Minnesota Opener Day3 - First Blood With The $13 Cheapie ! & It Scores TWICE !

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I went deep into the woods out back this morning with high hopes and the 25cal Hatsan. I also brought along the $13 Cheapie that I bought yesterday. I had no expectations on the $13 Cheapie and I am not sure exactly why I even brought it with me. I had The Cheapie loaded & safely secured in one of my PB shoulder holsters.  I set up in a location that I had not hunted, as yet, this year. The sky was overcast and the Temperature had dropped from 80F on day 1 to 40F this morning. Fall weather had finally arrived. As dawn progressed and I was able to see into the tree tops, the squirrels began to show up. I could hear them scurrying around on the ground and in the trees.  After about 45 minutes I spotted one up above in the branches. This one was a real worry-wart and kept on the move. It finally stopped next to a large forked branch, about 30 yds away. I carefully raised my rifle, took careful aim and squeezed off a shot at it. Just as I pulled the trigger it ducked down and the 19.91gr H&N FTT pellet hit the branch  with a resounding thunk. This squirrel had successfully ducked my shot and.. off it went. I was in the act of reaching into my shirt pocket for another pellet for my rifle when a 2nd squirrel jumped into the exact same spot as the last one. I froze in my tracks and the squirrel looked right at me. I was wearing a set of Tigger Stripe Military BDU's and had a face veil and camo bush hat on. So.. Ok.. now what do I do. The rifle is unloaded and if I try and cock & re-load it,.. squirrel #2 will be gone in a heartbeat and it will probably alert all the others to my location. Also my arm is hanging in mid air with my fingers in my pocket. as I sat there trying to come up with a plan..well MR. squirrel #1 comes down the tree trunk immediately in front of me at a distance of around 10 yds. It jumps to the ground and starts making a zig-zaging scamper right toward me. Oh good..thats a worst case scenario now. One in the trees looking at me and one wanting to feed at my feet. Well the one on the ground must have finally figured out that something just wasn't right or got wind of my sent. ( I had sprayed down with sent blocker this morning ).  Where was a Hecks outfit when I needed one. I was really wishing I had one of them on at that moment. Ok so the one on the ground stops and stares at me from about 8 Ft then heads back to the tree double time. It stops just for one last look at me and I'm thinking its now or never. It looks up at the one in the trees to see what it is doing and I draw the Crosman 1377 pistol, that I had just bought yesterday and fired at the back of it's head with a 177cal H&N 8.5 sniper medium domed pellet. The gun was pumped to the maximum 10 pumps. I had only shot this gun a few times last night and was not so sure how the sights were aligned on it. In the next moment a red spot appears, dead center, on the back of its head and it slowly drops to the ground. The squirrel in the branches must have thought that it went back down to the ground to feed and "All Was Clear" because it did not alert and calmly moves out of sight in the tree branches, then jumps over to another tree and moves off. I sat there dumbfounded trying to take this all in. I had by the sheerest of LUCK just taken my 1st squirrel with this pistol and my 1st squirrel with a pistol EVER !   It was all so impossible. I had gone to Walmart yesterday to pick up a duck stamp and had seen this pistol on the shelf marked down to $13 and I had made an Impulse Buy. Impulse buy's are something I NEVER Do. I always think things "to death", before I buy anything !  I had researched my rifles for about 3 to 6 months each... before I bought them.  I decided to go back to the house and come back out later.     THINGS JUST COULD NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS AND I WAS TOO PUMPED UP TO HUNT ANYMORE THIS MORNING !!!     WOW..WHAT A MORNING !        BY BEST WISHES TO ALL - TOM

[Xraycer]

Awesome shot, Tom!

Its a good thing you disregarded that memo that stated that you can only do this with a $500 air pistol

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Awesome shot, Tom!

Its a good thing you disregarded that memo that stated that you can only do this with a $500 air pistol

Very Very Lucky Shot Dinh...   Awesome LUCK !

[Xraycer]

Awesome shot, Tom!

Its a good thing you disregarded that memo that stated that you can only do this with a $500 air pistol

Very Very Lucky Shot Dinh...   Awesome LUCK !

That's how I feel about all my shots

[dk1677]

Very nice pistola shot Tom!

[WolfyW]

Great story and pics!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Thank's guy's....my Lucky Day to Day !   

[saladshooter]

Man, I had written off a squirrel chase this weekend to do a few other things and after reading this it occurs to me that it was a mistake...
Next weekend, those squirrels are in trouble. 

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Man, I had written off a squirrel chase this weekend to do a few other things and after reading this it occurs to me that it was a mistake...
Next weekend, those squirrels are in trouble. 

Will:    Go get em while the getting is Good !  NOW !               Best Wishes - Tom

[Xraycer]

I had written off a squirrel chase this weekend

Its best to just shoot them with an air gun..............you'll never be able to catch them on foot

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I had written off a squirrel chase this weekend

Its best to just shoot them with an air gun..............you'll never be able to catch them on foot

Get em any way you CAN ! ( as long as it is LEGAL) 

[Mosin Marine]

U got that pistol for 13$??? Not a bad deal!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

U got that pistol for 13$??? Not a bad deal!

Yes Brandon.. $13 and New in the Box !       The Force has been with me through out this whole Adventure.       It isn't me though..just Pure LUCK !           My Best Wishes & Good Hunting  -  Tom

[beachgunner]

That's one heck of a day Tom. Congrats to you.

I have both a 1377 & 1322, and I find them pretty accurate at 20 yards once you get the sights and sight picture dialed in. I've never taken a shot at a squirrel with them, but you raise a very good point that when these close encounters occur, a pistol is a nice option. Maybe I should keep one handy when I'm out back.

Continued success.

[Mosin Marine]

U got that pistol for 13$??? Not a bad deal!

Yes Brandon.. $13 and New in the Box !       The Force has been with me through out this whole Adventure.       It isn't me though..just Pure LUCK !           My Best Wishes & Good Hunting  -  Tom

One heck of a day!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

     Well Folks... I was Jumping for Joy this morning !   

[Hajimoto]

Excellent deal and equally excellent kill, congrats on both Tom!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Excellent deal and equally excellent kill, congrats on both Tom!

Thank you Haj.  Coming from such an accomplished Hunter like You, is quite a complement in my book.    My Best Wishes & Best Regards  -  Tom

[Mosin Marine]

I would have immediately taken one over to the price scanner. Then i would of grabbed a cart load haha mainly for Christmas gifts. Shopping all done

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I would have immediatly taken one over to the price scanner. Then i would of grabbed a cart load haha mainly for Christmas gifts. Shopping all done

I had the kid scan this one, because I did not believe the sticker price, as marked !      Oh the Sticker Shock of it All !