Haven't seen this discussed on a hunting forum, just on airrifle forum some years ago.
Background:
Seems with a 22air rifle, around 15-20grains, one might expect 400yds at a 30degree trajectory. If said pellet is fired upward at a much steeper angle, 45degree plus, opinion is that it won't come back down with the energy to crack a window and unlikely to hurt anyone.

Now I'm moving to a semi-rural area and have a .17 B-mag that I'm in the process of setting up. A bud of mine just brought up shooting crows. But what about shooting up at 'em with the .17 rimfires? On several occassions I've heard of 22s getting the blame for cracked windows, but I'd bet those were fired on the horizontal. The .17 calibers generally come in 15.5gr, 17gr, 20gr, & 25gr weights.

I'd shoot a 15.5gr HMR up(steeply up) knowing no serious problems would result, but don't have anything to go on for 20gr, the lighter WSM bullet. Your opinions please.