I had planned on getting up at 05:30 & hitting the woods behind the house but, when I woke up, the alarm clock was flashing, the power had gone off sometime during the night. Turns out it was 06:37 so I hadn’t really gotten up too late. I went out on the deck & it was raining & I don’t bushy hunt in the rain. Maybe later on today if it clears up.
I headed back to the woods at 10:15 with a temp of 55, calm but overcast. At 10:55, I was thinking that I hadn’t heard any squirrel take yesterday or today when 1 started scolding behind me to my left. I slipped over to where it was but it shut-up & didn’t move so I didn’t see it. At 12:10, I got out my caller & tried to coax 1 to respond by calling every 5-10 minutes. Nada.
At 12:50, I decided to do a little stalk & spot. (I said what I meant & meant what I said.) I walked along the trail & around to the small pond. Right away, I saw at least 3 running around in the tree tops with another scolding. With all the leaves still on, I couldn’t see any of them well enough for a shot even they stopped. I waited for about 30 minutes with no results so went back & sat down 1t 01:45.
At 02:15, the 1 behind me started scolding again but this time it ran down the tree into the underbrush with no shot. At 03:10, I walked back to the pond but not a soul was stirring, not even a squirrel. I sat back down & a hawk flew through the woods looking for a snack, no doubt. I headed in at 04:00 with a temp of 61.
Day 3
I woke up at 04:30 this morning & couldn’t get back to sleep. When it was time to head back to the woods, I found that my git up & go had done got up & went!!!! I was walking back to the kitchen at 9:15, looked out the side door, & there was the pear-snatching, apple-nabbing fox up in a maple tree. I got the .17, snuck out onto the deck, & added a nice young male to the larder. He was probably a spring hatch.
That got me going, so I headed back at 10:30, with a temp of 61, overcast, & a slight breeze. By 11:05, the skies were starting to clear & the sun came shining through the leaves. At 11:45, a real small red showed up in front of me & got a pass. I won’t waste a shell on those little PIAs. At 11:55, I walked back to the pond & nothing was moving or talking. After about 15 minutes, I heard 1 scolding to the east a pretty good distance. I headed towards it going through a couple of patches of Multiflora Rose & a lot of fallen limbs & other detritus. I must have sounded like an elephant but the bushy kept on scolding until I got into a clearing when it shut-up. I waited about 20 minutes & headed back. I didn’t realize it but I could have circled around on the trail, exited the woods, & walked down the edge as the squirrel was near the edge of the woods. Would have been a lot easier & quieter.
I sat until 02:00 & walked back to the pond & around to the woods west of where I sit with nothing encountered. I headed in at 02:45 with the temp up to 73 & clear skies. I try another woods in the morning.
We finally gettin a cool down here. Some of the best hunts I've had on any game was in the rain. Not a pour down but I like a drizzle.