Chipper #66 for 2021, #15 for October

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BackStop

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Oct 10, 2020
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North Alabama
Insomnia kept me up all night. But as daylight came around, I made my usual sausage and biscuit and even made a half pot of coffee that just fills my travel mug. (grin)

A while after full daylight, I opened the "sniper window" and started watching. Did not see anything for about an hour, then... along the top of the neighbor's privacy fence, I noticed movement that was familiar. Yes, it was a chipper and I knew it was heading for my woodpile, so I quickly got set up outside, behind my garbage can blind/rest and waited.

It didn't take long before the chipper showed, but I didn't have a shot and the little bugger came along the back of my house to within about 17 feet from me and when I reached to set my Fortitude up (which was laying on its side on the rest) and try to focus and line up a shot, the chipper ran back around the back of the house and did not go straight to the woodpile. I wouldn't have been able to focus that close anyway.

So, I lit a cigar and waited, and waited, and waited... about 2 hours, and just as I had decided I was going to give up and go inside, the chipper ran from behind the house to my little raised garden patch and back to the woodpile. It darted back and forth several times before it finally stopped with only its head (left side) visible to me, but I was ready and took the shot. In the first pic you can see a 2x4 at a 45 degree angle and that is what it was "hiding" behind with head up and body angled slightly downward, but only the head/neck exposed.

Shot entered just in front of the left ear and exited south of the right shoulder in what I would call the bicep. DRT with minor twitching. No chance for a heart shot here.

~15 yards with .177 Benjamin Fortitude Gen2 using LUM77 10.5 @ ~750fps for ~12+fpe. Scope is Aim Sports Alpha 6 4.5-27x50 set to 27x.

The first pic shows where it fell after the shot, not posed. Next 2 are posed to show the entry. The last two are posed to show the exit. Ping pong ball for scale.

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Cigar was AVO Heritage. Did not like it at all.
 
Too bad about the gar
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It wasn't really a "bad" cigar. I just did not like the flavor. Something about it was simply off for my taste.

Not many things are like a bad cigar. You just kind of look at it while you hold it. It’s been a few years for me but I remember.

Nice shot. You should have more patience.lol

mike
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Thanks!

Yeah, too bad I am so quick to give up... (chuckle)
 
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@Backstop That’s a well placed shot on such small target. I’m not familiar with the gun. That scope’s got some decent glass, especially for the price. When you use maximum magnification, how do you do it? Are you scanning and locating the chippers, then using a bipod bracing your rifle, and starting at a lower magnification cranking it up once you have them dead center? Or can you locate the chipmunks staring at 27x? I’m asking because I don’t generally shoot into clearings so I haven’t had the opportunity to use higher magnifications looking at animal in foliage. I tried a couple times while tracking small game and ended up losing sight as the field of view narrows as I increased magnification. 
 
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@Backstop That’s a well placed shot on such small target. I’m not familiar with the gun. That scope’s got some decent glass, especially for the price. When you use maximum magnification, how do you do it? Are you scanning and locating the chippers, then using a bipod bracing your rifle, and starting at a lower magnification cranking it up once you have them dead center? Or can you locate the chipmunks staring at 27x? I’m asking because I don’t generally shoot into clearings so I haven’t had the opportunity to use higher magnifications looking at animal in foliage. I tried a couple times while tracking small game and ended up losing sight as the field of view narrows as I increased magnification.
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Thanks!

First, I have the advantage of only shooting in my backyard where I know the distances and also the likely places where I am going to get a safe shot. I have to pass on most of the pests I see because they are either not on my property, where I have permission to shoot or it simply is not a safe shot when the backstop and possible ricochet issues are considered. For my backyard pesting I'd say it is about 50/50 chance whether the pest will be "in the open" or hiding in the shadows and cover. Also, the large majority of my shots are within my PBR, so holdover is usually not even an issue.

Most of the time I am simply scanning for motion with the naked eye and only go the the rifle/scope after I spot movement and I am sure I have a pest target. On bright sunny days I often have to make a fist and look through that to be able to see into the shadows when scanning. 

Most of the time the scope stays at 27x, even while scanning... especially when scanning the longer distances (40 yards max for the most part).

When I do scan with the scope, depending on lighting conditions and what area I am scanning (especially at the closer distances like 15 yards), I sometimes reduce the zoom to 17x or even 12x approximately. This lets in more light and gives a wider field of view. However, once the pest is spotted I usually go back to 27x for the shot if possible.

I almost always (99+%) shoot from a rest. And most of that time, I am seated. All of my "rests" are improvised with things like a small step ladder, outside garbage can, various pieces of Styrofoam, throw cushions, a folded towel, etc, etc, etc. It's not perfect, but it works.

From what I have read, the way I do things is not the norm, but it works for me. 

I am trying for precision with every shot and subscribe to "Aim small. Miss small."

Hope that helps or at least explains what I do. If I missed anything feel free to ask!



P.S.

The Aim Sports Alpha 6 4.5-27x50 does have decent glass for the money, but it has what I call "delayed action" when adjusting the turrets. Maybe I just got a bad one, but I would never recommend this scope for anyone who wants to click turrets for range.
 
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@backstop Thanks for explaining. I wasn’t even thinking about how adjusting the magnification allows more light. Someone else mentioned that and exit pupil diameter recently and it hasn’t quite stuck. Now, I can better understand your setup, conditions, and shooting style. If you lose an animal through the scope at high magnification within say 20 yards, which practice(s) do you find effective at picking them back up especially when they’re in the shadows?
 
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@backstop Thanks for explaining. I wasn’t even thinking about how adjusting the magnification allows more light. Someone else mentioned that and exit pupil diameter recently and it hasn’t quite stuck. Now, I can better understand your setup, conditions, and shooting style. If you lose an animal through the scope at high magnification within say 20 yards, which practice(s) do you find effective at picking them back up especially when they’re in the shadows?
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I had to think about that for a minute...

I guess it depends. If I know they are going to be running along a fence line or anything that may cause them to run in a straight line, I may stay with the scope and leave it at 27x. Then again, if it is moving fast, I will simply go back to the naked eye and look for motion until the target settles down enough to make it feasible to go back to the scope. I am not capable of making an accurate/precise shot at a moving chipper! (chuckle)

Also, if they are running away or towards me, there is the problem of trying to keep them in focus! LOL! 

Again, since this is my backyard and I "stalk" it every day of the year, it makes it a lot easier than if I were out in the wild actually hunting. If I were, I am sure my tactics would be vastly different. (smile)
 
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