Three well placed shots dropped three bushytailsfrom a single tree during a mid-October hunt. Graysquirrels, which are overlooked by many hunters,are a challenging quarry that can provide action-
packed hunts, again and again. (Photo by TroyGipps)
Hunting NewsGrafton Land Trust
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January 2016
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Dear Hunter,
A Big Hunt in a Small Package
Thirty minutes had passedsince I turned and saw afat gray squirrel standingonly a few feet away onhis hind legs, with his headcocked sideways and hisbeady eyes peering deepinto my soul. A thin icecrust on the snow hadsilenced his approach. Iflinched, and he leapt to anearby tree, spiraled upthe trunk, and disappearedfrom view. The hunt wason!
It may seem simple to hita treed squirrel with amodern scoped .22 rifle,but this was no BostonCommon, peanut-eatingsquirrel. Deep woodssquirrels like thisparticular gray, escape andevade predators on a dailybasis. This fur ball wasn'tgoing to drop into the stewpot without a fight! Grayghosts can stick to a treelike bark, and have anuncanny ability to remainhidden from view, even asan anxious squirrel hunter circles the forest floor below them. After a fewminutes of scanning the limbs above with my rifle's crosshairs, it becameclear that this squirrel would test both my patience and shooting ability.
To find a treed squirrel operating in full survival mode, a hunter must notlook for the squirrel, but instead for a small part of the squirrel. Gone isthe loud chatter that often starts a spot-and-stalk squirrel hunt, and don'tplan on seeing the squirrel balled-up on a limb wrapped in his fluffy tail.Nope ... at this point in the hunt, the gray is either holed up, or glued tothe backside of a limb, with his tail outstretched against the bark as helistens intently for any movement below.
Once I had ruled out thepossibility that he had scurriedinto a hole in the tree (if thathappens you are usually in for avery long wait), it was time toslowly circle the tree in thehope that a different vantagepoint might reveal my target. Imoved to the base of the treefirst and pointed my rifle in anear vertical position. Whilecarefully stepping around thetrunk, I methodically searchedthe limbs above for anyirregularities ... I saw none. Imoved downhill slightly andtook up another steady shootingposition. Again, I searched eachlimb from trunk to tip, but sawnothing. I began to think thesquirrel had jumped to nearbytree, but I hadn't seen thetelltale limb shake that typically gives away such a leap. I decided to walkuphill about 20 yards away from the tree in search of an elevated shootingposition. Slipping behind three evergreens that provided excellentconcealment, I found a steady support for my rifle. While scanning thelimbs with my crosshairs, searching for anything that looked out of place,a different texture caught my eye. It was gray like the leafless limbs, butwithout a defined edge. Yes, fur ... tail fur! There he was, lying flatagainst the backside of one of the highest limbs on the tree; a limb nowider than his body. Only a small tuft of tail fur, his right ear, and about aquarter of an inch of the top of his head were visible. It was a verychallenging shot, but after a thirty-minute stalk, I finally had my chance. Ipulled the rifle into my shoulder, settled the crosshairs at the base of hisear, exhaled, and squeezed ... BANG! The tiny bullet rocketed skyward andhit its mark. A perfect head shot. The gray dropped like a stone to thesnow covered ground below. I had harvested my final squirrel of the seasonand had clearly proven that big hunts often come in small packages.
See you in the field.
Troy GippsVice President & Hunting Program CoordinatorGrafton Land [email protected]
Photos by Troy Gipps
PHOTO ESSAY: Early Season Duck Hunting
Photos by Troy Gipps
"Hunting & Fishing Bibles" stand the test of time
If you would like to expandyour hunting and fishingknowledge this winter, andenjoy some excellent readingin the process, hop on eBayor AbeBooks and search for"Hunting Bible."
Published in the 1960s byDoubleday & Company,Garden City, New York, thebibles are packed withtactics, techniques, and fishand game information thatwill transport you back to anearlier time. The books willenhance your appreciation ofour long-standing sportingtraditions, and improve yourchances for future success.They also make excellentgifts if you are introducing ayoung person to hunting andfishing. Reaching back tothese bibles, will introduce them to the early roots of hunting and fishingfrom which their experiences afield will grow.
Books in the series cover a wide range of hunting topics, including duck,varmint and crow, upland game, and deer hunting. I particularly enjoy the"Freelancing for Ducks" chapter in the Duck Hunter's Bible. Fishing biblescover general fresh-water and salt-water fishing, and more specifically,bass and trout fishing. The Camper's Bible and Outdoor Cook's Bible arealso favorites that will help you bring a retro feel to your next outing. Bestof all, individual volumes, and even multi-volume sets, can often bepurchased for under ten or twenty dollars.
The full series of "Hunting & Fishing Bibles" makes an excellent addition toany sportsman's library. (Photos by Troy Gipps)
Photo of the month
GLT hunting permit holder Dean Cerrati poses with wood ducks that heand GLT Hunting Program Coordinator Troy Gipps harvested while
jumpshooting at a local river. Jumpshooting woodies from a canoe isincredibly challenging, but the pay off can be great if you shoot straight!
(Photo by Troy Gipps)
What's in season this month?
Cottontail Rabbit ... Jan. 1 - Feb. 29 Snowshoe Hare ... Jan. 1 - Feb. 5Coyote ... Jan. 1 - Mar. 8Fox (red or gray) ... Jan. 1 - Feb. 29 Bobcat (Zones 1-8 only) ... Jan. 1 - Mar. 8Raccoon ... Jan. 1 - Jan. 30Opossum ... Jan. 1 - Jan. 30Late Canada Goose (Central Zone) ... Jan. 16 - Feb. 6Snapping Turtle ... Jan. 1 - Apr. 31
Open Season (year-round, except during shotgun season for deer; no dailyor seasonal bag limit): English sparrow, flying squirrel, red squirrel,chipmunk, porcupine, skunk, starling, weasel, and woodchuck.
The Grafton Land Trust is a private, non-profit, member-supported
organization that preserves, maintains, and advocates for open space in
Grafton, and promotes environmental education and stewardship.
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