waltny

List them as unprotected for a season or two and or extend the season into about April. All I know is I got close to 130 greys(in one WMA area and pest control around the house) and nary made a dent in the population. Indeed. I still do have some family back in Binghamton and I still got hunting buddies up in the Albany area.

One can mod a 1377(and 1322) to the point that it can take squirrels and the like. Problem for me was the neccessity to pump it up to 30 times to reach that level. There are 3 other options which bring their own issues to the table(need for HPA). http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Evanix_Hunting_Master_AR6/961 http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Marauder_Woods_Walker_Air_Pistol/2722 http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/AirForce_TalonP_Precharged_Pneumatic_Pistol/2400

Ive taken a raccoon or two, drop and crumple with one right to the crown or around the ear from the side. The say coyotes can be taken with it in 30yards with it tuned for power. Mine is still sitting at where it came from the factory. I miss squirrel season pretty bad back there

Doing alright Shawn. Sadly here we only have ground squirrels and the tree squirrels are protected. Sitting over a colony like out here is more suited to a .22 or .223 varmint style rifle. I have the Serria's just over the stateline but will all the regulations its not worth trying to find land to hunt on in CA. I had been tinkering with selling my rig, but I cant bring myself to do it. I have been able to use it a time or two for pest control on raccoons and the like. The Mrod will be getting and doing some jack rabbit damage here soon....

They are worth the money and work well in areas around NY(air rifle only areas). The pump isnt that bad really, its a bit more work than the average person wants to put into though. I was pleasantly surprised with mine (Hill hand pump, a little bit more out the door but they will sell you replacement parts unlike crosman) and how easy it is to pump. There is a bit of a technique to be learned and to actually lean into it, using your bodyweight as an aid. As for the rifle and pellets, you cant really touch the accuracy for the price point with a powder burner.

The marauder and squirrels are so photogentic together. What caliber and pellet are you using?

Wild story and responses. I needed a good laught this afternoon.

No insect repellent as it was a impromtu stop inbetween service calls. I was heading down for a issue, got called off and the other site pushed out the machine availibilty till later that evening. Seems like most of my stops are like this as its like pulling teeth to try to get free time on the weekends. Ive been planning on it. I did alot of scouting and found cuttings and piles all over. Most of my sites have kept me further south down the northway the last few weeks. I hope to be up there tomorrow actually. Speaking of deer tracks(beds and droppings) they are all over the albany pine bush. Ive been using their trails and there are predator tracks all over theirs too. Ive seen a few VERY large ones I would swear are bobcat. They are broad and deep and well off the beaten track of being a dog.

Yes the weather ridiculous this "winter". Once it get above 40ish the ticks get active again and I didnt even think about it till I saw them coving my legs. I did a through check once I got home and only one made it to skin. As for squirrels, Ive been finding a TON of activity and tracks when there is snow on the ground but spotting them lately has been difficult. The greys I have gotten that were males were well endowed as they get ready for mating season. What a mess that part makes when trying to get a clean skin of a hide...

Excellent post mortem Shawn.

Got a grey over on the APB yesterday, and about 100 ticks. I could not believe how bad they were, every few steps I was beating multiple ticks off my pants.

Here is a advertisement video from Crosman/Benjamin from the SHOT show this year. They are starting to carry a little something for everyone.

Up in the Albany area at the Albany Pine Bush the other day I saw the same thing. You could see the deer tracks and there were 'yote and/or fox tracks everywhere. I followed some of the runs to squirrel trees, but from the amount I saw Im guessing they arent too successful. I dont think it gets hunted that heavy for predaotrs over there or even if the regs would allow for a successful hunt.

All I use is an air rifle. I have a springer and PCP. Im always find it funny that when I run into folks they ask why Im hunting with a kids toy...It actually puts some of the rude hikers at ease with a jerk of the thumb and head "Oh, its just a pellet gun." Some do engage me in conversation about the why and after a speil and/or accuracy and power display the notion is usually dispelled. As for the maintenance on a air rifle, its really not that bad. Just like anything, a few mods and a tune you will enjoy a better shooting cycle that will last much longer than out of the box. Most quite down nicely after this and not to mention knowning your weapon inside and out.

Well I had a nice quick hunt at the APB yesterday. Here are the spoils, knocked each one of them out of the trees to where they came crashing DOA to earth. and his buddy that he was sharing lunch with. Now will all have a lunch date together...

I kinda happened upon the different holds for different pellets by chance. Ill post later with some images and explain it out. I look forward to meeting up and sniping some squirresl or even just a shoot around also.

Looks quite a bit of fun indeed. Is the land you got them on relatively close to an urban/suburb setting or a out in the sticks? They look a bit smaller than the house cat sized ones around here and did you knock any of them out of the trees?

Yes this is exactly correct. Here is a video that shows the extreme verison of the artillery hold I use a modified version, and for each of my pellets the hold is different. So if I know Im going to shooting offhand, I grab a certain pellet. If I might be shooting prone and I can support it correctly I grab another. If I think Ill have trees to brace on standing, I have another go to pellet. To the casual person this may seem like alot of work and even crazy, but I call it effective. Air guns allow you to hunt places where traditional firearms arent allowed or you might be close to civilization(think the APB up here). Also you can fire in close places where using even a 22 or 410 you might scare off other game. Ill recount this advantage is a post later when I have access to my pictures. So to answer your question more directly, yes. I just got a fresh tin of JSB Exacts 8.44 grain yesterday and all my holds spray them everywhere. I got other ones that I shoot ragged holes with at 25 yards, so the 3 inch groups are not exceptable. Yep I did yesterday and today. Ill recount my days in the woods with some images later.

Auto correct victim there, *nearly not neatly. I'm sliding by APB in a few to get my squirrel I failed to collect yesterday...

No, you may not. I happen to know my cheek to stock and eye relief are different enough in each position that it's just better to adjust my zero for standing/kneeling vs prone. This is for my springer as it is so hold sensitive. I got markings on the stock and butt for hand and nose for each pellet that I use. My PCP isn't neatly as picky and I don't have to adjust like this and I have a pellet that pretty much shoots itself.

Come all the way up to Albany then, seems that is all that is in the woods around here.

So south of the Welcome center would be right behind it in the section 1 area? Anything in Yellow is Bow only and some are limited no hunting 8am to 3pm Tues to Fri I parked over in this area and walked in and found many Red's. I saw the most spectatularly colored and good size Red Ive seen in weeks there today, I missed 3 different shots.... Im still beatind myself up over it. I was walking back to the car and remembered, I checked the zero for all the pellets and never reset it from prone to standing. I was low on all my shots and I keep a different zero for the same pellets from prone to standing/kneeling. It will just make me sharper tomorrow.

Those lead free ones may become a go to pellet as few places here in the Capital District strongly suggest or plea for hunters to use non toxic shot. I have to admit to the though of launching those Nosler in .25 at squirrels make me as giggy as a kid on Christmas Eve They didnt group as well I would have liked. They were the best I could find at first,I couldnt miss with them. Then my stock to barrel screws came loose and after I retightened them they just didnt group. Cant explain it. Try 'em out and see how they work, then buy accordingly. I have a bunch of expensive .177 cal pellets from PA for you to try if we link up sometime for a squirrel hunt.

Need to reply to some of these when I get a moment, but for the few guys that I know are small game air gunner's on this thread, take a look at what Crosman is releasing this year. http://www.crosman.com/new-for-2012#gear

I was hoping for a little more personal knowledge. I had found that website also, guess that means I'll just have get boots on the ground and eyes in the trees. Win win all the way around and I'll post a report. What I can say is that in the last few days since I've been posting in this thread, I've been able to find a couple 100 of acres of county and state land I didn't know existed to hunt squirrels on. Not only that but a few folks that share my passion for air guns and hunting them.