Shooting a tree down

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Doug.38PR

Moderator
When using a shotgun to shoot a tree down, will the buck or bird shot pellets bounce back or richochete in your direction?

I've blasted chunks out of trees with birdshot a long time ago, but for some reason I have this notion that the pellets can spray back into you.
 
Suppose bounce back is possible, I've never had it happen. Have used shotguns to trim out high tree limbs at the farm and around tree stands....works very well for those hard to reach places.
 
:cool: great, going to be clearing some trees for a pond on my property. Thought it might be a little fun to take them down with my 870
 
Are you serious? Or are the trees around you just a lot smaller than here?

Any substantial tree is going to take quite a few rounds to cut down. It'd be easier, cheaper and faster to resort to a chainsaw, IMO.

If you're just removing a limb or two, maybe. But we've used either a ring-saw or bow saw for limbs around tree stands.

One last comment -- if you're shooting at trees just for target practice be sure that you're not shooting into fruit trees or trees that'll be harvested for lumber. Shooting fruit trees can cause lead contamination of the next fruit. Shooting into timber stands can pose a hazard to timber workers when cutting the tree or slicing it. Years ago our local lumber supplier found a 20-gauge slug inside a 4x8 when cutting it for my doorway header.
 
That's awesome. I've always wanted to try this, but never actually did for fear of ricochet. I couldn't see it working with bb's though--maybe slugs. Post back with how it works. I'm definitely curious about this one.
 
Shooting down a tree does not work well if the tree is more than a few inches thick. It splits longitudinally, not horizontally, which means the two sections you are trying to separate tend to remain joined.

Your best bet is to pump enough rounds into the tree such that the tree is weakened enough that a good gust will finally blow it over. Note that being blown over does not mean the tree is cut down. You still may have to physically cut apart the two halves. That process will be hamped by all the lead balls in the tree.
 
half dozen of us were shooting clays in a semi wooded area, probably not that smart, but we were messing around (safely), we all fired at the same time and clipped the top off a cedar.. we all did a :confused: and then pretty much laughed our butts off...
 
Shotguns have worked well for me on trees ro 6" but used slugs to get started. No bounce/ricochet. A couple at 90 degrees may be all you need. Took top 40 ft out of a Western Larch that had a woodpecker hole and nest at a point about 60 - 80 ft up. .... 300WM and 200g softpoints! Threatened my access road so I decided to choose the time to bring it down. Did not want to fall the entire tree. :p
 
I know some guys that use 12 gauges and '06s to get roots when putting in walkways and such. Its a bad idea to put a saw anywhere near dirt, and sometimes it's easier and quicker to just blast it out of the way instead of hacking it up with an axe, haha. As far as I know they haven't had a problem, just gotta watch your feet with the roots :rolleyes:

-Max.
 
I've used shotguns to finish off branches, way up high, that were damaged by storms but still hung up. Never heard of lead in a fruit tree trunk leaching into the sap, and collecting in the fruit, I'd need to see some documentation before I believe that one.

Any metal in a tree can cause damage to saws and sometimes the sawyer. That is why environmental wacko's spike trees in old growth forests.
 
I have done this for the past few years around my home and i find that for the really high up smaller branches 1-2 inches in thickness. I use my .22 with hollow points usually takes them down in 2-3 shots. I havent tried with a larger caliber or on larger branches as of yet.
 
Funny I stumbled upon this thread. Just got back from our newly purchased property in south Texas, where this wooded 15 acre or so area has been bothering me. The original owners left it uncleared for their cattle, but it's gotten way out of hand. I want to do a bit of "light" clearing next time I go back. What shot size do you fellas recommend for the smaller stuff?
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WWII reports have there being "cones" of cleared vegetation in front of machinegun nests, but for 15 acres, that might be overkill. You need a good BB machinegun, ideally powered by an air compressor.
 
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