds that I use the most are ANGRY GREY SQUIRREL and SQUIRREL DISTRESS. You don't need to boom it out over your car stereo. 1/2 volume on the speaker phone to start with. That call is not going to get them to come to your feet like a Disney Princess and her forest creatures. It will help coax them into sticking their heads out of their hiding spots. Don't over use the call - they will get accustomed to it in a matter of 5-6 exposures. As Master Motorhead said... Be Ready. Know your distance and your sight picture. Let lead fly and get that little snapper 👍
Click to expand...

I have an android. Recommendation?

I got a squirrel call you use by sucking in air through what looks like a fat coin ... sounds like the distress call. Haven't tried it yet IRL.

A call that got one to stick its head up would be good by me. My guy runs into a planter with ground level about 10 inches below the top of the cinder blocks. He can easily hang there, but the angle I need to sneak in at him means once he's anywhere near his hole, I've long since exposed myself. So he's almost invulnerable unless I go full camo and spend a long time waiting. Which I can't do because I'm a caretaker who has to keep near constant watch on my charge. So something that made him pop his head up would be probably the only way I could get him.
 
Upvote 0
Baiting works as it brings them to where you want them. This allows for sighting in from your chosen shooting spots, which gives you high confidence when you pull the trigger. Then, when you do see them and they happen to see you and run off, they will return because they want the bait. And, the wait will be short. This was my method for the last 60 or so squirrels.
 
Upvote 0
Baiting works as it brings them to where you want them. This allows for sighting in from your chosen shooting spots, which gives you high confidence when you pull the trigger. Then, when you do see them and they happen to see you and run off, they will return because they want the bait. And, the wait will be short. This was my method for the last 60 or so squirrels.
Click to expand...

It seems to me kinder. You know your range and have it dialed in. You've probably practiced there/against that/those backstop(s) to confirm your aim. So less chance of improper placement = greater kindness.
 
Upvote 0
Baiting works as it brings them to where you want them. This allows for sighting in from your chosen shooting spots, which gives you high confidence when you pull the trigger. Then, when you do see them and they happen to see you and run off, they will return because they want the bait. And, the wait will be short. This was my method for the last 60 or so squirrels.
Click to expand...

It seems to me kinder. You know your range and have it dialed in. You've probably practiced there/against that/those backstop(s) to confirm your aim. So less chance of improper placement = greater kindness.
Click to expand...


Yes, kinder especially when the shot is with a .177 - you have to hit the right spot. The DreamTac is pretty accurate, so I just had to learn my holds on the reticle.
 
Upvote 0
I've been learning to. The ground squirrels dig under the house and under the trees and into the garden, making the ground unstable and killing plants, and the tree squirrels chase away the songbirds from feeders and drop like bombs onto my trailer, making me wonder when something is going to break and cost a lot of money to fix ... in perpetuity ...
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu