Fall Hunting - Oct 16th - A Late Afternoon Gray (Graphic Picture)

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I got out hunting late in the afternoon today and I decided to set up close to a tall White Oak, that I knew about, out in the woods. I traveled down a deer trail that led to this tree.  I moved into a good hunting position behind a dead fall that I had rigged up as a hunting blind.  I was setting down on the log behind some brush, that I had previously piled up for cover & concealment. ( Brush Blind)  At around 6 pm I spotted a nice gray moving around high in tree tops of the big White Oak.  I sat there watching him for quite some time and waiting for a shot opportunity on this squirrel.  It seemed like an eternity but finally he moved into a position that afforded me a shot. He had moved closer to the main part of the tree trunk on a big branch.  There were no obstructions and I could see the entire squirrel. I was about a 20 to 25 yard shot at around a 75 degree angle up. I rested my rifle on an upright branch of the dead fall log, that I was sitting on and slowly squeezed off a shot. The pellet hit him in the left side below the rib cage and traveled into the heart lung area.  I thought that he would drop to the ground but ...instead he hung on tightly to the tree branch....with his hind legs dangling in mid air.  I shot him a second time and hit him in front of the left shoulder. The pellet traveled up thru his neck and into his brain. On the second shot the squirrel dropped dead to the forest floor.  It was almost dark so I gathered up my squirrel, took some pictures, then went back to my pick-up and headed home.  I was hunting with the 22 cal Hatsan Vortex Edge rifle.  I was shooting 22 cal Crosman 14.3 gr Destroyers. Most guns won't shoot Destroyers accurately but my Hatsan Edge and the Hatsan Striker/Edge do and shoot them really well.  They make a great hunting pellet if your gun will shoot them. 
They flair out and expand somewhat but also provide good penetration.


Best Wishes My Friends  -  Tom

[Wayne52]

Great shooting on that grey Tom !!! I just got done topping off my Airmax Dom and will be in the woods before sunrise.  It looks like it might be a great day for hunting by the forecast

[dk1677]

Nice one Tom!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Great shooting on that grey Tom !!! I just got done topping off my Airmax Dom and will be in the woods before sunrise.  It looks like it might be a great day for hunting by the forecast

Wayne

I sure hope you have a great day hunting and do really well !

Thank you for your reply nd complement.


Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Nice one Tom!

Dave

Thank you for your reply and complement.        I was really pleased to get this one.

It was starting to get late and I was wondering if I was going to see any before dark.



Best Wishes - Tom

[kbstingwing]

nice shooting on the Grey Tree Rat Tom, glad to hear those Hatsans are shooting good for you.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

nice shooting on the Grey Tree Rat Tom, glad to hear those Hatsans are shooting good for you.

Kevin

Yes.... both the Edge and Striker shoot great.  I put that 22 cal barrel on the Edge this Fall. It was one that SteveP-52 sent to me.

It is a good barrel just like the 25 cal barrel was. It has a nice and tight bore.

That's the problem with some of these Hatsans lately.  They can have bad barrels now days.

My barrels are older ones, they were made before Hatsan started having quality issues with their Break Barrels.

Thank you for your reply and complement.


Best Wishes My Friend  -  Tom

[ranchibi]

Tom, excellent shooting on that gray! That was one tough squirrel! I’ve only pested/hunted on my friends property...bet it’s so calm and peaceful to be out hunting in a forest 🤓.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Tom, excellent shooting on that gray! That was one tough squirrel! I’ve only pested/hunted on my friends property...bet it’s so calm and peaceful to be out hunting in a forest 🤓.

Hi Randall !

Yes it is very peaceful..... usually.   Sometimes the state has certain areas open to logging crews. 

Then things can get a little more noisy but mostly it is very quiet.

Thank you for your reply and complement.


Best Wishes My Friend  -  Tom

[35 shooter]

Tom,

Good shooting; glad you got him before it was too dark.
Those last minute squirrels are always the most exciting to me.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Tom,

Good shooting; glad you got him before it was too dark.
Those last minute squirrels are always the most exciting to me.

Buddy

I wasn't sure if I was going to get anything that afternoon.

I got a late start on the hunting but I thought I would give it a try anyway.

Another 45 minutes ....and it would have been a washout, that day.

Thank you for your reply and complement.


Best Wishes My Friend  -  Tom

[Bicycleman]

Good morning, Tom.  I am just catching-up with the posts I missed while we were in Louisiana.


Nice hunt and a good, clean kill.  Those Gray Squirrels are some tough little critters.  I enjoyed your hunt too. 

[larspawn]

Good shooting.  Yeah the old Destroyers used to be great and were really cheap.  Then about 6 years ago they changed the design and they shot like poo from my guns.  Really want some of the new Hades but spendy and I have a ton of other pellets I should just use? 

[ghost5]

Well done. I got out Tuesday when I went to visit a friend and got 9. I love hunting squirrels.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Good morning, Tom.  I am just catching-up with the posts I missed while we were in Louisiana.


Nice hunt and a good, clean kill.  Those Gray Squirrels are some tough little critters.  I enjoyed your hunt too. 

That's great Mike.    I am glad that you liked the post.

How were things in Louisiana ?

You are most. right.....Sometimes those squirrels can be very tough indeed.

Thank you for your reply and complement.



Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Good shooting.  Yeah the old Destroyers used to be great and were really cheap.  Then about 6 years ago they changed the design and they shot like poo from my guns.  Really want some of the new Hades but spendy and I have a ton of other pellets I should just use?

Hi Andrew !

I have a few tins of those old Destroyers.  After they are gone... then that's it for me.

SteveP-52 sent me some of the new Hades pellets to try out.  I have not got a rifle that is sighted in for them yet.

Thank you for your reply and complement.



Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Well done. I got out Tuesday when I went to visit a friend and got 9. I love hunting squirrels.

Hi Tommy !

Wow......you got 9 ?   That's Really Great.......Very Good Shooting !

I like hunting squirrels too.

Thank you for your reply and complement.


Best Wishes - Tom