Penny treed a squirrel today for the first time in weeks. They’re pretty much all dead. 5 degrees and very windy, I went 0 for 5…

[Flintsack]

I was shooting the 25 mini rifle. It’s absolutely deadly. But it was so windy, and big gusts. Penny kept waiting for it to fall, I did too. Lol. I would guess he was 80 to 90 feet up in the tree flattened against the side trying to keep his body away from me.

I missed him on both sides. It was brutal. I could see the pellets flying by. And the ones that missed on the other side would slam into the tree. It wasn’t an oak tree.

That big slow 25 was being pushed around a lot out there. He lived to see another day. I don’t kill them all in one shot. But this was quite unusual. I ran out of pellets. I darn near had to drag penny away from the tree so I could go and get on a call, plus I had nothing to do but throw the gun at him.

Mike

 

[XSUltimate]

Mike,
Put a small storage keg under Penny's neck like a St Bernard rescue dog and put an extra tin of pellets in there for the next excursion!!
Thx
Dan

 

[JimD]

Or at least a spare magazine in your pocket. I try to take the time to refill my magazines after each use to try and make sure I don't run out. Two of the 4 I've taken with my P35-22 where flattened against a limb like you describe. Maybe not as well or maybe the limb was smaller. I missed the first shot on one of them and got it on the second. Both were at least 50 feet up a big oak. I missed a simple 16.5 yard shot on one yesterday, however. I range them after the fact, I do not take time initially because they usually run off pretty quickly. My P35s shoot low at that distance and I am pretty sure I hit the limb it was sitting on. Simple side shot. Cola and I looked for a long time but found no blood or other sign it was hit. It came down the tree oddly but didn't fall to the ground, may have just been frightened. I hate the possibility I may have hit it poorly but I also hate the seemingly higher possibility I missed. But it happens.

 

[JimD]

Just saw what is probably the same squirrel in the backyard a few minutes after typing the above. I ran away quickly as soon as I moved towards the door - one sign it is the same one. Nice to have another indication I missed. If it keeps coming around which seems likely it will mess up and I will get it.

They are definitely few and far between for me now too.

 

[swopever]

Well, it was a high of 10 degrees here today. Have you ever checked point of aim shift after being outside with a PCP after about 10 minutes when <20 degs F?

I never have because when that cold, I'm shooting whatever critter caused me to be outside quick. Shifting an inch at 30 yards, even without wind, certainly wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Flintsack]

At the distance as I’m shooting I see very little change in point of impact based on weather. We know from shooting Field Target in the late fall when it’s cool that your impact point will change but it’s pretty small for short distances.

Mike

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

There is an old hunting trick called barking the squirrel. If they lay down on the branch and you can't get a good shot, you shoot the branch just below their head and usually it'll spook them or sometimes the bark shrapnel will kill them. I'm not sure how well a pellet gun would work, but a 38 round nose from a lever action works every time!

 

[JimD]

In my case, both times I could see about half the head. The half I wanted to hit. I was probably a bit lucky but I dropped it in there. I walked 180 degrees around the tree on the first one trying to find a better angle. It was a little one WAY at the top of the tree holding onto a limb half his width. I would have missed spotting him but his tail was waving gently in the breeze. They are fun targets - especially when I take them cleanly.