Biggest Squirrel in the World

[Guest iiiuslonal]

Hunting was the past time for my father and I when I was a kid. He gave me my first .22 when I was 6. Some may think that was a little early of an age but I suppose we all have our opinions. As a kid, my patience hadn't developed enough to deer hunt to so every first weekend in October we would hit the woods for squirrel hunting. I loved it, Marlin 22 held 19 in the tube and I felt like a "big boy". I got a little older and in October of 94 I got my first 4-10 Pump. It was time to go hunting! Six am and back resting on a tree with my new shotgun, I felt like a kid in the candy store. Started out slow not very many presented their self, so I was starting to get a little bored and sleepy again. I began to stare out into space when I heard the leaves rustling. I was excited, where was it coming from, when I looked out the corner of my eye I seen it! It was the biggest squirrel I had ever seen slowly walking toward a tree at the bottom of the ravine. I turned quick and yelled at my dad; "The biggest squirrel in the world dad!" and by end sentence let off the first round and pumped. Before my dad could get out wait don't shoot that, I fired again and pumped fired and pumped. By then, I hit it all three times so he joined in with a 12 gauge semi-auto. After I let out all 5 rounds and it was still walking I was like "wth". My dad began laughing at me and said biggest squirrel in the world huh. He calmly looked at me and said congrats, you have just killed your first Raccoon. I couldn't believe it, it was broad daylight I had never seen one in the day before. Between my 5 rounds and my dads 3 the Raccoon was no good. We stopped at the station on the way out since I just illegally shot a Raccoon and explained it to the Game Warden. Between the laughing and spitting out his coffee he shook my hand and asked me to try and verify its a squirrel next time. For years that was the joke at hunting time around my house.

Memories of hunting with your father or friends last a lifetime. The personal time together puts a greater bond between two people then playing video games and watching TV together ever will. My relationship with my dad wilted over time and we started repairing it again a year ago with the start of that memory. That was my greatest hunting experience and day.

Wasn't a real relevance to this, just something I thought I'd share in a hunting memory I had. I can think of no better place to be, the thrill of the hunt, the calming of nature, the clarity of life, and the release of stressful reality.

[ShaunM]

That's what hunting should be about, having a great time making memories. Great story!.

[Guest iiiuslonal]

Thanks man,

Maybe others would like to share some or a memory they have. Now that I'm older and have contacts I probably would of realized the biggest squirrel I'd ever seen would of been a Raccoon but at the time I honestly had never seen one in daylight so it didn't dawn on me to be one.

[Guest clutepc]

Sounds like some great memories..Thanks for sharing!

[LagerHead]

That's a great story. I've let my son develop his interest in guns and hunting at his own rate, and at 12 he said he ready to head into the woods. He wants to try his hand at bow season so we are going to be trying out some bows and crossbows this year to see which he likes. Hopefully we'll have as great a time as you and your dad.

[Guest iiiuslonal]

I wish you all the best, like I said no place on earth I'd rather be then in the woods with my Dad. It's nice to see you allowed the development of his own interest it'll make the sharing of the memory and time all that more enjoyable. You'll both feel like kids in a candy store I hope your memories and times together are very enjoyable.

[volfanatic72]

Great story... mad me stop and think about time spent in the woods with my father. For those of you who still have that opportunity, I suggest you take it as soon and as often as possible!

[oldogy]

Thanks for a great story. Reminds me of my first 'coon. I was in my early teens, stealth hunting squirrels on my grandparents bottom land about mid morning. I watched this big gray head up a big tall sycamore and disappear. Round and round the tree I looked and then I saw 'it' laying in the forks quite a ways up. So I backed up to where I could get a shot and let go with the 12 ga loaded with probably #6. Much to my surprise, down tumbled an old boar coon. So that coon was my first attempt at tanning a hide.

oldogy

[ShaunM]

I took my daughter out last year coyote hunting with me and all that came to the call was a fox. It wasn't fox season but she yelled out "daddy look it's a fox". Well it ran off and she was so sad that she scared it off. She is 6 years old by the way. I told her it was o.k and she told me that she would be quiet next time. Well I took her out again and man she was quiet as a mouse. I gave her the binoculars and told her to be my look out. We didn't see anything but we did mess with some crows and she had so much fun. I even let her try out one of my mouth calls.