I was walking down the street with my dog Rudi, and I spotted an apple laying in the grass. So it being a day when I was working on a bow, I have my nice 4 inch hunting knife. So I cut the apple in quarters, and percieve i probably should not eat it, due to worms having already done so. so I pull out Donnershalg's apache sling I traded for;)...
Then I load and fire straight up...
It made an impressively loud whipcrack and a kid playing basketball gave me a wierd look. then about 10 seconds later, while he is still staring at me, the apple piece flies straight down and goes 'SPLAT' onto the street. I do it 2 more times with the more solid portions of the apple. then I keep the rotten piece to sling at a tree....
I walk past the kid playing basketball, and am about to cross the street to go home, and I notice the kid is running after me.
Well, he looks like he is in about 6th grade, so I think... is he mature enough to have and use a sling? I mean, I know some pretty immature people who like to throw snowballs at people's windows. Some kids might use rocks.
So he catches up with me... and asks how on earth I threw apple pieces so high!!!
and he asks did i shoot them out of a gun? I pull the sling loaded with apple piece out of my left pocket, and he gives me this wierd look and is like, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT???
So I am like its a hand-sling... and he still has that look. THen I *try* to shoot the piece straight up, but it explodes in the pouch, shotgunning rotten apple straight up. I then wipe off sling with sleeve, put sling in my pocket, and proceed to tell him the history, use, and making of a sling. About 5 seconds into my explanation, it started raining apple. Then, he asks if I have a spare sling. I am like I will go get one. I gave him an Aussie made from leather(yes, Aussie, I copied your sling and violated your patent, sorry:P) with paracord cords. I taught him basic apache. I then used byzantine to throw a piece of mud a few hundred feet... 100yards is easy with hard, wet, heavy clay mud.
He looks impressed... and he asks me how I learned. I told him about slinging.org, and then about my obsession with primitive arts. Our discussion turned to archery, and I found out he shoots a *disgracefull* fiberglass compound. He got a turkey and has one wing, and I am making him a bow from an edge-ring maple board to trade for turkey wing. I will then fletch arrows for both of us from that wing.
His bow seems about 20-25 pounds draw... His hunting bow seems closer to 35. Then, I am used to 50-55 pounder stave bows.
He uses carbon arrows...
So I am like, how bout I teach you primitive/traditional arts and you provide me with turkey feathers? A bow is worth a turkey wing, right?
Even if it is 35 pounds draw of maple:D
So THat is the story.
-Squirrel