I had been hunting with my husband numerous times, but I’d always been as a spectator, not a participator. This year I wanted to learn how to shoot a gun. My husband encouraged me to go to a Hunter Safety course and get my hunting license. I completed the course on 8-9-08.
This past Saturday, November 1, HG took me out squirrel hunting. We’d gone a previous weekend, but I never used my gun as we didn’t really see any squirrels. This Saturday there were less leaves and more squirrels. With the first squirrel we saw I was so nervous I was shaking. I could spot the squirrel on the tree, but I couldn’t see it through the scope. In fact, every time I looked through the scope it was black, and I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t find the squirrel. The squirrel started to move and I told HG to go ahead and take it.
Defeated and deflated was how I felt. Maybe this isn’t for me? Maybe I wasted my time taking the class and I’m just not cut out for this? We continued walking through the woods and before I knew it, there was another squirrel. HG once again spotted it first. It took me awhile to see it. Here we go again. I look through the scope – nothing. I can’t find it. HG patiently told me to look through the scope and follow it up the tree. I have it, but I can feel myself shaking. HG asked me if I had it in the scope. “Yeah, I think I do” was the timid response I gave him. “Take the shot he said.”
I was shaking so hard I couldn’t keep the 22-Rifle still, but I took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. I saw the squirrel jump but he moved on me. HG said I hit him, but I wasn’t for sure. The squirrel had just moved farther up the tree. I took aim again and shot again. This time I knew I had him as he let out the most horrible ‘squeal’ one could imagine. The awful sound felt like it went on and on. I looked at HG and said please make it stop. Finally the squirrel fell to the ground. At first I wasn’t sure if I was happy because I got him or just happy he stopped squealing. Upon closer inspection we were able to see why he was possibly squealing so. I got him in the ‘rear’. Yes, I was aiming for the head, but give a girl a break. I just shot my first squirrel.
The second squirrel was a runner. HG once again spotted it first and he told me where it was in the tree. I took a shot. I missed. In fact, I missed several times. He kept running up the limb and I kept shooting. Finally he too fell to the ground. He didn’t squeal like the first one, but he too had been shot in the ‘rear’. I supposed maybe that initiated his running?
The third squirrel, well this one was all mine. Shorty indicated he had another squirrel in a tree. We looked and looked and couldn’t find it. Finally, there in the Y of the tree, I saw it. I told HG I saw it and he said go for it. I took one shot and it fell. I was proud of myself for getting this one all one my own. Finally I saw one on my own and it only took one shot. Did I get it in the head? Um, no.. not exactly. But, I didn’t get it in the ‘rear’. It was more of a body shot.
The fourth and last squirrel of the day for me was also one that I spotted in the tree and took with one shot on my own.
HG got three of his own. He of course would have had more, but he shared with me and allowed me to hunt.
We got a total of seven for the day. Leaving the woods at sunset, we started the drive back home to clean the squirrels. HG did the cleaning. I observed and helped out by holding the trash bag. I’m sure in the future I’ll be cleaning my own. But at this point, I’m content just to observe.
So there you have it… my first hunting experience… and I feel there will be many more to follow.
This past Saturday, November 1, HG took me out squirrel hunting. We’d gone a previous weekend, but I never used my gun as we didn’t really see any squirrels. This Saturday there were less leaves and more squirrels. With the first squirrel we saw I was so nervous I was shaking. I could spot the squirrel on the tree, but I couldn’t see it through the scope. In fact, every time I looked through the scope it was black, and I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t find the squirrel. The squirrel started to move and I told HG to go ahead and take it.
Defeated and deflated was how I felt. Maybe this isn’t for me? Maybe I wasted my time taking the class and I’m just not cut out for this? We continued walking through the woods and before I knew it, there was another squirrel. HG once again spotted it first. It took me awhile to see it. Here we go again. I look through the scope – nothing. I can’t find it. HG patiently told me to look through the scope and follow it up the tree. I have it, but I can feel myself shaking. HG asked me if I had it in the scope. “Yeah, I think I do” was the timid response I gave him. “Take the shot he said.”
I was shaking so hard I couldn’t keep the 22-Rifle still, but I took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. I saw the squirrel jump but he moved on me. HG said I hit him, but I wasn’t for sure. The squirrel had just moved farther up the tree. I took aim again and shot again. This time I knew I had him as he let out the most horrible ‘squeal’ one could imagine. The awful sound felt like it went on and on. I looked at HG and said please make it stop. Finally the squirrel fell to the ground. At first I wasn’t sure if I was happy because I got him or just happy he stopped squealing. Upon closer inspection we were able to see why he was possibly squealing so. I got him in the ‘rear’. Yes, I was aiming for the head, but give a girl a break. I just shot my first squirrel.
The second squirrel was a runner. HG once again spotted it first and he told me where it was in the tree. I took a shot. I missed. In fact, I missed several times. He kept running up the limb and I kept shooting. Finally he too fell to the ground. He didn’t squeal like the first one, but he too had been shot in the ‘rear’. I supposed maybe that initiated his running?
The third squirrel, well this one was all mine. Shorty indicated he had another squirrel in a tree. We looked and looked and couldn’t find it. Finally, there in the Y of the tree, I saw it. I told HG I saw it and he said go for it. I took one shot and it fell. I was proud of myself for getting this one all one my own. Finally I saw one on my own and it only took one shot. Did I get it in the head? Um, no.. not exactly. But, I didn’t get it in the ‘rear’. It was more of a body shot.
The fourth and last squirrel of the day for me was also one that I spotted in the tree and took with one shot on my own.
HG got three of his own. He of course would have had more, but he shared with me and allowed me to hunt.
We got a total of seven for the day. Leaving the woods at sunset, we started the drive back home to clean the squirrels. HG did the cleaning. I observed and helped out by holding the trash bag. I’m sure in the future I’ll be cleaning my own. But at this point, I’m content just to observe.
So there you have it… my first hunting experience… and I feel there will be many more to follow.
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