| Slingshot hunting is a sport enjoyed by men and | | | | One neighbor had a chicken yard, and he hated |
| boys around the world. There is the challenge of | | | | the English sparrows that stole chicken feed. He |
| stalking game with only a primitive weapon in | | | | paid me a penny apiece for each one I bagged. I |
| hand, and no thrill like that of scoring when all the | | | | had become a bounty hunter! |
| odds are against the sportsman. | | | | But my brother and I set our sights on bigger |
| Most guys get their start shooting slingshots when | | | | game too. The fields and woods outside of town |
| as boys, there was the need to find something | | | | had fox squirrels and cottontail rabbits. Not only |
| fun and time consuming. The thrill of the chase | | | | was hunting them even more of a challenge, but |
| enters in, and they get hooked on BB guns and | | | | they were edible game, fit for the supper table. |
| slingshots. | | | | As it turned out, the squirrels were too hard, but |
| Growing up in the southern Midwest of the US, I | | | | rabbits we could get. In addition, we also got lots |
| got involved with slingshots as a young age, | | | | of turtle doves during the fall season. |
| before TV and other sedentary activities got hold | | | | They were small, but tasty treats. |
| of me. I loved being out of doors, and I saw a lot | | | | Dad had rules to guide our slingshot hunting. Leave |
| of saucy "bad birds" like starlings, sparrows and | | | | the songbirds alone, and anything edible we shot, |
| grackles all over the place in the towns we live in. | | | | we cleaned and gave to Mom, who was happy to |
| Slingshot hunting became my hobby. | | | | cook them up for the family. |
| I bought my first slingshot, a WhamO, from a | | | | Most guys today who like to hunt with slingshots |
| magazine ad. It worked pretty well. I practiced | | | | got their start as kids. And some still prefer to |
| using the gravel in the alleyway, but soon decided | | | | make their own slingshots. Some fellows like flat |
| to build my own homemade slingshot. A tree | | | | bands for propulsion, while others are satisfied |
| branch fork, some rubber bands and a leather | | | | with slingshots with the tubular bands. Many |
| shoe tongue, put together in the right way, and I | | | | excellent commercial slingshots and ammo are |
| had my superduper weapon. It worked. I went | | | | available. Slingshots are relatively cheap and offer |
| after the pest birds with a vengeance. | | | | many hours of inexpensive fun. |