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Squirrel Doggin' 2016

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
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Ohio
Thank you for the thread again this year Jamie. Been outstanding to read along with you and the pooches. Congratulations on becoming a grandfather.
 

Gordo

Senior Member
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Athens County
Congrats Gramps!

And congrats on a hell of a squirrel season! Awesome. Been great to follow and I'm looking forward to getting in on the action and meeting the dogs.




 

Jamie

Senior Member
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Ohio
Isn't it curious how the things we encounter, the people we meet, the circumstances we find ourselves in, or create for ourselves alter the direction of our lives? Goals change over time, but setting them and striving to achieve them is always what propels all of us forward in our own directions.

I've said before that if I had discovered how much I like handling dogs 30 years ago, I may have never stuck with the bow and arrow. It isn't easy to admit that since classical archery hunting has consumed nearly all of the leisure time of my adult life, and a goodly portion of my adolescent life as well. what once drove me to master the bow and arrow, to hunt deer 300+ hours a season and make my own equipment, etc. now drives me to spend time in the field with dogs. Drives me to understand the intricacies of their complex behaviors, the nuances of their individual personalities, and how to function with them beyond just holding the lead and barking out commands. Who knew?

I freely admit that I just got lucky with Lefty. I got in his way more than I helped him, but to his credit, he learned to do what he does in spite of my incompetence. Perhaps things would be different if he had not become the tree dog and loyal companion that he is. Having one dog that hunts is great. Having two must be twice as great, right? LOL... Well, actually, yes, I tend to think so now. :)

For this season, there was not a shred of doubt left in me about Lefty and how he will perform in the squirrel woods. After last season, I was a true believer. So, this season I was able to focus on what needed to be done to get Slick started. What that really amounted to was turning him loose and staying out of the way. That sounds simple enough, and it is, but it is far from easy to actually do. I caught myself "helping" too much more than once, but in the end, I pretty well stayed out of the way and let him find his way around the squirrel woods on his own. Of all the things Lefty has taught me, that is the thing that appears to me to be the most important. I did not trust Lefty when he was a pup, nor did I really believe that he would do what he is supposed to do. That was my problem, born of inexperience, not Lefty's. He showed me the way eventually. Going in to Slicks first season I truly believed that Slick would put it together, and I trusted him. Suffice it to say that my improved attitude was much easier on both of us, and his warp speed progression from bumbling cute puppy to a shrewd squirrel finder is irrefutable evidence. Although we did not kill quite as many squirrels as last year, we did ok. Piling up rats was the focus last season, and we did that. That was not the focus of this season, but we accomplished more than I expected. Sometimes less really is more.

A prophetic vision of the future from 11/17/16.

I have a feeling that dog is going to get a lot of squirrel tail treats!

indeed, he will.

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continued...
 

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Boarhead

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Thanks for letting us follow along again this yr Jamie!
Sure was fun to see how Slick progressed as the season went along.Looking forward to next season.
Congrats Gramps,you will enjoy being a grandfather their is nothing better.
 

dirtysouth36

Junior Member
What a great season jamie! Ive gotten very lucky with my beagles much like you did with lefty. I thought I was training Turbo. But we were learning our crazy sport together. I think he trained me. I started out much like you, i was a diehard bowhunter for years. Ever since i was old enough to sit in a treestand. Now deer season doesnt even excite me much. I cant wait for rabbit season now. I drive down the road and pass by property and think to myself, i bet we could run a rabbit outta there. Just to hear the dogs work drives me. Well again great season and thanks for sharing!!!
 

Jamie

Senior Member
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177
Ohio
I recall a warm spell this time of year last year, so I dug this up for fun. this is from February 21, 2016, and it was 70 degrees that day.

thanks for the kind words, all. I wish I had realized 20 years ago how much I enjoy handling a hunting dog. oh, well, there is still time to make up for lost time, I guess. I'm on the hunt for another pup from Mountain Cur stock with the same lineage as Lefty and his kin.

this time of year squirrels just don't move about too much. there is no food on the ground to speak of, nothing up in the trees yet, the breeding cycle was over weeks ago. Sows are holed up birthing and nursing their litters. everybody living on their caches of food now until stuff starts growing again in a few weeks, coming out mostly to sun themselves and probably to end their own boredom. too nice of a day to not be outside yesterday, and I was just too damn tired and sore from work to start collecting treestands. took the dog for a walk instead. I've seen several fox squirrels while driving since Thursday, so I figured some might be moving with the warm temps. it got awfully windy, but the sun felt nice. dog only settled on two trees in three hours, but stretched his legs like he meant business. of the two trees he made, one was an obvious den, the first tree had a squirrel in it, and it's the only one we saw in the woods yesterday. was nice to be outside in a t-shirt, if only for a couple of hours.

he saw this one. first squirrel he's treed since Jan. 31. darn near had to put a lead on him to remove him from his tree.
View attachment 42093View attachment 42094View attachment 42095View attachment 42096

since the season ended, I've been busy taking care of business and such, but found some time to get out with the dogs again. pretty warm, but a nice day to be out. Lefty found four, Slick found three, and a few dens for both, too. not a bad showing for a morning hunt .

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makes me glad I'm not a squirrel. mischeif.gif
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,690
177
Ohio
one last hero shot before I start handing out squirrel tail treats. another fruitful season of squirrel doggin' gone by much too fast.


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Jamie

Senior Member
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Ohio
rotflmao you took the time to count them? at one point there were 111. somebody left the shop door open and a few mysteriously went missing...
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,690
177
Ohio
thanks, Tom, et al. Tom, if you are ever back in these parts during the season(like at Christmas or something), we should hook up for a squirrel hunt.