Ponderosa forest ramble

[brewer12345]

This would have been cast hunting, but I really wanted to try a hunt with my short-only Browning .22. There was weather coming in this afternoon, so I went to a favorite spot not that far from the house this morning and spent some time wandering around a ponderosa forest. I got to see a nice mulie buck high stepping along, and made the acquaintance of two Abert's squirrels. One was the usual coal black, the other was the rare grey pattern. Beautiful day and the rifle was a joy to carry and shoot.

[Jedman]

Very Cool ! I have never seen a Aberts squirrel, sounds like a great day in the woods.
I have a similar 22 rifle to yours but mine is long rifle only as it wount cycle with shorts.
Thanks for the story and pics !

Jedman

[Schreck5]

Is your .22 a Belgian made Browning? They are a real treat to shoot. I had one but is was the Japan made rifle and was not near as accurate or reliable.

[brewer12345]

Is your .22 a Belgian made Browning? They are a real treat to shoot. I had one but is was the Japan made rifle and was not near as accurate or reliable.

Japanese and modern production. I bought it early this year from CDNN as apparently someone had ordered a run of short-only rifles and could not sell them. The price was right and I got my choice of walnut or maple stocks. Always wanted one of these. I would tell you that it is pretty darned accurate, but I have chosen to avoid scoping it, so the limit is a lot more likely to be my eyes rather than the rifle. I am amazed how un-choosy the rifle is about ammo. Golden bullet shorts were unimpressive (shocker, I know), but CCI HVHP and Aguila shorts shot equally well. It even cycles with CCI CB shorts and shoots pretty impressive groups with them.

[ShooterAZ]

I find that extremely interesting, as our Aberts squirrels are ALL the gray pattern. I have never even seen a coal black one before, and I live right in the middle of the largest stand of Ponderosa Pines in the world. If I ever saw a black one I'd call it a rare pattern, but I've never seen one so it must be a regional thing. Congrats on a great hunt! And for the record, I love those 22 shorts. I use them in a Winchester 62A and an OM Single Six. I've taken lots of squirrels with that pair.

[brewer12345]

shooterAZ, are they usually called Kaibob squirrels in your neck of the woods? Most of the ones up here are coal black. I once caught sight of a cinnamon colored Abert's, but it disappeared pretty quickly and in any case they were not in season.

Without driving real far, I have one honey hole for these guys. Fun to hunt, but the season is short and the limit is 2 as they were on the endangered list less than 15 years ago in Colorado. As such, I take a few a year and otherwise leave them be.

[ShooterAZ]

brewer12345, the Kaibab squirrels are at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Aberts squirrels all are south of it. I'm not a biologist but I do know that they are a completely different "subspecies", separated by a over a mile deep, and several miles wide gigantic canyon. This is a testament to evolution. They are a dime a dozen here, and pilfer our bird feeders all the time. We enjoy their antics in the yard, and hunting them in the fall season (not in the yard!). Those black ones are really cool looking, I'd love to see a black tassel eared squirrel in the wild!

[rking22]

Cool squirrels! And I like the little Brownings too, a lot. One 59 vintage and a 76 Japan, both LR and both accurate and reliable. They are the ultimate camp gun! Many Tennessee greys have joined me for dinner thanks to these little rifles, a pure joy. Thanks for the hunt story.

[brewer12345]

Thanks, shooteraz. Did not know they kaibabs were biologically distinct.

[Texas by God]

I had read that about the Kaibab bushytails. I love that rifle, we have the Belgian LR version. I once had a Nylon 66 GS so chambered but doubled my money on it so I sold it.