# Apparently blowguns suck?



## Outdoorman.co

So I'm in another forum (I won't mention which one) and I brought up the topic of blowguns as a useful survival tool. A lot of people responded saying that although blowguns are "fun" they aren't very useful when it comes to survival.

I argued that they would be very useful in a survival situation because they are:

1. Lightweight

2. Quiet

3. Accurate

They argued that they just aren't powerful enough and that you'd likely just end up injuring small game and it would die later after it ran/flew away.

I personally have never used mine for hunting, but definitely have wanted to try.

I'd like to hear from you. Have you killed animals with your blowgun? Do you disagree with their argument?


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## NaturalFork

I have never taken game. Although I have talked to and seen pictures and footage from people who have. Very successfully too. Also.... It would be a deterrent to many pests and even intruders. Imagine a nail dart to the neck or eye socket?


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## Chimes

NaturalFork said:


> I have never taken game. Although I have talked to and seen pictures and footage from people who have. Very successfully too. Also.... It would be a deterrent to many pests and even intruders. Imagine a nail dart to the neck or eye socket?


 hew: Or maybe a nice CS stun dart to the scrotum :startle:

On topic, yes I disagree with their argument. I too have seen plenty of kills with blowguns! They are probably thinking about the .40/50 cal blowguns with the target darts anyways. At least that's what I would imagine when someone mentioned a blowgun, seeing how I didn't know they made big bore blowguns. Now that I know and own one, I am 100% sure they can take game. I plan to take some game with mine when Mother Nature decides to stop hating on us with this weather :3.


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## orcrender

I can say that a .50 cal with a finishing nail dart can take out a rock pigeon. I am not sure of the nail size since it was not my dart or blowgun. It looked to be 3 inches of nail after the cone.


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## Chimes

orcrender said:


> I can say that a .50 cal with a finishing nail dart can take out a rock pigeon. I am not sure of the nail size since it was not my dart or blowgun. It looked to be 3 inches of nail after the cone.


Oh I know they can, with homemade darts a .50 can be lethal. I'd still much rather use my .625 though, or a homemade 6' bamboo blowgun with the 12" bamboo darts with the cotton plugs. Only because I think those are the most epic of blowguns  I shall make myself one like the tribes in the Amazon make!


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## treefork

I disagree with the argument. A large bore blowgun with razor broad heads will kill small game effectively.


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## one shot

We have hunted rabbit , squirrel , bullfrog , crawfish and lots of snakes . We also been successful with taking all of them with blowguns. The rabbits run a bit but not far with a good shot , I use broadheads for those and squirrel . I'm with you on upswing it as a survival tool the people that disagree just haven't been accurate enough to be successfull with it .


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## one shot

I hate this auto correct , it's changing my words sorry for the mistypes


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## craftsman

Take a vacation over to Gatlinburg, TN. (Near Pigeon Forge, take in Dollywood while you're there). Take a side trip to Cherokee, NC (they have a 1700's restored Cherokee Village there. They hand make blowguns from 6 fy. long River cane (American cousing to bamboo), with 17 in. long darts made from hardwood sprints, with thistle down or rabbit fur used as the "plug" (tailcone). If you're lucky, you'll meet River Driver, one of the top Cherokee blowgunners alive.

He can tell you stories about deer hunting using these blowguns. They used no poisons.

(Oh, quick clarification, the Amazonian indigenous peoples who make curare (poison arrows / darts from plants) ... that is NOT a poison, it is a muscle relaxant. If your heart muscle is relaxed for too long, you will die. Its effect lasts for a while (varies by individual), but if you receive proper treatment, you will survive. However, it is so nasty, just don't mess with it.)


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## neondog

If we are talking long term survival as in SHTF or EOTWAWKI I'd recommend a stainless steel blowgun. I have seen a couple of aluminum barrels that went from fine to almost useless in just a few years because the owner never cleaned them. When you are up the creek, your supply of toilet paper runs out pretty quick. You could swab the barrel with natural materials but it'll probably leave some moisture behind.


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