A few days ago I saw one sitting on a stump in my back yard, so I picked up a .410 which was handy and shot it right out of the window. Of course the dogs knew I had shot something, so I turned Chigger out. The digger hadn’t dropped right where I shot it, but crawled off down toward the creek. Chigger found where it had been and trailed it up. He didn’t have to go far, but he found the squirrel and ragged it around. Then I set a cage trap where I had seen the squirrel going under my house.
That evening Chigger was laying where he could look out the window, and he started whining and growling. I looked out, and the trap had been sprung. I turned him out, and when he found the squirrel in the cage he went nuts! Thought he was going to tear my trap apart, rolling it all over the yard. I finally pulled him back and shot the digger with a .22, then dumped it out. Chigger practically tore it apart. I was able to get it away from him and hung it up on a clothes pole. Chigger was trying to tear the pole down, but I kept fooling with him and he started barking treed. He was eventually able to get the squirrel down, and by the time I was able to get it away from him again there wasn’t much left of it.
That was several days ago, and the weather has turned cool and nasty since then. I haven’t seen another squirrel - until this morning. Chigger was laying near the window again while I was sitting here at the computer. He started making quite a fuss, so I went to see what was going on. The trap had been sprung again! I picked up the .22, and a camera this time, and turned Chigger out. He went around the side of the house in attack mode, and had hold of the cage before I could get to him. I was trying to get it away from him before he cut his mouth up, and wasn’t entirely successful. HE’S STRONG!
I finally pulled him back long enough to shoot the squirrel and dump it out on the ground. I let Chigger rag it around some, then had a time getting it away from him. I hung it up on the clothes pole as I had done with the other one, and Chigger started treeing hard right away. I petted and praised him, and he treed even harder. He was able to get the squirrel down off the pole, and by the time I got it away from him again there wasn’t much left. Now I see a problem. If I want to shoot a gray squirrel to eat, I’m going to have to tie Chigger back first, or there won’t be much left for me. And now I have to do some repair work on my trap before I can set it again.
5 comments:
Good post! Kind of looks like you have a definite squirrel getter there. Doesn't sound like he is much into sharing with you.
Sure is a pretty dog, Bob. Lots of personality too, eh? I have a lab that is starting to think he's a squirrel dog. Oh, well. I like like eating greys too.
Chigger has a heavy dose of hunting Airedale on both sides; I just have to channel it in the right direction. That lab may be a better prospect for a squirrel dog Casey. Soft mouth. LOL. Right now anything is fair game to Chigger, and he wants to annihilate anything he catches. And you're right Mel. He doesn't want to share much.
Good post. I found your blog through OBN. I am hitting the "follow" button right now.
The Average Joe Fisherman
http://averagejoefisherman.blogspot.com/
Welcome Ryan and Mel, and anyone else that I'm missing. I haven't checked in here in a few days, and I may have missed some new followers. I do appreciate those who follow my wanderings around in the mountains.
Post a Comment