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In this article, I am talking about slingbow hunting or slingbow fishing.
When I first discovered it, I thought that it looked amazing and so much fun, so I just had to try it!
Keep reading and find out why you should start with slingbow shooting:
What Is A Slingbow?
A slingbow is a slingshot that has been modified to be able to shoot arrows.
The main difference to a slingshot is, that it needs to have some kind of arrow rest to hold an arrow.
Other than that, it just works like a normal slingshot:
Load an arrow, pull back the bands, and let the arrow fly.
Feeling The Rush Of Slingbow Shooting 
The first time I tried my friend’s slingbow, I couldn’t believe it!
I instantly had such a huge smile on my face when I shot the first arrow.
True, it felt a bit weird at first, since I am used to shooting a bow.
But it was so much fun that I didn’t want to give the slingbow back to my friend.
I really wanted to keep it.
After he wrestled it out of my hands I just knew that I needed one for myself.
Only a few days later, I was the owner of a fishing slingbow.
Why did you get a fishing slingbow?
Well, it can be used for hunting, fishing, or just target practice.
It’s the perfect all-rounder!
That’s why I highly recommend getting this or a similar slingbow if you want to try the awesomeness yourself!
Before you get started, though, read on to learn important things about slingbows and how to use them:
Important Things To Know
First a quick overview of what you need to know:
- Get a slingbow with a good arrow rest (e.g. a whisker arrow rest)
- Get long enough arrows
- Get strong powerbands with an arrow nock
- A good grip and arm support
If you want to get a slingbow you have to make sure that it has an arrow rest that holds the arrows in place (e.g. a whisker arrow rest) like this hunting/fishing slingbow.
Some slingbows have arrow rests that are too open which makes it difficult to shoot the arrows with high accuracy.
You also need the right arrow length.
To find out which length you need, you hold the slingbow in one hand and pull the bands back with your other hand until you reach your eye.
Let a friend measure how long the distance from the arrow rest to your eye is, add some extra inches, and you have your required arrow length.
Don’t forget to add those extra inches to make sure your arrow is not too short if you should overdraw.
If the arrow is too short, it can fall off the arrow rest and cut into your hand.
To be able to hunt with your slingbow the draw weight has to be high enough.
Some slingbows don’t come with strong draw weights so it is always a good idea to get some stronger bands for your slingbow.
I highly recommend getting powerbands like these.
Last but not least you want to look for a slingbow that has a nice grip (e.g. a pistol grip) and some kind of arm support.
The arm support will help you hold the slingbow steady in place and aim without shaking too much.
Without an arm support, you would have to do this with just the strength in your hand which can get tiring when you are shooting with strong bands.
The Price Of A Slingbow: A Real Bargain!
Slingbows are like mini bows you can carry around easily in a backpack.
And they are much (MUCH) cheaper than bows.
You can get a high-quality slingbow like mine for less than half of a recurve bow of medium quality. (Check the current price here.)
That is amazing!
I would say that almost everyone can afford a slingbow.
And for the fun you will get out of it, it is well worth it!
Want to know more?
Read the pros and cons below:
The Pros Of A Slingbow 
The following are the reasons why I think slingbows can be a fun alternative to traditional bows:
- Small size
- Easy to use
- Can be used as a normal slingshot
They are much smaller than bows or crossbows. This makes it easy to transport them and carry them around on a long hunting trip.
Their small size also makes them very lightweight and you won’t get tired by just carrying them around and they fit easily in a small bag or backpack.
No matter whether you have learned how to shoot a traditional bow or not, you will find it pretty easy to shoot a slingbow.
There are not that many things you can do wrong compared to a normal bow.
Practice for some time and you will get very accurate after a short time.
Most slingbows can be transformed into a normal slingshot.
Just remove the arrow rest and switch out the bands and you can use rocks or steel balls instead of arrows.
I think you begin to understand why I love slingbows for fishing or hunting.
The Cons Of A Slingbow
There are, however, some things that I thought that could be better:
- Damage to the fletching (feathers)
- Draw weight
- Hunting is not allowed in some places
If the slingbow you buy just has a normal pouch, which is usually used for rocks or balls, it can harm your arrows.
To pull the bands back, you will have to get a tight grip on the pouch and that will squeeze the feathers of your arrow together.
After some time the feathers will get damaged by that.
Some slingbow shooters just remove the fletching completely, but that will influence the flight and accuracy of the arrow.
A better solution is to get bands that have an arrow nock which works just like the nock on a normal bow.
Combine that with a mechanical release and you have solved that problem entirely.
Many slingbows come with a default draw weight that is just too low for hunting.
It is fine for target practice and backyard shooting.
But if you want to get serious and hunt, you will need some stronger powerbands.
And if you do want to go hunting you have to make sure that it is allowed to hunt with a slingbow where you live.
Many states are not sure where to put the slingbow.
Is it a bow or a slingshot?
Is it a completely different category of hunting tool?
Please don’t forget to check that before you go hunting. You might only be allowed to hunt small game with a slingbow.
My Final Thoughts: Slingbows Are Incredible!
It is a really fun alternative to a normal bow!
But as an experienced archer who has practiced archery for many years, I will stick to my longbow and recurve bow.
If you are looking for an exciting outdoor activity but think that bows are too expensive, I can recommend slingbows to you.
Be careful though that you don’t hurt anybody. Slingbows are as dangerous as bows, so you would do good to take care of some safety precautions.
How do you feel about slingbows?
Have you heard of them before or have you ever used one?
Let me know in the comments below.
Happy slingbow hunting/fishing!
