1st Solo elk confessions/lessons learned

[BrentD]

I feel like a see a different species of squirrel every few months hiking around CO. I must be crazy because when I look them up online I only see a couple of species listed. One thing I have noticed for sure, the squirrel out here they are calling an Eastern Fox Squirrel, does not look anything like the fox squirrels I grew up hunting in FL. and Ga.

There are lots of color morphs of fox squirrels. That is why their formal name is Sciurus niger but all the same species, in this case. The story goes that the grey and black versions were both collected at the same time (by Linneaus I think). Believing they were two different species he described first the black one naming it S. niger end then the grey one calling it Sciurus somethingelse. Later they were discovered to be the same and since the black one precedes the more common grey morph in the literature, Sciurus niger became the proper name for all eastern fox squirrels. Or so goes the story as I heard it. They all taste GREAT!

 

[bushman13]

Very cool and mentally I had addressed the different color phases of the fox squirrel. What is throwing me off is the size. The ones out here in CO, look to be about half the size of a big black Fl fox squirrel.

There are lots of color morphs of fox squirrels. That is why their formal name is Sciurus niger but all the same species, in this case. The story goes that the grey and black versions were both collected at the same time (by Linneaus I think). Believing they were two different species he described first the black one naming it S. niger end then the grey one calling it Sciurus somethingelse. Later they were discovered to be the same and since the black one precedes the more common grey morph in the literature, Sciurus niger became the proper name for all eastern fox squirrels. Or so goes the story as I heard it. They all taste GREAT!

 

[BrentD]

Think about the size of Sitka Blacktails (mulies) and Key and Coues deer (whitetails). Species can vary a lot in size and shape over their ranges. Humans come to mind that way too.

 

[bushman13]

Very true, most of the time you can apply Bergmann's rule to mammals. But it seems the ole Fox squirrel is bucking the system. Squirrel thread hijack!

Think about the size of Sitka Blacktails (mulies) and Key and Coues deer (whitetails). Species can vary a lot in size and shape over their ranges. Humans come to mind that way too.

Very cool and mentally I had addressed the different color phases of the fox squirrel. What is throwing me off is the size. The ones out here in CO, look to be about half the size of a big black Fl fox squirrel.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

So what's the official CO squirrel slam... I feel bad for the OP taking his thread this diretion, but he started it lol

Abert's
Fox
Pine Squirrel

Nov 15 start for the Abert's... CO has some weird season dates for small game... doesn't that seem late?

 

[bushman13]

Throw in this guy as he is legal to hunt

WYOMING (RICHARDSON’S) GROUND SQUIRREL


That date for the Abert's does seem late. I'm used to seeing very early fall until winter down south. Heck, I got a brother in Arkansas who starts hunting them in June.

So what's the official CO squirrel slam... I feel bad for the OP taking his thread this diretion, but he started it lol

Abert's
Fox
Pine Squirrel

Nov 15 start for the Abert's... CO has some weird season dates for small game... doesn't that seem late?

 

[BrentD]

Throw in this guy as he is legal to hunt

WYOMING (RICHARDSON’S) GROUND SQUIRREL

Well, in that case, don't forget all the yellow bellied marmots, two species (or is it three) of prairie dogs, and a pile of chipmunks...

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Throw in this guy as he is legal to hunt

WYOMING (RICHARDSON’S) GROUND SQUIRREL


That date for the Abert's does seem late. I'm used to seeing very early fall until winter down south. Heck, I got a brother in Arkansas who starts hunting them in June.

I dk... seem like you are venturing into prairie dog territory with Richardson's.

 

[DouglasR]

So what's the official CO squirrel slam... I feel bad for the OP taking his thread this diretion, but he started it lol

Lmao I’m just glad to find out that I’m not the only weirdo walking around the woods looking for tree rats lol

Sorry for derailing your post @ElkFever2, but do you or @BrentD have any recommendations for a affordable .22/scope combo? I know I need to step up my game. Do you guys usually use a tree or something as a rest or can you pop them just standing there?

 

[BrentD]

Define affordable. I consider my .22 very affordable, but I'm weird that way.

There is rumor afoot that Shiloh may be making a .22 Sharps on day soon (by Shiloh's standards). Probably not cheap.

Are you sure you need a scope?

Guns I like are Marlin 39a (esp early 50s vintages), Winchester 1890s, Ballards, and some rolling blocks. But a 1022 Ruger from Walmart will get it done just fine, if ugly.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Define affordable. I consider my .22 very affordable, but I'm weird that way.

There is rumor afoot that Shiloh may be making a .22 Sharps on day soon (by Shiloh's standards). Probably not cheap.

Are you sure you need a scope?

Guns I like are Marlin 39a (esp early 50s vintages), Winchester 1890s, Ballards, and some rolling blocks. But a 1022 Ruger from Walmart will get it done just fine, if ugly.

I'm probably going to take either my Remington 121 or my Stevens .410... they aren't as old as the guns you like BrentD but their are 4th generation hand-me-downs

 

[Pucky Freak]

I shoot a beat up Sears .22 which barely works. Pretty much anything would be an upgrade. I lay on the ground and slouch up against a tree trunk with the gun rested between my knees for high shots. Ground shots are off hand but I'm interested in trying out the grip a branch method to stabilize

 

[BrentD]

I'm probably going to take either my Remington 121 or my Stevens .410... they aren't as old as the guns you like BrentD but their are 4th generation hand-me-downs

Heck yeah! A 121 is great. Barrel sights, tang sight, scope. Whatever it takes.

You know, on the way home I was contemplating, if I had to buy a bolt gun and couldn't quite make myself jump off abridge over it, what would I go for. Well, a friend who likes bolts (strange), got into collecting Remington 500 series rifles. Mostly made in the 50s and 60s I think. Anyway, they came in many configurations, box magazine, tube mag, singleshot, smooth bore, heavy target, etc. He had them all. But the box and tube mags were particularly common and cheap. They've gone up a bit more now as collectors have begun to skim off the super cherry ones, but almost any of them will shoot lights out.

Put an external adjustable small scope on there like a Lyman 5A or a Unertl small game scope or some of the lesser known (and cheaper) scopes like Wollensacks etc. Could be a real 1955 Chevy Bel Air of a rifle.

One big suggestion, buy high quality SUBSONIC hollow point ammo. $10-15 a box is really worth it. For your ears, for safety, and for the huge reduction in meat damage (in the event you make a bad shot and miss the head, of course ) I use Eley Subsonic Hollow points at around $12 box, depending on where I buy them and the quantity. You will never regret the best ammo. Don't cheap out there with Remingsubsonics or something like that.

 

[BrentD]

I shoot a beat up Sears .22 which barely works. Pretty much anything would be an upgrade. I lay on the ground and slouch up against a tree trunk with the gun rested between my knees for high shots. Ground shots are off hand but I'm interested in trying out the grip a branch method to stabilize

I'll use whatever I can find to rest my rifle, but I'll take an offhand shot if I have to. I make a few every year.

I have a set of shooting sticks that I made from a couple of saplings many years ago. I shoot all my big game and most of my squirrels from them. They are very handy to prop my rifle up when I'm sitting against a tree and there is some danger that I might spontaneously decide to take a nap.