New Pup and a Holiday Squirrel

[Mark W]

I've been wanting to get a squirrel dog for a few years now. My last dog passed away suddenly late this summer, so it was finally time.

Between Christmas and New Year's, I picked up an 8 week old Feist / Mountain Curr mix. Its mom and dad both came from strong hunting lines, so she should be a natural.

I couldn't wait to give her first smell and taste of a squirrel, and I just so happened to have some new pellets to test in my 22 caliber PCP air rifle. A well placed pellet from 20 yards dropped a fat yard squirrel right in front of the pup, and she loved it. We spent the rest of that afternoon playing hide and seek with the hide and the head.

I'll spend the winter and spring working on obedience with a major focus on recall. By this time next year, we should be in the woods getting serious about learning to tree squirrels.

 

[46and2]

Curr and Feist!
That little dude will be assassinating squirrels for breakfast next year.

 

[Mark W]

Curr and Feist!
That little dude will be assassinating squirrels for breakfast next year.

That’s my hope! My last squirrel dog was a Rat Terrier. I wanted something a little bigger, because coyotes are so bad around here now.

 

[46and2]

Man you ain't kidding!

I was supposed to be deer hunting on my farm in TN but spent most of my shooting on yotes. Our deer herd is very thin this year.

 

[Mark W]

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Man you ain't kidding!

I was supposed to be deer hunting on my farm in TN but spent most of my shooting on yotes. Our deer herd is very thin this year.

At least you were able to thin them out some. My deer hunts always turn into coyote hunts the moment one shows up.

 

[MQ1]

I've been wanting to get a squirrel dog for a few years now. My last dog passed away suddenly late this summer, so it was finally time.

Between Christmas and New Year's, I picked up an 8 week old Feist / Mountain Curr mix. Its mom and dad both came from strong hunting lines, so she should be a natural.

I couldn't wait to give her first smell and taste of a squirrel, and I just so happened to have some new pellets to test in my 22 caliber PCP air rifle. A well placed pellet from 20 yards dropped a fat yard squirrel right in front of the pup, and she loved it. We spent the rest of that afternoon playing hide and seek with the hide and the head.

I'll spend the winter and spring working on obedience with a major focus on recall. By this time next year, we should be in the woods getting serious about learning to tree squirrels.

Good looking pup!

My mountain cur just turned three, and is a squirrel treeing machine

MQ1

 

[Mark W]

Good looking pup!

My mountain cur just turned three, and is a squirrel treeing machine

MQ1

That’s awesome! You should post a picture. Is yours a house pet, or does it stay in a kennel?

 

[rayporter]

Mark
i tried to get up for a squirrel hunt last year. i got to try harder for this year.

 

[MQ1]

Mark,

He lives with us, but is a heathen. He does an outstanding job protecting the house and those in it…he literally is like having a 55 lb Malinois, and that is his primary job. One on one against a coyote, this guy would be pretty evenly matched with the advantage of good food, sleep and daily training.

He is stubborn, very intelligent, with outsized strength and stamina. And while I’ve been able to convince him not to chase and eat the neighbor’s cats, he is afforded the pleasure of treeing as many squirrels as he wants. He will hunt, but I have not had the time to take him this year, although I may be able to over the next few weeks.

I bought him in Ohio. I was raised in Peninsula, Ohio.

MQ1

 

[Mark W]

Mark
i tried to get up for a squirrel hunt last year. i got to try harder for this year.

Ray, Let me know when you make it up. Late season squirrel hunting is one of my favorite activities after deer season. It sure beats freezing in a deer stand after winter sets in.

 

[Mark W]

Mark,

He lives with us, but is a heathen. He does an outstanding job protecting the house and those in it…he literally is like having a 55 lb Malinois, and that is his primary job. One on one against a coyote, this guy would be pretty evenly matched with the advantage of good food, sleep and daily training.

He is stubborn, very intelligent, with outsized strength and stamina. And while I’ve been able to convince him not to chase and eat the neighbor’s cats, he is afforded the pleasure of treeing as many squirrels as he wants. He will hunt, but I have not had the time to take him this year, although I may be able to over the next few weeks.

I bought him in Ohio. I was raised in Peninsula, Ohio.

MQ1

He’s beautiful dog! We live just east of Columbus, and I picked the pup up from a breeder up in Ashland. She is like a little terminator if she wants something. She is already giving my wife’s 6 month old Mini Aussiepoo a run for his money.

 

[MQ1]

Thank you. He has been alot of work, and he has been an outstanding dog. I picked him up from Mandy Middleton in Georgetown, Ohio. I never had a cur before, but had some friends that always spoke highly of them. You can literally see his eyes dialate when his prey drive takes over…it is unmistakable and impressive. It has taken alot of work to get him to hear me and listen when his intincts are running the show. Be sure to introduce your pup to loud noises and appropriate bangs sooner rather than later. For a normally fearless dog, I was surprised how sensitive this guy was to the gun, and I wished I started him earlier. I think it would have been easier. I’ve been told after the fact this is common with very intelligent breeds.

 

[D Coots]

And you had a nice squirrel meal. I love squirrel gravy on smashed potatoes.

Hey Ray, come up to Iowa. You can thin out the squirrel herd in my yard from my shooting bench.

I shot a couple from it, 1 for me and 1 for my brother. They're out there digging around while I'm shooting all the time.

Dad used his Bluetick coon hounds for squirrel dogs sometimes.

 

[Mark W]

Thank you. He has been alot of work, and he has been an outstanding dog. I picked him up from Mandy Middleton in Georgetown, Ohio. I never had a cur before, but had some friends that always spoke highly of them. You can literally see his eyes dialate when his prey drive takes over…it is unmistakable and impressive. It has taken alot of work to get him to hear me and listen when his intincts are running the show. Be sure to introduce your pup to loud noises and appropriate bangs sooner rather than later. For a normally fearless dog, I was surprised how sensitive this guy was to the gun, and I wished I started him earlier. I think it would have been easier. I’ve been told after the fact this is common with very intelligent breeds.

Thanks for the info. I’ve been clapping and banging things around when she eats, just to get her acclimated to noises. I have a neighbor in hospice at home right now, so I haven’t wanted to shoot a gun around the house. I’ll try to get her out somewhere this week. I always like to use a shotgun with a low brass shell and set up 25-30 yards away, for the first few times. I’ll take the squirrel hide that I froze for her and let her chew on it while I walk away and shoot.

You have also reinforced my plans to focus on strong obedience and recall. My last dog had some black mouth curr in her, so I know how they can be.

 

[rayporter]

if i can plan on a match as well as a hunt i just might show up anywhere!!

i will sure let you know if i can make the trip. last year i was going to hit the shoot at shelby county then hunt but i hurt my back and had to lay low a while.

 

[MikeT49]

Mark
Sorry about losing your dog. They are like family. You have done the best way to fill that empty hole in your heart - new pup. I lost my 15 year old lab a couple of months ago. I'm too old to get a puppy, but might rescue an adult dog later to fill the void.
What new pellet? Accuracy? Muzzle velocity? Mike

 

[Pheasanthunter]

I've been wanting to get a squirrel dog for a few years now. My last dog passed away suddenly late this summer, so it was finally time.

Between Christmas and New Year's, I picked up an 8 week old Feist / Mountain Curr mix. Its mom and dad both came from strong hunting lines, so she should be a natural.

I couldn't wait to give her first smell and taste of a squirrel, and I just so happened to have some new pellets to test in my 22 caliber PCP air rifle. A well placed pellet from 20 yards dropped a fat yard squirrel right in front of the pup, and she loved it. We spent the rest of that afternoon playing hide and seek with the hide and the head.

I'll spend the winter and spring working on obedience with a major focus on recall. By this time next year, we should be in the woods getting serious about learning to tree squirrels.

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Nice looking pup. A lot of fun hunts ahead !

 

[Mark W]

Mark
Sorry about losing your dog. They are like family. You have done the best way to fill that empty hole in your heart - new pup. I lost my 15 year old lab a couple of months ago. I'm too old to get a puppy, but might rescue an adult dog later to fill the void.
What new pellet? Accuracy? Muzzle velocity? Mike

Thanks Mike! Ellie was a good dog and losing her suddenly to cancer really caught us off guard. I’ve already told my wife that this would be my last puppy, so I really like your idea of saving and older dog.

I was testing H&N Barricuda Hunter Extreme 18 Gr just to see how they performed on a fat grey squirrel. I haven’t had a chance to shoot them over the chronograph. At 25 yards, they shot almost as good and very near the same poi as the JSB 18 Gr pellets that I got from you.

 

[Mark W]

Nice looking pup. A lot of fun hunts ahead !

Thanks!

 

[Klong]

I've been wanting to get a squirrel dog for a few years now. My last dog passed away suddenly late this summer, so it was finally time.

Between Christmas and New Year's, I picked up an 8 week old Feist / Mountain Curr mix. Its mom and dad both came from strong hunting lines, so she should be a natural.

I couldn't wait to give her first smell and taste of a squirrel, and I just so happened to have some new pellets to test in my 22 caliber PCP air rifle. A well placed pellet from 20 yards dropped a fat yard squirrel right in front of the pup, and she loved it. We spent the rest of that afternoon playing hide and seek with the hide and the head.

I'll spend the winter and spring working on obedience with a major focus on recall. By this time next year, we should be in the woods getting serious about learning to tree squirrels.

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Lots of fun in this picture!