First Squirrel of the Season! (Graphic) Pic And Dog Story!

Josh Smith · August 31, 2010, 01:46 PM

Hello,

I was shooting on my range today, testing .22LR handloads.

At 30yds, a largish fox squirrel appeared.

My mind went, "squirrel!"

It saw me at about the same time, so I dialed down the 'scope to 4.5x, which is the minimum setting, stood up, did a Hasty Hasty sling, and sent the bullet.

The handloaded 40gn HP struck right behind the lungs - very poor placement on my part. I had not had a chance to set the trigger, so I was operating with a 5# trigger instead of a crisp 12oz trigger. I had also not adjusted the parallax off of 100yds. But I know this rifle and it hit only 1/4" further back from where I aimed. The squirrel was moving as well, so it may not have been all me.

Regardless, of the bad placement, the squirrel dropped. I've not seen the local squirrel drop with less-than-precise placement with anything but high velocity HP.

I secured the rifle an got my dog, Nikki, and we walked out there.

Sometime during all this, the squirrel had "come back to life" and was among the trees. I had Nikki sniffing around for it when it fell in among some briers and thick growth that I couldn't make it in. So I gave the command (since she had seen it fall), "Nikki, GET THE SQUIRREL!" and she was in faster than I thought a dog that size could move.

I heard a brief struggle, and Nikki came sauntering back out of the brush, covered with little green burrs and holding a largish squirrel in her mouth.

She put it down at my feet.

Then it tried to get up.

She grabbed it in her mouth and squeezed it until it stopped breathing.

And I have to say, this is something I've not seen a dog do. I've seen them shake prey to break its neck, and I've seen them just chomp. But she just squeezed it and kept on squeezing it even when it bit her.

She put it down.

It was still alive.

Not wanting to make her get bitten again, I just stood on it.

I told her "good girl!" and only then did she show how happy she was with herself.

Here's what we ended up with:

The little specs on Nikki are burrs. The squirrel looks smaller than it was because of dog drool.

Nikki, of course, got to eat the entrails. I don't know what was going on, but I botched the skinning job. The muscle wanted to stay on the skin, and I got little more than the back legs. Wasted about half the animal, but I couldn't figure out any other way. It was hot and I had to get it in before the meat could spoil.

The bullet passed through-and-though, but there were no support structure hit. Additionally, the lil' slug did expand a bit according to the exit wound. I put a hollowpoint in them as part of the handloading process.

I'd still like to know why most of the meat peeled off with the hide when I didn't wait any longer or skin any differently than usual. But overall, it was a good surprise hunt.

Nikki is definitely showing her worth again this year.

Josh

Lemmon · August 31, 2010, 01:57 PM

Tell me more about ".22LR handloads." Are you talking about .22LR rim-fire hand-loads? Been hand-loading center fire a long time.....

Nice looking dog and rifle. Does the Limbsaver DE-RESONATOR work. I also noticed two back rings in front of the De-resonator, what are they for?

Thanks..... Lemmon

hooligan1 · August 31, 2010, 02:18 PM

GOOD GIRL!!!

biscuts and squirrel gravy.......enough to make a man slap his pappy!!!!

Josh Smith · August 31, 2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Tell me more about ".22LR handloads." Are you talking about .22LR rim-fire hand-loads? Been hand-loading center fire a long time.....

Nice looking dog and rifle. Does the Limbsaver DE-RESONATOR work. I also noticed two back rings in front of the De-resonator, what are they for?

Thanks..... Lemmon

I've been playing around with pulling the bullets, keeping them undamaged, and finding a bit better powder for my 21" barrel. I'd like it to burn all the way down instead of the last 5" or so being wasted. Also, I modify the bullets into HPs before reseating them using a Hollowpointer Tool from D Rock at RFC.

I noticed a reduction in fliers after putting on the deresonator. I also have a controlled pressure point on the barrel about an inch in front of the receiver, pushing up at 55in-lb or so.

The rings are actually two groups of three O-rings apiece, and they further cut down barrel vibration. I can actually spit out any brand of 40gn bullet at similar velocities and notice no POI difference.

Either I did something right, or got very lucky. Regardless, with its set trigger, it's a very accurate rimfire.

Josh

treg · August 31, 2010, 09:51 PM

I'm jealous. Still 2 weeks and a day 'till season opens here.

Wow, that is cool stuff you do with your .22 ammo and gun El Chivato! Me needs to learn more.

Hoskins · September 1, 2010, 12:23 AM

El Chivato...outstanding story! It is great to hear people talking about squirrel hunting instead of big game hunting all the time. Heck, it is good to hear about any small game hunting for that matter. I got nothing against bid game hunting, I hunt for big game myself, but it is great to hear that there is still folks that go after the ferocious tree rat!

When I first started hunting it was for squirrels. In my opinion it teaches you a ton about woodsmanship, stalking, field marksmanship, etc... Additonally, I got so caught up in deer hunting that I didn't squirrel hunt for years. It wasn't until I was a recruiter & didn't have time to dedicate to deer scouting & hunting that I got back into squirrel hunting. After the first squirrel hunt in over 6 years, I was hooked again & it took me back to my days as a kid hunting the mountians of KY for "SQWAKS."

I always hunted w/a shotgun during my kid & teen days. I didn't start hunting w/a rimfire until my dad gave me his Savage-Anschutz 164 when I was on recruiting duty. I killed 5 the first time ever squirrel hunting w/a a .22lr. The next year my wife bought me a Marlin 917V .17HMR & I love it...the Anschutz still sees plenty of action & my wife loves that rifle (I think that is why she bought me the .17HMR, so she could use the Anschutz!

).

Sorry for rambling & I hope that I didn't highjack this thread!

Lastly, El Chivato, what is the rifle set up you got pictured? Brand, model, optics, & what is that thing on top of the scope?

JoeJ7mm · September 1, 2010, 05:14 AM

Great read and picture. Made me go pet my lab Buddy!
Albert A Rasch
NRA Life Member

Josh Smith · September 1, 2010, 11:46 AM

Hello,

The below pic contains the instructions for handloading the .22LR as I do it.

By clicking the link to go to the full sized picture on Photobucket, you are absolving me of any and all responsibility should you try this and get hurt.

Have fun!

Oh, and if it comes up too small, just click it again and it will be readable.

Josh

August 31, 2010, 01:46 PM	#1
Josh Smith member Join Date: November 5, 2000 Location: Wabash IN Posts: 740	First Squirrel of the Season! (Graphic) Pic And Dog Story! Hello, I was shooting on my range today, testing .22LR handloads. At 30yds, a largish fox squirrel appeared. My mind went, "squirrel!" It saw me at about the same time, so I dialed down the 'scope to 4.5x, which is the minimum setting, stood up, did a Hasty Hasty sling, and sent the bullet. The handloaded 40gn HP struck right behind the lungs - very poor placement on my part. I had not had a chance to set the trigger, so I was operating with a 5# trigger instead of a crisp 12oz trigger. I had also not adjusted the parallax off of 100yds. But I know this rifle and it hit only 1/4" further back from where I aimed. The squirrel was moving as well, so it may not have been all me. Regardless, of the bad placement, the squirrel dropped. I've not seen the local squirrel drop with less-than-precise placement with anything but high velocity HP. I secured the rifle an got my dog, Nikki, and we walked out there. Sometime during all this, the squirrel had "come back to life" and was among the trees. I had Nikki sniffing around for it when it fell in among some briers and thick growth that I couldn't make it in. So I gave the command (since she had seen it fall), "Nikki, GET THE SQUIRREL!" and she was in faster than I thought a dog that size could move. I heard a brief struggle, and Nikki came sauntering back out of the brush, covered with little green burrs and holding a largish squirrel in her mouth. She put it down at my feet. Then it tried to get up. She grabbed it in her mouth and squeezed it until it stopped breathing. And I have to say, this is something I've not seen a dog do. I've seen them shake prey to break its neck, and I've seen them just chomp. But she just squeezed it and kept on squeezing it even when it bit her. She put it down. It was still alive. Not wanting to make her get bitten again, I just stood on it. I told her "good girl!" and only then did she show how happy she was with herself. Here's what we ended up with: The little specs on Nikki are burrs. The squirrel looks smaller than it was because of dog drool. Nikki, of course, got to eat the entrails. I don't know what was going on, but I botched the skinning job. The muscle wanted to stay on the skin, and I got little more than the back legs. Wasted about half the animal, but I couldn't figure out any other way. It was hot and I had to get it in before the meat could spoil. The bullet passed through-and-though, but there were no support structure hit. Additionally, the lil' slug did expand a bit according to the exit wound. I put a hollowpoint in them as part of the handloading process. I'd still like to know why most of the meat peeled off with the hide when I didn't wait any longer or skin any differently than usual. But overall, it was a good surprise hunt. Nikki is definitely showing her worth again this year. Josh

August 31, 2010, 01:57 PM	#2
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	Tell me more about ".22LR handloads." Tell me more about ".22LR handloads." Are you talking about .22LR rim-fire hand-loads? Been hand-loading center fire a long time..... Nice looking dog and rifle. Does the Limbsaver DE-RESONATOR work. I also noticed two back rings in front of the De-resonator, what are they for? Thanks..... Lemmon Last edited by Lemmon; August 31, 2010 at 02:19 PM.

August 31, 2010, 02:18 PM	#3
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	GOOD GIRL!!! biscuts and squirrel gravy.......enough to make a man slap his pappy!!!! __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

August 31, 2010, 09:51 PM	#5
treg Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 1,102	I'm jealous. Still 2 weeks and a day 'till season opens here. Wow, that is cool stuff you do with your .22 ammo and gun El Chivato! Me needs to learn more. __________________ .44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

September 1, 2010, 12:23 AM	#6
Hoskins Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2010 Posts: 240	El Chivato...outstanding story! It is great to hear people talking about squirrel hunting instead of big game hunting all the time. Heck, it is good to hear about any small game hunting for that matter. I got nothing against bid game hunting, I hunt for big game myself, but it is great to hear that there is still folks that go after the ferocious tree rat! When I first started hunting it was for squirrels. In my opinion it teaches you a ton about woodsmanship, stalking, field marksmanship, etc... Additonally, I got so caught up in deer hunting that I didn't squirrel hunt for years. It wasn't until I was a recruiter & didn't have time to dedicate to deer scouting & hunting that I got back into squirrel hunting. After the first squirrel hunt in over 6 years, I was hooked again & it took me back to my days as a kid hunting the mountians of KY for "SQWAKS." I always hunted w/a shotgun during my kid & teen days. I didn't start hunting w/a rimfire until my dad gave me his Savage-Anschutz 164 when I was on recruiting duty. I killed 5 the first time ever squirrel hunting w/a a .22lr. The next year my wife bought me a Marlin 917V .17HMR & I love it...the Anschutz still sees plenty of action & my wife loves that rifle (I think that is why she bought me the .17HMR, so she could use the Anschutz!). Sorry for rambling & I hope that I didn't highjack this thread! Lastly, El Chivato, what is the rifle set up you got pictured? Brand, model, optics, & what is that thing on top of the scope?

September 1, 2010, 05:14 AM	#7
JoeJ7mm Junior Member Join Date: July 22, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 3	Great read and picture. Made me go pet my lab Buddy! Albert A Rasch NRA Life Member

September 1, 2010, 11:46 AM	#8
Josh Smith member Join Date: November 5, 2000 Location: Wabash IN Posts: 740	Hello, The below pic contains the instructions for handloading the .22LR as I do it. By clicking the link to go to the full sized picture on Photobucket, you are absolving me of any and all responsibility should you try this and get hurt. Have fun! Oh, and if it comes up too small, just click it again and it will be readable. Josh