Squirrel Dog - Ha

[wilmsmeyer]

Took my dog for a walk yesterday afternoon. She loves the woods, stays real close and is a good girl. We jump deer often and sometimes see turkeys and she never chases them.

Her weakness is squirrels...she loves to chase them and then get under the tree a bark at them. I decided to strap my .22 pistol on for our walk and maybe get a shot at one. I traded out my CCI mini-mag's for single loaded 29 gr CB longs in my Ruger MkII. I don't shoot around her much so I wanted to keep it quiet.

Well we ran into a big fox squirrel on the ground and it took off and ran almost 100 yds on the ground before treeing with Mandy in pursuit. By the time I caught up, the squirrel was 40-50 ft up the tree on the back side of the trunk. I couldn't quite get a good shot so I moved a little bit and could see half the squirrel and took a shot....missed. Mandy was prancing all over and didn't seem bothered with the shot. The squirrel shifted again to a skinny limb up higher. I reloaded and took a quick shot and the squirrel acted funny and seemed to lose his grip...then hung upside down by one foot for about 30 seconds dripping blood on the ground by Me and Mandy...then fell. She sniffed it, grabbed it and turned to go home! (About a 300 yd walk downhill) I got her to stop once and snapped the picture below. She didn't stop until she reached the house and she put it down and waited for me.

We dressed it and I put it in the freezer. Ended up I hit the big fox squirrel right behind the shoulder with that weak load...didn't exit...lunged it good.

Was a good time. Maybe I will see if she catches on to this sport





Here's what she looked like almost 2 years ago....

[tar12]

Wilms I have seen all kinds of dogs turn into squirrel dogs over the years by simply exposing them to game. I expect this will not be her last after a taste of blood!

[davewolf]

Great recount of what happened. Yep, that's a squirrel dog in the making!
Have a great day!
Dave

[dans]

Now that is one great dog.

[wilmsmeyer]

Yes she is. Wish I had more time and space to work with her a little more.

[petev]

I suppose having a surprise talent show itself goes with owning a mixed breed. Congradulations. Also, it's news to me that there are fox squirrels out your way. Wish we had them here (Binghamton).

[wilmsmeyer]

Petev,

I am no squirrel expert. We have always called these big squirrels "fox" squirrels. They are found in small areas and seem to be abundant in them. I would describe them as 1 1/2 times as big as a grey. Mostly grey hair on the back and sides with maybe 10-20% reddish hairs mixed in. When you turn them over, the entire belly and inside of legs are 100% red/orange.

I know of 2-3 spots where I can always see them and their terrain is so diverse from hardwoods to a swamp so I do not know why they concentrate in some areas while you never see them in others.

We also have greys, reds, blacks (which may be a grey with a genetic characteristic that makes them black??) Also have flying squirrels here and there.

[davewolf]

Interesting stuff!
Here we just started seeing Fox squirrels. The claim is that they moved spread their range from the Western portions of the state.
We also have gray, flying squirrels, and blacks. Blacks seem confined to the northern sectors of the state.
Fox squirrels here are still not abundant and seem to vacate an area if one is removed or the area gets a lot of hunting activity.
Have a great day!
Dave

[davewolf]

(c) Dave wolf

Here's what our Fox Squirrels look like!
Have a great day!
Dave

[wilmsmeyer]

Yes! That's what the ones here look like

[ozark]

We have both types here. The greys make up about 90 percent. Fox quirrell likes more open woods, greys doesn't seem to mind if it is like a jungle. When cooked the bones of the fox has a redish tint. Taste the same .
The best squirrel dog ai ever owned or hunted was a cross between a German Shepherd and a Black and Tan Coon hound. You could buy a good squirell dog for fifty buciks theb and this oee brought $500.00.