The 22 cal. Hatsan Vortex Edge scores a nice Gray.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Good shooting and nice pics Tom!  In 3 deg. weather and 17" of snow on the ground no less!  Nice job.

You are GTA's extreme weather hunter

Harry

Hi Harry !

Thank you for the kind reply and complements.

All in all...it was not too bad out there for this time of year.  The winds were calm and that makes a big difference.

The weather "is what it is" around my place and I can not change it.   I am climatized to Winter but I like Fall hunting the best.


Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Well after running around this morning getting my second shingles shot and a trip to the chiropractors office for my wife, I managed to get out again hunting this afternoon.  I also managed to harvest another nice Gray with the 22 cal. Hatsan Vortex Edge.
It was around 2 pm and the temp was a down right balmy 25 F.  There was a slight 7 mph NW wind and the sky was cloudy.
Again I was shooting 22 cal Crosman 14.3 gr. Destroyer Hunting Pellets in the Edge.
We had received a light snowfall this morning and I had about 1 inch of fresh tracking snow today.
I was following one of my hunting trails when I spotted 3 squirrels foraging on the ground under some white oak trees.
There was a gray and a black that were smaller and a third gray that was the largest of the three.
As I approached the squirrels they spotted me and scampered up the nearest oak tree.
I lost track of the smaller two as I was following the movements of the largest squirrel.
I approached the tree they had gone up and got to within about 18 to 20 yards of it.. I took up a standing position next a smaller ash tree.
After about 10 minutes of waiting and watching I noticed movement on a large branch close to a squirrel drey.
I think this was possibly the larger squirrel but I had also lost sight of that one too as I was looking around for a good spot to take up a position at.  Anyway the squirrel was around 35 ft. to 40 ft. up on this branch, close to the drey and I was around 18 yards from this oak.
I braced my forestock hand on the trunk of the ash tree and rested the rifle in the v formed between my thumb and fingers and took a carefully aimed shot at his head. The pellet hit the squirrel in the forehead and it immediately dropped to the ground, expiring on the way down. This was a one shot and done squirrel harvest and there was no looking around in the woods for this squirrel. I was dead where it fell. I had more errands to run at 3:30 pm so I gathered up my harvest and headed home.
It was another nice day of hunting in the North Woods today....the squirrel was just an added bonus.


Best Wishes - Tom


Click the picture to enlarge the image:

[35 shooter]

Nice shooting Tom! Glad your getting time to get out hunting with that edge rifle!

[Bicycleman]

Some people might say you are on a "roll"!
I am one of them.  Way to get it done.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Nice shooting Tom! Glad your getting time to get out hunting with that edge rifle!

Hi Buddy !

I was really glad to get out too.   

Thank You for your reply and complement.


Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Some people might say you are on a "roll"!
I am one of them.  Way to get it done.

Hi Mike !

Well I was just lucky enough to manage this shot is all.

The squirrels have been moving around all day lately.   

Usually the foraging comes to a halt at around 11 am. this time of year.

The milder temps must be bringing them out longer.

Thank You for your reply and complement.


Best Wishes - Tom

[only1harry]

Great shot placement Tom!  You 're having great success on every outing.  Keep it going.

Harry

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Great shot placement Tom!  You 're having great success on every outing.  Keep it going.

Harry

Hi Harry !

Thank you for your reply and generous complement.

Well... ..lets just say that ......I am doing OK on the outings that get posted     

Yup I agree, the placement on that shot was pretty good.  I lucked out and was able to place a good hit on the forehead.

It is not often that I get them sitting still at a reasonably close range, lined up like this one was & looking straight at me.

I miss my fair share of shots, just like everyone else (that hunts in the woods) and have come home empty handed many times.

That's OK too.  I still enjoy getting out on a nice day.


Best Wishes - Tom


Here is a better picture of the branch where the drey was.  I circled it in red.
Click the picture to enlarge the image.

[Wayne52]

Great shooting on that gray Tom !!!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Great shooting on that gray Tom !!!

Hi Wayne !

Thank you for your reply and complement.

For quite some time the squirrels were not moving around much. 

Also their numbers seem to be down the year as compared to years past.

The last couple of days the temps have warmed up and I am seeing more of them.

It is right at 31 F today and the sun is out....finally.

It has been cloudy around here for the last two or three weeks.



Best Wishes - Tom

[Wolfer]

Good to see stories about working man guns.    Mike