View Full Version : Slingshots
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
09-11-2009, 12:46
It's not worth the poaching fines.
Jonnycat
09-11-2009, 12:51
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
09-11-2009, 13:01
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. . . . :sun
mister krabs
09-11-2009, 13:12
They're fun, sometimes I take one as a luxury. Cheap enough to discard (properly) if you get tired of carrying it.
icemanat95
09-11-2009, 13:15
Good points. I would also add the possible concept of just not being a douche. . . . pretty simple. . . . :sun
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
09-11-2009, 15:28
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
09-11-2009, 16:15
Good points. I would also add the possible concept of just not being a douche. . . . pretty simple. . . . :sun
Indeed. I just didn't feel up to starting a dust up.
wyominglostandfound
09-11-2009, 17:12
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
09-11-2009, 17:21
Poisoned blow darts are cool too! Just don't inhale. :eek: <cough
wyominglostandfound
09-11-2009, 17:27
i don't get the anti hunting pro's..... quit the harvest of species and watch the problems grow.
wyominglostandfound
09-11-2009, 17:28
or go the hell hungry!
mrhughes1982
09-11-2009, 17:33
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
09-11-2009, 18:56
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.
Poisoned blow darts are cool too! Just don't inhale. :eek: <cough
idk....would you really want to eat something you killed with a poison dart:-?
warraghiyagey
09-11-2009, 20:31
idk....would you really want to eat something you killed with a poison dart:-?
Good point. . .
Feral Bill
09-11-2009, 22:08
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
09-11-2009, 22:13
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
09-11-2009, 22:23
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!:D
geek
wyominglostandfound
09-11-2009, 22:26
high speed tie die!!!! LOL!!
Feral Bill
09-11-2009, 23:38
the only good wolf... is a dead wolf. hunters in idaho are gut shooting like 4 or 5 before filling their tags!
Way to respect wildlife and nature.
Feral Bill
09-11-2009, 23:41
Thinking of it, a slingshot is a fun toy.
Slingshot is much lighter to carry than a handgun. Found items can be used as projectiles, so less weight in ammunition.
I think it would be cool to be proficient with an old fashioned sling - two long strings and a pocket. Ultralight! I wonder if I could braid one from paracord. hmm. . .
mrhughes1982
09-12-2009, 15:10
idk....would you really want to eat something you killed with a poison dart:-?
Never even thought of that. :rolleyes: Maybe I should just stick to watching furry critters and eating Ramen noodles. I'm good at that.
Jonnycat
09-12-2009, 15:23
The Yanomami use poison blowdarts to kill tree monkeys that they eat. I believe the poison used is a paralytic that either becomes innefective after cooking, or has no effect when eaten.
http://i29.tinypic.com/2ztlnap.jpg
The Yanomami use poison blowdarts to kill tree monkeys that they eat.
Yanomami is so fat, she's got to iron her pants on the driveway.
This is the most incredulous bull stuff ever!!
I posted a good thread and it got erased upon trying to post. I'll be back to rip you all a new one later.
Two words to most all of you. Maturity, Education!!
mrhughes1982
09-12-2009, 16:04
I've got 2 words for you, sense of humor! :p
I've got 2 words for you, sense of humor! :p
Whats wrong with you. That is 3 words.
Whats wrong with you. That is 3 words.
One word. Kentucky.
I'll be back to rip you all a new one later.
Will you be on your Mr. Microphone?
:D
mrhughes1982
09-12-2009, 17:12
Whats wrong with you. That is 3 words.
:datzWell I must not have been paying attention. Or maybe there was a pun in there. :bse
I'll be back with a link if I can find it, but what slingshot aficionados need to do, if they aren't too lazy, afraid of hitchhiking or incapable of creative transportation arrangements is to report directly to Rodale Institute in Berks County, The Green Diamond of Pennsylvania. Once there, they can learn about organic apple production and launch rotten fruit with RI's slingshot.
Sorry, they don't have a catapult and don't condone launching cows.:D
mrhughes1982
09-12-2009, 17:23
Ok. I'm starting to like the slingshot thing. My momma would never let me have one when u was little cause I'd end poking someones eye out or something.
Check out this website http://www.slingshotworld.com/
And for the blowguns http://www.blowguns.net/
I'll be back with a link if I can find it, ...
Too bad, losers, it was today and you missed it! Better luck next year.
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=156342
Rocket Jones
09-12-2009, 19:12
Ok. I'm starting to like the slingshot thing. My momma would never let me have one when u was little cause I'd end poking someones eye out or something.
Check out this website http://www.slingshotworld.com/
And for the blowguns http://www.blowguns.net/
Or, for the real traditionalists: http://slinging.org/
I made a working sling out of braided paracord. The "working" part is relative, because it takes some practice to acquire the skill.
mrhughes1982
09-12-2009, 19:40
Ok that's as cool as it gets :cool: I'm going aborigine on some bunnies. Thanks for that cool link!!!
Jonnycat
09-13-2009, 12:33
Yanomami is so fat, she's got to iron her pants on the driveway.
http://i27.tinypic.com/23u7l00.jpg
Needless killing shows only shows disrespect for the natural world. The taking of any life big or small should be taken seriuosly. True hunters respect the sacrifice the animal or plant may give to nourish one's body. Live in balance with the universal circle of life.
Totem:
Have you ever hunted?
You would need accuracy and practice. Do-able, yes. Rabbits and Squirells are easy to skin and eviscerate and are great protein source. No need on a thruhike, though. It can be a waste of calories and time if you miss. Definitely not a reliable source of food. Pontentially dangerous. You'd be better off educating yourself about edible foods before you hike. Dandelions have over 300% Vitiaman A and 40% Vitiman C you need and more. Mushrooms like the MOREL, which I've found on trails before, are amazing they actually taste meety and a little better than rabbit.
Wotominglostandfound:
I have a 60lbs. flatbow with cedar arrows with a 28"draw. If you really can kill a deer with a slingshot and 30" arrows. I got to see it!! What kinda draw weight does that pull? You need at least 40lbs to humanely and efffectively pierce a deer. Then you have to track it down. We have a pack of 7 wild dogs that have bitten 5 ppl running around our hood here in TN. You are welcome to come down and show me your skills with the slingshot and 30" arrows. Dog meat taste pretty good, too!!
man2th:
Gettng into the details would be a waste of time. I think other post have covered this well by now, but hunting with poisonous darts/arrows has been done for thousands if not millions of years. Do some research bother.
Hunting:
For all the vegitarians and "activists" that you may meet:
To produce and transport all the soy, PVG, and supplements needed to support a vegan lifestyle creates more CO2 than killing an animal with a bow in the woods. Vegitarians rely on money driven commercial industrialised companies than any backwoods hunter. So be a vegan if you believe in global warming and climate change!!
For all the anit-hunting carnivores. That is just hypocritical if you don't have the balls to kill it yourself and want to critisize people that do.The industrialization of food is a crime against humanity. All the pigs, cows, chickens, etc at you local supermarket were breed and raised to kill. They never had a choice. Atleast the deer or rabit in the forest has lived a free life and there is a respect between the hunter and the hunted.
There are people like the community at wild roots ( http://wildroots.org/ ) that don't hunt and use road kill for there meat source. A great option.
Poplation controls is never needed. Population will always balances it self out if left alone. Well, human population reducation is needed and that is most of the problem, humans. Maybe all the newfound slingshot enthusiest here can get together and have a last man standing battle royale?
wyominglostandfound
09-13-2009, 18:07
Redoak,... i modified the slingshot by triple banding both sides and installing an arrow rest. i served a release loop and knocking point where the pouch went. works like a charm for 10-15 yd. shots. practice is required before trying this out on a living creature.
I actually made won last year and was killing pears off the tree @ 120 ft, beating the squirells to them, then my son started beating on the squirells
We'll probably break out the strechy artillery again this winter, they devour the bird feeders, and it gives more of a challenge over an air gun.
can you live on a Knifeedge
Why is it I can never find an image of a spinner, spoon other artificial lure when I seek one?
kolokolo
09-13-2009, 22:22
It's probably not a good idea to use a slingshot while you are hiking. There could be other people on the trail, and they wouldn't appreciate getting hit with a rock or something.
By the time you got far enough from the trail to be safe, and considering all of the effort that it would take to skin and dress whatever you shot, it's hard to believe it would be worth it.
As for the idea that hunting is necessary to keep animal populations under control, I doubt that that's the case for squirrels, rabbits, and the other small game that you would likely bag. I seriously doubt that you would be able to kill a deer or larger animal with a slingshot.
I just hope that you a careful around the trail, and don't put other hikers' safety in jeopardy.
fiddlehead
09-14-2009, 04:17
We carried one in 2002 on the PCT and got pretty good with it.
However, after a few days, we had to make a rule: If you kill anything, you have to eat it.
Because we got tired of shooting dead trees and rocks and started aiming at tweety birds.
We never killed anything because of that rule.
It was good fun sometimes having contests and shooting stationary objects.
Nearly Normal
09-14-2009, 05:20
I actually made won last year and was killing pears off the tree @ 120 ft, beating the squirells to them, then my son started beating on the squirells
We'll probably break out the strechy artillery again this winter, they devour the bird feeders, and it gives more of a challenge over an air gun.
can you live on a Knifeedge
Squirell gravy and biscuits is tasty.....but beating squirells is probably not an acceptacle hunting method. Check your state's DNR rules and regulations.
Nearly Normal
09-14-2009, 05:26
We carried one in 2002 on the PCT and got pretty good with it.
However, after a few days, we had to make a rule: If you kill anything, you have to eat it.
Because we got tired of shooting dead trees and rocks and started aiming at tweety birds.
We never killed anything because of that rule.
It was good fun sometimes having contests and shooting stationary objects.
"Tweety birds" are considered a non-game animal.
Jonnycat
09-14-2009, 07:42
If you kill anything, you have to eat it.
That's my rule, too. I used to hunt, now I just backpack a lot. I still fish every once in awhile, but I only keep 'em if it's a day trip (too much overhead for backpacking).
warraghiyagey
09-14-2009, 07:49
Why is it I can never find an image of a spinner, spoon other artificial lure when I seek one?
Google Image - fishing lures, there's hundreds of pages of them. . . :)
http://www.elparquito.com/pics/spinners2.jpg
warraghiyagey
09-14-2009, 07:53
Because we got tired of shooting dead trees and rocks and started aiming at tweety birds.
This is one of the main reasons that folks here have objected to the idea of having a slingshot on the trail. . .
njordan2
09-14-2009, 07:57
A slingshot on the trail is a great idea. It could give you something to do when holed up in a shelter on a rainy down day and weighs very little.
Hikes in Rain
09-14-2009, 08:09
And there are always shelter mice to practice on. Although I think I'd suspend the "eat what you kill" rule for them.
Rocket Jones
09-14-2009, 13:33
My main problem isn't the killing, it's the wounding. If you hurt the critter and he gets away, you've probably doomed him anyway, after a fair bit of needless suffering.
wyominglostandfound
09-14-2009, 13:57
nothing is 100% especially hunting.... loosing game is always sad but it does happen. animals die every day and some of them have to suffer. look at all the incidents with vehicles.
Rocket Jones
09-14-2009, 16:31
Understood, but we're not talking about hunting. We're talking about slingshotting at live targets while hiking. Many who do so do it because, like it was mentioned before, "they got tired of aiming at still targets".
I have nothing against hunting. I've spent more than one long day following blood trails from deer that should've dropped, but didn't.
wyominglostandfound
09-14-2009, 18:10
good to hear other hunters are among us! Rocket.... i used to work at Dale city bikes near Patomic mills mall back in 93-94. used to race bikes out there.
Tipi Walter
09-14-2009, 18:32
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?
Who needs to eat meat, anyway? Are there still meat eaters out there?
i don't get the anti hunting pro's..... quit the harvest of species and watch the problems grow.
So, what about the culling of overpopulated humans? We harvest the black bears and the wolves but what about the environmental carrying capacity of humans? And the loss of habitat our numbers produce? By the way, we're mammals too.
wyominglostandfound
09-14-2009, 18:41
sarcasm is overated walter
mrhughes1982
09-14-2009, 21:23
Sometimes me and my friends go cougar hunting. Can be very rewarding and sometimes very dangerous. They're known to tear you apart at times
kolokolo
09-14-2009, 21:31
Sometimes me and my friends go cougar hunting. Can be very rewarding and sometimes very dangerous. They're known to tear you apart at times
Do you hunt cougars with a slingshot?
mrhughes1982
09-14-2009, 21:36
Cougars are generally on the prowl and looking for you. You just got to play it right and let the hunter become the hunted.
MedicineMan
09-14-2009, 22:02
from one hunter to another (or several or many); plenty of places to hunt, let the AT be for hiking