A couple of hours in the woods

[Accuspell]

The squirrels are still not using the feeder, they will when these temperatures drop and the forest food has dwindled. At the moment they are fixated on the oaks and some are on the sweet chestnuts, so instead of sitting watching the feeder I am still hunting further away from it. The squirrels that live in and around the feeder I shall leave alone for now, I need them to set the scent trails to the feeder for the new intake that will move in to the vacuum I create once they start using it. I have a couple more to put up, but I am waiting to find suitable spots, not so much for the feeder, that can be almst anywhere, it is where I can create a suitable, easy to get to, shooting position that dictates my feeder positions. I don't want to have to go past the feeder to get to my hide.

The sunny afternoons has seen the squirrels very active and therefor easy to spot. If you are quiet and patient you can find an active squirrel and get it. I find my ears are as useful as my eyes. When there is little wind you can hear their claws on the bark, the sound of them dropping tree fruit, acorns, chestnuts, even pine nut kernels, or the sound of branches thrashing. When a grey squirrel moves along a fruit carrying branch they invariably bend it and the sound is quite distinctive, that will give a direction, your eyes will pick up any movement to hone in on.

I just stand tucked in tight to a tree, in the shadow, pay attention to the direction the light is coming from and try to stay out of the bright patches at ground level and watch where you are putting your feet, place your feet between sticks, don't crack them and avoid brushing low hanging branches - you spot the little squirrels by the movement and sound of them moving branches, don't let them find you through the same means! Then it is just a case of waiting for a shot to present. Between 15.30 and 17.30 I shot 10 in my wood, nearly all on the acorns. A couple were on the ground, but following up the acorns they had dropped. I managed to collect 7 of them, I didn't have the dog with me but even so I think the brambles where they fell were so thick I gave up trying to get through and I doubt Tigs would have either.

 

I could have stayed until dimpsy, but I had a new rabbit permission to go and show my face at. A large house with a fancy garden. I got there for 18.30 and sat in the summer house overlooking the hedge the rabbits had been emerging from and shot 3. It was too dark to shoot by 19.30 but I could still see to watch and there were no more showing at all so I left quietly and will go back again, they also have squirrels. All in all, a decent afternoon.

[Eddie B]

37 minutes ago, Accuspell said:

The squirrels are still not using the feeder, they will when these temperatures drop and the forest food has dwindled. At the moment they are fixated on the oaks and some are on the sweet chestnuts, so instead of sitting watching the feeder I am still hunting further away from it. The squirrels that live in and around the feeder I shall leave alone for now, I need them to set the scent trails to the feeder for the new intake that will move in to the vacuum I create once they start using it. I have a couple more to put up, but I am waiting to find suitable spots, not so much for the feeder, that can be almst anywhere, it is where I can create a suitable, easy to get to, shooting position that dictates my feeder positions. I don't want to have to go past the feeder to get to my hide.

The sunny afternoons has seen the squirrels very active and therefor easy to spot. If you are quiet and patient you can find an active squirrel and get it. I find my ears are as useful as my eyes. When there is little wind you can hear their claws on the bark, the sound of them dropping tree fruit, acorns, chestnuts, even pine nut kernels, or the sound of branches thrashing. When a grey squirrel moves along a fruit carrying branch they invariably bend it and the sound is quite distinctive, that will give a direction, your eyes will pick up any movement to hone in on.

I just stand tucked in tight to a tree, in the shadow, pay attention to the direction the light is coming from and try to stay out of the bright patches at ground level and watch where you are putting your feet, place your feet between sticks, don't crack them and avoid brushing low hanging branches - you spot the little squirrels by the movement and sound of them moving branches, don't let them find you through the same means! Then it is just a case of waiting for a shot to present. Between 15.30 and 17.30 I shot 10 in my wood, nearly all on the acorns. A couple were on the ground, but following up the acorns they had dropped. I managed to collect 7 of them, I didn't have the dog with me but even so I think the brambles where they fell were so thick I gave up trying to get through and I doubt Tigs would have either.

 

I could have stayed until dimpsy, but I had a new rabbit permission to go and show my face at. A large house with a fancy garden. I got there for 18.30 and sat in the summer house overlooking the hedge the rabbits had been emerging from and shot 3. It was too dark to shoot by 19.30 but I could still see to watch and there were no more showing at all so I left quietly and will go back again, they also have squirrels. All in all, a decent afternoon.

Enjoyed the read. Must be some amount of squirrels in your area

[Accuspell]

Unfortunately you are correct - and to think that this was one of the most important nucleus red squirrel populations in the country. It was from around here that the squirrels to form the Brownsea Island reserve were provided, likewise the Isle of Wight and augmentation of the Cardinham Woods. 25 sq miles of Cannock Chase has been lost to red squirrels since the last sighting in 1988 - what a crime, nature vandalism even, by not protecting such an important, central population.

[Mice!]

Great write up as always @Accuspell doesn't matter how often I try and do an afternoon shoot,  it's rare I get more than a couple.

[old man]

On 11/10/2023 at 15:22, Accuspell said:

Unfortunately you are correct - and to think that this was one of the most important nucleus red squirrel populations in the country. It was from around here that the squirrels to form the Brownsea Island reserve were provided, likewise the Isle of Wight and augmentation of the Cardinham Woods. 25 sq miles of Cannock Chase has been lost to red squirrels since the last sighting in 1988 - what a crime, nature vandalism even, by not protecting such an important, central population.

 I suspect they thought it was far more trouble than doing nothing?

Presently all about revenue generation from car parking for mountain bikers?

Quite dangerous to walk in certain areas as some are reckless, trade for the air ambulance?