Today I’ve got something really exciting to share…
A Complete Guide To Using A Slingshot For Hunting
Because if you find yourself in a survival scenario, it’s a simple tool that put food in your belly.
It’s light, it’s portable, and IF you CAN take down wild game.
Like David took down Goliath.
- Introduction & Brief History…
- Slingshot Hunting Regs. (by State)
- 8 Benefits Of Using A Slingshot
- How To Make Your Own Slingshot
- Slingshot Hunting Tips & Tricks
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The good old reliable slingshot.
It’s gone by many names in its day: “bean shooter,” “flip,” “Kattie,” “ging,” “wrist rocket,” and “hand-catapult,” to name a few.
In modern times, the handheld slingshot has become associated with mischief and youth vandalism.
But this stealthy projectile-flinger has a wide variety of useful survival applications.
This weapon depends on strong elastic materials to operate.
And so it was invented around the same time as vulcanized rubber – which puts the sling in the shot.
That makes this tool about 172 years old, but the basic concepts behind the slingshot are thousands of years old.
The “Sling” was one of the most widely used projectile weapons for both hunting and combat since the Stone Age.
Slings were mentioned by homer in The Illiad and Troy.
The Romans used them, and, of course, it was the weapon David used to defeat Goliath in the Valley of Elah.
↓ Units of History – The Balearic Slingers DOCUMENTARY
A slingshot is virtually the same as those ancient slings…just more accurate and easier to use.
And a slingshot also makes for a perfect do-it-yourself survival project.
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Map of States With & Without Slingshot Hunting Regulations
I always think it’s better to be safe than ticketed or, worse, arrested for some slingshot tomfoolery.
Your state’s Natural Resources and Game Warden’s office should be able to answer all of your questions.
8 Benefits Of Using A Slingshot
- One of the most silent weapons available = total stealth.
- Hunting with a slingshot is challenging and will increase your stalking skills as a hunter.
- Finding ammunition is both easy and abundant.
- Few parts and low maintenance.
- Easier to carry in crowded urban areas, concealable, packable, and transportable.
- It doesn’t attract nearly as much attention as a firearm.
- Legal for open carry (in most states).
- Only a fraction of the cost compared to other hunting tools.
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Enter your email below to instantly download this Complete Checklist PDF. No purchase necessary. 👇 👇How To Make Your Own Slingshot
For those who are more interested in crafting their own handmade hunting slingshot, the following is a quick How-To describing what you need and how to best create a slingshot on your own.
↓ Homemade Slingshot with Household Materials
Resources:
- TIME
- “Y” shaped branch w/ a minimum 30-degree fork.
- ¼” latex surgical tubing.
- Leather strips.
- Dental floss or similarly fine string
- 4 small pieces of plywood (optional)
- 2, 40-watt light bulbs (optional)
Tools:
- Saw
- Knife
- Awl (optional)
Finding a Fork
Dogwood, Hickory, and Oak are the best types of wood for the job.
Buckhorn also makes some nice “Y” shapes and has the required flexibility/rigidness.
Do not bother looking for a perfectly shaped “Y” frame.
First, you will rarely find any in nature.
And second, you want the main branch to be ~30 degrees bent and the protruding branch to be ~45 degrees bent.
Once you find a fork similar to this, go ahead and cut it out.
Then, let it dry for three weeks to one year.
Depending on how you intend to dry the frame will affect how long you dry it.
You can elect to build a drying box using 4 pieces of plywood, creating a box and one 40-watt bulb on each end to act as a heat source.
Or you can leave it on a shelf for a year.
Another drying method is to set the “Y” frame next to a campfire for a day or two – once the wood stops hissing, the frame is dry.
But, if you don’t want to wait (even a couple of days), dry your frame in the microwave.
Wrap it up in a towel to prevent burning and pop it in the hot box for about six 30-second bursts (or until the wood stops hissing).
Don’t just throw it in there on high for 20 minutes, though – that thing will definitely combust.
↓ Make your own Slingshot
Notch the Fork
This step is pretty straightforward: use your knife to create a notch on each prong of your slingshot fork.
These notches will hold the bands in place and prevent slippage.
There’s a fine balance throughout this step because shallow notches will not hold the bands in place.
And deep notches will shear off your “Y” prongs when you add intense torque.
So be careful.
It’s like haircuts – it’s better to shave away less initially than more.
Test and then take a bit more as necessary until you get the perfect notch depth.
Selecting and Attaching the Forks
Here is the rub: rubber only lasts a few months before it needs replacing.
So, occasionally, you will have to do some modest slingshot maintenance.
That’s all right.
Replacing the bands is easy, but we will do that in a second.
Because slingshot hunting is not that popular of a hobby, if you go into a store and grab a bag full of replacement slingshot bands, chances are those have been sitting on the shelf for several months.
So in almost every case, it is better to go and make your own.
Nearly every hardware store in America will sell rubber tubing.
Theraband gold is the slingshot industry standard.
Remember to replace your bands when you see signs of rubber decay (cracking, splitting, or drying out).
To attach the bands, wrap one end of each pre-cut section of rubber around each fork of the “Y” frame.
Fold the extra bit of length back over itself, and tie it off with a bit of wire or zip ties.
Creating A Slingshot Pouch
Cut a rectangle from a leather strip, approximately 2 inches wide and 4 inches long.
Then, cut corners off and create an octagonal shape for the pouch.
Poke a hole at either end of the pouch and run the loose ends of your attached rubber strips through both holes.
Wrap the excess rubber bits around themselves and tie them off with dental floss or other string.
Fair warning: you may need to readjust the lengths of the rubber bands.
Shorter bands give you more power but are more inclined to snap.
Find the middle ground that is perfect for you and stick with it.
↓ How to Make a Survival Slingshot
Slingshot Ammunition
This is the most beneficial aspect of using a slingshot.
Ammunition is almost everywhere.
Rocks and pebbles are not the most accurate projectiles because their odd shapes can divert their trajectory, and their sharp edges can cause damage to your leather pouch.
But they are plentiful, and you can almost always count on finding one you can use if you run out of other, more accurate forms of ammunition.
The best ammunition for this type of weapon is steel or lead shot.
Lead has an excellent weight ratio, so it fires a further distance.
Steel slingshot ammo (on the other hand) is lighter, but because it is magnetic, steel projectiles are far easier to recover after firing.
Even small arrows, nails, and darts are useable with a slingshot.
You can easily create an attachable shaft cradle that will allow arrows to line up the shot and fire a shafted object straight as an arrow.
See the video below on how this works:
↓ Using the Slingshot to Hunt Bigger Game
Hunting With A Slingshot
Before you take your slingshot out into the wild-to-hunt live game, there are some things you should know.
Primarily, you must become a sharpshooter with your slingshot.
↓ How to shoot a slingshot, cut cards with amazing accuracy
The ammunition you will most likely use causes blunt force trauma rather than piercing injuries.
So you must be able to hit your target in the head. And you must be able to get close enough to administer lethal force.
If you fire a lead ball at a squirrel or small bird and hit it in the body, you will only cause internal bleeding, and the animal’s meat will be ruined.
Which means you just killed a living creature in waste.
That’s not cool.
So make sure you can hit a target about the size of a golf ball (or smaller) at ~30 feet or further before you take to hunting live game.
Just remember – Headshots only…
Because slingshots are not the most powerful hunting tools available, the game you will be looking for will not be large.
Rabbits, squirrels, quail, pheasant, dove, and other small birds or rodents are your best bet.
If you decide to attach an arrow or dart cradle to your slingshot, you can hunt some medium-sized game.
But once again, make sure you can shoot to kill.
It’s bad form to go around filling live animals with shallow arrows and letting them run off to suffer and/or bleed out.
Obviously, it is not ideal or easy to hunt with a slingshot.
Guns, survival bows, longbows, and survival crossbows are all better options since they typically yield more effective results.
But slingshots are great in a pinch.
If you are stranded or lost or otherwise incapable of going to the grocery store, and have no other means for hunting, make a slingshot and go get ‘em.
If you are well-practiced, you will be much more prepared with a slingshot around.
But also, hunting with a slingshot makes you a better hunter overall:
- You must be able to sneak up on small unsuspecting prey and be much closer to the target before taking the shot.
- You have to be accurate with a notoriously inaccurate weapon.
If you can effectively hunt with a slingshot, you can probably hunt with anything.
The Final Word
Slingshots have a lot of survival purposes.
They can be built to satisfy a DIY hankering and be used for practice.
Hell, today, modern militaries use slingshots to launch drones into the air.
I even once saw a fisherman using a slingshot to spread bait across the water surrounding his line…
This is all to say; a slingshot is what you make of it.
When you pick one up, it is up to you how you use it and what you use it for.
These clever tools have many uses and are very simple to create and maintain.
Everyone should have a survival slingshot, even if it rarely gets used.
Keeping one of these in a bug out bag, in a hiking backpack, or in the back of your car might prove to be more useful than you ever imagined.
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