Very good Squirrel opener.

[Big Al]

Took the day off yesterday and was in the woods by 6:30 with my new Marlin 22 Mag. The day started off pretty slow in my traditional opening morning spot with only 3 sightings and one taken. I moved around 9:00 to a spot with a couple of big knarly oak trees surrounded by several younger ones. That turned out to be the right spot. Within 5 minutes of sitting down I had identified 6 different squirrels cutting nuts. It took a while to connect and had to work hard to get shots but by 1:00 I was leaving with my first limit in a long time. I ended up with 3 grays, 1 fox, and 1 black. I had a love the new gun, just need to dial the scope in a little better. After missing two gimmees that I was trying to take in the head I reverted back to body shooting them, thankfully only one was messed up very bad.

[BJA]

Took the day off yesterday and was in the woods by 6:30 with my new Marlin 22 Mag. The day started off pretty slow in my traditional opening morning spot with only 3 sightings and one taken. I moved around 9:00 to a spot with a couple of big knarly oak trees surrounded by several younger ones. That turned out to be the right spot. Within 5 minutes of sitting down I had identified 6 different squirrels cutting nuts. It took a while to connect and had to work hard to get shots but by 1:00 I was leaving with my first limit in a long time. I ended up with 3 grays, 1 fox, and 1 black. I had a love the new gun, just need to dial the scope in a little better. After missing two gimmees that I was trying to take in the head I reverted back to body shooting them, thankfully only one was messed up very bad.

Nice job... I didn't have such luck and I was out all day :sad:. I missed 2 grays at 2 different locations once I shot the rest of them holed up and never came back out. I spent about 2 hours covering each location. But I found a few more spots that I'm going to cover real good Wed. morning. Maybe I'll have better luck then.

I did have a nice time back in the woods though. So, even though I didn't
get anything I still had a enjoyable opener.

[WMUAngler]

Took the day off yesterday and was in the woods by 6:30 with my new Marlin 22 Mag. The day started off pretty slow in my traditional opening morning spot with only 3 sightings and one taken. I moved around 9:00 to a spot with a couple of big knarly oak trees surrounded by several younger ones. That turned out to be the right spot. Within 5 minutes of sitting down I had identified 6 different squirrels cutting nuts. It took a while to connect and had to work hard to get shots but by 1:00 I was leaving with my first limit in a long time. I ended up with 3 grays, 1 fox, and 1 black. I had a love the new gun, just need to dial the scope in a little better. After missing two gimmees that I was trying to take in the head I reverted back to body shooting them, thankfully only one was messed up very bad.

I also took the day off yesterday with my new 22 mag. I have the savage model, but they seem to be pretty similar rifles. I went 1 for 1, but the body shot didn't leave anything to clean. I think I'm done with the "tnt" rounds, and I'm going to have to stick to headshots from now on.

[Big Al]

I was looking at the savage too but when I walked into MC Sports they had the Marlin on clearance for $180, couldn't pass it up. I've been shooting the 30gr. V-Max bullets. Not sure if I like them or not yet, I'll decide after I shoot a little bit more.

[WMUAngler]

I was looking at the savage too but when I walked into MC Sports they had the Marlin on clearance for $180, couldn't pass it up. I've been shooting the 30gr. V-Max bullets. Not sure if I like them or not yet, I'll decide after I shoot a little bit more.

That is a great deal! I've used the v-max's, maxi-mags, tnt's, and a couple of other rounds. I found that they all shot well, but I've had the closest groups with the cci brands that I've used. The "TNT"s are my favorite round so far, but I mostly used them to eradicate Starling's during the summer. I'll probably continue to use them on squirrel's, but I'll just have to be a little more patient in waiting for the headshots. Does that Marlin have their new adjustable trigger? I love the Savage Accu-Trigger, and I heard that Marlin came out with their own version.

[Reel_Screamer86]

Congrats Big Al on the tree rats..But isnt a .22 mag a little overkill...

[FishBelly]

I went out today and all is saw was a couple of red squirrels. Flushed a grouse tho. Darn near stepped on him before he flushed. Wished i had my 20ga instead of the .22lr. Still great to get out!

[Masterblaster1]

Monday I went out for a few hours, got 1 nice fox squirrel and missed one. Also saw a nice woodcock and big snake. I was at wetzel ra in Macomb county. Ended getting completly soaked, because of all the standing water!

[CHASINEYES]

I have never seen fox squirrels so abundant. I,m seeing them while walking fence lines.

Use hard nose bullets hunting squirrels with a .22 mag. just blows holes. The hollow point and vmax bullets will blow em up.:yikes::lol::lol::lol:

[deLabé]

I went out Monday and took four and had another one yesterday, 3 fox and 2 black squirrels so far. I hunt down in the Allegan grubs between Hamilton and Allegan and I have never seen so many squirrels in all my years of hunting (30 or so now). I almost feel like I'm still in town. ;)

What IS with all the hollow points out there? I eat my meat. :confused:

[Wishn I was fishn]

I took home 2 gray squirrels mon and 2 foxes yesterday. All in the evening between 6 and 8. One of the grays had this strange parasite midway up its belly. It was about 1 inch long 1/2 inch wide. Was completely underneath the skin with a hole about 1/4 wide in the squirrels skin for a breath hole im guessing. Looked like some sort of grub. Didnt seem to be bothering the squirrel any. I wasnt really sure what to think of it so I tossed the squirrel out to err on the side of caution. Anyone know what this might have been?

[Wishn I was fishn]

I did some research. It appears to a bot flie larva and apparently is very common. Ive never seen one. Also it turns out I tossed out a perfectly edible grey squirrel. live and learn I guess.

[BJA]

Nice job... I didn't have such luck and I was out all day :sad:. I missed 2 grays at 2 different locations once I shot the rest of them holed up and never came back out. I spent about 2 hours covering each location. But I found a few more spots that I'm going to cover real good Wed. morning. Maybe I'll have better luck then.

I did have a nice time back in the woods though. So, even though I didn't
get anything I still had a enjoyable opener.

Much better day today... got 2 grays and 1 fox... and missed 1 fox. :)

[deLabé]

I did some research. It appears to a bot flie larva and apparently is very common. Ive never seen one. Also it turns out I tossed out a perfectly edible grey squirrel. live and learn I guess.

Whoa! I know bot flies, but that was in Africa and they prey on humans among others. Quite the experience to see that grub under the skin...I never got the privilege of having one myself, but we had to iron all our clothing. Have never seen it here.

[Wishn I was fishn]

Whoa! I know bot flies, but that was in Africa and they prey on humans among others. Quite the experience to see that grub under the skin...I never got the privilege of having one myself, but we had to iron all our clothing. Have never seen it here.

Different Bot fly. Mainly affects squirrels and rabbits. Heres a link to some info.
http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/slansky/botfly/ABOTFLY/overview.htm

[wackmaster]

Same here, great opener. First time I limited out....

http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w351/michaelwinger/Black%20Ice/Squirrel0177.jpg

[deLabé]

Nice picture, wackmaster! I'm looking forward to getting out this weekend with my 13 year old son, who's just in his second year hunting and hasn't had a squirrel yet. I hope we can get a picture to rival yours. :)

[fasthunter]

Whoa! I know bot flies, but that was in Africa and they prey on humans among others. Quite the experience to see that grub under the skin...I never got the privilege of having one myself, but we had to iron all our clothing. Have never seen it here.
I shot a squirrel last year in Pinkney that had Bot fly larvae in it. They are pretty common in the squirrels. I was talking to the lady at the Ranger office at Island Lake today. Someone brought in a squirrel today that is going to be sent to Lansing that they thought had tumors. Sure looked like Bot fly larvae to me. They had it frozen to ship. I'm kind of curious if that's what it is.

[deLabé]

Well, thank God that the ones that humans can get were little tiny things that never developed into anything like the ones I've now seen pictures of here. Yikes!

[john warren]

good job. i took the week off and my dog and i went to the woods for 2 to 6 hours every day. she is really treeing good now and we have been averaging 1 squirrel an hour. many got away as by the time i get to her, and with all the leaves still up, they are able to timber out and escape. still we had a great time and will be eating squirrel for at least a week or so.

[FishBelly]

Third times a charm! I finally found em cuttin today, it sound like it was raining nuts! Once again, should have brought the 20ga. I would have had a limit, but the leaves made it nearly impossible. Lots of fun trying tho!
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=333&pictureid=2244