2009.10.19
Gary Justus -- squirrel sniper
Donna Justus sent in this shot of her favorite hunting buddy, grandson Gary Justus.
Gary got a .22 from his grandfather last Christmas and has been diligently practicing even since. Recently he's been plinking at walnuts.
About a week ago Gary got his first squirrel -- knocking it off a limb with an impressive 40-yard shot. Don't we all wish we could shoot like that?
I got a note from a reader who said he was thrilled to see all the pictures of young hunters on the blog. He said he wondered when some of the Wild Life regulars would start showing up with their deer.
I suspect that will start happening soon. It always seems that the first couple of days of the season are pretty good, then things slow down for a few weeks. What happens is that good bucks quickly figure out that it's that time again and they make themselves scarce. That will start changing as the pre-rut gets rolling here toward the end of the month.
This chilly weather sure makes it feel like deer season has arrived, though. This morning my wife said, "It would be a cold morning to be a treestand." I said, "Yes it would, which is what you want."
I have one spot that I'm really dying to hunt. But I just hate to get in there too early and bugger it up before the bucks start moving. So I am going to do my best to leave the area alone for a couple more weeks.
I did get out for a quick hunt last Thursday evening and had some excitement when a spike came in perfectly to the white oak I was watching. It was pretty cool watching him until he winded me and bolted.
The encounter was a good lesson. My stand is in pretty much the only available tree but the prevailing wind tends to blow right to the area where the deer feed. I went all out with scent control and it still wasn't good enough. However, if the wind is blowing the other direction it blows right to their bedding area.
There is a place where I can set up a ground blind so I think it's time to don the Ghillie suit and try that. The shot would be longer than I prefer (about 25 yards) but it's really my only option. I hope to give it a try one afternoon later this week.
I've got a few more hero shots on hand and will post as soon as I can.
Good shooting little man!
http://doctorcraig.wordpress.com/
Comment by Dr. Craig — October 19, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
He looks so happy, I remember my first squirrel kill. I thought I was king of the world and the look on Gary's face reminded me of that. Congrats Gary on some great shooting!
Comment by Jason — October 19, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
Good shot Gary!Way to go!!
Comment by chris — October 19, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
Just out of curiousity, are they going to eat the squirrel? If not, why kill it?
-- Ethical hunters eat what they kill. Since it was killed more than a week before I posted the picture, I'd say they already ate it or froze it. mt
Comment by skibum — October 19, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
Awesome shot, glad to see the kids hunting, thats our future, congrats Gary
Comment by Joey — October 20, 2009 @ 10:23 am
Skibum, just out of curiosity, why didn't you have something nice to say about this youngster having a good time and enjoying himself in the outdoors? If you have to ask such a ridiculous question about eating squirrels, maybe if you are nice, young Gary will take time from his hunting and explain it all to you. Way to go Gary, keep up the good work.
Comment by CRS — October 20, 2009 @ 10:57 am
Something tells me that Skibum wears North Face undies 7 days a week and probably thinks that chicken and beef come from the meat department in the back of the supermarket. Yes Skibum, people eat squirrels as well as many other critters. It might not hurt you to check out Genesis 1:20-26 and see what the creator had to say about all this. Great shooting Gary. I remember lots of things from my first squirrel hunts and they were some wonderful times. Tasty times too.
Comment by bird_dog07 — October 20, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
My wife asked me this morning if I could make a pot of Brunswick stew for Halloween night, using her dad's famous recipe. I said, "Sure. Guess I better go squirrel hunting."
Comment by Mark Taylor — October 20, 2009 @ 2:38 pm
Good job Gary!!!!!!!
Comment by Todd Hostetter — October 20, 2009 @ 5:23 pm
Good job Gary,you look very proud and happy,way to go.
Skibum, we don't kill it unless we grill it.
AH
Comment by Alfie — October 20, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
Gary....Your my hero!
Stay with it lil buddy and can't wait to see a deer on here soon from you.
Comment by J.R. — October 20, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
Perhaps my comment was misunderstood. What I meant was "Are they going to eat it?"..as in... As long as they eat what they kill, then that's fine. I have a problem with hunters who do it JUST for the sport.
As stated above, ethical hunters eat what they kill.
--Thanks for the reply, skibum. Obviously, we're a sensitive bunch here! LOL! mt
Comment by skibum — October 21, 2009 @ 8:17 am
c'mon skibum, you haven't lived life unless you've had squirrel gravy!
Comment by Matt — October 21, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
Oh, I have. Trust me. Squirrel, Rabbit, Bear, Turtle, even raccoon once. Deer meat was a staple in my house growing up. I used to hunt, but I reached a point where I'd rather just take a Nikon into the woods. I see too many hunters bag a nice buck, simply cut the head off to have it mounted and leave the rest to rot.
Comment by skibum — October 21, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
Anybody who cuts the head off a buck and leaves the rest to rot isn't a hunter. They're a criminal. It happens, unfortunately. But no real hunter wants to be associated with that.
Getting out there with a camera is fine, if that's your pleasure. It's no better than getting out there with a gun or bow. And no worse, either.
Comment by Mark Taylor — October 21, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
Thanks guys for all the comments. I had to read them to Gary twice. He is very proud of his squirrel. Almost all of our family hunts and we do eat what we kill, we also provide meat to several families who don't hunt. I have always tried to bestow ethical hunting behavior to Gary. We took him to Texas last week where he shot 2 boars with his 243 his uncle got him. I'm proud to say he dropped them with one shot each, and yes we brought the meat back with us. I wouldn't trade the time Gary and I have spent hunting together for anything. Good luck this hunting season and hopefully before long I'll be posting a picture of Gary with his first deer.
--Thanks for the comment, Donna, and for making the extra effort to get and keep Gary out there. We'll be looking for that deer shot! mt
Comment by Donna — October 27, 2009 @ 7:52 am
Way to go Gary! Way to go Donna for getting him out there in the first place. I know every moment out there with Gary will be cherished for a lifetime, thank you for getting another child out into the woods and away from the DS, tv, computer, etc.
Comment by Jim Basham — October 27, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
Donna, you let Gary know he is 100% right in what he is doing and so are you! I congratulate you both in your devotion and it will be rewarded. You will not have to worry about your boy wandering the streets and malls if he is in the woods. Best wishes!
Comment by CRS — October 27, 2009 @ 8:36 pm