At first I met a slingshot craftsman who was also a regional competitor. I inquired about the possibility of just pinching together a rubberband/leather pouch set between my thumb and forefinger. He said that it could be done but you would need to rotate your hand downward at launch as you released your projectile. I bought the set from him and then decided on what ammunition to use.

 
 
 
 
Steel bearings (or shot) was expensive as were clay pellets, so I went to Walmart and found “Cherry Sours” candy that was cheap, biodegradable, environmentally safe, and coincidentally just the right size.
 
 
 

 
 
 
I was careful at first, trying to apply the rotation technique and actually hit a 3 inch can lid on my DIY Simple Spinner Targets from 7 meters away, but shortly afterwards I got careless and smacked my thumb multiple times really hard, with the result of creating a blood blister under my thumbnail. If you choose to try this method I would recommend wearing a leather glove on your hand at first.

 
 
 
Deterred by the difficulty and pain, I considered trying an alternative safer method of tying the ends of the rubber bands into loops that I could slip over my thumb and forefinger to use as a frame. Voila! It was smooth shooting and I hit my target a number of times… it’s quite intuitive for aiming. However, unless you have very strong fingers your draw back will be somewhat limited, but, it would have knock down potential for small game.

For purists… using your fingers to hold the bands would in essence be a frame, but you wouldn’t need a mechanical frame that would have to be constructed, and be potentially awkward to carry. Eliminating a frame would make for ultra light weight and convenient when backpacking or for easy storage.

In my youth my grandfather made for me a simple slingshot using a “Y” shaped cutting from a tree branch along with thick rubber band straps with a leather pouch. I had a lot of fun using it but never achieved critical skill for hunting.

Awhile back I found a shed antler and kept it for any future projects and it dawned on me that it could be made into a slingshot. I began by taping off the places where it needed to be cut and proceeded to use a hacksaw for that task. I also had some spare leather pieces that I used to make the pouch. What remained was the need for the straps.

In days gone by large wide rubber bands were easy to come by but these days the only ones that I could find were half the lengths that I remember. In order to get the length needed I had to “daisy chain” or loop the two rubber bands together, then using the same technique of looping I attached the ends to the pouch and antler frame.

I was eager to try it out. Without the wrist support of the modern slingshot I had to readjust my grip on the unsupported handle. My initial shots proved to be better than when I used my modern slingshot! By my third shot I was able to hit a two and a half inch can lid at seven yards! I think that a contributing factor is that I lean the frame forward as I shoot and it seems to make a notable difference. For now, this antler frame is my go-to slingshot and I am delighted at the results.

For shooting tips and inspiration you can watch “Carolina Camera: The Sling Shot Man” to witness some remarkable marksmanship.

There are only three components to constructing a Shepard’s Staff Sling: a pole, cordage, and a pouch. I felled some saplings that were about as thick as the diameter of a fifty cent piece and cut a five foot length. I had some 550 paracord that I used for straps and a piece of leather scrap that I cut into shape and punched holes for the attachment of the cordage to form a pouch. The top two inches of the staff was trimmed to reduce it’s diameter by about 3/8 inch that resembled a peg when completed. A second 3/8 inch groove was cut three inches below that. The first length of paracord was fastened around this groove and the second length was tied in a loop using a bowline knot that loosely slipped over the top peg portion.

I found that a stone about the size of a tennis ball worked best for me but larger stones can be thrown as well. Rounded stones work best. The action of throwing the stone reminds me of how a lure is cast using a fishing rod: the timing of release is critical but is learned from practice. Another helpful tip is to focus on your target and all of your muscle motor memory will cooperate to deliver the stone to the target. This method works well for anyone who has shoulder injury limitations.

I can see where developing the launching and targeting skills can be addicting and is a lot of fun to learn!