Blowguns for hunting small game.

[Oldcountryboy]

Anyone here use one for small games such as squirrels and rabbits?

Could I use about a 4 ft. peice of 1/2 inch hot water pipe? Or does it need to be stiffer? 3/4 inch hot water pipe?

Or what would make a good blowgun without purchasing one or making the original cane pole type that my native american ancestors used?

I do plan to make my very own cane pole blowgun one of these days but want one to play with now.

[tallpaul]

the issue with blowguns is that unless a poison is used and the correct one at that - that game will run off and take a long time to die if at all. The hit is generally like poking the game with a needle unless some type of broad head or poison is used.

[Ed Norman]

We used to try blowguns on different animals. A sparrow roosting in a barn can be nailed to the wall and captured. A rabbit runs off holding multiple darts. Think how often you die when the doctor gives you an injection. A wire dart isn't much different. You can flatten the tip and file a broadhead shape to do a little more damage.

We tried electric conduit, 1/2". A friend who had played trombone in high school could shoot bamboo skewer darts with a cotton ball on the end, nobody else had the wind. We all ended up buying the 40 caliber or whatever commercial blowguns they sold years ago, and still do. I wouldn't depend on one for meat, but if you have mice running around the house, they work great for nailing them to the trim.

[postroad]

We used to send pieces of chalk through thin sheet metal, but we were using four foot tubing and an industrial air compressor pushing 150 psi.

And on company time. The impetousness of youth I guess!

[Ed Norman]

Originally Posted by postroad

We used to send pieces of chalk through thin sheet metal, but we were using four foot tubing and an industrial air compressor pushing 150 psi.

And on company time. The impetousness of youth I guess!

That reminds me, we used the store bought gun with the wire darts and an air compressor. Hit an old oak barn door and the wire accordioned perfectly in little Z bends. Use an air compressor and you suddenly have a very deadly weapon because that ball will smack into the target after the wire passes thru.

[CSA again]

Originally Posted by Oldcountryboy

Anyone here use one for small games such as squirrels and rabbits?

Could I use about a 4 ft. peice of 1/2 inch hot water pipe? Or does it need to be stiffer? 3/4 inch hot water pipe?

Or what would make a good blowgun without purchasing one or making the original cane pole type that my native american ancestors used?

I do plan to make my very own cane pole blowgun one of these days but want one to play with now.

I love to play with blow guns.
Thay are so cheep you can buy a good one for what you would spend to make one.
Cold steel has a good one
Look here.http://budk.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_08+CSB6255
look at there darts too

[VarmitSniper]

I second the recommendation for Cold Steels blow gun, a friend of mine has one and it is very powerful. Their broadhead darts solve the concerns that were previously mentioned.

[pheasantplucker]

Guess I fail to understand the appeal of hunting with such a device. Cool for playing with and shooting at targets but it's (I'm speculating) probably illegal to hunt with such an implement.

[BRYAN]

Natives who used them often used poisen for larger game, but not for birds and small mammals. According to information from various internet and book sources I found while I had an interest, they were considerably more lethal that the toy store veriety that launches a glorified needle. Many were a tube glued inside a piece of hollowed cane for rigidity and the dart was 6-12" long and from 1/8-1/4" in diameter. Do a search of youtube for blowguns and you will find some capable of taking small game effectively.

[OkieDavid]

Speaking of blowguns for fun.....Cut an aluminum arrow shaft open on both ends (good use for that slightly bent one laying around). I have used both 2117 and 2216 Eastons. There is your blowgun. For darts, buy a box of the plastic (blue) "Q-tips". Cut off ONE end of the Qtip and insert a stick pin into the center with the pointy end facing out. Pass the end of the Qtip over a candle or lighter for a second or two and then with a gloved finger, pinch the soft plastic down to hold the pin in.....There will be some that won't fly well but out of about 50 or so you will wind up with about 5-10 that are capable of dime sized groups at 15-20 feet.

[Bootlegger0173]

I love them. I have carved several and have one fantastic .50 left, but it takes a lot of wind. I have bought the Cold Steel version to play around with, as the hand-made one is too nice to mess up. I can consistantly kill squirrels and rabbits with one wire dart, but shot placement is more critical than trying to hunt deer with a .22 short. I would not recommend one for anything much larger. Not saying that it can't be done, but I wouldn't want to have to consistantly depend on it without poison. Too many better options.

KAW.