21 replies to this topic

[crazyhorse]

Yesterday,went back out to a horse ranch to take out more squirrels...owner is just thrilled and has said he rarely sees squirrels now...I pretty much eradicated most within his property...but now there are squirrels entering from adjacent properties..nailed 5 in four hours....I'm having to shoot from within one his corrals...this means 'threading the needle".... taking shots thru space of corral pipes...i'm using my 850 HPA .177 and Disco .22....(I use the Disco for longer shots in the wind). I did get one from 44 yards with the Disco using JSB 14.3.Here is one taken from 35 yards with the 850...shot hit him in back of head exiting thru his mouth...In this pic, you can se results of impact of a .22 Cal JSB 14.3 Gr pellet from 44 yards..The Disco shoots 906 FPS avg......it knocked the squirrel off the pole....blood was everywhere....I found the squirrel about 6 FT away...(next pic)

[ratassassin]

Good job. I enjoy reading these write-ups. Keep it up.

[crazyhorse]

These pictures show my shooting position inside corral...the other two are primary directions I take shots on squirrels...i figured out setup so I can hit squirrels without riicohets. I can shoot in 3 directions without getting up from stool...but i must be very still....any movement on my part and squirrels run...when they appear, I wait till their head is down eating,then carefully take aim a make shot..hard to camoflage area,although now I hang burlap on fence behind me which helps break up my outline...In this pic I shoot all the way thru next corral...squirrels appear out of bushes beyond shed .....I have about 18" between pipes on far corral...range about 40-45 yards...In this pic (below),red circle on left is 42 yards...it is this area I take most squirrels as it is adjacent to another property...I put squirrel food on ground so they expose themselves to a clear shot...target area is about 2 foot square beyond manzanita bush in foreground....

[VarmintAir]

Man, have you ever got that place wired. Nice job. The furballs are in real deep Bandini from here on out. ATTENTION FURBALLS! ENTERING THIS RANCH PROPERTY WILL BE FATAL! NOT MIGHT BE, WILL BE!

[ShooterJohn]

Nice shooting Rich. Like Cliff said enter at your own risk!

[DownRangeImpact]

Niiiiicccceeee shutin' Tex.BUT, never let the fact go unnoticed that IF these horse ranchers were to use POISON or GAS on those squirrels, there would be other animals that would die and of course wiping out untold numbers of CGS is not in anyone's best interest.Have the property owner write you a letter of commendation.Another super important aspect of airgun usage, is that pellets are LIMITED FLIGHT PROJECTILES and though they still come with caution in using them, there is very little damage that can be done to livestock or neighbors from a glancing pellet that has given up most of its energy when striking an object of any mass. I've spoken to Cliff about this at length, and I'll be expanding on this aspect of our "hunting" in the near furure.TR Ball

[crazyhorse]

The first horse ranch I did a few years ago ,the owner had 12 arabian race horses...that is where I learned about plotting shots and pre-registering target zones.....since,thru word of mouth and referals ,I have done another 6 ranches...fun work if ya can get it...

[THE KNOT]

CH you have a great side job nice shooting once again

[Wingman115]

Rich I see that chair you sitting down on the job. LOL

[crazyhorse]

All the comforts of home..lolWhere you been..?? We are having another fun shoot in Pine Valley Sunday April 25...Steve(autoduel) and I competed at LD's FT match in Temecula last weekend...he shot his "D9" creation with a electronic trigger...made this rifle from an 850 .177 rifle I sold him....'click on thumbnail'Rich

[Mr Del]

I am learning about this "Ranch" shooting also. I received permission to "shoot all the squirrels you can" on a 26,000 acer ranch from the owner a couple of weeks ago. First time out... gut shot six. Right down their holes they went. So now... I have decided to head shoot ....or not shoot at all.That first day was very interesting. I saw two things I have never seen before. One was a Condor setting on the ground. I first thought it was a turkey.... then I realized it was too big for a turkey. After about 15 seconds it flew. (it was about 25 yards away) Man O Man, that is one very large bird. About a 10 -12 foot wing span. It was airborne in two flaps of its wings. I was amazed at how big that bird is. Second thing was a Badger. First, when I seen it running down hill... I thought it was a big fat squeak. Then it stopped 31 yards from me (using my new range finder)and just looked at me for about a minute... then it started to dig in an old gr sq hole for about 5 "digs" then it would look at me for about 15 seconds. He did this about 6 to 8 times and then he stayed down in his new fresh hole. He was a beautiful animal. I never once thought about shooting him. Of course I only had pellet guns with me.I am still learning...head shots are the only way to hunt squirrels. If you miss.. he come back... be patient.

[socalbry]

Where in Pine Valley do you guys shoot? I live in Alpine. PM me if you don't want the details public.....thanks!

[crazyhorse]

Ive done over 4 horse ranches now..have taken out approx 400 + squirrels...some things I've learned:Head shots allow heart to keep beating so i try mainly for shoulder shots which sends pellet thru heart/lungs...cleaner kills and most just drop..Shooting squirrels within two feet of their burrows you risk them wiggling back down their holes..so I try and be patient and shoot them at least 5 feet away from their burrow..Squirrels are very tough so I try to use .22 cal as much as possible...but also use .177 using 10.2 GR JSBS...Wounded squirrels do not live long if they make it back down their holes...and other squirrels soon abandon that burrow...I learned that on the first ranch I did..normally,it takes me weeks of shooting to thouroughly clean out squirrels...usually 3-6 weeks spending 4-5 hours/day three days/weekly on an average size ranch..biggest was 10 acres..On one ranch,voltures always fly over taking squirrels I've shot..huge birds...

[crazyhorse]

Where in Pine Valley do you guys shoot? I live in Alpine. PM me if you don't want the details public.....thanks!

PM sent...this is strickly target shooting in Pine Valley at a facility we have access.......no hunting allowed...

[Mr Del]

"...Head shots allow heart to keep beating so i try mainly for shoulder shots which sends pellet thru heart/lungs...cleaner kills and most just drop..Shooting squirrels within two feet of their burrows you risk them wiggling back down their holes..so I try and be patient and shoot them at least 5 feet away from their burrow..Squirrels are very tough so I try to use .22 cal as much as possible..."Great info here.. I did not know that the squirrels would get that far away from there hole. I will wait and go for the shoulder shot. This sport gets more interesting, and more fun, all the time. You got to love it.

[crazyhorse]

Great info here.. I did not know that the squirrels would get that far away from there hole. I will wait and go for the shoulder shot. This sport gets more interesting, and more fun, all the time. You got to love it.

As weather gets warmer and weeds,grass turn brown,the ground squirrels forage further from their burrows...I get out early,and set up 'ambush' sites and 'kill zones'....on some ranches I drop handfulls of squirrel food well away from their burrow and nail them that way...Walmart sells 10 LB bags of squirrel food cheap...but ! do not use it hunting public lands...In this pic,you can see some corn...also note shot hit him high on shoulder..this one bled quite a bit leaving blood on ground.....when they come out after the food, you have time to let squirrel get in position for shot...

[MG34]

Corte Madera.

[JxMAN25]

What rifle is that in the first pic. thanks

[crazyhorse]

What rifle is that in the first pic. thanks

Hammerli 850 magnum. These rifles are imported from Germany as 'CO2' rifles in either .177 or .22 caliber,and sell for $220. (Airgun Depot/Pyramid Air)They are 8 shot bolt action repeaters and barrels are LW choked. Very accurate.My 850 .177 been converted to run on HPA air using a 22ci 3000 psi tank/1800 psi regulator....I get 80 shots on a fill...it chrono's at 960 FPS/20 FPE using 10.2 GR JSB domes.. I added an air stripper at muzzle. I own three of these rifles...(.177 CO2, .177 HPA and .22 HPA)Another pic.

[JxMAN25]

wow only $220. is it a pretty well made gun? im going to look into buying one of these

[HOG]

Nice shooting! Remember to save "seed". I have made the mistake of shooting an area out. After 2 yrs. there are not enough in one field to manage.

[Thumper Dunker]

Those fuzzies don't have a chance with you there.