Quote Originally Posted by fullmetaljacket View Post
Could you be thinking of the stone bow?

My example is anything but silent and at over 35 ft lbs of muzzle energy in its standard configuration even a clay ball is going to make a mess of a small bird/mammal, you won't have much of specimen left.
Nope. Air canes. Shot was the most common load and whilst you may feel they are noisy, compare that to a powder burner. remember that small .32 calibre revolvers could be bought for as little as 10/- in those days and had 5 or 6 shots. Air canes were more like a fiver and only single shot. Which would you carry for self defence?

Stone bows were very common in this part of the world but clumsy for a gentleman to carry on an amble with his family or a group of like minded naturalists.