BARKING A SQUIREL

[Dr5x]

I haven't heard this mentioned since the '70's.
Barking a squirrel referred to killing a squirrel while not actually hitting him but the wood of whatever he was hanging on to.
Apparently the shock of the ball's impact caused him. or her. to drop dead.
Has anyone ever heard of this? My nephew used to hunt rabbits with arrows that had small boxing glove sorta in place of the arrow head.. Iy seemed like the "Barking" story so I figured there might be something to it but have come to doubt it as the yeast passed.
Anyone/

Dutch Schoultz

 

[30coupe]

Yes, I've heard of it, Dutch. I've never actually tried it, and like you, I'm a bit skeptical that the squirrel will fall dead. It might be possible to stun one enough that you could dispatch it some other way while it's on the ground. I've always kind of preferred head shots myself.

 

[azmntman]

Heard of it, never done it.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I used to shoot dove with a handgun. I would shoot the ground several inches in front of the bird. The gravel and rocks would spray up and kill the bird. It didn’t destroy any meat that way. It might be the same idea for barking a squirrel.

 

[30coupe]

I used to shoot dove with a handgun. I would shoot the ground several inches in front of the bird. The gravel and rocks would spray up and kill the bird. It didn’t destroy any meat that way. It might be the same idea for barking a squirrel.

Maybe so, but squirrels are surprisingly tough little critters.

 

[rodwha]

FROM WHAT LITTLE I’VE READ BARKING DOES INDEED KILL THEM USUALLY. I’VE ALSO READ OF A SQUIRREL FREAKING OUT IN A CROSSCARRY GAME BAG WHEN CAME TO.

TO ME IT JUST SEEMS BEST TO CHOOSE A SMALL CALIBER AND SHOOT FOR THE HEAD IF POSSIBLE. LESS LEAD AND POWDER. BUT SHOOTING IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION SHOULD BE DONE WITH A SHOTGUN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ANY UNKNOWN DOWN RANGE.

 

[Dr5x]

Maybe so, but squirrels are surprisingly tough little critters.

YOU SORT OF FIGURED OUT HOW TO CONVERT THE LOCAL HEAVIER SAND AND PEBBLES INTO A SHRAPNEL/ I NEVER THOUGHT OR HEARD OF THAT METHOD.
DUTCH

 

[Dr5x]

Yes, I've heard of it, Dutch. I've never actually tried it, and like you, I'm a bit skeptical that the squirrel will fall dead. It might be possible to stun one enough that you could dispatch it some other way while it's on the ground. I've always kind of preferred head shots myself.

MY DAD WAS HELL ON SQUIRRELS. ZUSED A SHOTGUN AND FED US KIDS WITH THE MEAT.
I LEARNED HOW HARD I WAS CHEWING WHEN I BIT DOWN ON ONE OF THE SHOT AND FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING A TOOTH FURTHER BACK INTO MY HEAD.
I LEARNED TO HATE SQUIRREL MEAT.
DUTCH

 

[FishDFly]

I visualize barking squirrels as a lot of wounded (dead center) tree limbs and educated squirrels.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Apparently the shock of the ball's impact caused him. or her. to drop dead.
Has anyone ever heard of this?

YES,

I've tried it three times. Bagged three squirrels. Twice it worked as planned, and the third time the ball knocked the wood from the branch upwards into the squirrel like a dozen thorns.

I stopped doing it as it occurred to me where I hunt that the ball after passing through that branch kept going...somewhere....
We have enough problems with anti-gunners and anti-hunters here in Maryland, that I don't need to contribute to the problem by bonking some suburbanite on the head, or cracking a car windshield with a .530 round ball, lobbed from the woods on a farm into a housing area.

LD

 

[Grimord]

Yes I have heard of it and I did it once unintentionally. I hit the bark of the tree limb under the squirrels chin with a .32 caliber ball and the squirrel dropped to the ground. When I recovered it I found a sliver of wood had entered in the "v" of the lower jaw, under the tongue, and penetrated the skull to kill the squirrel. I would never try to do this on purpose, but I will not pass up the game should it happen by accident again.

 

[Dr5x]

YES,

I've tried it three times. Bagged three squirrels. Twice it worked as planned, and the third time the ball knocked the wood from the branch upwards into the squirrel like a dozen thorns.

I stopped doing it as it occurred to me where I hunt that the ball after passing through that branch kept going...somewhere....
We have enough problems with anti-gunners and anti-hunters here in Maryland, that I don't need to contribute to the problem by bonking some suburbanite on the head, or cracking a car windshield with a .530 round ball, lobbed from the woods on a farm into a housing area.

LD

LOYALIST DAVE IS COMPLETELY RIGHT ON THIS SUBJECT.
THE ANTI GUNNERS, AND THERE'SA WHOLE POLITICAL PARTY OF THE ARE WATCHING FOR EVERY CHANCE THEY CAN GET TO CLOSE US DOWN.
AUSTRALIA'S ANTI GUN GOVERNMENT HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ERROR OF THE ANTI GUN THOUGHT PROCESS WHICH MERELY DISARMS THE HONEST AND ADDS A MAESURE OF SAFETY TO THE CRIMINAL.
I NOTICE A BIT OF LOODENING UP DOWN UNDER AS GUNS SEEM TO BE SEEPING BACK INTO SOME OF THE HONEST HANDS.

DUTCH SCHOULTZ

 

[Rifleman1776]

I've heard of it. But also have concluded from those who tried that is more myth than method.

 

[ppg1949]

I saw it done once by accident. My buddy shot at a squirrel and barked it. He said it was by accident and he must have pulled the shot. We searched for about twenty minutes but never found the squirrel. You have to be a really good shot to even think about this.

 

[RiverRat]

Not a squirrel but a groundhog. I hit a rock by the head of a groundhog and you can say that I rocked it.

 

[tenngun]

Heard of it, tried it, couldn’t do it.

 

[mhb]

Yes, once, but not with a muzzleloader. While sitting on an Arkansas deer stand, a gray squirrel in a tree behind me was giving me what for, and wouldn't shut up or go away. Finally, out of patience, I turned around and intentionally shot the limb under him - with a .25-06. The squirrel went about 3 feet straight up and fell stone dead under the tree. He was barked, all right - in fact, he was completely full of bark - and splinters.

mhb - MIke

 

[Heelerau]

I once got two tommy ruffs ( Herring) with my .58 PH Navy rifle, they were swimming in a small stone channel and the bullet passed between them and I guess the concussion killed both of them, cooked them over the fire on my ram rod !

 

[bore_butter]

never barked a squirrel but once walnut'ed one. tried to pull a head shot and hit the squirrel in the lower jaw and the walnut he had in his jaws. it hit the ground but had to club the head.

 

[renegadehunter]

I've done it by accident with a modern pistol. Shot at a ground squirrel and at the shot it fell over dead and didn't even twitch. After looking closely it looked like I'd shot just under it, there was no sign of a wound or any blood on the squirrel. I don't know if it was the concussion of the bullet hitting so close or if it propelled tiny rocks into it.