January 10, 2010, 06:01 AM | #1 |
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 |
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, 09:13 AM | #3 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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, 04:12 PM | #7 |
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 10, 2010, 06:46 PM | #8 |
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 16, 2010, 09:05 PM | #9 |
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 |
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 31, 2010, 10:50 PM | #11 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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, 04:53 PM | #17 | ||||
Senior Member
Join Date: August 19, 2008
Location: Far Nth Wst QLD Australia
Posts: 992
|
G'day, sorry for not replying earlier, computer problems again.
Quote:
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:
Quote:
Quote:
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.
__________________
If you're not confused, you're not trying hard enough! When you're confused, I'll try to use smaller words!!! |
||||
February 2, 2010, 08:52 PM | #18 |
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, 09:31 PM | #19 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 19, 2008
Location: Far Nth Wst QLD Australia
Posts: 992
|
G'day.
Quote:
__________________
If you're not confused, you're not trying hard enough! When you're confused, I'll try to use smaller words!!! |
|
February 2, 2010, 09:46 PM | #20 |
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! |
|
|