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I posted a thread about my squirrel dogs a while back, but it's gone to Archive Heaven. It went sumpin' like this:
Squirrel hunting with dogs is an early season sport. This time of year here in Georgia there are still plenty of leaves on the trees and the bushytails spend their days feeding in the very top limbs of the hickories, oaks, pecans, and even pines . It can make a clean head shot a tough proposition indeed. That's where a couple of experienced squirrel dogs come in handy.
My squirrel dogs are almost inseparable from my pack of deer hounds.
Last Sattidy morning I was accompanied by Old Yeller and Stingray a few minutes after daylight as I eased into the woods in the designated small game area of our hunting club. You might think that having a couple of squirrel dogs sashaying through the woods while you try slip up on that wily tree rat would be counter productive. Not so. These are highly trained dogs. Stealth is still very much a part of the process. While the shooter stands motionless behind a tree, the dogs are deployed in an offensive combat trail formation.
The lead is changed periodically and a 45 to 90 degree heading differential is maintained at all times to optimize lookout doctrine.
It is imperative that the hunter not be seen. As long as the squirrel is in a tree and the dog is on the ground, a squirrel is not afraid of the dog. They often come running halfway down the tree trunk, in full view, and remain semi-motionless as they scold the dogs. This is a much better shot than trying to tag them way up in the tree. Don't get me wrong, a properly trained squirrel dog is much more than just a decoy. They are constantly on the lookout for game. Twice Saturday morning I was alerted to squirrels on the ground that I had been previously unaware of when Old Yeller went on point.
And both of my dogs are excellent retrievers.
Some additional training in this area is warranted however . They are a little too aggressive . At the report of the .22 they try to meet the unfortunate rodent halfway as he tumbles to the ground.
We'll work on that.
Squirrel hunting with dogs is not for everyone, I understand that. But there's something about man and beast teaming up, working in concert toward a shared goal that's more satisfying than the actual harvest. It's very much like the relationship between the bird hunter and his pointer or the duck hunter and his lab. So if your early season squirrel hunts seem like they need a little something extra, why not give squirrel dogs a try?
Y'all stop making fun of my squirrel dogs
Triple Threat 33T wrote: »Mag, tell us about those cats. The hell are they doin in there?
I posted a thread about my squirrel dogs a while back, but it's gone to Archive Heaven. It went sumpin' like this:
Squirrel hunting with dogs is an early season sport. This time of year here in Georgia there are still plenty of leaves on the trees and the bushytails spend their days feeding in the very top limbs of the hickories, oaks, pecans, and even pines . It can make a clean head shot a tough proposition indeed. That's where a couple of experienced squirrel dogs come in handy.
My squirrel dogs are almost inseparable from my pack of deer hounds.
Last Sattidy morning I was accompanied by Old Yeller and Stingray a few minutes after daylight as I eased into the woods in the designated small game area of our hunting club. You might think that having a couple of squirrel dogs sashaying through the woods while you try slip up on that wily tree rat would be counter productive. Not so. These are highly trained dogs. Stealth is still very much a part of the process. While the shooter stands motionless behind a tree, the dogs are deployed in an offensive combat trail formation.
The lead is changed periodically and a 45 to 90 degree heading differential is maintained at all times to optimize lookout doctrine.
It is imperative that the hunter not be seen. As long as the squirrel is in a tree and the dog is on the ground, a squirrel is not afraid of the dog. They often come running halfway down the tree trunk, in full view, and remain semi-motionless as they scold the dogs. This is a much better shot than trying to tag them way up in the tree. Don't get me wrong, a properly trained squirrel dog is much more than just a decoy. They are constantly on the lookout for game. Twice Saturday morning I was alerted to squirrels on the ground that I had been previously unaware of when Old Yeller went on point.
And both of my dogs are excellent retrievers.
Some additional training in this area is warranted however . They are a little too aggressive . At the report of the .22 they try to meet the unfortunate rodent halfway as he tumbles to the ground.
We'll work on that.
Squirrel hunting with dogs is not for everyone, I understand that. But there's something about man and beast teaming up, working in concert toward a shared goal that's more satisfying than the actual harvest. It's very much like the relationship between the bird hunter and his pointer or the duck hunter and his lab. So if your early season squirrel hunts seem like they need a little something extra, why not give squirrel dogs a try?
![http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/trmcinvale/th_sig22.jpg[/SIGPIC]](/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=http%3A%2F%2Fi143.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fr135%2Ftrmcinvale%2Fth_sig22.jpg%5B%2FSIGPIC%5D){kind=link}
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Only we dont have any squirrels around here. All the cats killed them.
:hail:hail:hail
:USA
"Well Gary, the easiest way to look tall is to stand in a room full of short people." - Curtis Bostick
"All these forums, with barely any activity, are like a neglected old cemetery that no one visits anymore."- anonymouse
Couldn't have said it any better!
I mean...it looks easy. Especially with those specialty trained "animals". I have a great recipe for squirrel stew and I'll bring my own beer.
Bill
:waitingforerictoreply:
“Everyone behaves badly--given the chance.”
― Ernest Hemingway
Nuisance Alligator Hunting
http://www.onshoreoffshore.com/nuisancegators.html
http://www.vrbo.com/105186
"No matter the size of the fish, you can only put a bite size peice in your mouth."
~ 3 squirrels, cut up (All hair and shot removed.)
~ 1 egg
~ 2 cups plain flour
~ 3/4 cup broth
~ 1 teaspoon salt
~ salt and pepper
Boil squirrels in four quarts of water until tender. Remove squirrels from broth, let cool, then remove meat from bones. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix flour, egg and one teaspoon of salt with 3/4 cup of broth and roll into ball.
Strain the broth to remove any stray shot then resume boil. Return meat to boiling broth.
On a floured cutting board, use rolling pin to roll the dough ball to a thickness of 1/16 inch. Cut into 1-inch wide strips and drop strips one at a time into the boiling broth. Gently shake pot after last dumpling is added to prevent sticking.
Cook approximately 10-15 minutes until dumplings are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and Enjoy!