Thee Hunt
My son was wanting to go squirrel hunting for a good while now. So yesterday was the day.
I had gone scouting on Saturday to Greene-Sullivan State Forest and it wasn't good. There was just too much brush in an area that had been coal mines back in the 1930s. Then I had doubts of where I was allowed to do the hunting. Finally I found a forest ranger station with maps and rules. Turns out I could only hunt in a small area near Dugger. Dugger is a munitions testing area. There were large signs that said a siren would sound when an explosion was about to occur.
Finally I just said I needed some target practice and went down by a deserted lake to test my Ruger 10-22 rifle. Wow it's been 20 or 30 years since I fired a gun. At first, to my dismay, I wasn't even sure how to load the clip but soon figured it. Then I realized I shook a bit more than those many years ago. So while I had a scope I wasn't sure if it was accurate or not and only fired about 20 rounds but didn't adjust the scope.
The experience made me think I need to find another place to hunt. Just by the process of elimination I thought Owen-Putman State Forest was the place.
On Monday I crawled out of bed at 3:38 a.m., take a shower and head to my son's place to pick him up. He grabs his 10-22 and we're off. When we get to Cloverdale, about 30 miles from our hunting destination, we make what turns out to be a mistake, we stop at McDonald's. Then we're off. When we get to Owen-Putnam we stop at the ranger’s office. No maps and the forest is scattered out with private property mixed in. We finally find a camp ground and park there. Now I know you can't hunt within 500 feet of the camp ground. So at least I'm aware of that.
We head down a horse trail and after a few minutes we hear what I think is a squirrel barking and also hear cuttings drop from what I think is a beechnut tree. It's still darkish outside. So we clumsily stalk the squirrel but we can't see a thing because there's a canopy about 5 feet above our heads and the tree is probably 100 feet tall or more with, it's a forest, many many trees obscuring that one. We give up and head further down the trail.
Then we come to an old grave yard, circa 1800s. We find start looking at the tombstones admiring the dates and noting the length of the lives. The lives were not long! Then my son takes off running, slapping, jumping, twisting and turning all the while.
What's wrong with that boy! Bees, bees! Well I don't see any bees and I sure didn't want to follow but I do. I catch up to him about 100 yards down the trail. He's still slapping, then I see them. He has one on his pants and knocks it off with the butt of the gun. I think they were Mud Dobbers, I'm not sure. We get him squared away and take assessment. He's been stung about 4 times. Amazing he was only about 5 feet behind me when they attacked and fortunately I never was stung. I did spray myself with Deep Woods Off prior to heading out though. I ask him if he's allergic and he said no. I have a daughter who is. I keep an eye on him. We look at the stings. They got him good, welts with holes in the middle. One sting on his stomach had actually caused swelling in about a 3 inch diameter, another was at his belt line, then his lower belly and finally under his sock. I wanted to make sure he was okay. He said he was I kept an eye on him. He was breathing fine.
We head back to the Escape but on the way McDonald's takes its toll. I won't go into detail on that but it was close and the woods a little dirtier.
For the record it was hot, too hot to squirrel hunt. The day turned out to be a year high record of 95 with full humidity. We pass the ranger station again and it's open. So now we have maps. Then decide to go into town for water and toilette paper and soap!
When we get back we follow the map to the largest section of woods. Now I knew Indiana had some out back places and yet I had no idea it could be this remote. We followed the road deeper and deeper, away from civilization. We find a parking area and start tramping through the woods. It was uphill and did I mention it was hot and humid. We keep climbing and come to a pine tree stand. In Indiana squirrels don't eat pine cones like they do out west so I hear. We're looking for Fox and Gray Squirrel. Finally we pass the Pines and now we are going downhill. I'm thinking, being really tired, hot, and sore, I have to go up that hill coming back. We come over a ridge and see two deer. That at this point makes 3 deer seen and no squirrels. Finally I come to the conclusion we aren't going to see any squirrels to day. So I settle on shooting at a small tree to see where my scope is at. It consistently hits below a mark on the tree so it's low but I'm still shaky. When I check the tree the bullets had passed right through it and splintered the other side. Must be rotten. When I touch the tree it falls towards me and I push it away, where it breaks at the base. Uh! Didn't expect that.
We decide we're done here and Sunny wants to go target shooting so we head to Dugger. We get there at the range and well someone had sawed the tables down. So no brace to practice and sight the scope. I take a prone position and we test the scope again. I'm still shaky but the gun is consistently low. I make an adjustment and give it to my son. He nails the little red target 2 out of 3 times. Must be close.
Then we decide to shoot at Coke Cans. Now this turns fun. At first we see who can knock their can off first. I give my son the gun with the scope and take his open sighted 10-22. That becomes exciting with my son winning most of the time. Now we decide to add a 3rd can. If you knock your can off you must now knock the center can off to win. It turns into a riot! At one point we run out of ammo and reload in a panic then run out of ammo again. I thought I got this youngin' now. But he nails the can on the first shot of the reload. The amazing thing is that center can had about 10 holes in it and never fell. I scream, Noooooooooooooooooo, in despair but only to give my son an emotional victory.
When I got home I crashed and now at 1 a.m. I'm awake. But wow what a great day.
I had gone scouting on Saturday to Greene-Sullivan State Forest and it wasn't good. There was just too much brush in an area that had been coal mines back in the 1930s. Then I had doubts of where I was allowed to do the hunting. Finally I found a forest ranger station with maps and rules. Turns out I could only hunt in a small area near Dugger. Dugger is a munitions testing area. There were large signs that said a siren would sound when an explosion was about to occur.
Finally I just said I needed some target practice and went down by a deserted lake to test my Ruger 10-22 rifle. Wow it's been 20 or 30 years since I fired a gun. At first, to my dismay, I wasn't even sure how to load the clip but soon figured it. Then I realized I shook a bit more than those many years ago. So while I had a scope I wasn't sure if it was accurate or not and only fired about 20 rounds but didn't adjust the scope.
The experience made me think I need to find another place to hunt. Just by the process of elimination I thought Owen-Putman State Forest was the place.
On Monday I crawled out of bed at 3:38 a.m., take a shower and head to my son's place to pick him up. He grabs his 10-22 and we're off. When we get to Cloverdale, about 30 miles from our hunting destination, we make what turns out to be a mistake, we stop at McDonald's. Then we're off. When we get to Owen-Putnam we stop at the ranger’s office. No maps and the forest is scattered out with private property mixed in. We finally find a camp ground and park there. Now I know you can't hunt within 500 feet of the camp ground. So at least I'm aware of that.
We head down a horse trail and after a few minutes we hear what I think is a squirrel barking and also hear cuttings drop from what I think is a beechnut tree. It's still darkish outside. So we clumsily stalk the squirrel but we can't see a thing because there's a canopy about 5 feet above our heads and the tree is probably 100 feet tall or more with, it's a forest, many many trees obscuring that one. We give up and head further down the trail.
Then we come to an old grave yard, circa 1800s. We find start looking at the tombstones admiring the dates and noting the length of the lives. The lives were not long! Then my son takes off running, slapping, jumping, twisting and turning all the while.
What's wrong with that boy! Bees, bees! Well I don't see any bees and I sure didn't want to follow but I do. I catch up to him about 100 yards down the trail. He's still slapping, then I see them. He has one on his pants and knocks it off with the butt of the gun. I think they were Mud Dobbers, I'm not sure. We get him squared away and take assessment. He's been stung about 4 times. Amazing he was only about 5 feet behind me when they attacked and fortunately I never was stung. I did spray myself with Deep Woods Off prior to heading out though. I ask him if he's allergic and he said no. I have a daughter who is. I keep an eye on him. We look at the stings. They got him good, welts with holes in the middle. One sting on his stomach had actually caused swelling in about a 3 inch diameter, another was at his belt line, then his lower belly and finally under his sock. I wanted to make sure he was okay. He said he was I kept an eye on him. He was breathing fine.
We head back to the Escape but on the way McDonald's takes its toll. I won't go into detail on that but it was close and the woods a little dirtier.
For the record it was hot, too hot to squirrel hunt. The day turned out to be a year high record of 95 with full humidity. We pass the ranger station again and it's open. So now we have maps. Then decide to go into town for water and toilette paper and soap!
When we get back we follow the map to the largest section of woods. Now I knew Indiana had some out back places and yet I had no idea it could be this remote. We followed the road deeper and deeper, away from civilization. We find a parking area and start tramping through the woods. It was uphill and did I mention it was hot and humid. We keep climbing and come to a pine tree stand. In Indiana squirrels don't eat pine cones like they do out west so I hear. We're looking for Fox and Gray Squirrel. Finally we pass the Pines and now we are going downhill. I'm thinking, being really tired, hot, and sore, I have to go up that hill coming back. We come over a ridge and see two deer. That at this point makes 3 deer seen and no squirrels. Finally I come to the conclusion we aren't going to see any squirrels to day. So I settle on shooting at a small tree to see where my scope is at. It consistently hits below a mark on the tree so it's low but I'm still shaky. When I check the tree the bullets had passed right through it and splintered the other side. Must be rotten. When I touch the tree it falls towards me and I push it away, where it breaks at the base. Uh! Didn't expect that.
We decide we're done here and Sunny wants to go target shooting so we head to Dugger. We get there at the range and well someone had sawed the tables down. So no brace to practice and sight the scope. I take a prone position and we test the scope again. I'm still shaky but the gun is consistently low. I make an adjustment and give it to my son. He nails the little red target 2 out of 3 times. Must be close.
Then we decide to shoot at Coke Cans. Now this turns fun. At first we see who can knock their can off first. I give my son the gun with the scope and take his open sighted 10-22. That becomes exciting with my son winning most of the time. Now we decide to add a 3rd can. If you knock your can off you must now knock the center can off to win. It turns into a riot! At one point we run out of ammo and reload in a panic then run out of ammo again. I thought I got this youngin' now. But he nails the can on the first shot of the reload. The amazing thing is that center can had about 10 holes in it and never fell. I scream, Noooooooooooooooooo, in despair but only to give my son an emotional victory.
When I got home I crashed and now at 1 a.m. I'm awake. But wow what a great day.
0
Replies
-
well that was exuberant.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions