Today in the squirrel woods

[bandit1250]

Was a day of crazy weather from sunshine to terrible wind back to sunshine and then get really dark and pour down rain. I didn't go until late afternoon and started out with the CZ full stock. Squirrels were very much moving fast on the ground. I got shots at three and got two and just couldn't seem to get on very many to get a shot. I went back to the truck and was going to leave and I thought I need more than a couple for squirrel gravy. So I got my 870 20ga. full choke out from behind the seat and headed back to the oak trees at the edge of the thick stuff and gave them an introduction to "Mr. 870." I got shots at 4 and got all of them to finish my limit. Then back to the truck to clean them as it was really getting black again to let the rain down again. Here they are.

6 squirrels gutted and skinned in 12 minutes with out pulling any tails off. I struggle some now with my arthritis in my fingers but actually surprised myself getting them done that fast.

CZ FS 22lr. with the only two I got with it. The shooting sticks are a blessing in the squirrel woods and helps me up and down the steep areas.

There is a lot of squirrel sign in this area with a lot of oak limbs bit off lying around on the ground that they use to build nests while not using the den trees.
Todays battery of guns was CZ FS 22lr. for the short to medium range. Center is my Ruger Predator 22 Magnum for the big open woods if I end up hunting there. My 1953 20ga. 870 for squirrels that won't sit still long enough. I love this shot gun and it is a dream to carry and shoots very tight patterns.

[Deadwood Dutch]

Just an outstanding report with great photos! I know it was a miserable day around here starting about 2:30PM. I am a fair weather hunter nowadays You have terrific skinning skills, skin 'em while they're warm! And, my 870 Wingmaster is just like yours. Congratulations on a great day afield!

[Sir Henry]

We have tons of squirrels around here but it's not safe to shoot. Nice lookin' FS CZ.

[PT7]

Only two minutes per each squirrel clean...excellent work. Very bountiful squirrel harvest there.

Your pictures of the harvest, guns, and woods are all great. Thanks for taking us along on a great hunt!

[bandit1250]

Just an outstanding report with great photos! I know it was a miserable day around here starting about 2:30PM. I am a fair weather hunter nowadays You have terrific skinning skills, skin 'em while they're warm! And, my 870 Wingmaster is just like yours. Congratulations on a great day afield!

Cut them under the tail and stand on the tail and pull up on the back legs. I have been doing them this way for 40 years or more. The nice thing is they don't look like they need shaved when you are done. Rarely a hair on the meat unless you get it off your hands on them while handling them after skinning. The game shears work really well when doing them this way.

[Henry88]

I've cleaned about most of everything including many squirrels, but I need at least one good shot of bourbon before I start

[Les]

Nice haul - and some lovely firearms, too. I really must make an effort to find a CZxxx FS. I love Stutzen type stocks.

[daytime dave]

That was a great hunt report. I really like the looks of that CZ. I'm glad you didn't give up. It's nice to have more than one gun when hunting like that.

Thanks for taking us along.

[CT_Shooter]

Excellent, Bandit. Thanks for the great hunting report and photos.

[clovishound]

Buddy and I went out yesterday. Looking for big game. We haven't had a frost here yet and the old heads say the squirrels aren't worth taking out of the woods until after a frost. We were looking for wild hog/deer. What we found was a huge cloud of mosquitoes. Even the Thermacell didn't keep them away. We went a couple hundred yards in, and then decided on the better part of valor. Highs were still in the 80s.

The high is supposed to be only 70 today. Lows in the 40s tonight. Maybe it will damp down the little blood suckers.