Dont tell the Kids!

[Zetter]

Due to a few financial issues I have had to thin down the old air rifle collection so when a opportunity came up to do some squizzer / rabbit bashing I decided to take my FX verminator out for one last spin before putting it up for sale.

 

I went with one of my friends to his permission and we parked in one of the high towers overlooking some feeders to wait for the squizzers to take advantage of the free food on offer. After a couple of hours nothing was showing and also my mate was chatting away off and on which could have been the reason nothing was interested .

 

However on a feeder about 80 yards further on I could see some activity of the grey kind so told my mate that I would wander down and park there for an hour or so to see if anything came back. After making my way down I put myself about 15 yards from the feeder against a nice tree with all my camo on and proceeded to wait and let things quiet down a bit

 

Nothing much happened for half an hour apart from one Jay dropping in but I think he saw the rifle and ******** off again. Although I am not sure if he had stayed I would have had a pop as they are really striking birds and I don't see many of them on this particular permission.

Things stayed quiet for a bit and then there was a flash of grey as a squirrel made its way cautiously to the feeder. I let him get comfortable and slowly lined up the Vermy on his head, an FX pellet was loosed off and he keeled over kicking a little with nerves before lying still.

 

I was happy to have kicked off with a clean hit so I left him where he was an settled back against the tree. There was a clatter of wings above and I thought that I may be in luck with a woody, what I thought was one swooped in waddling towards the feeder but on looking through the scope it was missing the white bands on its neck so I think it was a stock dove. My finger came off the trigger and it clocked something about the tree I was leaning against wasn't right so it took off into the blue sky.

A few crows called close by promising the possibility of one landing to feed on the recently deceased squirrel but I think my shooting buddy too a shot at something back at the high tower so they nosily few off south.

 

While I was cursing the timing out of the corner of my eye I saw another flash of grey at the edge of the feeder. Lo and behold another squizzer, this one came in cautiously its eyes fixed on it dead mate. It seemed intent on why its mate wasn't moving and stayed nice and still eyes fixated on the spot where its mate expired, taking the opportunity I send another round down range and was rewarded with another clean headshot. This one twitched a bit more and concerned it may not be dead I broke cover and got over to finish it if required. It was however again just nerves and the first shot had finished it.

 

So I gathered up my two kills and wandered back up to see how my mate had fared on the high tower. He had had a couple of shots but missed both unfortunately however he was happy that I had seen some success.

I checked out my two and they were in good condition one was male the other a female which could explain why the second was so interested in the first not moving as they were probably a mated pair. Time was marching on at this point so we packed up for the day and headed home.

 

Now comes the kicker and the reason for the title. When I got home the family asked how I got on so I told them about the pair of squirrels and how I felt a little bad as it was probably Mr and Mrs I shot. My daughter who is 11 then said "I wonder if they had any babies" I mistakenly replied I didn't know but it was possible and left it at that.

 

Fast forward to this morning about 5am when my daughter got up and came in to talk to me and the wife. This is unusual as she is quiet a heavy sleeper so I asked her if she was ok. She replied she had been woken up by a nightmare about orphan squirrels coming to get her . Guess the furry **** got their revenge in a round about way .

 

Atb Neil

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Oh!

[fabarm gamma boy]

quite enjoyed reading that! well done on the 2 greys! kids are kids!