Slingshots for Every Hunter By Nathan Masters The treefork perfected-the modern pocket slingshot. Slingshots? Yes, slingshots are an often overlooked tool for the hunter, any hunter. Let me explain. Think back on your childhood and recall the time you spent with a slingshot. Just about everyone has a memory of the forked stick, a bit of rubber and leather, and gravel. Yep, they are still that simple but can be as complex and efficient as most other hunt- BIO: Nathan Masters is the founder of SimpleShot Shooting Sports (www.simple-shot.com), the world s leading supplier of modern slingshots and slingshot accessories. Located in the mountains of Western NC, when Nathan is not making slingshots he can be found rambling in the mountains, hunting squirrels, chasing trout, and playing in the dirt with his two sons. Self Reliance Illustrated 19
ing tools or weapons. With the advent of vulcanized rubber in the late 1830 s the slingshot as we know it today was born. Let s not confuse a sling - such as the one David used to slay Goliath with what we know today as a slingshot, catapult, beanflip, or wrist rocket. The sling and slingshot are two very different tools and the modern slingshot is infinitely easier to learn and use for the modern hunter. So, how is a slingshot an absolute must for the hunter and marksman? Simplicity: It s a fork from a tree, quality latex bands, and a leather pouch. That s all it takes to have a first rate hunting tool that has accounted for many a full belly and days of fun afield. No other shooting sport can match the economy and potential accuracy as the venerable slingshot. Power: Modern slingshots are capable of producing startling amounts of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy of an object is directly proportional to the square of its speed. That means that for a twofold increase in speed, the kinetic energy will increase by a factor of four. For a threefold increase in speed, the kinetic energy will increase by a factor of nine. And for a fourfold increase in speed, the kinetic energy will increase by a factor of sixteen. The kinetic energy is dependent upon the square of the speed. Simply put, slingshots are capable of accelerating a projectile of relatively small mass quietly and accurately (more on accuracy later) with minimal effort. Rubber is magical stuff and, when harnessed, can provide the hunter and marksman an opportunity to hone the eye and fill the pot. 12 footpounds of energy placed on the skull of a rabbit or squirrel is instant lights out! Marksmanship: Slingshots are also capable of astounding accuracy, with many of today s top shooters lighting matches out to 20 yards and further. That is not to say that slingshots are inherently accurate, but marksmen can become proficient enough to hit a 12oz. soda can 8 out of 10 shots at 10 yards. Not many folks can claim the same with a modern handgun! Much like a bow, the slingshot only requires a clean release, consistent form, and harnessing the innate human ability to coordinate the hand with the eye. Slingshots are very intuitive to shoot, quick to point, and hone one s marksmanship skills. Most traditional weapons rely a great deal on the shooter s ability to coordinate the hand and eye. Slingshots provide a very affordable and fun way to silently and effectively improve any shooter s ability to focus, acquire targets, and make hits. Slingshots are an ideal cross-training tool for not only archers, but all marksmen. Whether you shoot a handgun, rifle, or bow, slingshots will hone your eye and reinforce confidence in your ability to connect with the target. Combine this with their silence, their general (incorrect) notion that they are little more than a toy, and economy, and you have a genuine hunting tool that you can practice and enjoy nearly anywhere. Slingshots allow you to shoot more and that is always good for the marksman s eye! So, if you re not convinced to rediscover the slingshot consider this: Slingshots belong in every hunter s bag of tricks. Let s start with actually using the slingshot to harvest game. Not all game is suitable for being harvested with a slingshot and the limits of a slingshot should be understood prior to attempting to hunt game. Also, not all states allow the use of a slingshot to take game and non-game animals, so be sure to check in with your local game department to find out if a slingshot is a legal means of take in your state. Rabbits, squirrels, birds, and frogs are all excellent slingshot game and are capable of being humanely harvested with a capable slingshot and appropriate projectile. One major difference between a slingshot and say, a gun or bow is that the slingshot kills with blunt force trauma. Rarely is a projectile traveling with enough velocity to penetrate the animal and kill from hemorrhaging. The goal for the slingshot hunter is to place the projectile, with enough force, straight to the skull. This is not to say that a well-placed shot to the vitals would not cause enough internal damage to make a clean kill (many a rabbit and bird has fallen to a well-placed body shot) but that is the exception and not the rule when it comes to hunting with a slingshot. When attempting to hunt small game with a slingshot, the ethical hunter must be capable of hitting a skull sized target 8 out of 10 shots at the distance one might be shooting at the game. This means that if you cannot reliably hit a ping pong ball sized target beyond 10 yards, then 10 yards becomes your maximum effective distance from which you should attempt shots at live game. What is required of the slingshot and ammo to be considered suitable for harvesting game? It all comes down to the amount of energy you can place on that very small target. And no, it is not hard at all to generate that kind of energy with a slingshot. We won t go into ballistic details, but breaking it down to a simple rule of thumb, any projectile that can put a minimum of 8-10 foot-pounds of energy on the target is capable of dispatching small game with head shots. To determine this formula start with an appropriate sized projectile. Most slingshot hunters agree that 100 grains is a minimum mass for a hunting projectile, and most slingshot hunters prefer spherical projectiles made from lead and steel. Sure, it can be done with less, but the goal is to ensure a quick and humane kill, shooting lighter weight projectiles generally does not generate the energy required. The second element in the equation is velocity. The faster the projectile travels, the more energy it is capable of delivering to the target. Here is where many folks get hung up on velocity. Velocity is good, but not always necessary. A flat trajectory makes for easier aiming but a heavy projectile requires much more elastic to generate that velocity. Likewise, bands that throw a 200 20 Self Reliance Illustrated
Slingshots- squirrels, take note! grain projectile at lower velocity can still generate the required down-range energy to make clean kills. So, how do you know what to shoot? Simple, so long as you are shooting 200fps and your projectile is at least 100 grains you are generating enough energy to ethically and cleanly harvest game with headshots. Of course, we all miss and body shots happen. What to do? Shoot heavier ammo at higher velocities for more down-range energy. Many slingshot hunters advocate shooting the heaviest ammo as fast as possible and some of these folks are generating downrange energy capable of killing large game with head shots. This however, is an exception. Shooting very heavy bands accurately requires much training and practice. Don t be obsessed with too heavy bands as you are learning or re-learning. Begin your training shooting a rig that you can comfortably and consistently shoot well. Work your way up to heavy bands and you will be rewarded with better accuracy, higher hit rates, and fewer problems with your form. As you develop your technique and specific strength required to have good, repeatable form, your ability to shoot heavy bands accurately and con- Self Reliance Illustrated 21
Slingshots literally grow on trees. The simple solution is often the best. sistently will follow. Until then, focus on consistent accuracy, stalking within shooting range, and having fun. That is half of what hunting is all about- fun! Now that we have covered hunting with the slingshot, let s take a look at how the slingshot can be your companion for other hunting pursuits. Have you ever had a deer hang up on the other side of a hedgerow or that one sentinel squirrel that won t stop barking and chattering away your location? With a slingshot you can quietly and quickly fire a shot on the other side of the deer to flush it your way or quickly make that squirrel decide to leave or go in the pot for dinner. Don t waste a $15 arrow on a squirrel that won t shut up or that spruce grouse who is taunting you along the trail, feed him a headful of lead instead! Slingshots are also capable of firing attractant/ cover scent pellets from your tree stand. Should the wind shift during a hunt, no need to get down and place new scent, just fire it into position and never spread your own scent around ground level. The usefulness of a slingshot is limitless. Introduce a kid to shooting sports 22 Self Reliance Illustrated
with a weapon that won t worry Mom much. Use slingshots for friendly competition in camp. Practice with a slingshot to improve your other marksmanship pursuits. Slingshots are for everybody, but especially the hunter. Sharpen your eye, expand your skillset, and remember the simple fun of childhood with a tool that is capable of filling the pot and making more fun than is legal in some places. Effective Slingshot Ammo Remember, spherical and consistently weighted ammo is of paramount importance when looking for a hunting projectile. Here are a few common items that make excellent slingshot hunting projectiles: Lead Roundballs.38-.50 Caliber Steel ball bearings 7/16 diameter up to 5/8 ½ rebar cut into ½ sections (devastating!) Hex nuts Stones (uniformly round and about the size of your thumb nail) Wheel weights cut into uniform size chunks Simplicity. Power. Marksmanship. (Why every prepared hunter has a slingshot.) Whether it s natural or modern, a slingshot belongs in your hunting bag. Slingshots provide loads of fun for all ages along with so many advantages for the hunter, including: Improving your overall accuracy with any hunting tool. Providing enough power to take small game. Quietly launching scent pellets. Flushing game from cover. Find out more and see our lineup of hunting slingshots and supplies at simple-shot.com. Self Reliance Illustrated 23