A fall squirrel hunt in Ohio
The air smells of musty leaves and corn stalks cut down for the winter.
Wood smoke drifts through the air. I hear a squirrel bark and it draws my
attention towards the large beech tree.A flock of geese fly over ,honking
as they fly south. Autumn is here and it is the most glorious time
of year. Time for pumpkin pie,apple cider and hunting season. When one thinks
of hunting season in southern Ohio we think first of squirrel season. Of having
a walk through the beautiful fallen leaves and if we are lucky getting a
few squirrels to fry or stew or fix with gravy. A long hunters delight .
It had been many years since Marvin had been back to Ohio to hunt squirrels
.He was here from Montana for the Eastern and would not go home without at
least one day of squirrel hunting. He missed the hard woods and longed
to walk along the forest path in his moccasins again for it had been more than twenty
long years since he and Frank had hunted squirrels together on the farm where
they both had spent thier youth.
Barb and Marvin arrived at our home around 2 o'clock and we donned our 18th
century attire ,grabbed our smoothbores and headed for the woods. We
told them to go to the Hickory grove and we went to the oak woods.
We had not been in the woods long when we started to hear squirrels barking
. We spotted a couple and crept closer. Frank dropped to one knee and I stood
to the right of him. The squirrel he was watching was still a little far for
him to shoot. I saw another come around a tree a bit closer and pulled up
and shot to score my first for the year.
Just then another stood on his hind feet and watched Frank from about 10
yards away. I was empty now but he was still watching the one in front
of him about 30 yards away. I whispered, " off your left elbow 10 yards,"
He whirled around and shot and that made 2 for the pot. I still hadn't loaded
yet but we heard more so we both quickly reloaded. Frank let the squirrel
lay to be picked up at another time and went after another. It wasn't long
I heard him shoot again and we had plenty for a nice meal.. 
The sun was going down so we headed towards home. On the way out of the
woods Marvin and Barb were coming down the hill . He had 2 more for supper.
They had a great time in the woods and had seen deer, turkey and even a box
turtle. We were glad Marvin and Barbs visit home was so complete.
I must admit the Rocky mountains are truly magnificent but there is still
something heart warming to walk through the woods on a fall day in Ohio, and
if your lucky to even get a few squirrels for the stew pot.Just ask Marvin
as he looks out his window this winter and stares at the beautiful mountain
view. I bet he is thinking of a fall squirrel hunt in Ohio , in the place he first called home.
Keep ON Trekking ,
Granny Lin