taking shots at squirrels in tree tops

[sits in trees]

As a lad we used to pick squirrels out of the tree tops with our 22lrs and even 22mags. Back in the day there was a lot more open space around us and we never really worried where our bullets would end up.

I'm seriously thinking about doing a little squirrel hunting again but have to wonder if taking those tree top shots is something squirrel hunters are still doing? What are you guys doing, just wondering?

[Jennifer]

I usually squirrel hunt with my husband, and we find a combo of one of us carrying a 22lr and one of us with a shotgun is a great thing (also makes it so that we can take grouse, if grouse are in season). If you are hunting alone, it is your judgement call on a treetop shot with a 22, but personally I forgo it as all of my hunting spots have residences within a mile. The odds of a mishap are very low, but they aren't zero, and I don't like the idea. But it is a personal judgement call.

 

If you are patient, squirrels usually work back down onto a trunk (which makes a great backstop) within 22lr range unless they have busted you and are making an escape. An exception is early/mid fall when they are working the treetops for acorns, hickory nuts, etc. Still, they will often cut nuts for a good 15 minutes, then come down to work on them.

[wolc123]

I like to hunt them from a tree stand myself (not a real high one however) with the .22 rimfire rifle.  That makes it easier to get a down angle on most shots, the ground becoming a good backstop.   Knowing your target and what lies beyond is one of the cardinal rules of firearms safety with a rifle especially.   For ground hunting, I use a little .410 shotgun with #6's.   That is what I like best when they are working the treetops for nuts in the fall.  

[greensider]

never ever shoot any riffle in an upward direction if you can see sky behind your target

[Uncle Nicky]

They are tough critters, I'd rather shoot them with a shotgun.

[WingNut]

I like shooting squirrels with a 22, but only on the ground. Shotgun is a safer gun, plus it's more versatile.

[stoneam2006]

I've been looking at one of those savage 22/410 combos for just this occasion. ..plus be a good starter gun for my 4 yr old in time

[Paula]

410 allways

[Culvercreek hunt club]

22 LR and my 357 with birdshot.

[Ford]

.410 seems to do the trick, lot more people around nowadays. Shooting at a very high angle, I seriously doubt anything would ever happen. Why risk it though, shotgun will take them quite well.

[wildcat junkie]

It's the low angle shots with a 22lr that are the most dangerous.

 

In a high angle shot, say 60° or more, the bullet will fall to earth from gravity alone. There will be no more energy than if you shot the bullet skyward at the steep angle with a slingshot. There would be little or no chance of serious energy from a 40gr lead bullet falling at terminal velocity unless you were looking skyward & it landed in your eye.

 

Low angle shots with a 22lr can still have enough energy to be lethal up to 1mile or more. Somwhere around 25° angle trajectory will result in the longest lethality distance depending on drag coeffecient of the bullet.

 

Hunting with 22lr in a populated area is never a good idea.

 

Using a .410 when the squirrels are cutting in the tops of S. Indiana Hickory trees wouldn't fill the game bag very effeciently. Even when I used a 12ga, I killed a much higher % of the squirrels I shot at with a scope sighted 22lr.

Edited December 29, 2014 by wildcat junkie

[shawnhu]

Airgun anywhere for me, and arrow with a backstop for easy arrow recovery.

I would take a shot with a 22LR if it's steeper than 60 degrees, 90 degrees preferred. Wouldn't use a 22mag.

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[G-Man]

i'm still in a very rural area tree top shots are the norm on cold mornings when squirells sun themselves in the oak tops. if it was more populated perhaps cb longs at close range would be your answer.

[wildcat junkie]

Airgun anywhere for me, and arrow with a backstop for easy arrow recovery.

I would take a shot with a 22LR if it's steeper than 60 degrees, 90 degrees preferred. Wouldn't use a 22mag.

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On nearly vertical shots, there would be no difference in the lethality at ground level of a 22lr or 22rf mag with the same weight projectile. There wouldn't even be that much of a difference in a 22 pellet rifle with some of the really heavy "Kodiac" pellets on steep shots. Gravity will pull the bullets down after they heve spent their energy. Mv will only make the bullet travel farther upwards & to a lesser extent horizontally before they start to fall to the ground. After some distance falling, the bullets will reach terminal velocity & the speed will not increase any more no matter how far the drop.

 

For arrows I used flu-flus. For me, blunts didn't work that well to "anchor" squirrels reliabley (at least not widwestern Fox Squirrels) & pointed arrows stick into tree trunks if that is what is meant by "backstop". Radial fletch on flu-flus shoot fairly flat until the fletch fluffs out as the arrow slows down to put on the brakes & act like a parachute.

 

I used something similar to the 2nd from the top with less of the helical feathers. I trimmed them with a feather burner.

 

Plain radial fletch like that in the center tends to get crushed in the quiver & the short helical fletch like the example just above it helps support the small radial fletch near the nock. They would give another 5-10 yds of flat trajectory than helical fletc flu-flu & then drop almost straight down. Total distance would be less for the radial fletch. (these are not arrows that we made)

 

Edited December 29, 2014 by wildcat junkie

[Hock3y24]

Also consider a quality pellet gun for tree shots.

[Fletch]

I'm not a fan of shooting a 22 rifle anywhere I am not sure where the bullet will end up. The spot I hunt full of hickories is 130 acres maybe with roads around it and some houses. I use a pellet gun and my son is looking for his first squirrel with a youth 410.

[wildcat junkie]

Also consider a quality pellet gun for tree shots.

I bought my son an RWS M48 Diana .22 pellet rifle a few years back. I figured he could roam our farm & learn to shoot W/O having projectiles reach any of the neighboring properties in our rural area. Mv is about 900 fps W/14gr pellets.

 

It shoots pretty flat out to 30-35 yds W/Crosman premier pellets. They are a tiny bit heavier than the cheaper daisy pellets & they have a domed head. They start ot W/a bit less Mv but retain velocity much better & don't start to fall off as quickly. They have good energy retention at those ranges.

 

The Premiers will pentrate the breast of a barn pigeon & make a pretty good whack when they hit the 1" roof deck planks after a pass through. With the extra heavy 21gr Beeman "Kodiak" pellets it will penetrate 1" rough sawn pine planks with plenty of remaining energy at close range. They pass completely through a 1 gal milk jug full of water & penetrate into a 2nd at 60yds.

 

There are some good Mv/retained energy/trajectory charts for various pellets on some of the air rifle sites. The Crossman Premiers seem to be the best compromise.

[shawnhu]

A physicist and an air gunner, my favorite kind of people.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[greensider]

far to often people do not follow basic fules of gun safty i remember a woman near where i lived was hit in the chest with a 22 no one knew where it came from but you can bet it was from a small game hunter that thought it was ok to shoot in tree tops

[wildcat junkie]

far to often people do not follow basic fules of gun safty i remember a woman near where i lived was hit in the chest with a 22 no one knew where it came from but you can bet it was from a small game hunter that thought it was ok to shoot in tree tops

Unless she was laying down, a near vertical tree top shot with a 22 wouldn't hit her in the chest. Even then, it would probably not result in more than a slight bruise at worst. Rifle shot trajectories are parabolas. At a steep angle, the blunt shape of a 22lr slug will soon fall vertically & would have no more energy that if it was dropped from a tall building.

 

More likely it was someone shooting at a squirrel on a low branch, on the side of a tree trunk or even the ground resulting in a richochet. Maximum range with a 22lr is achieved at about 35° muzzle angle. Maximum travel distance is achieved with shallow angle shots skipping along the ground.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

or just someone shooting.

[jjb4900]

Unless she was laying down, a near vertical tree top shot with a 22 wouldn't hit her in the chest. Even then, it would probably not result in more than a slight bruise at worst. Rifle shot trajectories are parabolas. At a steep angle, the blunt shape of a 22lr slug will soon fall vertically & would have no more energy that if it was dropped from a tall building.

 

More likely it was someone shooting at a squirrel on a low branch, on the side of a tree trunk or even the ground resulting in a richochet. Maximum range with a 22lr is achieved at about 35° muzzle angle. Maximum travel distance is achieved with shallow angle shots skipping along the ground.

does that apply to New York or back when you lived in Indiana?.........

[monkeyman2269]

I use a airrifle

[EspressoBuzz]

My .410 when the leaves are still on the trees and my 1400 fps air rifle with 10 gr pellets, later in the season when the trees are mostly bare. Off Long Island I use my Henry lever action with low velocity 22's late in the season.

[wildcat junkie]

does that apply to New York or back when you lived in Indiana?.........

As far as I know, New York hasn't repealed the laws of physics yet.