It was raining relentlessly, but squirrels have to eat. I'm glad I decided to go out, I was in the wood as it was still dimpsy, by 08.30 it eased to fine drizzle. First squirrel spotted in the tree tops at 08.45. 5 minutes later it gave me a shot, sat in that classic, curved tail pose. Another chattered at the report and the fall from grace. That one showed itself 20 minutes later and met a similar fate.
09.50 number 3 lay on the ground beside the other two.
Time to go and put a new feeder up on the shooting lane I cut the other day.
I was happy with my siting, run-up branch and support legs. Put 2kgs of peanuts in and went back to get a bag of old maize from the car.
Spread some hazelnut chocolate spread/oil mix on the tree and run-up log. Started scattering the maize about when I noticed I was being watched from on high. Number 4 in the bag from an offhand shot at 20 yards. Headed home for coffee and then shopping to do. A productive few hours.
My hide.
The feed station. It is well established now it has been there a couple of years.
My old Rapid 7. It can still hit a drawing pin at 40 yards. In those days they were built with BSA barrels (19" in my case). A longer barrel is more accurate at longer ranges.
My new feeder in situ. A good long run-up branch and some poles to take the weight and keep it stable. Note it is just strapped to the tree with a webbing. I put in a couple of Kgs, just to get it going. I don't want to risk the peanuts going off while it gets established.
Chocolate hazelnut spread and oil mixed to make it more spreadable, I just take a small jar, the size of an eggcup, enough to scent the area. It makes a massive difference, they can't resist the stuff.
The view from the feeder, set on an angle on purpose, to my hide, similar to the one in the first wood, just made in a thick bush.
And then from the hide down the shooting lane to the feeder.
I started to scatter some scent producing cut maize about - it was old and stale, but the pheasants will eat it and the squirrels might, but they might just see and smell it and come to have a look at the area.
It didn't take long, one came to see what was going on while I was still scattering the maize. It was the silhouette that caught my eye, that dark shape, standing out against the skyline.
I lifted the rifle from where it was propped against a sapling beside me, and took an offhand shot. This is where the bell target shooting comes into its own, offhand shooting is how we shoot every week - no sitting, no rest, no sling, nothing just lift the rifle into your shoulder and take the shot. The squirrel just slumped out of the tree, drilled through the back of the head. Don't forget, shooting up like that to consider your EXIT point. I aimed low below the ear, because the exit is going to be high. You want the pellet to go through the main cortex, if you aim where you would normally you will skim the cortex - think of it as an arrow going straight through, follow that line and HIT at the entry point of the line, the exit will take care of itself.
Four for a couple of hours and a new feeder in place. A productive, if wet, morning.
09.50 number 3 lay on the ground beside the other two.
Time to go and put a new feeder up on the shooting lane I cut the other day.
I was happy with my siting, run-up branch and support legs. Put 2kgs of peanuts in and went back to get a bag of old maize from the car.
Spread some hazelnut chocolate spread/oil mix on the tree and run-up log. Started scattering the maize about when I noticed I was being watched from on high. Number 4 in the bag from an offhand shot at 20 yards. Headed home for coffee and then shopping to do. A productive few hours.
My hide.
The feed station. It is well established now it has been there a couple of years.
My old Rapid 7. It can still hit a drawing pin at 40 yards. In those days they were built with BSA barrels (19" in my case). A longer barrel is more accurate at longer ranges.
My new feeder in situ. A good long run-up branch and some poles to take the weight and keep it stable. Note it is just strapped to the tree with a webbing. I put in a couple of Kgs, just to get it going. I don't want to risk the peanuts going off while it gets established.
Chocolate hazelnut spread and oil mixed to make it more spreadable, I just take a small jar, the size of an eggcup, enough to scent the area. It makes a massive difference, they can't resist the stuff.
The view from the feeder, set on an angle on purpose, to my hide, similar to the one in the first wood, just made in a thick bush.
And then from the hide down the shooting lane to the feeder.
I started to scatter some scent producing cut maize about - it was old and stale, but the pheasants will eat it and the squirrels might, but they might just see and smell it and come to have a look at the area.
It didn't take long, one came to see what was going on while I was still scattering the maize. It was the silhouette that caught my eye, that dark shape, standing out against the skyline.
I lifted the rifle from where it was propped against a sapling beside me, and took an offhand shot. This is where the bell target shooting comes into its own, offhand shooting is how we shoot every week - no sitting, no rest, no sling, nothing just lift the rifle into your shoulder and take the shot. The squirrel just slumped out of the tree, drilled through the back of the head. Don't forget, shooting up like that to consider your EXIT point. I aimed low below the ear, because the exit is going to be high. You want the pellet to go through the main cortex, if you aim where you would normally you will skim the cortex - think of it as an arrow going straight through, follow that line and HIT at the entry point of the line, the exit will take care of itself.
Four for a couple of hours and a new feeder in place. A productive, if wet, morning.
