# What to use?



## Tomislav (Jan 24, 2012)

hi everyone, i was curious about what do you use as target to "simulate" hardness for example rabbits head, or pheasant body. What matterial should target be? so can test my slingshot to see is it "deadly" (can it penetrate animal body) and from what distance. Should i shoot at wood, cans, cardboard, glass bottle etc.


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## Megadippen (May 3, 2011)

i guess the only thing to do is to shoot at a dead animal and se


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Penetration is not necessarily the proper criterion. For small game, blunt force trauma is generally more appropriate. If you hit a rabbit or other small game in the head, you do not need to penetrate the skull to disable or kill it ... think of smacking someone in the head with a baseball bat. In a similar fashion, if you hit a small animal in the chest and crush the rib cage into the heart and lungs, no penetration is required. Or if you hit a small animal or bird in the back between the shoulders with good force, you will break the back without any penetration.

Now, how can you tell if your bands are powerful enough with the ammo you are using? If you are shooting small projectiles, say 3/8 inch (9.5 mm), then perhaps you will need to rely on penetration and resulting internal bleeding. In that case, shoot at an unopened can of beans from the store. If you can penetrate one side of the can, then that should be sufficient. If you are shooting larger projectiles, say stones, or .45 lead (11.5 mm) or larger, then you are going to rely on blunt force trauma. In that case, shoot at a soda can or an empty tin can. If the can crumples and folds around the ammo, then that is probably sufficient. If you just knock the can over or put a little dent in it, then likely you do not have enough power for hunting. These are MINIMAL tests ... more power is better, but you have to be accurate with it.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Tomislav (Jan 24, 2012)

thanks, great to know, i am beginner so it will help me and others to understand how hunting with slingshot works.


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## Jesus Freak (Dec 31, 2011)

Charles you are the man, because I had the same question! Thanks for posting this Bogi!


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## MrTriscuit (Oct 10, 2011)

Goo point Charles! Also it is shot placement really minimal force is 5 pounds of pressure to kill a rabbit, with perfect placement such as right behind the head where neck and head meet.

Hope I could help!


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)




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## fishjunkie (Sep 10, 2011)

head shots with a stone


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## Tomislav (Jan 24, 2012)

thanks for advices, and nice shooting there. I made new slingshot today with aluminum body, and two tbg on each fork, first i couldnt pull much and my hand shaked, so this time i used longer bands with joerg calculator, and i will try to pratice on small tin can on little stick from different distances.
i am walking a lot with my dog for last 6 mouths but i am using slingshot for few days, its german shepheard, but he thinks that he is hunting dog, beucase every rabbit, roe deer or pheasant he will chase and find, and its not trained to do that. i learn about "hot-spots" for pheasant or rabbit, and they are every time at the same place, one rabbit especially, but it think that i need to work on my stalking skills, and dog sometimes go in front of me so its difficult, but i will let him at home next time. I try to find them in dried up creeks because they are overgrown with trees what is here the best place to find pheasants, and land is not very nice and green, beucase its unused by people, and there are tall grass, so its hard to sneak up, but first need to work on shooting skills.

Thanks again


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

why not just shoot at some bones left over from a chicken meal or rib bones from a bbq.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Imperial said:


> why not just shoot at some bones left over from a chicken meal or rib bones from a bbq.


Certainly that would give some indication. But cooked bones vary a lot in hardness ... some would break easily, and some would be very difficult to break. And it depends on whether the bones are free standing, hung from a string, or securely anchored at one end. Again, think of using a small bat to swat a rabbit or a chicken in the head. You may very well kill the animal without breaking any bones.

Cheers ... Charles


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

Charles said:


> Again, think of using a small bat to swat a rabbit or a chicken in the head. You may very well kill the animal without breaking any bones.
> 
> Cheers ... Charles


 that comment brought back some childhood memories. thats how we used to kill the rabbits and chickens when i was a kid growing up. ahh yes, life in a rural farming community is great .


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Imperial said:


> Again, think of using a small bat to swat a rabbit or a chicken in the head. You may very well kill the animal without breaking any bones.
> 
> Cheers ... Charles


 that comment brought back some childhood memories. thats how we used to kill the rabbits and chickens when i was a kid growing up. ahh yes, life in a rural farming community is great .
[/quote]

When I had my commercial rabbitry, I slaughtered rabbits by stretching their necks with a backhand hold. Hence the phrase "poacher's thumb". Maybe that's why my arthritis in my thumbs is so bad now!

Cheers ........... Charles


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