[Big Dog]

The squirrel skunk is over. Got one this morning. Looking to go back this afternoon once the mountain bikers and dog walkers leave.

Since it's also Fall turkey season, thought to try a different load than the #6- high brass #4 with a mod choke. Did pretty well at 25 yds.

just an observation, but there's a special kind of naivete that seems to be pretty freaking common with city people walking their dogs in a National Forest. Several of these people let their dogs run free during archery season. Some of these dogs are deer colored.

Wouldn't hurt my feelings if they gave the hunters a break and closed the forests to bikes and dogs during hunting season.

When my sister had horses, she stopped riding the forest roads during deer season. Too many stories of horses and cows getting shot. I knew hunting bubbas dumb enough to swear "that black and white deer I shot had a saddle on it!"
Sometimes when squirrel hunting, sitting under a tree, I'd hear a noise behind me. It was a deer almost close enough to spit on. Had to shoo it several times before it would leave. Pesky critters. I had no deer tag and only ammo was 12 gauge #6. She was safe from me, and she seemed to know it.

 

[Jaison]

^^^

Boggles the mind.

Urban visitors still walking loose dogs and riding bikes at the hunting area this afternoon.

I absolutely need to find private land to hunt again.

Got a chance to join an 1,800 acre hunt club for $300/yr. Going to check it out next Thursday. Only 36 members allowed, so that might be the ticket.

It’s not the hunters who are making it difficult and frustrating to hunt the local National Forests without humping it for miles. It’s the environmentalists and lackey politicians who stopped the clear cutting and the other recreationalists who descend on the land en mass with bikes and dogs.

They have the right, of course, but they also have that right 12 months a year.

The grouse population is in bad shape, the deer herds are thinning out, woodcocks are very rare and rabbits are almost non-existent except around the infrequent new growth areas.

This is probably a discussion for a new thread. Apologies for the hijack.

 

[Big Dog]

My squirrels have been pretty much MIA too. One problem is the wooded tract across the main road I live on was leveled and turned into a big housing development. So, habitat destruction, big time. Used to have a bunch of treerats robbing my chestnut and peacan trees. Much fewer of them now.

 

[alleyyooper]

Hunting patridge on state land one year during bow deer season.
since we were pat hunting the 4 of us had two dogs working. of course we were wandering hither and youn. Came to a 3 year old clear cut, know how pats feel about those? about like kids with a free rein in a candy store. Alice the big red irish setter came to point and as her owner was walking up to the point we hear a clearing of a throgh look up and there is a fully camoed bow hunter in the tree.

OH crap infringed on some ones hunting. Left as quick as we could. Last time we ever did any small game hunting on state land during any deer season.

Places we used to be able to hunt on state land is now closed tgo hunting for people who own horses. they have pretty much taken over the 140 acre tract and made a lot of trails thru there.

What ticks me off it is sales of hunting licences and hunting equipment exsize tax that bought that tract to begin with.

Al