Let's Talk SlingShots

[Evolute]

Hmmm... This might sound haughty to some of you. I'm sorry, I don't intend it that way, but I feel compelled to comment about this.

Some of the discussion of reasons in the slingshot vs. sling debate... where people say that there aren't a lot of large animals around, or that it is hard to get within good range of wildlife, or that animals are too fast, etc... strikes me as a little odd. I'm coming at this from the perspective that a large part of my job is wildlife photography. I find wildlife, big and small, over and over every day, with enough regularity to make a living. I often get close, really close. I take exacting pictures of them, no matter how fast they move.

Of course, a lot of the differences in our experiences will be based on a variety of factors such as location and time of year. Nonetheless, if you are truly finding that large animals are scarce, or animals are hard to get close to, or that their reactions are too fast for effectively hunting with your chosen method: Look within. Most likely, you need to work on your skills.

 

[dougo83]

Animals are not hard to find, nor are they hard to stalk to take a picture of them. I have stalk-hunted all but 1 of the about 18 deer I have bagged in the past 16 years. But, when you are talking about bagging one with a sling, I would be more than willing to bet that if I stood next to you winding one up all day long, you wouldn't take a single decent pic. Animals, especially deer, have really good vision and even a slight movement will catch their eye. A constant wind-up to use a sling would send them all running...

 

[felixXJ]

Has anyone here heard of or looked at slinging.org?

 

[Evolute]

doug,

I'm not sure what you have in mind, regarding "winding up all day long", but that's not what slinging is like in the real world. You "wind up" for like 0.5-1.5 rotations, and it doesn't take long. Keep in mind that slinging has been an effective and successful hunting technique for our ancestors since time immemorial. Slinging works.

 

[Evolute]

Felix,

One of our members here moderates slinging.org. It's a great site.

 

[nursetim]

I've got a bunch of them. The fastest has a large brace that covers the forearm, pulleys for the rubbers to work on, and the bands themselves are progressively tapered. Get some muzzleloader lead balls in the 40-50 cal range and they hit pretty hard. Half inch steelies are also good but the lead balls are obviously heavier for the same diameter.

In Northern Canada friends take grouse with them pretty easily. Of course, a lot of grouse will simply fly up on a branch and sit there looking at you. They may even give you a few shots, if needed.

DancesWithKnives

Could you please post pictures of the more elaborate ones? I just can't get a picture in my head. Thanks.

 

[dougo83]

doug,

I'm not sure what you have in mind, regarding "winding up all day long", but that's not what slinging is like in the real world. You "wind up" for like 0.5-1.5 rotations, and it doesn't take long. Keep in mind that slinging has been an effective and successful hunting technique for our ancestors since time immemorial. Slinging works.

I am not out to start a flame war or anything over this, but a sling is a pretty ineffective weapon or tool now. In a pinch, I could see it maybe being worthwhile. It just doesn't seem to be very practical. If weight is your utmost concern, I could see it being helpful. If you have to option, a 'wrist rocket' is generally much more accurate, even in untrained hands. Also, from the demos I have seen, a sling just doesn't have enough velocity to be effective. Yes, it can hurt a human or slow them down, but for the purposes of bagging game, it just seems foolish to even attempt to rely on one. For example, a whitetail deer can 'duck' an arrow fired from a compound bow which is moving considerably faster than a rock from a sling. That, IMHO, makes said sling pretty dang ineffective. As I said, most animals will be spooked by slinging, whether you wind up 1 or 100 times. As far as being able to sneak up and take pics of an animal, that is totally different than trying to hunt one with an antiquated weapon. With the camera, there is no reason to make a sudden 'jerky' movement that will spook an animal. Slinging, especially in light of other options, is best relegated to a hobby, it should not, IMHO, be relied on for sustenance. It is not as effective as some would believe and was never a grand means of food gathering. Remember, so many more of our ancestors survived by many other means; trapping, spearing/gathering fish, grains, etc. Slinging was by no means ever a primary means of gathering food.

 

[atakach]

well i aint got none of that high tech stuff but me an my boy made 1 together, outta some wood???what kind???? and a piece of inner tube offa bike of his. works great, but could be a little more heavy , only shoots about 40- 50 yds. but qworks fine for him, at 6 yrs old.

andrew

 

[DWK2]

Nursetim,

I'm sorry to say that I don't have a digital camera and my ancient Powerbook probably wouldn't get photos posted anyway. I spent about half an hour looking at slingshot websites to see whether any of them have a photo. Unfortunately, they don't. It may be a discontinued model. It says "Marksman" on it and has what appears to be a Crossman logo. Bunch of patent numbers too.

In any event, the body of the slingshot is a 16 1/2 inch long "deck", for lack of a better term, that covers your hand and a good part of your forearm. A velcro strap holds it in place (the end nearest your elbow). A handle protrudes from the bottom.

On the front, you would normally expect to see two attaching points for the bands. Instead, there are two pulleys that the bands run through. On each side of the "deck" near your hand, there are four anchor points for the rear ends of the bands. You can adjust drawing force by varying the anchoring points forward or backward. The bands are progressively tapered.

It's not a compact slingshot that's easy to carry but it's fast and stable.

I also have a variety of Sawyers (including the discontinued double-band folder), Barnetts, and some home-made jobs.

I apologize for the lack of an image,

DancesWithKnives

 

[crossada]

the dude bagged a deer with a slingshot!

what the hell am i doing using a rifle?

the difference in those slingshots and the basic wal-mart variety is the bands. from what i have heard you have to have some real upperbody strenght to shoot those

for anyone doubting the effectiveness of the traditional sling take a look at woodsmaster primitive weapons dvd. Ron Hood enlightened me on the subject.