Hunting prey in trees

SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 · January 10, 2010, 06:01 AM

G'day. I was visiting a friend at his Station on Saturday. He has lots fruit ruined and wants the culprits shot. I had 4 shots with his .22 and twice hit small branches. I'm not used to shooting at such a steep angle and was wondering if there were any tips I should know of?
He had a young fellow shoot about 200 of the pests in one day just prior to Christmas.

Uncle Buck · January 10, 2010, 08:46 AM

I have to ask, are those pest the parrots we hear so much about? I wish you folks could trap'em and ship'em, you would make a fortune selling them here in the states.

The only thing I could recommend is practice shooting at that type of angle, unless you can move further back. Is there anyway you can support the gun, using a stick?

Kneeling on the ground, support the rifle with a "y" stick should give you a little more precision, but again, practice is going to come into play.

Osageshooter · January 10, 2010, 09:13 AM

Interesting problem. Would a small shotgun like a 4-10 ruin too much fruit? It would be more expensive than a 22. A pellet gun would likely work, but you would have the same issue with aiming. I shoot squirrels at that angle with my scoped 22 and don't have too much of a problem. Maybe you could shoot at a spot on a high angle target and see where that 22 hits.

I am no expert, but my understanding is that dealing effectively with birds in orchards is a problem that is hard to solve with an individual and a firearm. Best solution is a crack-shot 12 year old that would love to spend all day every day out there. Would have been heaven for me. In fact, it still would be if it weren't for that job thing I have.

Water-Man · January 10, 2010, 09:48 AM

Aim low for uphill or downhill shots.

hogdogs · January 10, 2010, 10:28 AM

To further explain what waterman said...
Just keep in mind that you need not compensate for bullet drop hardly at all for upwards or downwards shots. Gravity isn't such a factor for extreme angles.
Brent

Doyle · January 10, 2010, 04:09 PM

What range is it sighted in for? My .22's are sighted in at about 30 yds. At that point, bullet drop is negligible so shooting angle at short ranges doesn't matter.

SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 · January 10, 2010, 04:12 PM

G'day.
Yes a shot gun works. He told me he dropped 6 Bats with one shot, so that can reduce the cost per kill ratio. That same shot also took out a bird that was not on the hit list.
The high volume of these pests seems to have passed now.

Art Eatman · January 10, 2010, 06:46 PM

Mostly with iron sights, different people have different sight pictures that they take as "right and proper". One guy might hold the front sight at six o'clock; the other centers the bead. That will have some effect when two different people use the same rifle. If it's sighted in for a six o'clock hold, the center-bead guy can easily miss.

SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 · January 16, 2010, 09:05 PM

G'day. I think I might have an alternative. How do you think I might go if I got about a hundred yards out and used my .222, or even the .270?

sc928porsche · January 18, 2010, 03:41 PM

Or, you could see if you can get hold of a 105mm and use HE in it.

Major Dave (retired) · January 31, 2010, 10:50 PM

with a .222 would be good. If the trees are only about 10 yards high, and the bats are about the size of a beer can?

How tall are the trees?

How big are the bats? Do they sit still, or flutter around while eating the fruit?

As for using a 105mm, I prefer something a bit larger, like an 8 inch (203 mm).
On the other hand, for close range, in Vietnam, we used the "behive" round in the 105 mm. Contained about 1,000 steel darts. Would strip a tree of all its leaves at 50 yards, though. Not good for bats in fruit trees, I would guess.

tachunter · January 31, 2010, 11:04 PM

I wouldn't shoot any kind of rifle in an upward angle into a tree if there are houses or people within a mile. Pull out the shotgun. Best would be a simple 4-10.

highvel · February 1, 2010, 12:11 AM

A rifle of most any caliber at an elevated angle can go miles, very dangerous unless your in the "outback"

knoxville · February 1, 2010, 12:36 AM

this is easy get a dang shot gun preferably 8 shot and go to shooting come back the next day and do it again that or buy yourself a fake owl and they'll head to the neighbors

hogdogs · February 1, 2010, 08:40 AM

The owl trick may not mean much if there are no owls in Australia.

I am guessing that these guys are doing eradication work on LARGE ranches. I am also guessing they are aware of where the nearest folks live beyond these huge places.

Shotguns may not be very suitable as they are trying to protect fruit... lead pellets in fruit will likely drop the value a bit

Brent

Noonan · February 1, 2010, 01:26 PM

I would use a .410 with a full choke. Any fruit ruined would be much less fruit than the varmint would eat in a year. Benefits outweigh the costs by a long shot.

SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 · February 2, 2010, 04:53 PM

G'day, sorry for not replying earlier, computer problems again.

Quote:

with a .222 would be good. If the trees are only about 10 yards high, and the bats are about the size of a beer can?

How tall are the trees?

How big are the bats? Do they sit still, or flutter around while eating the fruit?

There are a variety of trees, many are not even fruit trees. The larger ones could get to 20 meters high and about 8 to 10 meters in diameter.
Think of them as a small to medium size rat with wings. During the day they hang from branches and wrap their wings around their body. At dusk they can be seen by the thousands in large swarms.

Quote:

I wouldn't shoot any kind of rifle in an upward angle into a tree if there are houses or people within a mile.

A couple of houses in one direction about 4 Miles in a straight line. Town is about 12 miles in a straight line a little further to the south. His property boundary is about 30 miles to the north and 10 miles to the east from his home.

Quote:

A rifle of most any caliber at an elevated angle can go miles, very dangerous unless your in the "outback"

Very dangerous regardless of location. The risk of hitting people is reduced by location

Quote:

I am guessing that these guys are doing eradication work on LARGE ranches. I am also guessing they are aware of where the nearest folks live beyond these huge places.

Shotguns may not be very suitable as they are trying to protect fruit... lead pellets in fruit will likely drop the value a bit

It is a Beef property, the only fruit grown is for private consumption.

The biggest danger would be hitting somebody that was trespassing. Followed by an odd car on the only road ( fine weather access, gravel) that runs through the property.
The next road that runs in that direction is only 60 miles away, but it is bitumen.

FALacy · February 2, 2010, 08:52 PM

Go out at night with some number 9 shot in a 12 gauge and flock shoot them when they're traveling in those packs of thousands.

SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 · February 2, 2010, 09:31 PM

G'day.

Quote:

Go out at night with some number 9 shot in a 12 gauge and flock shoot them when they're traveling in those packs of thousands.

I'm shure it gets done.

fisherman66 · February 2, 2010, 09:46 PM

firecrackers might be a better solution, but where's the fun in that.

January 10, 2010, 06:01 AM	#1
SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2008 Location: Far Nth Wst QLD Australia Posts: 992	Hunting prey in trees G'day. I was visiting a friend at his Station on Saturday. He has lots fruit ruined and wants the culprits shot. I had 4 shots with his .22 and twice hit small branches. I'm not used to shooting at such a steep angle and was wondering if there were any tips I should know of? He had a young fellow shoot about 200 of the pests in one day just prior to Christmas. __________________ If you're not confused, you're not trying hard enough! When you're confused, I'll try to use smaller words!!!

January 10, 2010, 08:46 AM	#2
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	I have to ask, are those pest the parrots we hear so much about? I wish you folks could trap'em and ship'em, you would make a fortune selling them here in the states. The only thing I could recommend is practice shooting at that type of angle, unless you can move further back. Is there anyway you can support the gun, using a stick? Kneeling on the ground, support the rifle with a "y" stick should give you a little more precision, but again, practice is going to come into play. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

January 10, 2010, 04:12 PM	#7
SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2008 Location: Far Nth Wst QLD Australia Posts: 992	G'day. Yes a shot gun works. He told me he dropped 6 Bats with one shot, so that can reduce the cost per kill ratio. That same shot also took out a bird that was not on the hit list. The high volume of these pests seems to have passed now. __________________ If you're not confused, you're not trying hard enough! When you're confused, I'll try to use smaller words!!!

January 16, 2010, 09:05 PM	#9
SKULLANDCROSSBONES65 Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2008 Location: Far Nth Wst QLD Australia Posts: 992	G'day. I think I might have an alternative. How do you think I might go if I got about a hundred yards out and used my .222, or even the .270? __________________ If you're not confused, you're not trying hard enough! When you're confused, I'll try to use smaller words!!! Last edited by SKULLANDCROSSBONES65; January 18, 2010 at 10:38 PM. Reason: typo

January 18, 2010, 03:41 PM	#10
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	Or, you could see if you can get hold of a 105mm and use HE in it. __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

January 10, 2010, 09:13 AM	#3
Osageshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2009 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 179	Interesting problem. Would a small shotgun like a 4-10 ruin too much fruit? It would be more expensive than a 22. A pellet gun would likely work, but you would have the same issue with aiming. I shoot squirrels at that angle with my scoped 22 and don't have too much of a problem. Maybe you could shoot at a spot on a high angle target and see where that 22 hits. I am no expert, but my understanding is that dealing effectively with birds in orchards is a problem that is hard to solve with an individual and a firearm. Best solution is a crack-shot 12 year old that would love to spend all day every day out there. Would have been heaven for me. In fact, it still would be if it weren't for that job thing I have.

January 10, 2010, 09:48 AM	#4
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,126	Aim low for uphill or downhill shots.

January 10, 2010, 10:28 AM	#5
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	To further explain what waterman said... Just keep in mind that you need not compensate for bullet drop hardly at all for upwards or downwards shots. Gravity isn't such a factor for extreme angles. Brent

January 10, 2010, 04:09 PM	#6
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	What range is it sighted in for? My .22's are sighted in at about 30 yds. At that point, bullet drop is negligible so shooting angle at short ranges doesn't matter.

January 10, 2010, 06:46 PM	#8
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Mostly with iron sights, different people have different sight pictures that they take as "right and proper". One guy might hold the front sight at six o'clock; the other centers the bead. That will have some effect when two different people use the same rifle. If it's sighted in for a six o'clock hold, the center-bead guy can easily miss.

January 31, 2010, 10:50 PM	#11
Major Dave (retired) Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2008 Location: Between Dallas and Shreveport, LA Posts: 569	Seems like 40 or 50 yards with a .222 would be good. If the trees are only about 10 yards high, and the bats are about the size of a beer can? How tall are the trees? How big are the bats? Do they sit still, or flutter around while eating the fruit? As for using a 105mm, I prefer something a bit larger, like an 8 inch (203 mm). On the other hand, for close range, in Vietnam, we used the "behive" round in the 105 mm. Contained about 1,000 steel darts. Would strip a tree of all its leaves at 50 yards, though. Not good for bats in fruit trees, I would guess. __________________ Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be but a vulgar brawl.

January 31, 2010, 11:04 PM	#12
tachunter Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2009 Posts: 196	I wouldn't shoot any kind of rifle in an upward angle into a tree if there are houses or people within a mile. Pull out the shotgun. Best would be a simple 4-10.

February 1, 2010, 12:11 AM	#13
highvel Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2010 Location: Powhatan VA Posts: 633	A rifle of most any caliber at an elevated angle can go miles, very dangerous unless your in the "outback"

February 1, 2010, 12:36 AM	#14
knoxville Member Join Date: December 31, 2009 Location: pocatello,Id - rock springs,wy Posts: 83	this is easy get a dang shot gun preferably 8 shot and go to shooting come back the next day and do it again that or buy yourself a fake owl and they'll head to the neighbors __________________ To hunt the ghost in the darkness you must first find were he sleeps

February 1, 2010, 08:40 AM	#15
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	The owl trick may not mean much if there are no owls in Australia. I am guessing that these guys are doing eradication work on LARGE ranches. I am also guessing they are aware of where the nearest folks live beyond these huge places. Shotguns may not be very suitable as they are trying to protect fruit... lead pellets in fruit will likely drop the value a bit Brent

February 1, 2010, 01:26 PM	#16
Noonan Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 155	I would use a .410 with a full choke. Any fruit ruined would be much less fruit than the varmint would eat in a year. Benefits outweigh the costs by a long shot.

February 2, 2010, 08:52 PM	#18
FALacy Junior member Join Date: August 17, 2009 Posts: 205	Go out at night with some number 9 shot in a 12 gauge and flock shoot them when they're traveling in those packs of thousands.

February 2, 2010, 09:46 PM	#20
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	firecrackers might be a better solution, but where's the fun in that. __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!