Critter killer

We went out to Mom's tonight for supper. Brats on the grill, very nice, fresh wild asparagus, really nice time. The kids were all being good, being nice to each other, being polite... it was weird.

then!!

Then!!

THEN!

I look out at the wood pile and see a squirrel. We kill those. Well, Mom kills them, I try. I used to be a helluva shot with those little gophers back at Mom's place down south. I can't seem to hit a rabbit that is 5 times the size of one of those gophers however. And that was a few years ago, and I'm rusty.

So there's this squirrel sitting on the wood pile, enjoying some (bait) feed that we put there for the gophers. Or any other critter, really. Anything I can shoot at. I don't shoot birds. Just critters.

So I stepped into the house and grabbed the .22. I'm still getting used to the scope on it, I'm not used to shooting with a scope.

But I shot the little sucker. He jumped up and ran actually, and I got instantly pissed (I hit him, I KNOW I did!) He went about 10 feet and collapsed. Death quivers and done. I put the gun down ( flipped the safety back on, of course) and grabbed a pair of gloves. We can't just leave the carcass laying about, Kate would want to eat that, and it's really bad for her. So I had to dispose of the body. I also wanted to see if I shot where I was aiming. I was seeing a side view, so I aimed for the chest cavity, right under his right armpit (do squirrels have armpits??) So I see the bloody mess, and I see the entry wound directly under his right armpit, and the exit wound directly under the left armpit. I actually stood there and did the happy dance. Then I picked him up by the tail and flung him into the deep woods. Kate does not stray far from the beaten path, so it should be safe to decompose there.

Hehehehe... what a good night!