Off subject--help needed

[montdoug]

How bout ya call a tree service? Just a thought.

[ab_bentley]

Originally Posted by montdoug

How bout ya call a tree service? Just a thought.

Where's the fun in that?!? I know the inner "Jar Head" in you cringed when you wrote that Adam

[T.Zimm]

Pin Oaks are tough little buggers. I would take out the structural center with a larger caliber and chew the edges with the .22 rimfire. First good wind will drop it. Course, shooting up into the air is Verboten....... But I have been known to "practice" shooting walnuts off a tree with my Ruger .22 pistol. They are just about the size of a squirrel head.

[Eagle_view]

Just sold a Ruger #3 45-70 with a 4X scope on it for the estate of a friend of mine. His oldest son told me this story.

Several years ago when this friend, (I will call him Jack for this story) retired as a USFWS Maintenance Man,, he was up in the U.S. Forest Service District Ranger’s Office and got to looking at the open contracts posted there for something to do.

Jack spots one that calls for standing 60 fir trees to be topped so as to make "habitat trees" from them They were all in a rather confined canyon with a creek running down the bottom and pretty steep sides. He knew this canyon well as it was a favorite hunting spot.

Now it is one thing to top a tree by climbing them with belt and spurs and cutting off the limbs as you go up, hard work but do able if your young, strong and in good shape. To climb the trees and top them without limbing them was a much harder thing to accomplish so this contract had sat unbid on for awhile.

Taking a copy much to the surprise of the USFS ranger Jack proceeded home. As soon as he hit the house he calls his best friend (Tom) and they meet at the local planning center for a couple of beers.

Together Jack and Tom go over the contract and with a few calculations and some napkin calculating they come up with a bid to get this job done. One of the conditions of the contract was the trees had to be cut off at about the 6" diameter and the cuts were supposed to be made rough so as they look more natural and there was more surfaces for stuff to cling to, it said that they should look as near broke off as possible.

Next morning Jack hits the Ranger Station at a little past 8:00 and turns his bid in expecting that it would take several days if not weeks for the contract to be reviewed and awarded. As Jack was turning to leave, the Ranger opens the bid, looks it over nods his head and tells Jack that he has the contract.

Jack leaps with joy and as fast as he could calls Tom. They jump in Tom's truck and head to Spokane acting like two kids skipping school. When they got to Spokane they heads straight for the White Elephant, a Sporting Goods store of some renown in the NW.

They buy 2 Ruger #3 carbines in 45-70 and a couple of scopes mounts and the works, 8Lbs of Powder, a 1000 45-70 cases, 10,000 LR primers and Lee molds for 350 grain bullet. On the way out of town ty hit several tire stores and bought buckets of wheel weights.

The next day found them at Jack's place melting the wheel weights down into bullets and sticking them into moderate 45-70 loads as fast as the Alox was hard enough to handle

Day three found them with the ranger looking over the forest tract that was to be modified. They asked good questions but never gave a hint as to how they were going to do this contract.

The following Monday found our two shooters cruising up the main drainage and forking in to the side canyon where they would be working. Taking the road to the South side of the canyon they soon part the truck shouldering their packs with new and freshly sight in rifles begin to hike along this old logging trail.

Jack finally says that he was ready to get started setting his gear down and unfolding a substantial camera tripod with a piece for rug padded channel iron screwed to the top. He sets her up good and steady, removes a 100 case plastic box of ammo out and sits down with his new #3. They were by design at about the right elevation to be able to slightly depress their muzzles and be aiming right at the 6" diameter trunk section of the trees that grew on the creek bottom. Tom says that he figures it will take 24 shots to cut the top of so Jack begins with his series of shots. Careful aim, squeeze the trigger, BAM! it was kind of hard to tell jus where he hit that fir bark all fresh with summer growth just seemed to swallow the slugs.

Tom goes up the draw a ways and begins to work on his first tree.

Again and again Jack shoots finally the tree starts to give a little and the pace steps up, Jack pulls another box of ammo out of is pack and so it goes. From the sounds of things Tom isn’t doing much better.

Finally the first tree top splinters off and falls with some finality to the forest floor. Jack checks his ammo and fins that of the 300 rounds he had brought for the day he had shot way more than half. And his shoulder was really starting to get sore. Jack took a long drink from his canteen and thought with a little practice it would go faster. Tom came down and said that his tree was topped but he was most out of ammo too.

The story goes on with highlights of discussion with the Forest LEO about their heavy shooting, complaints by bicyclists, the District Ranger, their wives and lots of others. While they did get better they never achieved the rate of step over and the ability to keep all their rounds in a prefect straight line to achieve the advantage of using a remote 45-70 chain saw. The whole forest was relived when the final tree came down . No ione moreso than Jack and Tom.

Lowell

[Nevada Al]

One of the local gun clubs here has a fun team competition... Two teams of three or four guys... shooting at 4x4s.. The objective is to cut the timber in half as fast as you can and it has to break between two lines 12" apart... Quickest team wins.. Very fun and lots of bullets flying... I use a 1911 in .45... My 44 mag revolver is more damaging but takes too long to reload.. Its amazing how many rounds it takes to do this..

Personally I'd find other means to do it....
IMO, 2miles isn't much when your shooting at a 45degree angle using a hi powered rifle... Not to mention that even the given range fan may hold the un-expected hunter or somebody hiking...


If you must. I wouldn't use any of the listed rifles but maybe a levergun in 44mag or something similar just to have a slow heavy big bullet... It won't fly as far for safety sake and do lots more damage... it would take forever using a 20 vartag, 22, or even the 6mm the bullets will pass right though with little damage in comparison and will keep going even on hits,, a miss could send your pill up to 4 miles if the angle is right... a 22lr would even fly a long ways.. First shoot a 2 1/2" branch on the ground with a backstop and test it if you want..

Al

[Dean2]

Depending on how far up, a 12 gauge with number 6s will take off a 6" green poplar in two shots, and no down range problems. Furhter up use bigger shot. All in however, as much fun as this sounds to be, I have a lot of trouble believing a saw and a skyjack or climbing spurs, or a long extnesion handle isn't the better set of answers.

[johno]

Seed collectors here use rifles on the tall gums to take down heavy seed carrying branches.

Johno

[Rbertalotto]

Wasn't there a thread on here not long ago admonishing folks about using a 22RF to shoot squirrels in trees as the bullet could travel some distance and still be lethal................

[denphillips2]

Quite a while ago when I was in college. I worked for a guy on his ranch for hunting privileges. He had a 4-6" IIRC branch to take down. Me and a friend started working on it with a 22-250 and another small caliber. It was taking a while, but we were chipping away slowly. The ranch owner brought out his 7mm Rem Mag. That made a lot more damage than the small calibers.

I bet a 300 with a 110gn BT would make short order of that small branch...

Of what you listed. 6mmBR with a 80PSP

[lostsixgunner]

Couple of years ago I took down a dead 3" branch off a red oak hanging over the parking lot at deer camp. It was only 30-35' up. I had my Rem. 1100 12ga. loaded with the Lyman pellet cast of wheel weights. Took the first shot, it's got a 1" diameter hole through the top. Fired again,and the branch cracked and fell to the ground. My buddies were impressed.