Was hoping for a squirrel or two and got eight!
Big pest here in britain, shoot on site policy across the land.
The 410 with Italian ammo, 2&1/2" was fantastic.


Ratdog.

Nicely done Rat. Why are they considered "pests" in Britain? I know they're rodents but do the destroy thing like rats do?

The main issue is the climate, never too hot and rarely very cold they breed very well, next it's a pox they can carry, it wipes our native red squirrel out.

Huge efforts have been made to promote the reds return and finally even the bunny huggers have clicked the grey has to be controlled.
The other issue is forrestry damage. So much government money goes to tree planting incentives that the tax payer ain't happy for squirrels destroying the percentages they do.

The upshot is all year round hunting and occasionally I do cook some too.
I don't compare them to rats like many do, rats are simply disgusting, squirrels generally eat well and live clean, even if some of the sexual activities are errm promiscuous!

Here is a photo from last week.
They are everywhere you go around here!


R.

What gun is that ?

First photo is a Webley bolt action ejector and the second photo is a Baikal single 12g that has a very tired .710" barrel.
I opened the choke out and bent the barrel so it shoots where I'm looking!

Good day out!
I see you are shooting 2-1/2" .410. (Shot size?) Is that your usual shell for squirrel when using the .410? Obviously it works.

Hi. Yes, the Webley is only chambered for 2&1/2".
I had some fiocchi 7/16oz and a few NSI (Nobel sport Italia) 1/2oz both in #6 shot.

I sometimes reload and always load 1/2oz of #8-#7-#7&1/2.

R.

Sometimes invasive species make excellent table fare. Here in NC, the blue and flathead catfish are invasive species. Back in Texas, they are game fish, and the take is regulated. They are also my favorite fish to eat. Squirrel is probably my favorite game meat, rabbit a close second. 8 is the daily limit here on the grey squirrel. The most I have bagged on public land in one trip is 2 in an evening.

8 is a nice haul. If you can get over the "invasive species" lable, they are excellent table fare. Remove the quarters, also remove the ribs from the spine so that rib portions, meaty backbone, and front and hind quarters can all lay flat on top of each other in the bottom of the crock pot. Put a stick of butter (sometimes I use two sticks of butter if I have been patient enough to save and freeze a few because squirrel is so lean.), garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Put it on high for 4 hours. Pick the bones out, dice the meat, and you can use that for anything that calls for shredded or ground meat. It is soooooo good. I don't know if it is good because it is squirrel, or because of butter, garlic, and onion. Does it really matter?

That is what I call a natural resource. Invasive or not. Because it is invasive, there are no restrictions on the take. The more you kill, the better, right? Might as well put it to good use. You can have your cake and eat it too!