# "Barking a Squirrel" Anyone tried it?



## FROGSLAYER (Jan 9, 2013)

I found this article in Guns April 1956 Issue .... killing squirrels without hitting them. I thought it was an interesting read. I had never heard of it although I am kinda young (47) and my father had not either. 

PDF HERE Pages 24 25 and 58


Has anyone tried it?


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## 2bbshot (Jan 9, 2013)

Heard of it never tried it.


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## lmsnow1 (Jan 9, 2013)

I learned some new things! 

1. There are people that can kill a squirrel without hitting it but it will never be me because I'm lucky to actually hit the little bugger much less the branch he's sitting on like that!

2. Husqvarna made rifles?! I knew they made chainsaws but that's interesting lol. (I found this on an ad somewhere in the magazine)


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## FROGSLAYER (Jan 9, 2013)

I agree the stars would really have to be aligned LOL & yes there are a lot of neat ads in the magazine .. they are almost, if not better, than the articles!. You can Google Guns magazine and find several issues.


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## Cottontail (Jan 9, 2013)

I did it once with a 30 30 open sights. I'm not going to lie i wasnt trying to do it but it happened.


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## NCHillbilly (Jan 9, 2013)

I intentionally barked one with a .30/30 once just to see if it worked after hearing my grandpa talk about how they used to do it. It worked. I had to stomp his head to finish him off, but he fell slap out of the tree and was twitching around on the ground.


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## lmsnow1 (Jan 9, 2013)

Yeah I'd probably just shoot the thing instead of having to stomp him... lol


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## Darien1 (Jan 9, 2013)

I did it once with a Remington 742 in 30-06.  Dead when he hit the ground.


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## Nicodemus (Jan 9, 2013)

I`ve done it with my 50 caliber Great Plains rifle.


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## crackerdave (Jan 9, 2013)

Is it the shockwave,or fright that kills 'em?


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## FROGSLAYER (Jan 10, 2013)

crackerdave said:


> Is it the shockwave,or fright that kills 'em?




I got the impression the bark smacked them in the chest and stopped their hearts .. I could be wrong.


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## dawg2 (Jan 10, 2013)

I've done it.  Sometimes they run off.


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## SASS249 (Jan 10, 2013)

Barking squirrels is really not that hard, I have done it with .22pistols on several occasions.

I hunt squirrels now pretty much only with my 54 caliber muzzleloader.  It really is the shockwave that brings them down, just have to catch them flattened out on a limb or trunk and aim just below them.  Does not always kill them outright but usually does.


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## lmsnow1 (Jan 10, 2013)

Well... I tried it this morning on a small squirrel. I barely missed the branch and shot the poor thing's front leg off! I tracked him and he finally bled out. I guess my scope isn't as zero'd as I thought lol.


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## crackerdave (Jan 11, 2013)

With my eyesight,I feel good if I make a .22 open sight head shot!


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## gtmcwhorter (Jan 11, 2013)

crackerdave said:


> With my eyesight,I feel good if I make a .22 open sight head shot!



Ain't that the Truth!


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## FROGSLAYER (Jan 11, 2013)

"With my eyesight,I feel good if I make a .22 open sight head shot!"

"Ain't that the Truth!" 



X3


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## woodyjim (Jan 11, 2013)

well I've heard of this when my papas friend talked of it.but the way he told was that when he was a kid he'd go out with a 410/22.mag over/under and skeered squirrel to the far side of the tree and used his 410. to shoot one edge of the tree to send bark flyin to scare him back to hi side of the tree and kill it with the 22.mag


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## David Parker (Jan 11, 2013)

Concussion then plummet to earth.  THat would about do me in too.   I'll try it but only by accident.


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## ejm (Jan 14, 2013)

As I understand it way back when the logic was: 1)Most people didn't keep a .22 caliber muzzleloader(if one even existed), most blackpowder muskets/rifles were between  .40-.60 caliber, as they were versatile for large game, as well as defense. Had you hit a squirrel directly, you would not be eating much for dinner. 2) If you are hunting squirrels to feed your family, you probably ain't got alot of money, so the other benefit of barking was that you had the chance to recover your lead, since it lodged in the tree, and cast it into new rounds. This is what my dad and granddaddy told me of the subject anyway.


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## jerome (Jan 14, 2013)

I have never tried this and probably ever will . I can see where it would be somehing you would have had to do back in the days before modern firearms . but I think it would be crazy to do this today with the rifles we use .And besides that its all I can do to hit a squirrels head !  someone said they have done it several times with a 22 pistol !!!! come on man a 22 pistol


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## FROGSLAYER (Jan 14, 2013)

ejm said:


> As I understand it way back when the logic was: 1)Most people didn't keep a .22 caliber muzzleloader(if one even existed), most blackpowder muskets/rifles were between  .40-.60 caliber, as they were versatile for large game, as well as defense. Had you hit a squirrel directly, you would not be eating much for dinner. 2) If you are hunting squirrels to feed your family, you probably ain't got alot of money, so the other benefit of barking was that you had the chance to recover your lead, since it lodged in the tree, and cast it into new rounds. This is what my dad and granddaddy told me of the subject anyway.




This makes a lot of sense!


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