Squirrel hunting with Faith and Kate

By By Mike Giles / outdoors writer
Feb. 13, 2004
Although most hunters are about worn out and through hunting by now, there are a few diehards still chasing squirrels. For dog hunters like Gary Rodgers and Lou Wright, February means the end of deer season, but the start of squirrel hunting with Faith and Kate. Yes, these two squirrel dog trainers enjoy hunting with their favorite female hunting companions, who just happen to be Mountain Cur squirrel dogs.
Last Saturday I had the opportunity to join them and the two lady canines along with Barry Howard, Jeffrey and Brad Carver, Justin Giles, and a male squirrel dog named Peanut.
Although the skies turned blue, the wind really picked up for most of the afternoon. After walking about a quarter mile back into the timber, the dogs lit out in a race to tree the first squirrel. It wasn't long before Jeffrey Carver detected the telltale dog barks, evidence of our first treed squirrel. The dogs had covered a lot of ground and were really giving it to an unfortunate squirrel.
First squirrel
After arriving at the tree, we soon determined that the squirrel had given us the slip by going into the deep hollow base of the tree. After a short pause, the experts turned the dogs loose and in less than two minutes they had treed again. This time the squirrel was quickly spotted and everyone got ready. "Let's let that little fellow get the first one, since he's never killed one," relayed Rodgers, referring to 7-year-old Brad Carver.
Gary Rodgers will tell you that he just passes the time between turkey seasons by hunting squirrels and coons with his crackerjack hunting dogs. Don't let that fool you though. Rodgers really loves hunting with his dogs and meeting new hunting companions. It didn't take me long either to see that he had a soft spot in his heart for youngsters. He would rather see a youngster harvest a few squirrels than kill a pot full of his own. In fact, most of the time he doesn't even carry a gun.
As soon as Jeffrey and Brad Carver made it to the tree, they spotted the squirrel and Brad took aim. In no time flat he had killed his first squirrel with his trusty 20 gauge shotgun. After letting the dogs smell the squirrel, they were turned loose again and treed another squirrel in nothing flat.
Tree climber
The action was just getting started and we were all shocked when the next events began to unfold. As we got to the tree, Kate, Peanut and Faith were all really revving up the barking and howling. They wanted that squirrel really badly. The squirrel had run up a tree that was still alive and leaning in an angle like a slide.
Suddenly, Kate ran up the tree like a coon. Before we could stop her she was at least 30 feet off of the ground. Before she made it back down, I took a photo of her about half way down. She wasn't about to let that squirrel get away. Of course, her owner, Lou Wright, was a bit worried that she might not make it down alive! With agility rarely seen in dogs like that, she simply did an about face and came back to earth.
In the meantime the squirrel took off for greener pastures but was waylaid by the elder Carver this time. After another period of celebration the dogs were released and it was off to the races again. As we started back towards the truck the dogs treed and Justin Giles was Johnny on the spot. This time he nabbed the squirrel with one shot from his 12 gauge Benelli before it could get away.
After a couple of more trees, we were losing daylight fast. However, the dogs treed again and it sounded like a dove hunt. The dogs had treed a couple of squirrels this time and young Giles quickly dispatched the first squirrel. As the other flew through treetops we went to popping lead his way. Finally Barry Howard put the squirrel down with a load of 20 gauge pellets. Although the squirrels had not gotten down on the ground until late, the action was hot and heavy right up until dark.
Can it get any better than that? I just don't think so. We had hunters ranging in ages from seven to the mid-forties and all enjoyed a good time. There's nothing quite like being in the outdoors with friends and hunting companions and enjoying a little hunting excitement, fun and fellowship. I've just got one question. When are we going again?