’barking’ squirrels

"Barking" has two meanings.  Recently I've heard it referred to as using a "barking call", like barking dog. 

My definition of barking squirrels, is the shooing underneath a tree rabbit as it is hugging a tree.  The bullet (usually  a 22 rf) hits the tree bark and explodes bark and bullet into the squirrel's belly.  I heard about this in 1950's Feild and Stream, and as a kid I started hunting this way.

  It is not as effective as the literature would suggest.  Bark doesn't fly off consistently.  And since I eat thjose animals I didn't like the way it gut shot them.  When it works they do jump high and fall.  the fall doesn't always kill them so you gat a pi$$ed of rat running around.  As  kid i hunted squirrel with a bolt rilfe 22 or a 22 revolver.  that bolt was not what you want trying to hit a wounded running squirrel.

By the time I was 16 years old I had given up on this method and took only head shots.  It gave me lots of quiet stalking experience and the meat was free of gut/lead/bark.

At the same time I use to hunt lots of chipmonks (fox trap food).  Barking worked better on the small striped critters, than the larger fox and gray squirrels.

I think barking is like snaring.  It is marginal as a way to get animals, but sounds better in literature than in practice.

BEAR

I used to do it with muzzleloaders in the .40 caliber range. It worked quite well. No bullet or bark penetrated the body that I recall, the shock kills the squirrel. You just need a large enough projectile to do the job.

I have seen a similar method used on rabbits with bigger bore rifles.Also the rage for awhile down under was the practice of using the 220 swift to shoot just above rabbits and foxes heads to use a phenomina of concussion to kill them and so not damage the pelts.Often wondered if the blokes always checked their backstop.

I have done this a few times by accident not design.

Macca

 

 macca,

 I repectfully disagree with the concept that a near miss with a fast bullet will kill anything. I have missed trainloads of various beasts, some undoubtedly by the tiniest wee bit. The only animals I ever harvested after missing them were hit by hunting companions and I lied my way into possesion. Maybe your method only works in the Southern Hemisphere. We ourselves have certain phenomena which only seem to occur in our South. So who knows?????Good story tho. Mind if I use it sometime?

max

macca,

 Thankyou. It is cooperation like this that promotes international good will and world peace. Never mind the picture. My barber has eyes like you decribe and one set is quite enough.

max

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