Originally Posted by
kyratshooter
Been there, done that. At least my son did. I watched. I still have one of his old dart quivers full of rabbit fur fletched darts hanging on the gun rack in the back room.
A 1/2" diameter section of copper tubing 10' long will cost you $8 at Lowes. Cut it to the length you wish. You can cushion the mouthpiece with duct tape so you will not knock your teeth out.
Darts can be made from bamboo skewers used to make kabobs. They are available in the grocery store in bags of 100. If you heat the tips they will stick in the tree or go clean through a squirrel. I know for a fact that they will make a 1500 pound Angus bull scoot out from under himself and pee at the same time.
The tail of the dart can be made to seal the tube by using a cotton ball worked into a split and wrapped around the skewer. Rabbit fur works good too.
The first explorers into the southern U.S. stated that the Native Americans used blowguns almost exclusively for small game and birds. The darts were easier and faster to make than arrows. You were going to lose or damage a large number of missiles so it was better if they were fast and east to replace.