Slingshots

[Manwich]

Unheard of? Not saying kill something every night and eat it but I imagine while thru-hiking, one can become very adept at slingshotting, and hey, if a delicious hare pops up, yumyum?

Anybody hear about it / do it? Recommend it? Recommend a particular brand or product?

[drastic_quench]

It's not worth the poaching fines.

[Jonnycat]

My advice would start with what should be a common sense reminder that a projectile launched from a slingshot should be treated with the same respect than any projectile weapon, ie, make sure there is a backstop, don't fire towards any trail, be careful for ricochets, et cetera.

As for popping some dinner, I personally think there would be too much work involved in preparation to deal with on a trip, but that's just me.

You also might want to consider different state laws as concerns small game hunting; I know here in Oregon you do need a hunting license for small game (no tags though), and you can't hunt protected species such as pygmy rabbit, white-tailed jackrabbit, white-tailed antelope squirrel, Washington ground squirrel, northern flying squirrel, chickaree (pine squirrel), golden-mantled ground squirrel, and chipmunks (among other protected species).

[warraghiyagey]

It's not worth the poaching fines.

My advice would start with what should be a common sense reminder that a projectile launched from a slingshot should be treated with the same respect than any projectile weapon, ie, make sure there is a backstop, don't fire towards any trail, be careful for ricochets, et cetera.

As for popping some dinner, I personally think there would be too much work involved in preparation to deal with on a trip, but that's just me.

You also might want to consider different state laws as concerns small game hunting; I know here in Oregon you do need a hunting license for small game (no tags though), and you can't hunt protected species such as pygmy rabbit, white-tailed jackrabbit, white-tailed antelope squirrel, Washington ground squirrel, northern flying squirrel, chickaree (pine squirrel), golden-mantled ground squirrel, and chipmunks (among other protected species).

Good points. I would also add the possible concept of just not being a douche. . . . pretty simple. . . .

[mister krabs]

They're fun, sometimes I take one as a luxury. Cheap enough to discard (properly) if you get tired of carrying it.

[icemanat95]

Good points. I would also add the possible concept of just not being a douche. . . . pretty simple. . . .

As the above poster just amply demonstrated.


Hunting has its place in the world, but be aware that on the AT and other trail systems you are going to run into a lot of hikers who consider hunting to be barbaric. The activists among them can make your life difficult with their high-handed judgementalism. So best to keep those activities seperate from your trail life.

[cruisaire]

I've had one for years and it is DEADLY. Not a toy and NEVER pointed toward something/one you don't want to drop/kill. Very effective.

[drastic_quench]

Good points. I would also add the possible concept of just not being a douche. . . . pretty simple. . . .

Indeed. I just didn't feel up to starting a dust up.

[wyominglostandfound]

i carry a slingshot with a quiver full of 30 inch arrows with magnus stinger broadheads. 50 ft. off trail in any deer population and dinner is served for 10 + persons.

[mrhughes1982]

Poisoned blow darts are cool too! Just don't inhale. <cough

[wyominglostandfound]

i don't get the anti hunting pro's..... quit the harvest of species and watch the problems grow.

[wyominglostandfound]

or go the hell hungry!

[mrhughes1982]

I agree, if you don't kill some of em, then they eat all their food and they die a miserable starving death. Happens all the time. It's kinda of a cycle that happens. We need hunters cause all the natural predators are pretty much gone and theres only one sasquatch out there but noone can find him. He doesn't even hunt anymore he eats beef jerky and went commercial. We need to control herbivore populations. You should see what the bunnies did to my grandmas garden. Never seen bunnies like this year.

[Tuckahoe]

I'd skip the slingshot as well. They are pretty fun, but they are still weapons and I would apply the same 4 rules of safe firearms handling to the slingshot as I do to firearms.

Another important issue to keep in mind is that many states do regulate slingshots as a weapon. All that's needed is some hardassed LEO and one could find themselves experiencing the court system. In Virginia it is illegal to conceal a slingshot and is a class 1 misdemeanor for the first offense and a class 6 felony for the second offense.

[man2th]

Poisoned blow darts are cool too! Just don't inhale. <cough

idk....would you really want to eat something you killed with a poison dart

[warraghiyagey]

idk....would you really want to eat something you killed with a poison dart

Good point. . .

[Feral Bill]

I agree, if you don't kill some of em, then they eat all their food and they die a miserable starving death. Happens all the time. It's kinda of a cycle that happens. We need hunters cause all the natural predators are pretty much gone and theres only one sasquatch out there but noone can find him. He doesn't even hunt anymore he eats beef jerky and went commercial. We need to control herbivore populations. You should see what the bunnies did to my grandmas garden. Never seen bunnies like this year.

And yet, when predators are reintroduced, resulting in a reduction in the gross overpopulation of game animals, hunters scream bloody murder and demand to hunt the predators to keep (where i'm at) deer and elk numbers up.

For the record, I support hunting, but not dishonesty.

[wyominglostandfound]

And yet, when predators are reintroduced, resulting in a reduction in the gross overpopulation of game animals, hunters scream bloody murder and demand to hunt the predators to keep (where i'm at) deer and elk numbers up.

For the record, I support hunting, but not dishonesty.

the only good wolf... is a dead wolf. hunters in idaho are gut shooting like 4 or 5 before filling their tags!

[Jim Adams]

As the above poster just amply demonstrated.


Hunting has its place in the world, but be aware that on the AT and other trail systems you are going to run into a lot of hikers who consider hunting to be barbaric. The activists among them can make your life difficult with their high-handed judgementalism. So best to keep those activities seperate from your trail life.

Just carry a few paintballs for those people....problem solved!

geek

[wyominglostandfound]

high speed tie die!!!! LOL!!