So, I take the dogs outside probably four or five times a day. I also try to do a daily walk around the neighborhood if I’m home. And I just meander outside from time to time just to enjoy the fresh mountain air.

90% of the time when I do that, I bring my wrist-rocket slingshot with me.

I’ve been doing that for about two years now. I had gotten pretty good with the “traditional” style of holding a slingshot. That style is to hold the slingshot vertically and sight down the center of the “Y”. And I had gotten fairly decent shooting the slingshot that way, meaning I could usually hit a fist-sized target fairly regularly from ten to fifteen yards.

But there are a few caveats. First, I could occasionally hit something while walking along, but not very consistently. Usually I would have to stop and take the time to aim and fire. Second, it is fairly awkward to hold a slingshot this way, awkward for both the hand holding the slingshot and the hand pulling back the sling. In fact after about two dozen shots, it actually starts to make my wrist and fingers ache.

So a few months ago I started experimenting with an unorthodox hold, where I’m holding the slingshot sideways and holding the sling pocket itself “upside down” with respect to the normal hold with the “Y” upright. This greatly reduces the stress on both wrists and, perhaps not surprisingly, produces much more consistent accuracy, even while walking.

For example, I can hit a 1×6 board at 15 yards very consistently. I can get most shots in the range of 15 – 20 yards within a six inch radius of a bullseye. And I can hit a bucket at 30 yards about 50% of the time.

My best shot sequence so far was to hit a bottle cap at 15 yards, then hit the 1×6 board at 20 yards and then the pail at 30 yards in three successive shots.

However, I have yet to really try to do anything serious, like hit a squirrel or anything. I think I could, but not consistently. I shot a pine cone out of a tree at about 25 yards, but it took me about five shots before I finally nailed it. Squirrels don’t hang around while you zero in on them.

Still, it’s pretty nice to be able to hit pretty challenging targets while walking.