Hi Mea,

Here are a few comments:

First, I've been able to get an 8-ounce bag with ZingIt up to about 155 feet with a Rogue Sidewinder (a foldable slingshot similar to the Big Shot), and I've seen the Big Shot fired to about 190 feet (the rubber must have been new with no dry rot, and the person pulling it down must have been really, really straining).

Second, I've worked with quite a few researchers and forest resources people for the last few years in projects involving mountain longleaf pines, tulip poplars and American chestnuts (the chestnut canopies were accessed by traversing between taller hardwoods on each side of the target trees). I've found that some researchers have excellent wilderness ethics and will go out of their way to protect the target tree, while others are only interested in the "final results" and don't plan to use that particular tree again so they don't worry about harming it. Also, a few (10 percent or less is my best guess) of the younger Ph.D. types that I've worked with have an ego problem: They are always, always right, and no mere undergraduate knows anything that can be used by them (i.e. trying to teach them new climbing methods). The older researchers have lost a lot of that ego and seem more willing to learn new things from the younger generation.

Third, I think you can reach Joe Maher, who started this thread about four years ago, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it I think you'd gain a lot by communicating with him at the personal level.