This morning it was just the 15 year old and I. Youngest didn't want to get up early again. 3rd day of season our first time to this small public ground this season and the sign in sheet had 24 people over thos 3 days. Several shotgun halls laying in the woods. squirrels few and far between and skittish.

I missed one that was the size of a chipmunk. Went to another section parked and got into a few. I knocked one down beating the owl that looked to be watching it to it.

We walked a bit further down and were waiting on a clear shot on some more grays When my son motions he hears one on the other side of the path and swap to focusing on that side. I see him working closer and aim. I go back to waiting on a clear shot on the grays I was watching BANG I hear him shoot and the thump hit the ground. I smile hoping for the ones im watching to stop as they make a quick exit but they don't stop.

I see my son bend down to pick up his squirrel I check again for any stragglers finding none walk down to him. BUT HIS HANDS ARE EMPTY? Where is your squirrel he gives me a sheepish look embarrassed and quietly says it was a groundhog. Now that was not making any since to me at all he had to repeat himself a few times and I had to go look for it to sink in. We are in a woods he shot up into a young hickory and rolled out a groundhog. It was just not making any since at first.

He said he heard it chewing it sounded like a squirrel he found its head and shot( hit right in the ear) when it fell he said he thought he must have shot a world record size squirrel tell he walked up to it. He was embarrassed he thought it was a squirrel after the fact. I told him it sounded like a squirrel was 20' up in a hickory with squirrel all around.You were expecting to see squirrel and got on the trigger fast as soon as you found it in the tree since they have been so skidish. That made feel a little better.


Anyway here it today's world record size squirrel. First time I have see one in a tree that had not been ran up it by a dog. Definitely the first time I have heard about then eating in a tree like a squirrel with squirrels

This one was making some kind of wheezing noise. Happy as could be. No coyote or fox where he was. But threats from above I'm sure.

i like your sons "in the trees" shooting stick

I’m pretty sure I saw one in a tree once. I had to do a double take cause I also thought it was a great big fat squirrel.

They are climbing animals when necessary

I've seen them climb before. I've got 3 conibears out right now trying to catch a few on my small property. In 2015 I got tired of them eating my veggie garden. Trapped 52 of them since then. Along with occasional possums and skunks of course.

More than you would think.

I did an ADC job a while back. Customer had a bunch of tomato plants in big pots on their patio. The plants were supported with tomato cages like an inverted cone on top of the big pots.

The groundhog would climb up 4ish feet on the outside , then climb inside face down to get tomatoes.

If ya caught it in the act , it was almost comical watching it trying to get out/away as they are clumsy climbers and to turn around quickly was a hard task unlike a squirrel. It would take a good 10 seconds to get out of there compared to a squirrel that could do it in a fraction of a second.

I didn't think wombats had tails.

Quite common here, they are excellent climbers, and can be regularly found in mulberry trees in the spring.

I've seen many in trees over the years, mostly fruit trees.

I hope you told him, "You shot it. You eat it."

Wife just 4 mins ago said we could have tried it this time since it was a fresh kill. I probably should have been wanting to try one for years but usually pressed for time. Today had to be home by 9 so my wife could get to her event. My truck is geting worked on at my brother inlaws so down a vehicle.

I heard there are glands that need removed I don't know where they are so always chicken out. I think that's 15 or 16 of them between shooting and trapping them this year