# Would a slingshot injure a deer?



## Osmigo (Dec 7, 2020)

This is my first post on this forum. I've never had a slingshot, but I have a lifetime of fishing and shooting and hunting, including bowhunting. I've been studying slingshots online and it's fascinating; I had no idea you got into different grips and positions and band tuning and so on; I'm still learning about it. I'm looking forward to buying my first "serious" slingshot!

Anyway, here's the deal:

We live on 7 acres near San Antonio, TX and our subdivision is INFESTED with trash deer. They just roam around destroying shrubs and roses and spreading poop and ticks everywhere. Some of our idiot neighbors (we're about 200 yards apart out here) even have deer feeders in their yards. I've proposed to the HOA that we prohibit deer feeding, but no luck: they like to watch Bambi. Ugh. I hate them, they're like very large rats. But I'll digress.....

(arrrghhhhh.... there's one standing about 30 feet from my window as I type this....)

I can usually keep them off of our shrubs (and my wife's prize roses) with Liquid Fence Deer Repellent. It stinks to high heaven, but works pretty well. They will still eat through it, however, if they're hungry enough. Almost on a daily basis, I see 1 or 2 of them grazing near the house - like, 10 feet from the front door. I have no problem stalking up to a few feet from them, say 20 to 60 feet, but what then? Of course shooting's not allowed out here, and even then there's a strict deer season anyway, so that's out. Same with bowhunting.

So I'm thinking I might be able to discourage them by whacking the living daylights out of them with a slingshot. But one question: will a 3/8" bearing penetrate a deer's hide at, say, 40 feet? If it will hurt like heck and leave a painful bruise, that's fine, that will stick in their memory, but I absolutely can NOT have a wounded, bleeding deer running around. No way, not gonna happen.

I don't need pinpoint accuracy at this point, either; a deer's a big target.

As I understand it, clay balls and marbles don't have enough mass to really do anything.

Thoughts from you guys?

Thanks!


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

I nice shot in the butt cheek with a clay ball will send them packing and won't injure anything. I've had those domesticated deer charge at children before, they are nothing more then large rats. When they loose their fear, is when the trouble starts.
And welcome


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Welcome to the Forum! Large marbles will hurt, and are very unlikely to penetrate, but...... You may very well get in trouble with the law and/or the HOA if you shoot them with a slingshot. Maybe a yard dog would be a better idea.


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

Did you happen to move to Texas from California? Big fines for harassing wildlife in Texas. Welcome to the forum.


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## 31610 (Aug 20, 2017)

Man your in a predicament. We have trouble here with Canadian geese they make a mess of a beach or property few guys I know get motion activated water sprinklers seems to move the geese along . Not sure it bug a deer tho .....


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

BTW, I just reread you post where you say you can get close to the deer. That is not recommended. Bucks can get very territorial, especially during the rut, and Does with fawns are protective. No matter how tame the deer seem, stay way from them.


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## Osmigo (Dec 7, 2020)

Don't worry, I've hunted deer for years with both rifle and bow, and chased them out of my yard more times than I can remember. I'm quite familiar with their behavior. I'm mainly just asking if a 3/8" bearing from a slingshot would give them "something to remember" without seriously injuring them.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

The answer to that is, as usual, is it depends. Keep velocity below 200 fps and anything besides an eye shot won't cause permanent damage.


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## Hoss (Jun 3, 2014)

I don't think it's would penetrate the deer, but you could put its eye out if you were to hit it in the eye.

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk


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## SLINGDUDE (Aug 15, 2018)

Welcome to the forum


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## SteveJ (Jun 24, 2020)

Osmigo said:


> Don't worry, I've hunted deer for years with both rifle and bow, and chased them out of my yard more times than I can remember. I'm quite familiar with their behavior. I'm mainly just asking if a 3/8" bearing from a slingshot would give them "something to remember" without seriously injuring them.


 Im in Texas , If one of your neighbors reports you to LEO your gonna be getting some fines


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## TimR (May 22, 2011)

If one of my urban neighbors was using steel I might be nervous, but paint balls wouldn't bother anyone around me.


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Would "bird fright" flares shot from a blank cartridge handgun possibly scare the pesky deer away?

This type of thing:

https://www.gruenel.ch/en-product-aba_birtd_fright_15mm___50_~36_5061

and

https://www.gruenel.ch/en-product-weihrauch_alarmrevolver_hw37__kal__9mm_r_knall~18_2085

and

https://www.gruenel.ch/en-product-rws_platzpatrone_9mm__380_r__knall___nitropulver~37_5807

Legally speaking, this should technically not be a problem?

Slingshot ammo will at the very most create a "stinging" sensation on the relatively thick deer hide, I would assume (I've never tried this).


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd do it in a hot second. If you are overly concerned use a marble or a lager piece of steel.

If you can't use a slingshot surreptitiously enough to not be seen then there's something wrong. I live in a very nice upscale neighborhood and I connect with a coyote now and again.


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