2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........

Jim K said:

Off handed for me followed by straight up. The squirrels have a real good chance of living through either one!

Click to expand...

So, here is an illustration that clearly shows what is happening on those straight up shots. As we all know, a ball follows a straight line exiting the muzzle for only an inch or so. From that point on it begins dropping in an ever increasing arc until it lands on the ground. We compensate you aiming a bit high. How much higher depends upon how far away the target is. BUT, when we shoot straight up, the only effect of gravity is to very gradually slow the speed of the ball. There is no curved trajectory within the confines of our squirrel hunting distances.



The wider line at the bottom represents our barrel, of course.

Obviously, every range needs to install a tower that can lift a target holder to various distances to allow each squirrel hunter to study the exact ballistic behavior their specific rifle.

As to the shooting from a rest problem, we need to engineer inverted L shaped rests that attach as a bipod to your AR (I know you all have one). That way the hunter can lay on their back and have a perfect resting shot at any overhead squirrel.

This is a special advantage to certain hunters of a certain age who prefer to sit and wait for the squirrels. The correct camo pattern will appear as does the forest floor which should NOT bear any resemblance to any manner of forest mast crop lest it encourage unintentional and toothy attacks by their quarry. This risk becomes even greater for the hunter of a certain age who engages in this new and deadly strategy in that the hunter will likely be asleep at the time of the attack. In actuality, that certain type of hunter would probably not be able to rise up to prevent the attack.

Be careful out there!!

longcruise said:

So, here is an illustration that clearly shows what is happening on those straight up shots. As we all know, a ball follows a straight line exiting the muzzle for only an inch or so. From that point on it begins dropping in an ever increasing arc until it lands on the ground. We compensate you aiming a bit high. How much higher depends upon how far away the target is. BUT, when we shoot straight up, the only effect of gravity is to very gradually slow the speed of the ball. There is no curved trajectory within the confines of our squirrel hunting distances.

View attachment 350437

The wider line at the bottom represents our barrel, of course.

Obviously, every range needs to install a tower that can lift a target holder to various distances to allow each squirrel hunter to study the exact ballistic behavior their specific rifle.

As to the shooting from a rest problem, we need to engineer inverted L shaped rests that attach as a bipod to your AR (I know you all have one). That way the hunter can lay on their back and have a perfect resting shot at any overhead squirrel.

This is a special advantage to certain hunters of a certain age who prefer to sit and wait for the squirrels. The correct camo pattern will appear as does the forest floor which should NOT bear any resemblance to any manner of forest mast crop lest it encourage unintentional and toothy attacks by their quarry. This risk becomes even greater for the hunter of a certain age who engages in this new and deadly strategy in that the hunter will likely be asleep at the time of the attack. In actuality, that certain type of hunter would probably not be able to rise up to prevent the attack.

Be careful out there!!

Click to expand...

That’s a lot to think about. I’ll have to cogitate on it!

I saved a tail feather from each birds I got last year.

Been trying to figure out what to do with

I think I heard.. keeping a journal log of the numbers harvested..

What do you do with rabbit. I was thinking also.

I could keep count anyway but. I don't want to pelt them all.. was thinking just pelt the first. Would look good on the wall I think.

A squirrels I have no clue. Other than trying to mount a fancy one.

longcruise said:

So, here is an illustration that clearly shows what is happening on those straight up shots. As we all know, a ball follows a straight line exiting the muzzle for only an inch or so. From that point on it begins dropping in an ever increasing arc until it lands on the ground. We compensate you aiming a bit high. How much higher depends upon how far away the target is. BUT, when we shoot straight up, the only effect of gravity is to very gradually slow the speed of the ball. There is no curved trajectory within the confines of our squirrel hunting distances.

View attachment 350437

The wider line at the bottom represents our barrel, of course.

Obviously, every range needs to install a tower that can lift a target holder to various distances to allow each squirrel hunter to study the exact ballistic behavior their specific rifle.

As to the shooting from a rest problem, we need to engineer inverted L shaped rests that attach as a bipod to your AR (I know you all have one). That way the hunter can lay on their back and have a perfect resting shot at any overhead squirrel.

This is a special advantage to certain hunters of a certain age who prefer to sit and wait for the squirrels. The correct camo pattern will appear as does the forest floor which should NOT bear any resemblance to any manner of forest mast crop lest it encourage unintentional and toothy attacks by their quarry. This risk becomes even greater for the hunter of a certain age who engages in this new and deadly strategy in that the hunter will likely be asleep at the time of the attack. In actuality, that certain type of hunter would probably not be able to rise up to prevent the attack.

Be careful out there!!

Click to expand...

Cruiser my friend, you are zen master

Greg Selner said:

Ed
I use the AccuWeather app and I find that to be pretty darn accurate.
Have used it for a little over 3 years.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Greg. I do use AccuWeather. Its on this desktop as well as my cell. I do not know if I have and app or not on my cell. They may be fairly accurate for some locations but they are often wrong here. Sometimes even the radar is inaccurate.
One aspect I often see here is the forecast will be changed during the weekends then be changed right back to how it was on Friday.

longcruise said:

So, here is an illustration that clearly shows what is happening on those straight up shots. As we all know, a ball follows a straight line exiting the muzzle for only an inch or so. From that point on it begins dropping in an ever increasing arc until it lands on the ground. We compensate you aiming a bit high. How much higher depends upon how far away the target is. BUT, when we shoot straight up, the only effect of gravity is to very gradually slow the speed of the ball. There is no curved trajectory within the confines of our squirrel hunting distances.

View attachment 350437

The wider line at the bottom represents our barrel, of course.

Obviously, every range needs to install a tower that can lift a target holder to various distances to allow each squirrel hunter to study the exact ballistic behavior their specific rifle.

As to the shooting from a rest problem, we need to engineer inverted L shaped rests that attach as a bipod to your AR (I know you all have one). That way the hunter can lay on their back and have a perfect resting shot at any overhead squirrel.

This is a special advantage to certain hunters of a certain age who prefer to sit and wait for the squirrels. The correct camo pattern will appear as does the forest floor which should NOT bear any resemblance to any manner of forest mast crop lest it encourage unintentional and toothy attacks by their quarry. This risk becomes even greater for the hunter of a certain age who engages in this new and deadly strategy in that the hunter will likely be asleep at the time of the attack. In actuality, that certain type of hunter would probably not be able to rise up to prevent the attack.

Be careful out there!!

Click to expand...

Very well, Cruiser. Good information. Thank you for posting it.

I can see how that could make a difference on vertical shots, or close to vertical. If I get the chance again, I will try to aim a tad high. However, on any other steep angle shot that is not completely vertical, and considering the distance, I would think that could be a different story.

My thinking is, and is something I have definitely noticed, I find it difficult to put the crescent shaped buttstock where it needs to be on vertical shots. Speaking for the Crockett rifle only, that crescent needs to be placed right at the edge of the bicepts. I found out the hard way that any time this is not done, I miss. Not only on squirrels but during target shooting. In short, the crescent seems to want to go against the shoulder on those steep angle shots regardless.

However, this might be overcome by practice IF one had the proper setup.

Definitely something to consider.

snakebit said:

Cruiser my friend, you are zen master

Click to expand...

You got that right. Ole Cruiser is sharp for sure. I'm guessing he has one of those academic PHD's.

I have a PHD that I proudly display on my garage wall.........Post Hole Digger.

ETipp said:

I'm guessing he has one of those academic PHD's.

Click to expand...

Ha ha!! LMAO . I found K12 education to be absolutely boring. An interference with life as it should be. And, most of my grades reflected it unless I found it interesting like biology, history or any of the earth sciences. It frustrated my parents no end. Everyone who ever commented on my scholastic performance told me "you will never be able to go to college". So, when I got out of the Army I went to college and got a degree. It was a waste of my time but da&%it, I showed them.

Well, the saga has a happy ending.


What a wayward little gun. He decided to go sight seeing before deciding like the prodigal son to come home...

yellowhammer said:

Well, the saga has a happy ending.
View attachment 350701

What a wayward little gun. He decided to go sight seeing before deciding like the prodigal son to come home...

Click to expand...

Well that went pretty good after all. Glad it's made it's way.

yellowhammer said:

Well, the saga has a happy ending.
View attachment 350701

What a wayward little gun. He decided to go sight seeing before deciding like the prodigal son to come home...

Click to expand...

Can't wait to see the finished product Hammer.

roger, wilco

yellowhammer said:

Well, the saga has a happy ending.
View attachment 350701

What a wayward little gun. He decided to go sight seeing before deciding like the prodigal son to come home...

Click to expand...

Glad it made it. Best of luck on the build. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

So, yesterday evening I decided that this ole boy is finished squirrel hunting until I at least get my first eye repaired. After not being able to see the front sight and/or a squirrel clearly at a close distance, that solidified for me. I refuse to put myself through this any more. Unless the light condition is perfect, it just doesn't happen. The light condition is constantly changing in the hardwoods here in the mountains, depending on sky condition and location of the sun at any particular moment and/or particular location. I'm so done working my tail off to get a shot at a squirrel only to have to lower my Crockett and not shoot due to a fuzzy front sight. I'm putting a lot of faith into cataracts removal and vision restoration. It's all I can do.

When is your surgery? Good luck with it. I think you will be amazed at how things improve. Have you told the doc you hunt and shoot. It may make a difference in what implants they use. Maybe not but it’s good information for them to have.

ETipp said:

So, yesterday evening I decided that this ole boy is finished squirrel hunting until I at least get my first eye repaired. After not being able to see the front sight and/or a squirrel clearly at a close distance, that solidified for me. I refuse to put myself through this any more. Unless the light condition is perfect, it just doesn't happen. The light condition is constantly changing in the hardwoods here in the mountains, depending on sky condition and location of the sun at any particular moment and/or particular location. I'm so done working my tail off to get a shot at a squirrel only to have to lower my Crockett and not shoot due to a fuzzy front sight. I'm putting a lot of faith into cataracts removal and vision restoration. It's all I can do.

Click to expand...

From what I understand of this surgery, and how far it's come along, methinks you'll be out there gettin afterem before too long Amigo. Just don't go to Walmart too soon after getting it done. Your vision will be so much improved, some of the shoppers in there might scare the bejesus outta ya.

ETipp said:

So, yesterday evening I decided that this ole boy is finished squirrel hunting until I at least get my first eye repaired. After not being able to see the front sight and/or a squirrel clearly at a close distance, that solidified for me. I refuse to put myself through this any more. Unless the light condition is perfect, it just doesn't happen. The light condition is constantly changing in the hardwoods here in the mountains, depending on sky condition and location of the sun at any particular moment and/or particular location. I'm so done working my tail off to get a shot at a squirrel only to have to lower my Crockett and not shoot due to a fuzzy front sight. I'm putting a lot of faith into cataracts removal and vision restoration. It's all I can do.

Click to expand...

I'll be following closely both out of concern for you and for my own vision problems. Keep us posted. Hope you can see well enough to arrow some deer.

Thanks fellas. Surgery is early Thursday morning for the right eye. Two weeks later is the left eye.

Yes, the surgeon and I had a pow wow about hunting. He is a big hunter and precision shooter as well.

Mike, I’ll definitely post the results.

I did just get some good news about this. Insurance is paying half of the cost. So it’s only costing me $800.00 per eye instead of $1,600.00 per eye.

Tom, indeed. I’ll gladly accept a little cultural shock in exchange for good vision again.

I'm glad you're getting your eyes taken care buddy. It will go well, best to ya and speedy recovery.
Them Kentucky Squirrels best beware!!

Take Care Buddy.