On Jun 22, 12:34*pm, "Ed Huntress" wrote:
...
Some people I know in south Jersey have rechambered their .22 bolt-action
rifles for shorts. In NJ we can't hunt with a .22, except for 'possum and
'coons, at night, with a .22 short (or that was the law 10 years ago, the
last time I looked).

Weird, huh? I shot those squirrels illegally over 30 years ago. I don't do
things like that anymore.

The people I hunted rac(c)oon with were Fish & Game officials, friends
of my father. Raccoons are nocturnal and the only practical way to
hunt them is with dogs, which chase them up a tree. Then you have to
shoot into the air with bullets that won't cause damage coming down.
They used mostly .410 shot, and .22 shorts if they could aim at the
silhouette.

I read an old study somewhere on the hazards of falling military
bullets that had been fired up at or from aircraft. At terminal
velocity .30 caliber was annoying but not a catastrophe. .50 caliber
was lethal.

jsw