This could be long...1) because I'm excited about the topic, and 2) when I get cranking, I can type about 60 wpm
Yesterday and today, I went hunting for the first time in over 30 years. I went squirrel hunting.
I used to be a pretty good shot....back in the 70's. I had pretty good training as a boy from my dad and I used to Match Target shoot as a teen. (But the place where I would shoot...in the basement of a grocery store...burned to the ground around 1978. Camp Perry on Lake Erie was too far away...so that sort of ended my Match target shooting.)
I haven't really shot much in the past 30 years. (I'm now 50 years old) I always had a knack for it...even though I'm left handed. (and right handed with a pistol..go figure that.) My dad was raised with 'game' hunting (he's still alive at 89)...and so I was too. Varmint hunting wasn't ever discussed. I also never deer hunted. For me, it was mostly bird hunting. (pheasant, quail and grouse) I guess one of the reasons I stopped hunting is that my dad raised me with the belief that if you're not going to eat it, you shouldn't be shooting it. (again, varmint hunting was never discussed...only game hunting.) And I didn't have any interest in eating it at the time.
I have clients and friends that are farmers. So groundhog hunting should be a good one. But I purchased a Savage 223 Left hand bolt too late in the season. The crops are too tall and it took me a while to find the right ammo, get accustomed to the gun, break in the barrel, fine tune it to shoot well...etc. (A few years ago, one of these farmers along with some of his friends, took me out to a field with a shotgun to shoot some clay targets. I was the 'city boy'...and I knew they expected me to do poorly. I out-shot everyone. They shut up REAL fast.)
I was having SO much fun shooting the 223 that I also purchased a Savage Mark II left hand bolt 22lr. Hey, being denied a left handed bolt all those years ago...I want a left handed bolt now!! I'm still working on finding the right ammo for it. (Federal Game-shock 38 gr hp is probably best)
The fall foliage here in central Ohio is just perfect. Absolutely picture perfect. So I decided to start squirrel hunting. I went out yesterday and today. I was by myself. And I can hardly describe how enjoyable it was. I go for walks in the woods often. But this time it's different because I'm hunting. It was so peaceful...yet it had the purpose of hunting.
Yesterday, I came upon a red squirrel. He was about 35 yards away, and I missed him with two shots. This upset me quite a bit as I was raised by my dad to take only one shot. If you're not sure you have a kill shot, you shouldn't be pulling the trigger. I was also upset that because I didn't kill it with either shot, I could have wounded it and make it suffer. Today, I realized I was shooting offhand, without any bracing/leaning from a tree. I was able to get a little closer and third shot was a head shot....clean kill.
Today, I didn't see anything for about 90 minutes. I was leaning up against a tree..when I see what looks like only the tail of a squirrel. If it was a squirrel, the body/head are being blocked by a closer tree. The possible tail wasn't twitching or moving...just sitting there....ah..probably a piece of a tree that looks like a tail. But just to make sure, I lean over to the left...around the closer tree that's blocking the view...and sure enough, there's a squirrel just sitting up there watching me. Probably about 35-40 yards away and his body is mostly blocked by the branch he's sitting on. But his head is in full view...and he's looking right at me.
So I brought up the rifle...and this time I made sure I was bracing myself against a tree, as I have a head shot only. I fired, it fell. I went up to it and apparently the bullet went through it's mouth.
So two head shots in a row. That makes me feel that I'm getting better, and not a lousy shot!
I guess I'm blabbing about too many topics at once here. But the main point is I had SUCH a good time hunting. I can't believe I've gone this many years without hunting. I wish I could go back and claim some of those years! I have a 10 year old grandson (yeah, I was grandpa at 40 years old...by way of stepdaughter)..and he's showed an interest in guns. I've been working with him a bit on learning, handling, shooting...etc. And I'm wondering if he would get as much enjoyment out of it as I am. However, at 10 years old, his attention span is pretty short. But it could teach him a thing or two about patience/waiting and responsibility. But he's already a good responsible kid...far better than his years and peers. (of course, being responsible is something you want when you hand them a gun.)
More 22lr ammo arrives tomorrow...still searching for what shoots best in the rifle. Going to the range Thursday morning. I'm really liking this!
Yesterday and today, I went hunting for the first time in over 30 years. I went squirrel hunting.
I used to be a pretty good shot....back in the 70's. I had pretty good training as a boy from my dad and I used to Match Target shoot as a teen. (But the place where I would shoot...in the basement of a grocery store...burned to the ground around 1978. Camp Perry on Lake Erie was too far away...so that sort of ended my Match target shooting.)
I haven't really shot much in the past 30 years. (I'm now 50 years old) I always had a knack for it...even though I'm left handed. (and right handed with a pistol..go figure that.) My dad was raised with 'game' hunting (he's still alive at 89)...and so I was too. Varmint hunting wasn't ever discussed. I also never deer hunted. For me, it was mostly bird hunting. (pheasant, quail and grouse) I guess one of the reasons I stopped hunting is that my dad raised me with the belief that if you're not going to eat it, you shouldn't be shooting it. (again, varmint hunting was never discussed...only game hunting.) And I didn't have any interest in eating it at the time.
I have clients and friends that are farmers. So groundhog hunting should be a good one. But I purchased a Savage 223 Left hand bolt too late in the season. The crops are too tall and it took me a while to find the right ammo, get accustomed to the gun, break in the barrel, fine tune it to shoot well...etc. (A few years ago, one of these farmers along with some of his friends, took me out to a field with a shotgun to shoot some clay targets. I was the 'city boy'...and I knew they expected me to do poorly. I out-shot everyone. They shut up REAL fast.)
I was having SO much fun shooting the 223 that I also purchased a Savage Mark II left hand bolt 22lr. Hey, being denied a left handed bolt all those years ago...I want a left handed bolt now!! I'm still working on finding the right ammo for it. (Federal Game-shock 38 gr hp is probably best)
The fall foliage here in central Ohio is just perfect. Absolutely picture perfect. So I decided to start squirrel hunting. I went out yesterday and today. I was by myself. And I can hardly describe how enjoyable it was. I go for walks in the woods often. But this time it's different because I'm hunting. It was so peaceful...yet it had the purpose of hunting.
Yesterday, I came upon a red squirrel. He was about 35 yards away, and I missed him with two shots. This upset me quite a bit as I was raised by my dad to take only one shot. If you're not sure you have a kill shot, you shouldn't be pulling the trigger. I was also upset that because I didn't kill it with either shot, I could have wounded it and make it suffer. Today, I realized I was shooting offhand, without any bracing/leaning from a tree. I was able to get a little closer and third shot was a head shot....clean kill.
Today, I didn't see anything for about 90 minutes. I was leaning up against a tree..when I see what looks like only the tail of a squirrel. If it was a squirrel, the body/head are being blocked by a closer tree. The possible tail wasn't twitching or moving...just sitting there....ah..probably a piece of a tree that looks like a tail. But just to make sure, I lean over to the left...around the closer tree that's blocking the view...and sure enough, there's a squirrel just sitting up there watching me. Probably about 35-40 yards away and his body is mostly blocked by the branch he's sitting on. But his head is in full view...and he's looking right at me.
So I brought up the rifle...and this time I made sure I was bracing myself against a tree, as I have a head shot only. I fired, it fell. I went up to it and apparently the bullet went through it's mouth.
So two head shots in a row. That makes me feel that I'm getting better, and not a lousy shot!
I guess I'm blabbing about too many topics at once here. But the main point is I had SUCH a good time hunting. I can't believe I've gone this many years without hunting. I wish I could go back and claim some of those years! I have a 10 year old grandson (yeah, I was grandpa at 40 years old...by way of stepdaughter)..and he's showed an interest in guns. I've been working with him a bit on learning, handling, shooting...etc. And I'm wondering if he would get as much enjoyment out of it as I am. However, at 10 years old, his attention span is pretty short. But it could teach him a thing or two about patience/waiting and responsibility. But he's already a good responsible kid...far better than his years and peers. (of course, being responsible is something you want when you hand them a gun.)
More 22lr ammo arrives tomorrow...still searching for what shoots best in the rifle. Going to the range Thursday morning. I'm really liking this!
come to think of it, most places I could get to using a walker when the day comes 
