Squirrely Sunday Surprise
As I have said so many times before, sometimes the most
memorable moments happen on a spur of the moment trip or when you least expect
it and it rang true once again. As I was leaving for the weekend from work
someone asked me “you gonna kill anything this weekend?” Most people I work
with are intrigued with my lifestyle and some just don’t understand it but most
know that I hunt. Clearly they don’t use the proper language all the time and
for others in earshot it sounds horrendous, but I knew what they meant (and so
did most everybody else). I said no I was headed to my hometown to spend some
time with my family and attend a few events with them. No hunting on this trip.
I love going back home because of all the memories and it is
always a sort of get away from the chaos at work and where I live now. Most of
the weekend was uneventful but refreshing, just spending quality time with the
family, and letting my dachshund Muzzy play with other dogs and run free. A
huge portion of my time was spent painting
garden stones and lawn and yard art
for my mom. I love helping her out and the ‘paint-by-numbers’ is easy enough
for this artsy-challenged girl to just be crafty! Sitting and catching up while
painting outside was so calming and relaxing. Some birds were chirping, the
hummingbirds wings were buzzing as they sipped the red nectar from the feeder,
the blue jays were squawking and eating the peanuts put out for them, and the
squirrels were chattering.
Yes the destructive squirrels had been making their presence
known in the garden, mulch areas of the trees, wood piles, and all throughout
the property. My parents have been battling these pests for quite some time too
and were getting frustrated. Most counties in Texas do not have a closed season
or bag limit for squirrel and this county was one of them. It was open season
all year long and game on! We had spotted a few near the fence line of the
property but safe shots were not possible with their current locations. So
patience was important…
My trip was nearing the end and I was packing up to head
back home. I had one last garden stone to paint that I was working on outside
enjoying my last few refreshing moments. My mom had been walking around the
property looking for squirrels when I heard her yell for me! The pellet gun
hadn’t been sighted in so I grabbed a .22 and headed toward her. The plan in my
mind was to shoot the squirrel and knock it down so my dachshund Muzzy could
get him. He is still young and although he has taken a fox and tracked a few
deer, I wanted him to experience the fight of a squirrel. Dog training at its
finest!
As I creeped up I could see the big squirrel flattened out
on a limb high above me. Muzzy hadn’t seen her yet because she wasn’t moving and
was pretty high up, but I wanted to get her down for him to have. Unfortunately,
my killer instinct took over and I saw myself putting the crosshairs near the
heart. I was afraid of trying for a wounding shot and either missing or not
having her fall out of the tree. I always try for the best shot possible to
prevent wounding any animal so I knew I was doing the right thing and it
actually made me happy that my first and natural choice was for the proper
shot.
As I pulled the trigger the squirrel fell to the ground. It
was over for her except for when Muzzy came in to make sure she was expired. He
was so excited and was getting the taste and scent of squirrel that I knew
would only benefit him later for another squirrel hunt. Although I would have
loved to have seen him take on the squirrel this was just as good at educating
him. He sniffed all around her, tasted a little blood, and even got aggressive
when I wanted to take her away from him. Good Puppy!! Haha
So although my squirrely surprise Sunday was unplanned it
was definitely a great time. I was able to help my parents eliminate a pest,
educate my dog on another animal to hunt, and satisfy my hunting needs for the
weekend! A success in my book every time!!
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