What You Need to Know before You Start Using Your Hunting Slingshot

Hunting is one of the few hobbies that allows people to use their favorite weapons. Rifles, knife, and even bows are often used for hunting. People routinely spend good money to make sure that they are in possession of the best hunting weapons on the market.

However, those are not the only weapon options available if you are planning to go hunting.

For those who have a smaller budget or who just want to try something a bit more unconventional, the slingshot can also be used for the purposes of hunting.

Now, it’s important that you don’t just go rushing out the door with slingshot in hand and start firing away. There are things you must know so that you can responsibly and effectively use the said weapon for taking down your targets and this article will shine a light on those.

Let’s begin!

Etiquette for Hunting with a Slingshot

Just like hunting with any other weapon, there are guidelines you should abide by if you are planning to use a slingshot. These guidelines are meant to keep you and others around you safe while also affording animals with the respect they deserve.

Never Aim Your Slingshot at Someone Jokingly

Gun owners are reminded over and over again to never aim the weapon at themselves or anyone else around them. Even if you believe that the gun is not loaded, it is best practice to not aim it at someone.

You should adhere to the same guidelines if you are using a slingshot.

Considering how light the ammunition can be for slingshots, it’s easy to forget something’s in there as you’re pointing it at a target. Always err on the side of caution and just keep your friends and family out of the sightline of your slingshot.

Avoid Using a Slingshot on Larger Game

While it is possible to take down larger animals using a slingshot, it would require a remarkable amount of skill, experience, and luck on your part to do so.

If you want to hunt deer and other animals in that general size range, it’s best to either pull out your rifle or maybe even a crossbow. Save the slingshot for hunting down smaller animals such as rabbits and squirrels.

Aim for Headshots

Because slingshots aren’t as powerful as other weapons often used for hunting, they are not guaranteed to land a killshot whenever they are used. That’s true even if you only use them on small animals.

To give yourself the best odds of landing a killshot right away, you should always aim for the animal’s head. Aiming for the head with your slingshot accomplishes two things.

First off, landing a headshot is more humane than say hitting the body and then just letting the animal bleed to death. The animal would just needlessly suffer at that point.

Second, the internal bleeding caused by a shot to the body can affect the quality of the meat you’re getting from your kill. The internal bleeding may even render the meat inedible, meaning the death of the animal was ultimately for naught and you don’t want that.

How to Use a Slingshot for Hunting

Now that you know about the proper hunting etiquette for slingshots, let’s get to the tips that will help you become a better hunter.

Invest in the Right Type of Weapon

Slingshots that kids use for playing around vary significantly from the ones that are meant to be used for hunting. That’s mainly because the latter are capable of providing more oomph with their shots.

Investing in a real hunting slingshot is necessary.

The good news is that many of the slingshots designed mainly for hunting are quite affordable. You should be able to get one for yourself pretty easily.

You can even try making a slingshot for hunting yourself. Apart from some latex tubing and leather strips, many of the items you need to make your own slingshot are likely available in and around your home. Do know that the project itself is time-consuming, so you may want to set aside a day for it.

Wear Protective Gear

“It’s a slingshot. What’s the worse it could do?”
Those are the words of someone who does know about the damaging capabilities of a slingshot crafted for hunting. Those are also the words of someone who could be injured pretty easily because they don’t respect the slingshot’s power enough to wear protective gear.

Just as you would before using any other type of hunting weapon, you must put on protective gear before using a slingshot. You’re just asking for trouble if you’re hunting without any gear on.

When it comes to slingshots, eye protection is crucial. Put on safety goggles if you have them or at least a pair of glasses.

Choose the Proper Ammunition for Your Slingshot

Arguably the best part about using a slingshot for hunting is that you are unlikely to ever run out of ammunition. Rocks, nails, and darts can all be used as hunting ammunition, provided that they have enough weight to them of course.

If you are looking for more uniform ammunition, you can go with steel ball bearings. They are easy to travel with because they are on the smaller side, and yet they still feature enough heft to get the job done.

Practice often with Your Slingshot

You probably haven’t used a slingshot since you were a kid so using one now may be an experience you no longer recognize. To get around that issue, take the time to practice.

Slingshots take longer to shoot than rifles so it helps to get used to the timing before you use one for hunting. Practice your accuracy (for those headshots) and timing by shooting at stationary wooden targets first. Just make sure there’s nothing behind the target before you start firing.

You should also take advantage of how light the slingshot is. Try moving around with it and see how well you can sneak up on your prey.

Slingshots are not just toys for your kid. Paired with the right ammunition and placed into the hands of someone with enough training and experience, the slingshot can transform into an effective tool for hunting. The next time you’re out looking for small game, give the slingshot a try and see how it works for you.