Was that a Moose?

[BUCKSHOT]

Boy, we got out for a Duck hunt on Saturday. Before the sunrise we were on our way up a small lake to portage to a little Beaver pond! We had the pond and some swamp area pretty well surrounded before first light.
What a beautifull morning it was! Boating up the Lake in the starlit night was beautifull! We saw shooting stars and the moon was bright! Watching the sun come up and slowly burn off the mist that hung on the beaver pond was awesome! There was some big animal moving around on the shore opposite to me and I was waiting patiently to start hunting and get a chance to see this Big Moose!
We finally got a chance at some action and I thught it was curious that this Big Moose was hanging around! I could still hear the branches cracking and what sounded like an animal walking in the water!
When the mist cleared from the water, where I was, I could finally see the far shore. Ya! Now I will see this animal! I could'nt believe how the sound was traveling, I could hear guys on the far side of the pond reloading!
Suddenly I heard the branches crackling and looked across the pond to see something fall from a tree. Pine cones! Jesus, silly me! It turns out that my great Big Moose was an eight ounce Red Squirrel! The animal in the water was the cones bouncing into the pond. Boy he had me wondering for a while! One of Natures little tricks!
Sure was a nice way to start the season. Great to be back in the woods!
BTW we did get some Ducks, and had a great day!

[TAC]

Squirrels make a lot of noise! I had a couple of red squirrels chattering away beside me on Sunday evening and occasionally running below my stand amongst the leaves. If it all goes quiet for a few minutes and suddenly one of them ruffles the leaves, it makes your heart beat a little faster for a split second until the realization of knowing it's a squirrel sets in.

BTW, that was Venus you saw on Saturday morning. You can see it each morning for the next few months.

Todd

[Spring]

Speaking of squirrels. I once recall standing under a fir tree waiting for deer when a Red Squirrel started chattering above me. He was alittle ticked that I was on his turf. To make his point for the next hour and a half he did nothing but chatter and throw bits of bark and things at me. He never quit chattering and he never quit raining stuff down on me. It was funny actually.

In another case my daughter witnessed something I'd never heard of. This was a few years ago when we used to deer hunt together. Two Red Squirrels started up. One chased the other right past her and up a tree not too far away. The amazing part was that when the pursuer caught the other, there was a fight and one killed the other, then dragged it away.

She was positive they were two Red Squirrels as opposed to squirrel/weasel.

And item last, I once came across a Red Squirrel swimming way out in a lake. I kinda led it to shore, yet as soon as I started to leave it got back in the water and headed back across the lake. It could obviously see the stand of pines on the far shore. They are darned good swimmers and being so light, they are quite bouyant.


Cheers!

[Allan]

On one of the first hunts I was ever on, as I sat in my stand, a squirrel started chattering about 20 yards away. At first I ignored it, but after a minute or so, I finally turned to see why the critter wouldn't hush. The squirrel hugged the tree trunck about 4 feet from the ground, almost face to face with a doe.

[ecoaster]

I had a porcupine make his home in my tree stand one year. I saw him coming down the hill in front of me and he was smelling every tree as he went. When he got to mine I could hear the scratching of claws as he began to climb. I turned around and poked him with my shotgun, he kept trying to push past my barrel. He wasen't taking no for an answer. I unloaded my slug and replaced it with a #4 load. He should have listened when I asked nicely the first time . We had porcupine stew the next night .

[Mighty Mooser]

I have a set of action ear sport headphones, and I won't wear them for hunting deer, as I think every red squirrel is at least 250 + pounds!!!!