# jmplsnt Strikes Again



## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Hello All......after some dithering about I finally got off my rump and went for another Abandoned Cheese Factory Raid last night.

I arrived at about 2230 local, loaded my pockets with lead shot in several sizes, some high-quality stones from various locations (including a few I have picked up myself and some of Nico's abandoned train tracks pebbles) and two catapults. One was my chained gypsy antler and the other is a G10 from Stelug in the role of backup. I didn't want to have to cut a hunt short due to the popping of a band and this little slingshot is so flat and weightless (but very capable in its own right) that it requires almost no space and zero effort to carry it. So in the shirt pocket it went.

I donned my spelunker's helmet (a holdover from when I lived as a hermit in an Ozark cave for several months) and made my way inside. Immediately upon entering I thought I had spooked a roosting bird but instead discovered it was a large bat skittering about. I watched it for a few minutes and then made my way to the known pigeon roosting areas discovered on my prior scouts of this place. I took special care to keep very quiet and used the lamp very sparingly so as to not disturb any roosting birds.

Upon my arrival in my first choice location I was able to discern two birds roosting side-by-side in a very confined hole in the ceiling at a range of about nine yards. This was a perfect oppurtunity as a small deviation/miss on one would probably result in a hit on the other. I loaded a fine train track stone in the ersatz pouch of my antler gypsy, pulled the 4-per's to my anchor, and sent the stone directly into the boiler of the pigeon I had selected. Naturally the fool bird fell over on the roof and was unrecoverable; I was very hacked as this was my first real stone kill (that I can tell you about, at least) and I wanted it very badly.

I moved into the main warehouse and began working birds with lead shot. I killed another that was caught in the sub-girders and assumed what I will call a Permanent Lifeless Roosting Posture. Allow me to state that a .44 lead round ball fired out of the Red Clay 32/444 is lethal at 30+ yards on pigeons!

I next moved to another bird (the darker of the two pictured below) and decided to try one of my self-picked stones. The range on this one was about 27 yards. When my powerful aerolith hammered into its breast (exactly as aimed) it was dead before it fell off the girder. This was a very moving experience for me as I now had my first recovered stones kill and I was justifiably proud of my accomplishment. Anyone who doubts the use of quality pebbles as hunting ammunition would do well to give them another try.

Finally, my attention was drawn to the lighter bird pictured and as you know it's pictured the outcome is in no doubt. This one was downed with a diminuitive .31 round ball (cast myself) at about 30 yards. I also want to report the micro .31 punched THROUGH the wing before inflicting mortal damage to Mr. Windshield Crapper. It is not easy shooting the little .31's out of the big ersatz pouch but very doable as the photograph should tell all of you.

A special thanks to Nico for introducing me to the shooting of pebbles and Stelug for what is a brilliant back-up slingshot. Xidoo, you were on my mind as requested as I brought the stones pigeon down. I know you and I shall never hunt together but you definately were there in spirit amigo.

My ersatz pouch makes the shooting of varied ammunition (on this one hunt it ranged from larger pebbles, to .44 and .31 caliber lead shot) possible and I hope this will be a lesson for all of you. First, get out of the box and try something new. You just may like it. Second, I'm not restricted to any one sort of ammunition and can change as circumstances and game dictate.

Forgive the crappy picture; it was taken using truck headlights and a Petzl caving lamp for illumination under what are definately field conditions.



thanks for looking


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

Gotta love those rock kills..

Good job.. How do you feel now taking game with the original ammo?


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

i would love some of those bands but i cant get hold of any as good as them ive tryed others but they dont succeed


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

nice kills also!


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Hi Nico.......taking game with a slingshot (or any other device, but the slingshot is all I use anymore really) always brings a rush of emotions--elation, pride, and yes a little sadness that I've let the sould out of something. Now, as for doing it with stones I am very happy and proud to have joined what I feel is an elite group of Old School shooters keeping tradition alive. I just left my shop building after casting several hundred .31 lead round balls and about 125 .38 conicals, which are slated for hunting purposes. You know, for stones all you have to do is walk around the proper areas, pick them up, and put them in your pocket. No casting lead, no beating bearings out of their races, no worrying if marbles will do the job cleanly......just pick them up and put them in your pocket.

I feel like I've accomplished something and am very satisfied; it's been a long journey and while I probably could have done this long ago I wanted to be quite proficient when I took to the field and meant business. And that's exactly how it worked out. I saved my stones for the closer shots (though the 27 yards was oh-so-satisfying with the self-picked pebble from just off the property line) and held the lead for longer shots. Both of the birds I shot with pebbles were dead instantly, I guess from the massive shock instantly transferred by the larger surface area and heavy weight of the stone.

I will NEVER give up lead completely, especially with my large assortment (not to mention investment) in the production of lead ammo, but to be honest I think a serious slinger could hunt with nothing but stones and not be all that handicapped. You would have to give up the long 40-yard shots but as Nico's skull-crush rabbits and stone-impaled dove prove excellent work can be done with stones. Not to forget it's being done all over the world for survival as I write this in my climate-controlled doublewide. I'll even go as far as to say I think the .50 lead round balls and below don't have the immediate stopping power of stones though in all honesty the lead will kill long after the stone has fallen down to earth. And I haven't got 25 years of experience using them. But of the two connections (that I can talk about) they were both instaneous death. Yes, one was close at around 9 yards or so. Obviously that would kill about anything, especially with a tumbling and dense volcanic pebble, probably even humans with proper shot placement. But when you stretch it out there to the longer 27-yarder that was also almost purely vertical (thus robbing it of some of its power) and after landing it perfectly where it was aimed (evidence of the capability for some pretty good accuracy inherent in them if properly seated and shot) resulting in a bird that dies before it even starts to fall, then you have some real evidence that, in my opinion, is fully capable and deserving of standing alongside skull-crush rabbit, 27-yard rabbit, and stone-impaled dove as evidence and dare I say PROOF stones are truly viable and devastating hunting ammunition. Not to mention FREE for the taking.

Nico remember the first one I got was with your pebble.....I wanted to recover it but there was no way to climb to where it fell. Sorry........but as you stated months back your medicine was working Big Time last night and things have come full circle. I feel I will be hunting stones for the rest of my life and I thank you for your gift of what I have learned from you regarding their usage. That, and the little 4-per sets, which are pure gold.....or poison, depending what end of them you are on.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

@mckee--you should try some old-fashioned 3/8" OD/1/4" ID tubing; it works great with stones and if I couldn't get these bands it's what I would use. You should have no problems sourcing it down there as I know you have to live in the shadows with your slingshot exploits down there.


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

Jamie,

You have a gold mine there a veritable store house of meat and I think its silly that anyone would not think that feral pigeons were not excellent table fare because they are.

I have eaten countless feral pigeons over the years and if I had that gold mine you have? I'd have the missus making pot pies and stews for me no kidding amigo. Especially if they are fed on rice and grain they are as good as any other wild game bird maybe not as tasty as some but still very good to eat.

As to what you said about the stone having more stopping power than the .50 cal lead ball I agree 100% I know already what stones do and now you have first hand experience to judge and compare notes.

Of note if its lead I wont go lower than .50 cal lead balls as the 444 chain easily shoots 1/2 oz lead balls with a good smack!
I know the spirit of rock shooters past and present flows through the forum now









Well you are now part of the a Legion of stone shooting slingshot hunters which far out weigh the lead users backed with generations of shooters past.

I'm proud of your accomplishment
Keep up the good work
Nico


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## wd40 (Jul 19, 2010)

Good read, as always, JMPLSNT.

And I like that G10 shooter from Stelug.

WD40


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Great story Jamie, nice shooting. Nico's right on when he says Feral Pidgeons are good eating, I had dozens over my long life span so far. Good hunting friend. Keep the stories and pictures coming.
Philly


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

Good hunting and good looking birds. think I'll be going for a stone kill on some snake soon as that time of year is here.


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## frogman (Nov 11, 2010)

Thanks Jmp, only with a slingshot could this be interesting. That you can take such a primitive weapon and harvest wild game. This takes us all back to the time when the Nobel, and Honorable, North American Indians ruled and reined in this land. A time that I still aspire to embrace....Thanks again for your shareing this story....Frogman


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## frogman (Nov 11, 2010)

Thanks Jmp, only with a slingshot could this be interesting. That you can take such a primitive weapon and harvest wild game. This takes us all back to the time when the Nobel, and Honorable, North American Indians ruled and reined in this land. A time that I still aspire to embrace....Thanks again for your shareing this story....Frogman


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

Please forgive my ignorance jmplsnt but, what is an ersatz pouch? I've been reading that name in your posts for a while now









Thank you

Rubén


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## TastelikeSnozberries (Jul 16, 2010)

Congratulations, that's a really amazing accomplishment. Your stories are always amazingly written too


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

A large pouch capable of shooting stones, lead balls, hex nuts, and whatever else......ersatz ammunition, if you will. It's exactly like those found on a Mexican resortera.


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

Ok, I understand now









Mmmhhh... How big could that be? 1 X 3 inches or bigger still? I guess about the same size as Nico uses but I'm not sure of that either









I have a Mexican slingshot that has a 1.5 X 4 inches pouch and it seems too big...

Thank you for your answer.

Rubén


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Great hunting story !


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## kyrokon (Feb 11, 2011)

Congratulations on the hunt and awesome write up.

Thanks for sharing


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

The photo in full compliance until jmp artistic looks, lol! but Isuggest you insert the "IMG code" expanded to display your images and not the link to your album, is just one sugerecia eh!


Te estás volviendo muy bago jmp jeje!


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

@Grafvitnir--yes, the larger pocket on your Mexican slingshot is exactly what I am using. When I have access to a scanner late next week I will put my pattern on the Shared Designs Forum.


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks jmplsnt!!!


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## Xidoo (Aug 14, 2010)

jmplsnt,
Your hunting story is just great. I was delighted to read it and enjoy every word you wrote in it. It is so detailed, that it felt like if I was watching in person, as I read it. Congratulations on the pegeons you shot down. It must to feel great after you hit right were you wanted to do it. I am glad to read that this is your first time that you make a kill with stones. I personally have done it, but it is hard to find good quality stones for my pouch where I live. You are definely right about the impact power that a simple stone can deliver. 
The train pellets (takonite) have worked for me too. One time I run out of stones and I was shooting to some feral pegeons under a bridge. I was trying to find a stone on the ground and just found a broken takonite pellet in half. I thought, that was just going to use it to scare at least the pegeons. I was surprised that the broken pellet hit a pegeon right at the neck and kill it almost upon impact. 
Thanks for keeping me on your mind as you did your hunting and took down those pegeons. I will do the same next time I go out to hunt inca doves and I will be glad to post it if I shoot any of them in this section. Today, I knocked down two, but one run into a house yard, so I lost it. Yes, it sucks when you take down the prey and it survives and can not make a clean kill right away.
Jamie, I can travel to the U.S.A anytime I want to and I do not believe that a weekend at your community could be so expensive that it could not be paid for. As long as we have a life, then we have a chance to go hunting together sometime in the future. 
I like to wear bdu's when I go out to hunt, the pockets at the shirt or at the pants are great to carry anything you need for you slingshot hunting trip. Saludos.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

That's a great offer and I would absolutely live to meet, compare slingshots, and spend some time together. I am in the process of attempting to upgrade my Captains license but definitely will keep this in my mind and when that process is over later this year I certainly will get in touch with you.


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## Xidoo (Aug 14, 2010)

jmplsnt said:


> That's a great offer and I would absolutely live to meet, compare slingshots, and spend some time together. I am in the process of attempting to upgrade my Captains license but definitely will keep this in my mind and when that process is over later this year I certainly will get in touch with you.


Ok, I definitely will be traveling to California this year. I might even have to stay for a while or for at least a month. If a get a job a might stay for some years. So who knows, there is always a chance.


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## josephlys (May 4, 2010)

Excellent story on the pigeon hunt, brings back memories when I was a younger. I'd try to shoot birds in abandoned buildings too with a baby slingshot and tiny pebbles Lol of course I didn't get any. Awesome kills on your pigeons, 1 with a good old fashion stone, 1 with a .44 lead and 1 with a .31 cal lead. I must say I envy you for having such a good meat market. I really like smaller cal lead shots like the .31 you used, I used them b4 with Barnett black widow's original tubes and it shot right through a starling's body @ 10 yards. I recently slapped on some .65mm flatbands on my Ol' Black widow 14cm(from fork to pouch) x 3cm x 2cm double layer. Nice 20lbs draw, my preferred set-up for pigeons. Oh yeah, I'm getting a couple hundred .38 cal lead shot from my local fishing shop too. .38s punch through pigeons real good too.


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## josephlys (May 4, 2010)

Or maybe .44 lead balls. Got a hundred of them too now. I'm bad with stones and pebbles. Putting aside the stone, which do you prefer the .31 lead or the .44 lead or .38 lead. Just preference. I personally like .38 for shooting pigeons in a city area. They are less conspicuous when they come tumbling down from the sky.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Joseph my pigeon hunting experience is somewhat limited but if I had only one size of lead shot to cover any and all scenarios I would likely pick the larger .50 lead round ball. I have shot the .44 a great deal in the field and done a lot of killing in the past with it and it is also an excellent choice. But I will always prefer the larger .50 whenever possible for the larger weight, wound channel, and much greater kinetic energy transferred. Its trajectory is not nearly as good as a .44 but remember we are not shooting 800+ yards as I have with the scoped black rifle in the past.

Now, if I were going to hunt only birds I would pick a .31 lead round ball. For some reason this tiny little thing is a great killer of birds. I feel this is owed to the tremendous speed and penetration of the little lead pills. I punched one through a wing at pretty good range and thence on into the breast of the lighter bird pictured in this thread. It fell very quickly and the picture, while not of the greatest quality, clearly shows a good penetrating wound and remember this was AFTER going through wing feathers. I don't reccomend the little wimpy .31 for any furry game other than rats (and have never shot one with the .31 in all honesty) as I have lost some after connecting on what was otherwise a good shot. Not enough impact shock in my opinion. But on pigeons and other birds it's been deadly......I once made a measured 70 yards (210 feet) shot with one with a single "sighter". I feel the .31 has some secrets that still bear unlocking.

In all fairness I would really carry only.50's if I wanted to be sure of killing everything I may run across but my choice would be a mix of .31 and either .44 or .50.

Also keep in mind that I have not yet mentioned stones. I don't know your exposure or experience with them but I will tell you the immediate and brutal transfer of energy you get from stones is completely different and to me at least very superior to anything offered by lead. I know you asked about lead but I am now a complete and total believer in the use of stones. You should check out Nico's photo gallery for further instruction and inspiration in what a total instantaeous transfer of energy does to small game.....his pictures speak volumes.

Good luck afield man and keep us posted here of any exploits. I'd love to hear some Malaysian slingshot hunting stories and also some pictures of traditional Malay slingshots if you happen to have any.


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## josephlys (May 4, 2010)

Thank you Jmp, again excellent explanation. After seeing stone kills made by you guys, I can see that stones like what you said is brutal in transferring energy. What I'm going after are town pest like pigeons and rats...etc not really heavy bodied game, I would think a .38 lead is a suitable happy middle of the .31 and .44. These lil critters would not stand a chance at close range of 10-15yards max. 
Again excellent and interesting read, helped me a great deal. Always enjoy your post. Thanks


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