[Sam]

Hey guys, before anyone goes hunting I recommend that they practice on these excellent targets first:
My link
My link
My link
My link

I would suggest that you attempt to take your quarry from no further than you can successfully hit all four targets in a row, and would recommend that you use metallic, spherical, projectiles with a mass of no less than 7 grams. With a minimum draw length of 28" and weight of 15lb... What do you guys think?

Here are some more from the same website, this time they imitate specific species:
Squirrel
Rabbit
Corvid

An extremely talented of mine is even working on similar targets, made from high-resolution photographs of real animals, with the area of vital organs highlighted in red for me, and I may distribute them, pro bono, as per request.

 

[Martin]

I do all my rabbit hunting at about 10 metres or less, with practise it is easy to accurately judge distance.

Unless you have the ability to get within range to humanely dispatch your target, you should not be hunting.

Great links Sam.

Martin

 

[Sam]

Got my first pigeon today, it was a small feral, used a 9.525mm ball bearing shot from a PS-2 with "Gold Winner" flatbands. I'd never witnessed the idiom: 'fell like a stone' before, I'm pretty sure it was dead before it hit the ground, it didn't so much as flinch. When I approached it, it wasn't breathing, or bleeding, so I put my hand to its chest - cardiac arrest! My ball bearing was entirely embedded under its skin; just above and slightly to the left of its right eye. There was barely any blood.

 

[whipcrackdeadbunny]

I know this website, I'll print some out and see what I think of the size. Good idea though.

 

[Sam]

I do all my rabbit hunting at about 10 metres or less, with practise it is easy to accurately judge distance.

Unless you have the ability to get within range to humanely dispatch your target, you should not be hunting.

Great links Sam.

Martin

That's sensible, looking at the ballistic coefficients of most contemporary hunting rigs that's where velocity starts to taper off.
What ammunition and band-sets are you using for your hunting mate?

I'm thinking of getting my hands on some 0.44" lead, from Perry, I want to see what 44.3% more density does!

 

[Martin]

I cast my own 12mm lead shot, its a little rough but it works, I will also be casting 8mm as well.
As for bandsets at the moment I'm trying silver theraband and experimenting with different tapers on my homemade slingshots.
Martin.

 

[Sam]

I cast my own 12mm lead shot, its a little rough but it works, I will also be casting 8mm as well.
As for bandsets at the moment I'm trying silver theraband and experimenting with different tapers on my homemade slingshots.
Martin.

Awesome, I wish I could cast my own lead - my ignorant

father won't let me, on account of it being "Dangerous and bad for the environment."

Unfortunately 1.27mm steel doesn't always guarantee a clean kill, I'm just not convinced that it's dense enough, I'm going to purchase some 1.12mm lead from Perry, I can't wait to see what a 44.3% increment in density does to my steel and aluminium sheets!

 

[bunnybuster]

I`m partial to .375 lead balls for hunting rabbits

 

[Dayhiker]

I think rabbits are easy to kill. I have only killed one. It was a big one, too. I shot him in the head at under 10 yds with a stone that was less than a half inch in diameter. The elastic I was using at the time was Trumark RRT tubes. I was trying to just thump the bugger with marbles to get him out of my veggie garden (had done it several times before). I had just put these tubes on the slingshot the day before, and because I was listening to too much b.s. here on the forums about how powerful your bands had to be for hunting, I thought these tubes would never kill anything. Anyway, I broke the poor creatures foot with my last marble, and he just stood there licking it. It had to be dispatched quickly now for a wounded rabbit would end up easy prey for the dogs and whatnot in the area. So I picked up this small stone and let fly. As I said, it was a head shot. The bunny jumped straight into the air and came down dead -- instant kill. There are many people here who are way over powering their slingshots in my opinion. Shot in the foot (Jeff), here on the forum takes the most game of anybody I know of and he says single-layered tapered thera-band gold and 7/16th steel balls is enough to kill birds and bunnies. I am no hunter, but I think he is correct.

(Having said that, I have a mold for .45 caliber lead, and that is what I will use for hunting, because I'm not that good of a marksman yet, so it might take me a couple of shots to get a kill; and maybe an administering of last rights, as well

)

P.S. And I do own a fully powered Fish Hunter Ergo2 as well. But I don't feel it is necessary for a really good marksman. I do, however, think this kind of fire power is required to kill groundhogs and raccoons, which is what I started making slingshots for in the first place.

 

[Sam]

I think rabbits are easy to kill. I have only killed one. It was a big one, too. I shot him in the head at under 10 yds with a stone that was less than a half inch in diameter. The elastic I was using at the time was Trumark RRT tubes. I was trying to just thump the bugger with marbles to get him out of my veggie garden (had done it several times before). I had just put these tubes on the slingshot the day before, and because I was listening to too much b.s. here on the forums about how powerful your bands had to be for hunting, I thought these tubes would never kill anything. Anyway, I broke the poor creatures foot with my last marble, and he just stood there licking it. It had to be dispatched quickly now for a wounded rabbit would end up easy prey for the dogs and whatnot in the area. So I picked up this small stone and let fly. As I said, it was a head shot. The bunny jumped straight into the air and came down dead -- instant kill. There are many people here who are way over powering their slingshots in my opinion. Shot in the foot (Jeff), here on the forum takes the most game of anybody I know of and he says single-layered tapered thera-band gold and 7/16th steel balls is enough to kill birds and bunnies. I am no hunter, but I think he is correct.

(Having said that, I have a mold for .45 caliber lead, and that is what I will use for hunting, because I'm not that good of a marksman yet, so it might take me a couple of shots to get a kill; and maybe an administering of last rights, as well

)

P.S. And I do own a fully powered Fish Hunter Ergo2 as well. But I don't feel it is necessary for a really good marksman. I do, however, think this kind of fire power is required to kill groundhogs and raccoons, which is what I started making slingshots for in the first place.

Wow...

 

[bunnybuster]

My favorite setup for bunnies...
1/2 inch x 1/16 , pure gum rubber flatbands.
Using a .375 lead ball, it will put down any bunny on the planet, at 25 yds. or less.
I have taken them out to 28 yds....with clean kills.
You can have the most powerful bands, or tubes in the world...but if you cannot control, and hit your quarry`s vitals..... stick with shooting cans and jellotin bricks.
Hunting game with any weapon , must be taken seriously. It is not a ``sport`` like football or baseball.
You owe it to the animal , to make clean shots, and know your ability...or don`t take the shot.
The real skill in hunting...is to get as close as you can, without detection from your quarry. One on one....
Know your limits, before you decide to hunt game.

 

[Flatband]

Boy, no one I've seen has said it better the Tom just did. Well said Bud! Flatband

 

[A+ Slingshots]

Dayhiker , Bunnybuster, and Flatband. Well said guys!!!!

 

[Sam]

My favorite setup for bunnies...
1/2 inch x 1/16 , pure gum rubber flatbands.
Using a .375 lead ball, it will put down any bunny on the planet, at 25 yds. or less.
I have taken them out to 28 yds....with clean kills.
You can have the most powerful bands, or tubes in the world...but if you cannot control, and hit your quarry`s vitals..... stick with shooting cans and jellotin bricks.
Hunting game with any weapon , must be taken seriously. It is not a ``sport`` like football or baseball.
You owe it to the animal , to make clean shots, and know your ability...or don`t take the shot.
The real skill in hunting...is to get as close as you can, without detection from your quarry. One on one....
Know your limits, before you decide to hunt game.

Took the words right out my mouth there buddy,

Glass has a density of 2.5 g/cm[sup]3[/sup], Steel 7.86[sup] [/sup]g/cm[sup]3[/sup], Lead 11.34 g/cm[sup]3[/sup], even with steel you will only achieve clean kills with clean head-shots...

 

[NoSugarRob]

[.

 

[Dayhiker]

Bunny Buster:

My favorite setup for bunnies...
1/2 inch x 1/16 , pure gum rubber flatbands.
Using a .375 lead ball, it will put down any bunny on the planet, at 25 yds. or less.
I have taken them out to 28 yds....with clean kills.
You can have the most powerful bands, or tubes in the world...but if you cannot control, and hit your quarry`s vitals..... stick with shooting cans and jellotin bricks.
Hunting game with any weapon , must be taken seriously. It is not a ``sport`` like football or baseball.
You owe it to the animal , to make clean shots, and know your ability...or don`t take the shot.
The real skill in hunting...is to get as close as you can, without detection from your quarry. One on one....
Know your limits, before you decide to hunt game.

I know my limits, and that's why I know I'll need to pack a little extra hitting force. (for now)

 

[Sam]

Bunny Buster:

My favorite setup for bunnies...
1/2 inch x 1/16 , pure gum rubber flatbands.
Using a .375 lead ball, it will put down any bunny on the planet, at 25 yds. or less.
I have taken them out to 28 yds....with clean kills.
You can have the most powerful bands, or tubes in the world...but if you cannot control, and hit your quarry`s vitals..... stick with shooting cans and jellotin bricks.
Hunting game with any weapon , must be taken seriously. It is not a ``sport`` like football or baseball.
You owe it to the animal , to make clean shots, and know your ability...or don`t take the shot.
The real skill in hunting...is to get as close as you can, without detection from your quarry. One on one....
Know your limits, before you decide to hunt game.

I know my limits, and that's why I know I'll need to pack a little extra hitting force. (for now)

Thank you mate,

 

[Henry the Hermit]

I guess this sorta kinda falls into the hunting category. I was in the back yard just about sunset, shooting at a tin can with glass marbles. I heard a gnawing sound coming from the direction of one of our coconut palms. I took a look and sure enough, I saw a fluffy tail twitching where a squirrel was chewing the green husk off a coconut to get at the water and soft inside. Very carefully, I drew about half-way and aimed a few feet above the squirrel, which made him stop trying to open the coconut. It took one more shot to get him to leave the area.

I should explain that two years ago we rescued a baby squirrel that fell out of a tree during a storm. After bottle feeding and hand raising one of these pests, there just ain't no way I could shoot one, and if I did, my wife would kick me out. I guess I'll have to wait until a snake or cane toad shows up to test my hunting skills.

 

[Sam]

I guess this sorta kinda falls into the hunting category. I was in the back yard just about sunset, shooting at a tin can with glass marbles. I heard a gnawing sound coming from the direction of one of our coconut palms. I took a look and sure enough, I saw a fluffy tail twitching where a squirrel was chewing the green husk off a coconut to get at the water and soft inside. Very carefully, I drew about half-way and aimed a few feet above the squirrel, which made him stop trying to open the coconut. It took one more shot to get him to leave the area.

I should explain that two years ago we rescued a baby squirrel that fell out of a tree during a storm. After bottle feeding and hand raising one of these pests, there just ain't no way I could shoot one, and if I did, my wife would kick me out. I guess I'll have to wait until a snake or cane toad shows up to test my hunting skills.

My policy on squirrels is: If it ain't red shoot it dead!

 

[Nico]

I think rabbits are easy to kill. I have only killed one. It was a big one, too. I shot him in the head at under 10 yds with a stone that was less than a half inch in diameter. The elastic I was using at the time was Trumark RRT tubes. I was trying to just thump the bugger with marbles to get him out of my veggie garden (had done it several times before). I had just put these tubes on the slingshot the day before, and because I was listening to too much b.s. here on the forums about how powerful your bands had to be for hunting, I thought these tubes would never kill anything. Anyway, I broke the poor creatures foot with my last marble, and he just stood there licking it. It had to be dispatched quickly now for a wounded rabbit would end up easy prey for the dogs and whatnot in the area. So I picked up this small stone and let fly. As I said, it was a head shot. The bunny jumped straight into the air and came down dead -- instant kill. There are many people here who are way over powering their slingshots in my opinion. Shot in the foot (Jeff), here on the forum takes the most game of anybody I know of and he says single-layered tapered thera-band gold and 7/16th steel balls is enough to kill birds and bunnies. I am no hunter, but I think he is correct.

(Having said that, I have a mold for .45 caliber lead, and that is what I will use for hunting, because I'm not that good of a marksman yet, so it might take me a couple of shots to get a kill; and maybe an administering of last rights, as well

)

P.S. And I do own a fully powered Fish Hunter Ergo2 as well. But I don't feel it is necessary for a really good marksman. I do, however, think this kind of fire power is required to kill groundhogs and raccoons, which is what I started making slingshots for in the first place.

Well spoken DH there is far too much b/s on the various forums about what is powerful and what isnt.
My father for years after being in the USA switched to tubes from the round solid elastics he used in his teens in Mexico and I saw him kill many animals with the surgical tubes he would acquire from the family DR. Other times he'd use the regular marksman replacement tubes on his homemades and even would remove the small pouch and replace with a stone shooting pouch. Rabbits, squirrels, doves pigeons you name it he took it with stones using surgical tubes from either of the forementioned sources.

The majority of all my prey I have killed with my chains have been with stones, minus 3 crows which I took with 44 cal lead balls I bought from fish. I really have been curious about .457 (45) cal lead balls just a little more weight than 44 and light enough for those long shots.

I wish I were close by to you DH I'd help you with the raccoon and ground hog problems