Bug Out Foraging Slingshot

[Loosenock]

I've have re-introduced myself to the slingshot. Growing up in the mountains of Colorado with others like myself we were constantly searching for old rubber intertubes and the perfect tree branch to build another slingshot. While building a simple slingshot last week I came up with an idea for a foraging slingshot for a Bug Out kit. With this slingshot I'll have 3 methods which to collect game. Slingshot, fishing and snares.



A hollow comparment in the handle allows plenty of room for the gear. Fishing line, weights, swivels, hooks and flies. Copper wire for snares. Small electrical ties. I still have plenty of room for fire building gear and small button compass.







Comments and suggestions always welcomed.

 

[janobles14]

pretty cool! what kinda fps does that thing get?

 

[Loosenock]

I dont know. I dont have a crony. Faster than I can see is all that I can tell you.

'Loose

 

[nelsonal]

Most commercial slings top out at 300-400 fps but it doesn't really change with the size of the pellet. Those black bands are probably a hair faster than the surgical tubing usually used on commercial slings.

 

[RatDrall]

Cool slingshot!

But....Rubber wears out, stretches, will eventually be worthless. A rimfire pistol, and a few hundred rounds, could fit in the same space probably?

 

[CoastieShep]

Great little slingshot. Love the idea of putting the kit in the handle like that. I've been thinking of getting back into the slingshot myself. Brings back all sorts of memories from my childhood, hunting sparrows in the front yard.

 

[Loosenock]

RatDrall:

But....Rubber wears out, stretches, will eventually be worthless. A rimfire pistol, and a few hundred rounds, could fit in the same space probably?

RD you're correct. A good .22 rf sidearm and a few boxes of ammo would be invaluable and I'll have the same with me. I am convinced that if its bugout time I won't be alone. Most likely I'll be with my family. The slingshot is just another asset for us in collecting food. While hunting I always have more than one way to start a fire, more than one way to cut with, being a quality pocket knife along with a fixed blade belt knife. The slingshot will be a small force multiplier in the scheme of it all. It is capable of collecting food silently when even a .22 would be overkill. The more assets and skills you have, the better prepared you will be and the odds of survival will be much better for you.

Just my humble opinion.

'Loose

 

[unloved]

It is capable of collecting food silently...

It can also use any number of found small objects for ammo. Firearms aren't so good that way.

What type of tubing is that, Loosenock?

 

[Loosenock]

The tubing is Trumarks high performance tapered black tubing. Very stout, I've thinking to dropping down to Trumarks RR red tubing. But probably wont.

'Loose

 

[heron]

Loose, I think you've just given JoergS a new idea . . . if he hasn't done it already. Lemme see if I can guess what he'd do with that . . .

Welded steel construction; hollow handle with a screw-cap on the end . . . button compass in the cap . . . flip-up arrow rest on the handle, and the inside carries a collapsible spear-fishing arrow, complete with a tiny reel and line, with enough space left over for the snare wire and a few lifeboat matches, and maybe a vacuum-packed length of spare tubing . . .

 

[conw]

I am convinced that if its bugout time I won't be alone. Most likely I'll be with my family. The slingshot is just another asset for us in collecting food. While hunting I always have more than one way to start a fire, more than one way to cut with, being a quality pocket knife along with a fixed blade belt knife. The slingshot will be a small force multiplier in the scheme of it all. It is capable of collecting food silently when even a .22 would be overkill. The more assets and skills you have, the better prepared you will be and the odds of survival will be much better for you.

Honestly with all due respect to your cool idea and everything, I think if you are significantly concerned about a "SHTF" collapse scenario, or a scenario where you'd be bugging out and needing more food than you can carry (a week or 2 should be no problem for a large duffel even if you have family), you'd be better off finding a place where you feel safer OR keeping a nice 2 year stock pile of food.

I don't have scientific knowledge or proof that things would get hunted out, but I bet game would be really scarce and you'd have a hard time not running into other hunters and foragers. Everyone's SHTF plan basically seems to be "head for the hills and hunt" and I'm not so sure it'd pan out the way they imagine, if the end of civilization as we know it was upon us. If you literally couldn't get food, needed more than 2 weeks or so that you ought to have on hand to get past your average natural disaster etc, is it a good idea to mill around in the back woods when everyone else had the same idea?

Just food for thought, I know you're probably just adding this to your skill repertoire for fun and general preparedness which is fine by me. I just don't know that the statement in bold really reflects a realistic point of view.

Also why would you start a fire while out hunting in a "serious" context? To cook the game? There are way more effective, efficient, safe, non-attention-getting forms of staying warm. And to cook game for that matter (compact stoves, etc)