I planned that since the rental's check-in was not until 3pm on Wednesday I would head directly to the place after work. So Tuesday after work, I packed up my car with the food, clothing, and hunting gear. After getting about half way through my shift Wednesday morning, I was informed that my sub was there. Apparently, when asking off, I had included Wednesday. Oh well, I drove home and spent a couple of hours there before taking off for VT.
I arrived first at the cabin. Rick and dad arrived an hour or so later. While unpacking their gear, dad realized he had forgotten his insulin, and Rick had forgotten the key for the lock on his shotgun. Dad said he would drive home the next day to get his insulin, and Rick would go to a hardware store for a bolt cutter. Dinner was hot dogs and beans followed by an evening around the campfire.
Thursday morning we geared up for our first ever hunting excursion. Dad had his 22 rifle, Rick was going to use his 22 handgun, and I had my shotgun. We head out into the 100's of wooded acres for a 3 hour hike discovering there were no nut bearing trees of any kind to be seen hence no squirrels to be harvested.
After arriving back at the cabin, Rick did some internet research and found a nearby wildlife management area. Rick and I scouted this area while dad drove home to get his insulin. The area held promise with oak trees and clear signs of squirrel activity. The afternoon was spent shooting at targets. We ate dinner at Sarducci's in Montpelier but not before stopping at a hardware store for Rick's needed bolt cutter.
Thursday morning we loaded up the car for our trip to the scouted WMA. Once we arrived and started unloading, I realized I had brought the wrong keys from the cabin for both my shotgun and 22 rifle. So we had three hunters and only Rick's shotgun and dad's 22 rifle. We made due as I wasn't driving back.
Rick found the first squirrel up an oak tree raining acorns down to the ground. While waiting for him to get the shot, dad and I ventured ahead and had a big grey squirrel run so fast by us that there was no time for dad to get his rifle sighted on him before he was up a tree and out of sight. Rick did get his squirrel and then gave me on opportunity to use his shotgun.
After some walking and listening, we heard raining acorns. I was able pinpoint the tree and got a squirrel as well. It was now dad's turn with the shotgun and Rick carried dad's 22. We split up to listen for squirrel activity. After some time, dad joined me, and we heard Rick shoot. Dad gave me the shotgun, and I went to check on Rick. He said he had three squirrels run by him and missed the one he tried shooting. I gave him the shotgun so he could stalk them awhile and took the 22 back to dad. When I got back to dad, he said he had just seen a squirrel and sure enough after a couple of minutes there was a red one. By the time I got him sighted, he disappeared. It was getting to be around noon, so we headed back to the cabin.
Rick and I watched a video on skinning and gutting a squirrel. He had no interest in doing it. So I did them both and did a fairly good job if I don't say so myself. When dad had gone home the day before to get his insulin, mom had said she would like to visit the cabin, so it was decided that Alan, Rachelle, and her would visit Friday evening for pizza which they did. Dad returned home with them leaving just Rick and I that last night sitting around the campfire.
All in all, it was a fun several days with mistakes made, lessons learned, and future trips anticipated.
No comments:
Post a Comment