Readying the Henry H00T1 Lever Action Octagon ~ Frontier Model 22

LASERLYTE GREEN LASER IN THE H00T1 OCTAGON BARREL

I'm happy to report that Henry Repeating Arms sent me their H00T1 Lever Action Octagon ~ Frontier Model 22 last week to field test. I was hoping to get the rifle to the range this weekend, but since there's been nothing but rain and sleet today, I figured there's no way the state range would be open this weekend. Instead, I spent some time today putting my LaserLyte green laser on the 22 and checking the sights to get the rifle 'on paper'. I was surprised to discover that the sights were right on the money, which I haven't found to be the norm. I then gave the barrel a good cleaning and took a few photos for this post. Tomorrow I'll lock in some range time for next weekend, though I will be out pheasant hunting again Saturday morning. Check back Sunday afternoon to see how I made out in the field and at the range.

"...new shooters enter the sport via the 22 caliber. By making 22 caliber ammo scarce, you are hurting your own sport"

One last thought. I was as Walmart today and could not find a single brick of 22 ammo. First we had the shelves emptied of centerfire ammo. Now that centerfire is plentiful in my area, 22 ammo is scarce. This is the first time I can ever remember this happening. I realize that people are shooting 22's more than they were due to the increase in ammo prices, but they're not shooting THAT much! The biggest gunshop in the state was literally cleaned out last week, and this is a store that always has cases of every kind of 22 ammo that you can imagine. It's obvious that people are hording again. If that includes you, realize the problem that you are creating. Manufacturers are cranking out ammo 24/7, so there's no reason for a shortage. Some of us would like to hunt and shoot, and new shooters enter the sport via the 22 caliber. By making 22 caliber ammo scarce, you are hurting your own sport and making it difficult for new shooters to enter the sport. These are people you and the NRA badly need to save the shooting sports in America. Give us all a break and STOP HORDING AMMO! Thank you.

NOTE THAT HENRY HAS MOVED FROM BROOKLYN NY TO BAYONNE, NJ

2009 Season Highlights

Bagged my first chuck with a Ruger Single 6 revolver

Bagged my first pheasant in about 40 years

ME IN MY TEENS

MY FIRST PHEASANT SINCE THEN

No, it's not that I'm such a bad shot; I just haven't bought a pheasant stamp since I was a kid. This was definitely one of the highlights of my 2009 season. An elderly widow gave me her husband's old 20 gauge bolt action shotgun and I used it to take two birds the first two weekends of the season.

Why aren't non-hunters required to wear blaze orange in WMAs?

My letter to the DEP:

Dear DEP,
Who do I contact to request that a regulation be changed regarding WMA's? I hunted today covered with blaze orange and I saw a bird land which I went to investigate. To my knowledge I was the only person hunting Cromwell Meadows WMA this morning, and was surprised to see some guy sneaking around directly behind the bird on a side path birding or doing something else dressed in beige and green. He would have been impossible to see if it wasn't for the fact that he was moving. He could have been shot by accident and I would have been held responsible. Why aren't non-hunters required to wear blaze when they are walking the same property at the same time as hunters? If anything, hunters are the people who should be concealed, especially when hunting small game such as squirrels. There's no reason for any hiker or a birder to be walking through a WMA without blaze orange on. Last month I was stopped by 2 high school girls while I was in the woods squirrel hunting at the Meadows, asking me where to find a store to buy cigarettes! This is crazy as well as extremely dangerous. The regulation needs to be changed and the areas better posted. I've been ignored in the past when I've brought this to the DEP's attention, and this time I would like to see some action taken before someone is accidentally wounded or killed.

Please either put me in touch with the person on top who deals with these matters or forward this email to them.

Thank you.

End of year report

I made an end of year video in the woods while hunting today, but I'm sorry to say that it was so windy that you wouldn't be able to hear what I was saying. I'll try to recap what I said:

If you remember, hunting was really bad last year from the opening day of pheasant season through the entire summer. I hunted chucks during the summer and nailed a few, including one with a 17HMR revolver. Other than that there was rarely a squirrel to be found. As usual, I saw an occasional rabbit, but those all disappear prior to the start of hunting season. My expectations for squirrel season 2009 was zero, but I was pleasantly surprised to have seen and bagged 19 during the first couple of months of the season. Henry Repeating Arms let me field test their Hoo1T octagon barrel 22, which worked out better than I could have imagined. I bagged every squirrel that I aimed at on the first shot. I didn't even have that kind of accuracy with the 17HMR, so I couldn't have been happier with that rifle. Special thanks to Anthony Imperato, the President of Henry Repeating Arms.

Once November arrived the appearance of squirrels came to a grinding halt. From the beginning of November through the end of December I averaged 2 hunts per week and in those 2 months, the number of squirrels I spotted could be counted on one hand. I think Nov 9th was the last day that I bagged a squirrel.

I bought my first pheasant stamp in 30 years this year, and hunted with an old bolt action 20 gauge that an elderly neighbor gave me. I bagged a bird right off the bat on opening day, and another early the following weekend. From that time on I haven't seen another bird, nor did I see anyone else put one up. Throughout the months of November and December I rarely heard a shot, even from hunters who had as many as 5 dogs. It was obvious to me that the DEP was not stocking late Friday or Saturday, but instead sometime during the week if at all. I'm guessing someone was getting a heads up or the retired guys who hunt during the week were bagging them all, because there were none left for Saturday, when most working guys hunt. These areas are called 'Wildlife Management Areas', but I haven't seen much management, including CO's in the field. In fact, I haven't come across a conservation officer in 2 years! Prior to that I rarely walked in the woods without being stopped and having my rifle and backpack inspected. I'm wondering how many birds are being brought out per hunter during the weekdays? I really hope I'm wrong about this.

Why no small game? I believe the answer is that a major predator problem has developed. For the past 2 years I had seen 3-4 hawks constantly patrolling the hunting areas at all times. Once while coyote hunting, 2 hawks dived on a tree out of nowhere and ripped a squirrel off a trunk a stone's throw in front of me. This year I saw a hawk dive down and nail a rabbit about 25 yards from my vehicle. I contacted the DEP about the predator problem and the biologist suggested that I trap fisher cats, which he believed to be the cause. I did see my first fisher this year, but at a distance. Coyotes were a problem, but I believed they moved out of the area this year because I haven't seen scat, tracks or any other trace of them. The discouraging thing is that even the predators appear to have left the area. I have a feeling they have moved off to patrol the housing areas where most small game live and die on the roads.

What amazes me is that the nut crop has been huge this year. There are nuts everywhere. I had a lot of fun earlier in the season when the leaves were on the trees. The trees were so full of nuts that I could sit under certain trees and listen as pieces of nuts fell from the treetops. In time the squirrels would show themselves and sometimes I'd get a shot through the dense leaf cover. That was a blast, but I'm sorry to say that it didn't last long. Once the trees became bare, on very rare occasions I'd spot a squirrel on ground level running for a few seconds, but that became and extremely rare occurrence and I never got a shot. My hope for the remaining two months isn't very high, though I will be out there just the same. This season I've hunted on absolutely perfect mornings, plus in snow, rain and sleet. The results have been the same; nothing.

I hope to spend more time target shooting at the range and reloading throughout the Winter and Spring, so check those pages to see what's new. I sure hope you are having better luck hunting where you live. If so, consider sending me photos and a story that I can post because we all would be encouraged by some success. My email is brshooting@sbcglobal.net. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year.

"Success is waking up in the morning and bounding out of bed because there's something out there that you love to do, that you believe in, that you're good at - something that's bigger than you are, and you can hardly wait to get at it again."

-- Whit Hobbs

Brett comments on squirrel hunting in the rain / My response on which Henry to choose

Hey Bob,
I'm torn between one like yours and a golden boy. Its going to be a while before i do it, they are a little pricey for me this close to Christmas, but its on my "To Do" list.

I saw your note on hunting in the rain. One of the best squirrel hunts I was ever on was in a heavy wooded area in a light rain. The rain covered our sounds as we walked in the wet leaves. My buddy was about 50 yards out front with a shotgun, and I was in the rear with a 22. As I sat at the top of a hill and watched him slowly move down through a low spot, I was amazed how many squirrels he never saw would keep the tree trunk between them. Easy pickings for me in the rear.

I thought I would pass along a few things I've found. These are just small clips from his video's for sale, so the one on ageing small game is not complete, but he gives some info on how to care for small game.

Braised Squirrel
Ageing Small Game & Game Birds

Happy hunting,
Brett

Brett, thanks for your comments and the links. Regarding hunting in the rain, looks like I should have had a second guy with me today because I hunted 2 hours in the rain, got soaked and saw nothing. There was also another guy hunting but since there were no shots, he obviously didn't see anything either. I can't remember ever seeing a squirrel move in the rain, but if it works for you, that's great! I wonder if it has something to do with the type of squirrel and the location? Like Brett said, the one thing I really like about hunting in the rain is that I can walk over brittle reeds, leaves and sticks in almost complete silence. I was happy to come across a fresh gut pile today because that tells me that the guy I felt sorry for last week sitting in the tree stand bagged one! The rain kept the bird hunters away and he obviously took advantage of the quiet. The pile hadn't been touched, so I'm guessing he nailed the deer at sunrise.

Brett sent me a link to this YouTube video as well:
How to clean a squirrel
PETA must love this guy LOL!! He has some good tips, including using scissors instead of a knife and he uses the tail to pull off "his pajamas" (I love that!). He says he used to eat the brains (disgusting!) but stopped due to brain disease, and he feeds the heart, liver and the rest to his dogs. I definitely won't show this video to my wife. :)

11/28/09 WHICH BARREL TO CHOOSE
(Top to bottom: H001 22, H001T 22, 17HMR Golden Boy)
Brett, I have a Golden Boy in 17HMR and the H001T 22LR. A few years ago I owned an H001 like your son's and last year I hunted with the 17HMR Varmint Express which I've since sold. Here's a few things to consider when making your choice. The H001's are nice little rifles, but they become inaccurate when you shoot a lot and the barrel heats up. The H001T is the solution to that problem with its heavy octagon barrel. There is a trade-off for the accuracy, and that is additional weight. The H001T and the Golden Boy both have the octagon barrels and they are both balanced beautifully, making it easier to make a steady standing unsupported shot. So the choice is a nice light brush gun or a heavier, more accurate rifle.

GOLDEN BOY OR H001T?
If you've chosen the H001, you can stop reading. If you now need to choose between the Golden Boy and the H001T, keep reading. These two rifles are very similar and the biggest difference is the finish. The H001T has a painted aluminum alloy finish, which is basically maintenance free. The Golden Boy looks beautiful, but you'll likely be afraid to mar the finish in the woods. It also literally reflects the sun light a flashlight, and many times I've had to put the receiver under my arm because it projected a reflection of the sun on the ground in front of me, just like I was holding a mirror.

The solution is camo tape, but be careful. If you look at the photo to the left, you'll see that though the receiver cover is brass, the guts and the brass section at the bottom of the receiver are not. They are aluminum, and the underside has a thin brass film over it. It looks exactly like the real brass, but I discovered the hard way the camo tape can pull off the finish. In fact, it ruined my Golden Boy and Henry offered to give me a new rifle or replace it with another. In my case I took the Varmint Express. I don't know if they would be as generous with you, so don't take the chance. This year I used the non-stick camo bandage which only sticks to itself. That worked great and didn't do any damage. So the choice here is between looks and function.

WHICH CALIBER?
The next decision is 'which caliber' to choose? 22 magnum is illegal to use on CT state land, so my choice was limited to 22LR or 17HMR. 17HMR is straighter shooting over longer distances than the 22LR. There are trade-offs. The 17 is much louder than the 22, which I've discovered scares game into hiding more often. 17 ammo is much more expensive than 22, and choice of ammo is limited. The 22 can shoot everything from shorts to hyper-velocity.

There's also damage to consider. The 17 HMR is awesome! I've hit woodchucks and totally gutted them with a single shot. Hit a squirrel with a 17 and the exit wound can be as big as a quarter. Using a good 22LR hollow point bullet, I've yet to hit a squirrel with the H001T which I didn't kill with the first shot to a vital area. In the photo above you'll see a chuck that I bagged with my H001 22 with a shot to the head, so I'm not saying that a 22 is no good for chucks, but it's not my first choice. So for squirrel hunting, my choice is the 22 and for chucks it's the 17, but no matter which gun you buy, I know you're going to have fun. Good luck making your choice and let us know what you decided on.

Simple squirrel

Here's a short video I found of a guy cooking squirrel over a camp fire. It's going to rain tomorrow, but now I want to squirrel hunt anyway. If he can cook'm in the rain, I can hunt them as well!

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

A photo from Brett and some 22 ammo suggestions

I just received a letter from a reader named Brett who asked me what my favorite 22 squirrel round is. He wrote, "I remember many times as a kid pumping 5 or 6 rounds into a squirrel only to have him crawl into a hole to die, and other times where one shot would gut the poor thing (nothing stinks like a gut shot squirrel)". I had the same problem and that's one reason I stopped hunting squirrels with the 17HMR. The exit wounds were often the size of a quarter and the meat would be damaged, so the 17 magnum is now my official woodchuck rifle. For the past three years my favorite 22LR round has been Aguila SuperExtra. They're not cheap but I consider a brick to be reasonably priced according to today's standards. CLICK HERE to see a post I put up some time ago on 22 ammo. I'm not an expert or fanatic about ammo. If I can take down a squirrel at 75 yards, I'm happy with what I'm shooting. The SuperExtra usually takes the squirrel down with one shot and doesn't damage the meat. That's good enough for me.

Brett attached a picture of his son Tyler getting in some target practice with his new Henry Model H001 .22LR on his step dads land. I'm looking forward to getting more photos when Brett's son drops some tree bacon with his new rifle.

A beautiful morning but only one in the bag

This appeared to be another perfect morning for squirrel hunting. I was in the woods at 6:30 before the sun came up and reached a good spot just as the rays of warm morning light began cutting through the branches. Once again nothing was moving, but eventually a branch dropped and shaked; the kind of motion that only a squirrel makes. I was surprised that with so much motion in the tree, I still hadn't made visual contact. A few minutes had passed when it showed itself, running across the top of the trees. I had my scope on maximum magnification and followed it from tree to tree until it finally slowed down. I squeezed off a round and the squirrel stopped. It looked like an immediate kill, but it still hadn't fallen. I was preparing to take a second shot which would knock it off the branch, but it let go and hit the ground without my assistance.

During the hours that followed the trees were filled with flocks of robins but I didn't see a single squirrel. It was a disappointing morning, but coming home with one beats leaving empty handed. Watch the video for the rest...

Season total: 19 squirrels

Say a prayer for Cody

Cody cheering up the vets at the VA hospital

I ran into one of my old buddies in the woods this morning, so I ended up not doing much hunting during the early morning hours. This guy never hunts without his best friend Cody, and I soon discovered that Cody wasn't around because he's fighting cancer. Cody is a number one hunting dog, as well as a dog model for some of the most well known hunting outfitters. You've likely seen Cody in their catalogs over the years modeling various hunting outfits in hunting locations. But beyond that, Cody is a well trained hunting dog and a best friend. He's had the cancer surgically removed from various parts of his body recently, and Cody's obviously in great pain. Chemotherapy will follow if necessary. If you're a praying person, please consider lifting up Cody and my friend (the Lord knows his name), because they are both going through a rough time. I am a cancer survivor, so I can tell you first hand that the Lord does answer prayer. Thanks!

I ended up not firing a shot today, but I have some vacation time to use up by the end of the year so I'll be out hunting again Monday. I'll let you know how I make out. Feel free to send me photos and stories that I can post (brshooting@sbcglobal.net).

4 more squirrels in the bag but no sign of pheasant

The temperature was much better than Saturday. Instead of hot and rainy it was cooler and partly sunny today. The weather report said that the sun would likely be out in the early morning, then clouds would roll in at about 7:30. They hit it right on the money today. Lots of action for the short time the sun was out, but clouds brought an abrupt halt to the festivities. It was obvious that the squirrels wouldn't move under a sunless sky, so I called it quits and headed back.

On the return trip there were a couple breaks in the clouds which made me eat my words when I said something to the affect that experience has taught me when to quit. Those two momentary breaks of sunlight brought with them squirrel movement, and I was able to bag two additional squirrels. Today's total was 3 with the Henry 22 and one with the 20 gauge. I found that often the shotgun knocks down the squirrel but doesn't put it away, and thus I've discovered a new use for the NAA Mini-Master 22LR revolver.

Pheasant hunting was a waste of time and no one appeared to bag anything. In fact I didn't hear a single shot between 7am and 1pm. Last Saturday was the same. Is the DEP stocking this area? I'm going to shoot them an email to see if I can get some answers.

I was dead beat by 1pm and my legs were so tired I couldn't take another step. I don't hunt the paths like many of the bird hunters out there. I'm walking the swamps and pushing through brush most of the time, and that gets exhausting. No matter how tiring it gets out there, it's still better than a day at work.

Season total: 18 squirrels

NOTE: I just ordered a hammer extension for the 22 because the scope makes it impossible to reach the hammer with gloves on. They are somewhat difficult to locate, so here's where I found it: Brownells Model 2450 SKU #:593-245-000
SPECS: Steel, matte black finish. 1 ¼" (3cm) long, 3/8" (9.3) diameter. 2450 fits Win. 94 and Big Bore, Ithaca X-Caliber, and Henry lever action rimfire rifles. LINK

The price is $9.95 plus $5.25 shipping.

UPDATE: The hammer extension arrived in a few days and it fits perfectly. There must be less than 1/16" of clearance between the extension and the scope. Perfect!

Tick removal

"I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me. Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"

Please pass on. Everyone needs this helpful hint. "

I haven't tried this yet, so let me know if it works if you get a tick before I do. Thanks ~Bob

A beautiful morning and 4 squirrels dropped with the H001T Henry Octagon 22

...and one in the swamp.

Season Total: 14

Mounting a scope on the Henry 22

March 1st will be here before we know it, and our opportunity to squirrel hunt will be over until September. That's why I wanted to get a scope on the new Henry 22 and begin field testing it on squirrels as soon as possible. As usual, my goal was to keep the price reasonable. That's what this web site has always been about; hunting and shooting on a tight budget. Unlike some of my buddies, I don't buy $1000 scopes and expensive guns. My scopes run $80 tops. Scope mounts about $10, and from WalMart if available. Tonight after supper I decided to take a run to Cabela's to get the scope.

The gun counter was mobbed, and there was no one available to help customers. It looked like there were two guys manning the counter, but they were tied up in processing gun sales so they were unable to help anyone. What a system! Some people left grumbling. I took a number (about 30 away from being called), yet no one was calling numbers. Finally I salesman walked by with the gun that he was processing and I yelled at him, "Would you please grab me one of these scopes so I can get the hell out of here?!" Thank god he said "sure" and I was on my way. The least expensive scope I could buy ran about $40 and it was the Cabela's store brand. For just under $80 they had a Bushnell Banner 'Dusk & Dawn' scope similar to the one that I used for the past couple of years on my Henry 17HMR Golden Boy. This scope is a bit smaller and has a smaller, lighter objective lens (the front glass). It's a 1.5-4.5 x 32mm, and it looks like it will be exactly what I need to drop some tree bacon.

I drove home in a torrential downpour, and that's how most of the evening went. I discovered that the Weaver scope mount I had bought didn't fit. I didn't realize the mount built into the receiver cover is smaller than a Weaver mount. Wonderful! Looks like no shooting tomorrow. The next task was to remove the rear iron sight because it was touching the scope. As usual, nothing is easy. I hammered the crap out of the sight with a hammer and a wooden dowel to get the sight to slide, but it wouldn't budge. I finally decided to hose the sight down with WD40 because it's supposed to have penetrating properties. I put down the wood dowl and got a big brass screw. Putting the screw up against the sight I gave it a few good wackes and it came right out. Excellent! Next I had to solve the lens mount problem. I ripped my room apart hoping I had an old mount kicking around that would fit. I couldn't find it anywhere... until I realized that my son had used it on his airsoft gun. The mount worked and the rest was cake.

I took out my LaserLyte and leveled the rifle with the leveler that attaches to the front of the laser. It splits the laser into a horizontal line which projects on a wall perpendicular to the rifle barrel. First you level the rifle with the leveler's bubble, then rotate the scope until the horizontal crosshair runs parallel to the laser line. I then tighten everything down, removed the leveler from the laser and pointed the rifle with laser turned on out the basement door into the nearby woods. A few rotations and the green dot was dead center on the crosshairs. A few drops of Locktite on the screws and that's it. Tomorrow I hit the range.

The Henry H001T Lever Action Octagon ~ Frontier Model 22

Mountain Lion sightings in Roxbury CT

Here's more proof for the DEP that there are mountain lions in CT. My employer just called to tell me that he spoke this weekend to an elderly gentleman that lives in a high income area of Roxbury, CT (specific location withheld by request). He owns a big piece of land and he's recently seen 2 mountain lions in his back yard. The man's neighbor saw a lion kill a deer right in his yard and drag it into the bushes! Now try to tell me that this was a bobcat or a fisher. I told my boss to relay this thought, "Take a picture!".

2 in the bag with the Golden Boy

Tomorrow is the final day of squirrel hunting before all hunting is suspended for the first two weeks in October. Pheasant season opens on the 17th when hunting dogs, shotgun blasts and noisy hunters replace the silence in the woods that squirrel hunters now enjoy. I took a vacation day today to get in one last hunt with my Henry 17HMR while things are still calm. Watch the video for more.

Season count: 9

Sept. 26, 2009 - National Hunting & Fishing Day

Great to hear from you Steve!

"I had a chance to pick up a Ruger DSP, and did a Google on it. Your page came up and I am slowly catching up on all your stuff. Great piece of work. I too went squirrel hunting with my Dad when I was young. Growing up in Iowa, there were plenty of fox squirrels. Our hunts are still some of my best experiences in hunting. Like you, I have taken up squirrel hunting again. We have a pretty good population of gray Aberts up on our local mountain, and they are fun to chase. I use my Ruger 22/45 Competition with a Red Dot, and it is very accurate. This season I will try my new DSP, it seems to shoot well also. Keep up the great work and I will look forward to your latest and greatest experiences. Best of luck and take care, Steve from AZ.

P.S. Now that I think of it, I beleive I was Googling the Tech-Sight and your page showed up. Either way it was a positive experience, and I ordered a set of these sights."

Jake bagged his first squirrels!

"Mikey went out for the Youth Waterfowl Hunt and I took Jake out for a squirrel hunt. Mikey took three ducks and Jake took two squirrels! Great morning for the boys and me!" ~Mike Adams

Congratulations to Jake Adams, son of Mike Adams from Up North Journal for bagging his first two squirrels today. Great job Jake! Like father like son. The Adams are from Linden, MI. It's interesting to see the variation in tail color between Jake's squirrels and the gray and white squirrels we have in CT. Jake was hunting with a 22 magnum, which surprisingly is illegal in CT. Mike suggested making 'squirrel dumplings' but Jake said he was going to check my site to make squirrel stew. I'm checking with Mike for the dumpling recipe, and if he sends it I'll post it. Here's an out-take from Mike Adam's blog:

"...He drew down on it and popped off a shot, immediately the squirrel scurried behind the tree and started chattering at him. I told Jake to get ready and wait, he might come back out again. The problem was that Jake was free handing the shot. I told him to rest up against the nearby tree to steady his shot. The squirrel came down the tree and hit the ground eventually popping up on a little stick looking at us. Jake took careful aim and BANG! Down he went! Jake looked at me with a big grin and said, "I got him dad, I got him!" I noticed that the squirrel began to move and I was afraid he would run off so I put another round in him. Jake went over to pick him up and he began to move again, so Jake pulled up and touched the trigger one more time..." MORE on 'The Up North Journal Hunting Blog'

The only thing better than seeing a squirrel run across a branch is seeing two

The yearly company picnic was today and the weather was perfect, but there was no way I was going to miss out on an early morning hunt. I headed out at 6:15 and arrived just as the sun was breaking through the trees. I promised my wife I'd quit at 9. It was in the 40's and there were no bugs! Tonight we are getting out first frost, which will also drastically cut their numbers. Like it or not, soon you'll be seeing my face without the camo netting.

I had predetermined where I planned to hunt, so I headed directly to the spot and took a seat under a tree. It's interesting that since squirrel season opened, I haven't spotted a single woodchuck. There aren't a lot of hunters out, so I doubt that are being harvested. I have no idea where they are. I keep expecting to see one on the path when the sun is streaming in during the early morning, but the paths are empty.

Not long after taking a seat, I spotted a squirrel run down the trunk of a tree. It was a good distance away and about 30 ft up, but I took the shot. The squirrel dropped, hit the ground and slowly recovered. A ran toward it and tried to reload while on the run, but it managed to get its strength back, ran for the dense brush then into the trees. Another squirrel lost because I couldn't get off a fast second shot! I definitely need to pick up a magazine for this shotgun.

I sat the spot out for the next two hours and during that time I could hear and see nuts dropping from the trees. I kept moving my position in order to pinpoint the squirrel's locations. There were a good half dozen, but they were at the very top of some very dense trees. I'd see them for a second and they'd be gone. I did get a shot at one, but I obviously didn't hit it with enough to drop it. While scoping out these squirrels, I heard a loud CRASH in the branches about 40 yards away. Two squirrels were going at it and appeared to be fighting as they flew across the branches. You have no idea how thrilled I was to see this again! In seconds the two were headed in a straight line away from me, with a large tree trunk blocking my line of sight. In seconds they were gone. What a great morning! It was 9:00 couldn't believe I had to leave because I assure you I would have preferred to spend the next few hours hunting out this spot. Sometimes obligations come first, so I picked up and left. Man, it burns me up that we can't hunt on Sundays in CT. My temporary one day a week layoff ended this week so I'm back to a normal work week, ending my Monday morning hunts. This was my first real break in 15 years. It was great that I could hunt on Mondays for the past few weeks, but I am sick of being broke and need to get back to the grind. I still have 12 days vacation left though...

This morning I was thinking about the lack of squirrel sighting from Oct of 2008 through August 2009. There are a couple reasons that I can think of for this. Have the squirrels have changed their feeding habits? In the past, I would usually see squirrels digging, eating or running across the ground every time I entered quietly into certain areas. This year I haven't seen a single squirrel on the ground. All sightings have been high up in the trees. That means that the only way to spot them is to take a seat and wait them out, which I wasn't doing during the summer. The only reason I can figure for what appears to be a change in feeding habits is that it isn't really a change. I'm guessing the ground dwellers were all killed off by predators and only the squirrels that remained high in the trees survived the pheasant hunters and predators.

It's been a long day so I'll end it here. Before I do let me first thank everyone who has been sending me encouraging letters over the past couple of months. Around where I live small game hunters aren't given much respect among pheasant and deer hunters and non-hunters can be hostile to the idea of hunting "cute little squirrels, bunnies and groundhogs". It's nice to hear from people to can relate to the pure joy of walking through the woods and the excitement of a small game hunt. Thanks for your support.

5 in the bag... like old times

...Upon arrival I was greeted by the crashing of leaves in a distant tree. I was thrilled that it was obviously a squirrel. I put a bead on it and fired with the 20 gauge, but it disappeared into the tree. This was my first shot at a squirrel with a shotgun in years, and it reminded me to take my time, get closer and take better aim before squeezing the trigger. I'm guessing that by the time the BBs reached that squirrel, it may have only gotten hit with a few at most, and unless they hit a vital spot, the squirrel would keep moving. The next shot would be closer and placed more precisely. I decided to revisit the tree where I bagged the squirrel a week or two ago. That day there were two spotted, and twice I missed the second squirrel... The leaves CRASHED overhead and I froze to see if my old buddy would come into the open. I waited a few minutes and there it was. I carefully put my bead on it and fired. It dropped and hit the ground with the beautiful sound of a soft 'THUD!" I had my first squirrel with the 20, and this was the male that I had been hunting for weeks. I continued to watch the area for about 20 more minutes more. Nuts were falling from the trees, but I couldn't get a visual on anything. I decided to move to the spot that I dropped a squirrel two weeks ago... MORE

A Saturday morning hunt and a rotting coyote.

This morning it was wet and drizzling and as expected, nothing was moving. When I pulled into the lot, I began putting on my gear and within a minute or so a police car pulled in and parked. I approached the car to find out if there was a problem and it was the same officer that questioned me about hunting for chucks "without a special permit" about a week ago. He remembered me as "The woodchuck hunter". He asked me if I looked into the matter since that event, and I told him that as soon as I arrived home I contacted the DEP Sgt and he told me that I was 100% legal. I also informed him that squirrel season has begun. The officer said that COs have been handing out a lot of citations in recent days. I haven't seen a CO in the lot in over a year, so go figure. Maybe they were cracking down on goose hunters.

When I came out of the woods to get back to my car, I took a different path. There was a bad stench of rotting meat, and I'm guessing that's what the guys and I smelled in the lot while we talked last week. It took a minute, but I finally discovered that the culprit was a rotting coyote carcus that I'm guessing someone shot in the parking lot and dragged into a brush pile. My son Jamie and I saw a coyote standing in the lot last year on opening day as we pulled into park. Over the winter I had a big one cross in front of my car right outside the WMA as I was about to pull in. Since then I haven't seen any signs of yotes, so I haven't bothered to hunt them. Maybe I (we) should reconsider.

A bad morning with a good ending

It was a rather strange morning. The temperature was in the low 60's at 6:30, but the humidity was as high as it gets. The sky was overcast, and from past experience this didn't seem like a good combination. As I began my hunt I passed a couple guys at a distance who were obviously squirrel hunting. I didn't spot anything from the parking lot to the place I decided to sit out. Over the next hour and a half, I spotted one squirrel at a distance and a second on the same branch that I dropped the squirrel yesterday. I have a feeling this was the partner I waited out for so long but never showed.

What an oportunity I had! The squirrel was only 30 yards or so out and sitting still above me on a branch. There was nothing between me and the target. I even had a tree to brace myself against. I took my time aiming, covering up the squirrel with my front sight and slowly squeezing off the round. This would be an easy kill. CRACK! At first it didn't move, then it took off full out. It was gone. What the hell!? I can't be that bad! It had to be a flier. I don't want to blame my equipment for my misses, but this CCI hollow point ammo has proven at the range to be erratic. Three rounds will be within a half inch and the 4th will miss by 4". That had to be the answer; really. Oh well. It was starting to get warm and the bugs were getting hungry. I've been out every morning minus Sunday for the past 4 days, so I had enough. I could feel in my bones that nothing was going to move. I could hear squirrels cracking nuts in the trees, but they were staying put. Time to leave.

In the parking area I met the two guys I had passed earlier on the path. One knew me by name because he reads this blog (that's scary), so I'd better say something nice. Really, these guys made up for the hunters who blew me off Monday. Two really nice guys who turned a lousy hunt into a memorable morning. An equally nice non-hunter with a yellow lab arrived and joined in the conversation, and we discussed everything from the decreasing squirrel population to mountain lion sightings in CT. We were in agreement that increased numbers of predators, including Fishers, hawks and coyote are partially responsible for the low numbers. The DEP told me not long ago that if I want to increase the squirrel population, I should encourage the trapping of fishers. If you trap, go to it, but please be careful to trap where hunting dogs won't be working. God willing I'll be back in 3 days and will have something messy to show you. Until then.

Lots of action but just one in the bag

What a beautiful morning it was today. At 7am the temp was in the low 50's and by 10 it was only up to 62. Bugs were few and far between and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Zero wind. There were a good half dozen squirrel hunters out there this morning, which is something I haven't seen in a couple of years. Here's a lesson in hunter courtesy: If someone wishes you luck and a nice day, say "Thank you" and better yet, wish them the same back. And if someone waves to you as you silently walk by, consider doing the same. Enough said.

I saw quite a few squirrels running around this morning, but there were few opportunities to get off an accurate shot. The squirrels were always on the run and only appeared for seconds before disappearing in the leaves. I nailed this one as it ran across a high branch directly over my head. The shot hit it in the heart; blood was everywhere. One round, one squirrel. That's how I like it. At this rate I'll need to buy a new box of 17's next season, but then too it will take me 40 weekends to bag my limit, and that's no good."

"Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul." -- General Douglas MacArthur

I need to start looking for a good squirrel spot that I can hunt when the leaves begin to fall where there are no pheasant hunters to interfere. It's nice to be able to see into the trees, but it doesn't help if the squirrels are spooked by hunting dogs with bells ringing from their necks, loud talking and shotgun blasts. The woods are a real zoo when these guys come out since stealth isn't part of their equation.

I hope everyone was able to get in a quick hunt before doing the picnic thing today. Consider sending me a picture and a story on how you made out today. Thanks.

2009 squirrel season count: 2

FINALLY - A fun morning in the field

Today was one of those days that keeps me returning to the woods. I sat out the spot where I saw the squirrels and the falling nuts yesterday, and I'm pleased to report that the squirrels were back and active early this morning. They remained high in the trees and only moved for the short time that the sun remained out, but it was long enough for me to nail one with my Henry 17HMR and enjoy the rush that I get when I see these critters running around in the trees. One thing that I've noticed is that every squirrel that I've spotted over the past two days has been very small. I'm not sure why, but I'm hoping to see some squirrels that have a bit of meat on their bones.

It was nice to see what appeared to be a father and his son squirrel hunting this morning. I enjoy seeing that, as long as they're not hunting my spots. The teen said that he had seen a couple squirrels and tried to get a shot at one, but when he shouldered his rifle and looked through the scope, it was set on maximum zoom and everything was a blur. I think that's happened to all of us... once. When I hunt with a scope it's habit to return the scope to 2X any time I'm not focused on a target. I'm sure this young guy will be doing the same for now on.

Rich M. sent nailed a couple today with this awesome airgun. That is so cool! I want one.

"I see you got one today Bob, good for you. I got out again this morning and had better luck as well. I tried the waiting game where I had briefly seen some the day before but got bored after ½ or so. I figured I treat the rest of the morning as scouting, and if I jumped a few all the better. I found a couple nice areas’ I hadn’t discovered before and took two with my Crossman Marauder Airgun – Good times!" ~Rich

more from Rich on his airgun:
"The Crossman Marauder is $500, which is entry level for a PCP (Pre Charged Pneumatic) airgun. Crossman did a good job with this for the price point. A comparable fine quality airgun will run you twice as much or more. It can be pumped, but I fill it from an SCBA tank. Getting this all set up runs you into more expense and you have to have a place to fill it. Fortunately I have friends hunting buddies in fire departments that fill my tanks for me. Otherwise you can get a scuba tank and have it filled at a dive shop. This is my fourth PCP so the tanks work for any of them.

As far as comparing it to a rimfire 22 – Obviously a baffled airgun is quiet, so no hearing protection is required. You don’t have to clean the barrel because there is no powder fouling or corrosiveness. There is less energy delivered to the target with an airgun – The marauder has about 25 fpe muzzle energy, but I find it plenty for squirrels if the shot placement is right. Since the velocity is subsonic the trajectory is more “loopy” than a rimfire, and the lighter projectile is more deflected by wind.

The pressure reservoir size determines the number of shots before a refill is required, but you can trade shot count for average velocity and spread. With the Marauder I set it up for 30 shots at and average of ~860 fps with an initial fill of ~2,500 psi. If I need more than 30 shots on a hunt either my marksmanship really sucks or I’m poaching…"

Opening Day

I scared the heck out of a River Otter today. It's the first I've ever come across. It didn't see me until I was right on top of it, then it dove into the water and disappeared. Very cool. Here's some INFO.

My plan is to get out early Wednesday morning, go back to the spot where I saw the activity, pull up a chair, fire up the TheraCell and wait. If nothing shows I'll be spending the rest of the day shooting at the range. Wish me luck.

Rich let this squirrel go because it wouldn't fit in his game bag

An email from a reader:

"The state park I was hunting in has a few outhouses along a paved road that roughly bisects the park diagonally. After hunting a while in the morning I occasionally heard an odd banging noise in the distance. After not having any luck for a couple hours I decided to head back to my truck to have a snack and investigate the noise. I ditched my gun and vest and walked toward the outhouse expecting to find someone working on it.

When I rounded the corner from behind a few large pines I found myself about 8 feet or so from a young moose! It took me a second to rationalize what I was seeing… Then I spent another few seconds concluding it was big enough to be weaned, therefore its mother was probably not nearby (and pissed off). It was really calm, and as long as I moved slowly it was content to stare at me. I think it may have been scratching against the outhouse which was bouncing the door!

When I turned to go back to my truck it startled a bit and crossed the road. Then I remembered I had my camera! I probably should have kept my distance… but I walked over to her and snapped a few pictures and video clips of it eating. I was torn between enjoying this encounter and thinking I should scare her off so she learns to be wary of humans. In the end I just left peacefully. Enjoy the attachments."

- Rich M

Bagged my first chuck with the Single Six revolver

All I can say is that it's hot as heck this morning. It's 93 and as humid as it gets. Even after being covered head to toe with 40 DEET bug spray, stopping 10 seconds means being covered with hundreds of bugs and mosquitoes. I knew this was going to be a short hunt, but since there's only a couple weekends before squirrel hunting begins and we have to start wearing blaze orange, I decided to give it my best. Last week I decided to hunt this weekend with the Ruger Single Six 17HMR revolver since I haven't bagged a chuck with it yet. It's all I carried today. The backpack contained the typical: binoculars, more bug spray, ammo, drinks, cameras and a few other things. Considering the heat, I tried to keep the load as light as possible. Most of the morning I didn't wear the hat because that keeps in a lot of heat. Gloves, long sleeve shirt and face netting are necessities in a bug infested area like this. The revolver was carried in my Triple-K holster, my gear was on and I started out.

The path I normally walk is a mile long, and I was somewhat surprised that having walked almost half its length I had yet to see a thing... until I rounded the next corner. This is an area where the path is very twisty, so if something is spotted in this area, it's likely in handgun range. The problem is that with a chuck's keen sense of hearing, they are usually gone before I come around the corner and get a visual on it. That didn't happen this morning.

I slowly and quietly rounded the corner and about 25 yards out, a good size chuck had just broken through the brush onto the path. I could tell it was aware of my presence, but I startled it and it didn't have time to react. It was standing perpendicular to the path, so I had an excellent clear shot. I quietly drew my handgun from the holster and pulled back the hammer as I attempted to get the chuck in my sights. I could tell I was a little shaky, and I was determined not to blow this shot like I did with the rifle last week. I told myself "FREEZE!!" and my breath and movement froze. I put my sights on its head and gently squeezed the trigger. "CRACK!!".. I'm glad I had my earplugs in because these 17 magnum revolvers are deafening.

"Yes!" The chuck rolled over but was still kicking. Before taking another step I took a second shot to put it away. The shot had hit it in the neck. I took the Single Six to the range a few weeks ago and was able to sight the gun in better than any time in the past. That was proven with today's shot. Within seconds, the chuck was covered with all kinds of bugs, including flies, bees, mosquitoes and whatever. It amazes me how they seem to be able to smell death. Death for something else equals life for them. I took some photo for the blog but this time left the chuck on the path. I'll be out again in two days, and I want to see if it's snatched away by a coyote.

I continued on to the end of the path and made a return trip. It was too hot to go on so I packed up and left. I had bagged my trophy and was happy. The perfect beginning of my 24th wedding anniversary celebration. Next I get myself cleaned up and take my wife out to a movie and dinner. Enjoy the weekend.

"VERY nice!!!! Sounds like the single six did the job!!!! He looked aweful furry for a mid summer chuck. Maybe that is just the way they are in your area. Ours seem to have little fur on them. Congrats on a great hunt and great shot!!!"

Mike Adams, Up North Journal