# Pickle Fork Hunter From Game Keeper John



## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Today I received 2 Pickle Fork Hunters from Game Keeper John. One unfinished and the other very nicely finished. Both banded up with theraband and heavy duty pouches and expertly tied. Also received extra materials for cutting bands and pouches. Removed the theraband and put an old set of bands that i am use to shooting with. Your idea for The PFH is a winner and it should appeal most shooters who like to hunt or target shoot and even the ordinary plinker like myself. The PFH offers the best of both worlds for small size but has a feel of a large frame and the pinky hole adds to the overall function and appearance.

http://youtu.be/VmEKq5AwzDE


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## gamekeeper john (Apr 11, 2011)

thanks for the video darrell







and i'm glad u liked it -- john


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## marcus sr (Jun 5, 2011)

This vid in particular is why i enjoy watching you work,new slingshot,no airs and graces,modesty regarding taking the time on the shot.i want that skill lol .I also have one of johns pfh and its turned into a fav in such a short time,the feel and comfort of it in the hand is something else.just need the skill of yourself and im away lol


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Nice video, as usual, Dgui. And a GREAT variation, John.

Dgui, I noted you taking quite a bit of time with each shot. Thanks for explaining that.

And while I have your attention, I wanted to ask about the pouch and bands. In this video and another recent one, I note that when you load your pouch and pull back, you turn the edges of the bands that are toward the center of the fork downward, rather than upward. So initially, before you twist the pouch, the outside edges of the bands are turned up and the inside edges of the bands (the ones toward the center) are turned down. That is just the reverse of the way I have always done it. I have not seen any other comment about this ... what about everyone else?

Cheers ..... Charles


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## gamekeeper john (Apr 11, 2011)

i always flip whatever i'm shooting, its just my naturaly style of shooting so i dont even bother turning the pouch


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Charles, If I understand your question, you are certainly quite the observer, none no not so much as one has either noticed or inquired about how the bands are facing as they are being put on. Ok, my placement of the bands are so that as you described are placed so that the bands are more in the open position for the ammo to travel uninhibited. I have covered this in the past but I think it drew little or no attention.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Thanks, Darrel. I can also see how this will help lift the projectile over the forks for PFS shooters. Perhaps this was the tip I needed to allow me to shoot bareback without injury. I will have to give this a try. Of course, you understand that I may have to undo 60 years of habit!!!

Cheers ...... Charles


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Charles, It may be a benefit to place bands facing the open position even for wide mouth shooters so there might be less opportunity for the bands to congregate ahead of the ammo. I wonder if this may also contribute to so called fliers.


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## marcus sr (Jun 5, 2011)

so do you just twist the pouch to get them into position before hand ,and then twist the pouch 90 like usual?


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

marcus sr said:


> so do you just twist the pouch to get them into position before hand ,and then twist the pouch 90 like usual?


http://youtu.be/WpFq40Sc59U


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## marcus sr (Jun 5, 2011)

thanks dgui,that was a well apreciated post,when u look at the simplicity of the concept it makes so much sense,

thanks

marcus


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Marcus, You are very welcome.


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## marcus sr (Jun 5, 2011)

just fired a few shots out of the door lol as its raining hard here and you can instantly see the gap you have made,cant say i hit anything as its also pitch black!!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

gamekeeper john said:


> i always flip whatever i'm shooting, its just my naturaly style of shooting so i dont even bother turning the pouch


Hi John. I used to flip, as that was the way I first learned. But somehow I was never that accurate. Later in life I started trying to aim, began holding my forks sideways, concentrated on NOT moving the hand holding the fork, and my shooting improved. It is in my aiming mode that I twist the pouch with the PFS. Every once in a while, I will try intuitive shooting. But I am nowhere near as accurate with it. I really envy those of you who seem to be natural intuitive shooters. Guess I will continue to stumble along and try to find something that works for me.

My question to Dgui was about the orientation of the bands relative to the pouch. As the flat bands come across the top of the forks and head to the pouch, there are two possibilities if you are shooting without twisting. Look at the edges of the bands that are closest to the center of the forks. Now, load a ball into the pouch and grip it between thumb and index finger, ready to draw. Either (1) the edges of the bands closest to the middle of the forks get turned upward back at the pouch, or (2) the edges of the bands closest to the middle of the forks get turned downward back at the pouch. All my life, I have been doing it as in (1). But I have noted that Dgui does it as in (2). Now my question to you is: which way do you do it?

Cheers ....... Charles


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Charles is very Vo-Technico. The easiest explanation is to show it in a video.


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

Charles said:


> Nice video, as usual, Dgui. And a GREAT variation, John.
> 
> Dgui, I noted you taking quite a bit of time with each shot. Thanks for explaining that.
> 
> ...


charles, i band mine up the same way. I don't know where i picked it up, but it seems like the right way. dgui gave good reasons. I just figured it made sense that way.


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

Excellent Dman

I should have videos up later, but I am not as good with the PFH as you... I was wondering, if you would see how it felt by using your ring finger rather than your pinky in the hole, I find it more natural in the hand for me.

LGD


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

lightgeoduck said:


> Excellent Dman
> 
> I should have videos up later, but I am not as good with the PFH as you... I was wondering, if you would see how it felt by using your ring finger rather than your pinky in the hole, I find it more natural in the hand for me.
> 
> LGD


i imagined the same thing. using the ring finger instead.


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## gamekeeper john (Apr 11, 2011)

Charles said:


> i always flip whatever i'm shooting, its just my naturaly style of shooting so i dont even bother turning the pouch


Hi John. I used to flip, as that was the way I first learned. But somehow I was never that accurate. Later in life I started trying to aim, began holding my forks sideways, concentrated on NOT moving the hand holding the fork, and my shooting improved. It is in my aiming mode that I twist the pouch with the PFS. Every once in a while, I will try intuitive shooting. But I am nowhere near as accurate with it. I really envy those of you who seem to be natural intuitive shooters. Guess I will continue to stumble along and try to find something that works for me.

My question to Dgui was about the orientation of the bands relative to the pouch. As the flat bands come across the top of the forks and head to the pouch, there are two possibilities if you are shooting without twisting. Look at the edges of the bands that are closest to the center of the forks. Now, load a ball into the pouch and grip it between thumb and index finger, ready to draw. Either (1) the edges of the bands closest to the middle of the forks get turned upward back at the pouch, or (2) the edges of the bands closest to the middle of the forks get turned downward back at the pouch. All my life, I have been doing it as in (1). But I have noted that Dgui does it as in (2). Now my question to you is: which way do you do it?

Cheers ....... Charles
[/quote]

i have thought about aiming, i'v tried it a couple of times but it just doesn't seem to work, i'm just going to stick with my in intuitive shooting, i think if i change my style it could backfire lol, - gamekeeper john


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

gamekeeper john said:


> i always flip whatever i'm shooting, its just my naturaly style of shooting so i dont even bother turning the pouch


Hi John. I used to flip, as that was the way I first learned. But somehow I was never that accurate. Later in life I started trying to aim, began holding my forks sideways, concentrated on NOT moving the hand holding the fork, and my shooting improved. It is in my aiming mode that I twist the pouch with the PFS. Every once in a while, I will try intuitive shooting. But I am nowhere near as accurate with it. I really envy those of you who seem to be natural intuitive shooters. Guess I will continue to stumble along and try to find something that works for me.

My question to Dgui was about the orientation of the bands relative to the pouch. As the flat bands come across the top of the forks and head to the pouch, there are two possibilities if you are shooting without twisting. Look at the edges of the bands that are closest to the center of the forks. Now, load a ball into the pouch and grip it between thumb and index finger, ready to draw. Either (1) the edges of the bands closest to the middle of the forks get turned upward back at the pouch, or (2) the edges of the bands closest to the middle of the forks get turned downward back at the pouch. All my life, I have been doing it as in (1). But I have noted that Dgui does it as in (2). Now my question to you is: which way do you do it?

Cheers ....... Charles
[/quote]

i have thought about aiming, i'v tried it a couple of times but it just doesn't seem to work, i'm just going to stick with my in intuitive shooting, i think if i change my style it could backfire lol, - gamekeeper john








[/quote]
i am training myself to shoot the same.. If i overthink it, i miss. When the slingshot becomes one with me, I hit..


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

Dgui,

the instructions that came with my first Sauders Hawk (with flatbands) explained that the bands should be put on in that way, so I've just done it that way ever since. Whenever something gets your approval, I end up sticking with it









I bought a couple slingshots from John last week, including a PFH - can't wait to try it now!


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## curmudgeon (Jun 11, 2011)

This discussion is helpful. I have finally had some time to spend shooting the pfs dgui sent me. I'm happy with my progress so far.
Thanks dgui.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Well there you go ... it is a VERY good day when I learn something new. In all my years of shooting and all the folks I grew up with, I do not think anyone used the pouch that way. What can I say ... we ignorant hicks did not really know what we were doing!!







Looks like I will have to teach myself new habits!!!! Of course, none of us were shooting over the forks, so perhaps it did not matter ... the situation being symmetrical (modulo the slight angle of the forks) in that case.

I can see a bit of a problem if the fork tips are angled, with the high point toward the center. In that case the bands would be twisted more if the edge toward the center is twisted down rather than up. I will have to give this some thought and do some experiments. I still wonder how Bill and Gamekeeper John do it.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Now that I am paying attention to this aspect, I see some shooting both ways. For example, Joerg sometimes shoots one way and sometimes the other, as here:






My Ninja with flat topped forks could be shot either way, I suppose ... although there may be some preference for midline edge down to throw the ball over the top of the forks. On the other hand, my Ninjas with fork tip angle at 45 degrees canted outward should probably be shot with midline up, as the bands are less twisted that way. Need to experiment ... need to experiment ... need to experiment ...

Cheers ... Charles


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

lightgeoduck said:


> Excellent Dman
> 
> I should have videos up later, but I am not as good with the PFH as you... I was wondering, if you would see how it felt by using your ring finger rather than your pinky in the hole, I find it more natural in the hand for me.
> 
> LGD


I tried but the end of my ring finger will not go into the hole and if I force it I may have to call rescue to cut off the end of the PFH and I would much rather lose the finger than the PFH. The ends of my fingers are as big as Karl Malden's bulbus nose you know the one who played the Detective on The Strees of San Fransisco with his side kick Michael Douglas.


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