Rufus Hussey Ia A Slingshot Marksman Who Never Misses - The Original Georgia Traveler WSB-TV
When it comes to slingshots, Rufus Hussey is a slingshot marksman who never misses. He's the expert. Rufus showed me how to make a slingshot. He started making them for hunting when he was a boy in Randolph County, North Carolina. The family had only one rifle and lots of mouths to feed. By 1952 he was known far and wide for his beanshooters so he started selling and giving them away. His biggest claim to fame was when he appeared on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1986. They called him the world's most accurate slingshot marksman. I can tell you this, when we visited him in 1978, he hit rocks, walnuts, beer cans and even quarters. Rufus Hussey was a slingshot marksman who never misses.
This was America in the 1970s.
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@georgiatraveler
The Traveler series with Andy Johnston was an Emmy award winning program that showcased amazing people, unusual things, local legends, food finds, outdoor activities, folk art, and family fun. In 2022 the Walter J. Brown Media Archives at the University of Georgia founded The Original Georgia Traveler -- Andy Johnston Collection to preserve and maintain the stories. This story aired on WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News in 1978.
#originalgeorgiatraveler #favoriteyoutubers #slingshot #southernliving
Rufus was my neighbor growing up in the '60's! My brother, cousin and I helped get up hay on his farm. He paid well and his wife always had a big table of food prepared when we were through! He was a WW2 Veteran and a very good man! He made 100's if not 1000's of those before he started numbering them on the bottom! He was on the Johnny Carson show as well and you can find it on YT! I still have 2 of his to this day!
Very cool neighbor :)
Could you shoot as good as him, though?
Thats really awesome, you keep the memories going. Thank you from Montana!
@@bigskygemsmontana9464 what's up Mon-tucky!
Awesome…..love it!
You know what makes this man more deadly than most? He never runs out of ammunition.
Sounds like the USA.
@@kevindunlap5525 Yep, got to feed our trigger happy utopia.
10-4!!!!!!!!!!!
@@mic4902It's not like you're led to believe.
@@jacobmccandles1767 what ever is..
I wouldn't mess with this guy! He seems like he'd be more accurate with that sling shot that a shot gun. His hand to eye coordination is impeccable!
Lol! I totally agree!!
Dang imagine this guy in a bar fight, he pulls out the trusty slingshot fires a Nickel at his nuts and runs away 😂😂💀
You don’t need to be that accurate with a shot gun
@@VinylUnboxings anyone who says that must not have much experience with shotguns.
Hey, I hope you will check out the latest stories. I've posted 30 more since this one.
During the 80’s as a kid, It was mandatory in my neighbourhood to carry one of these. BMX bike✅ Pocket knife✅ Sling shot and spare rubbers✅ Disappearing out side all day!✅
Now that's the correct way to grow up. 👌
@@angryman3317 It was, those were great days! Constantly fighting for best shot title!
Absolutely! Then we became teenagers and it was Wallet ☑️ Car Keys ☑️ Spare rubbers were still on the list as well 😉
@@dickhitswater4836 Yep! You’re spot on! I’d love to go back to the early 90’s Just turned 18 with a license to frill!
spare rubbers? what is it?
There was a guy from Mississippi that was just like this. He was on our local news about the same time period. He said that his big brother got the gun, so he used a slingshot to help feed his family growing up. These old timers were amazing. We lose so much everytime that one of these guys pass on.
And they call this modern bull crap "progress". Those old timers lived. We just exist for the sake of it.
Look at the juxtaposition of these old timers and the young up in CHAZ/CHOP in 2020. Talk about night and day difference.
Hey, If you want to see more stories like this check out the latest one.
I remember seeing him on the news in the mid 80's. Can't believe this reappeared on my timeline 35+ years later.
Hi I'm glad you watched this. You might want to check out the channel. There are a lots of stories like this one.
This was a wonderful story!!
I actually remember seeing these videos as a kid on GPTV
Thank you. Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
This is an Awesome Video!! That’s what you call shooting instinctively, without sights, it takes a long, long time to master with a slingshot like this man did…. I’m good with a slingshot, but nowhere near as good as this man, Hopefully I will be one day though….
Fake
The thing is being a good shot means the difference between eating or going to bed hungry when the stakes are that high you get good quick
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
@@billybarr7443 I don't think so. They didn't make so many fake videos back then. Because if they got caught they were finished in the industry. Plus Ol' Rufus seem genuine I don't know I guess I just want it to be true
@@Barabbas7798 its 110% true as the sky
Takes me back when I was a kid making my own with my friends going out and popping stuff. Love it.
Takes me back to when we used to take shots at cars on the freeway.
@@MrBobchat do you still do bad things as an adult?
@@sam8404 Absolutely but some of them I wouldn't admit on social media or the cops would be knocking at my door. I'm a terrible person who no one would want dating their daughter or sister or mom. Or all three at once which nearly happened
Hi Peter. Things were much simpler back then. You could fill an afternoon with a slingshot and a pocket full of rocks. If you want to see more like this, check out the latest story.
Andy, this is great that you saved this footage over all these years. This was filmed a couple years before I was born but I’ve always had a keen appreciation for old timers and their knowledge and skills, so much to learn and so many stories to hear when you take the time (as you know) so thank you for posting this! I can’t wait to work my way through your other 130 videos, even 40+ years later this is quality content!
Thank you, Dick. I don't get anything out of posting these old stories. I just feel that the people should be seen and remembered. They are the stars.
That’s awesome 👏🏻. Alot of young people these days don’t respect wisdom and knowledge of elders, or older people at all really
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
@@georgiatraveler you copied and reposted part of an older video. Why not have the entire video and acknowledge the original poster?
@@MasterYoist Hi, thank's for watching. We shot this story in January, 1978. Carolina Camera from WBTV also did a story with him the same year. We didn't use any of their footage. Over ten years we shot more than 1500 stories but I was only able to save 350. I'm posting therm because I feel the people deserve to be seen and remembered. I appreciate your comment because I know it gets confusing when there are several videos about the same person. I hope you will check out the channel because there are over 130 stories like this one.
My dad was left handed. He also had fantastic eyesight. 20-15 in one eye, 20-10 in the other. He used to sit in the shade of a little tool shed and with a Wham-O slingshot and BB's pick off the birds that tried to eat his grapes off the vine. Grapes that he made wine with. I never saw him miss. I was OK with my shooting, but not anywhere close to my dad's.
I've heard that baseball great Ted Williams had 20-10 vision and of course was a phenomenal hitter.
This is a serious reminder of the afternoons l spend with my dad
@@alrivers2297 Mr. Williams used his sight to great advantage as a Marine fighter pilot in WWII & Korea.
Hey Craig. If you want to see more like this, check out the latest story. I think you'll like it.
Some good old times with some good old boys
Awesome 👍 This Man was A Master Slingshoter . BAD ASS 👍👊
If you want to see more like this, check out the latest story.
I saw him on the Jonny Carson show many years ago. In his coveralls of course. They’d set up a bookcase and put a bunch of little figurines on it and Jonny would call out which ones to hit. Never a miss and they’d shatter as fast as Jonny called em out. Seemed like a nice guy and just plain good folks. Fun to watch.
Hey Jason. He was kind and patient. it took half a day to shoot that story. If you want to see more stories like this check out the latest one.
Growing up in a Greek mountain village, my friends and I were pretty handy with a slingshot but this is crazy! Gets one to thinking how lethally accurate ancient slingers and peltasts were on the battlefield. Well done, Mr. Hussey! Requiescat In Pace.
This is actually a hand catapult. A sling shot is slung and one piece released to fire the projectile. These didnt come into existance until industrialized rubber was produced
Tom Jones - Yes, you’re quite right: this is called a “slingshot” in common parlance, but as you point out, erroneously so. I’ve made a small study of ancient slings and peltast auxiliary units. Thanks for the comment.
nice command of the third conjugation subjunctive, Latin is a language beautiful in its construction
marcus cicero - Gratias tibi ago, mate; vale.
Lol Just ask Goliath.
Thank you Dennis the Menace for making slingshots popular. I still have one.
Kkkkkkkll true
Jethro Bodine was an expert shot with a double barrel slingshot.
Andy, good on you for keeping the film masters of the stories for all this time and more recently having them scanned in (and uploading them to KZhead). The quality is just superb. Absolutely loved it.
Thank you. I hauled them from house to house for over 45 years. I hope you will subscribe because I post a new story every week. So far there are 130.
@@georgiatraveler 👀
@@georgiatraveler Oh, I know the pain of faithfully preserving these things. I for one am glad to finally ditch VHS and U-Matic etc cassettes as I finally digitise things. Trust you are film scanning at higher than 720p.
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
@@georgiatraveler Already subscribed. This series is right up there with the re-scan of the classic news story of the exploding whale (and too much dynamite). Really loving it.
Luv IT! Thank you for sharing this piece of slingshot history!! 😁👍👍👍
Thank you. He was a wonderful man. Hey, please pass the word and let your friends know how they can see him.
My father was really good at this.......but this guy is brilliantly awesome🖖
Legend has it he is still holding his hand out today.
I'd love to own one of the 1900 or so slingshots that he hand made!
Love it, I'm from Iraq grew up with so may slingshot. Make them from anything you see. Love seeing these old videos.
INCREDIBLE Ability! Wow! Inspiring Thank you for sharing!
Hi Hermann thanks for watching. I hope you will subscribe. I add a new story every week.
Yes! Thank you for this story.
Thomas you are very welcome. I'd glad you like it. I post new ones every week so check them out.
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
Saw this one several years ago. Still just as wondrous to see...
My Dad, who was born in 1923, was also deadly accurate with a slingshot and always kept one around, although he referred to them as, "a pair of flips". To him, a "slingshot" was something totally different, as in what David used to dispatch Goliath. While growing up and coming of age in the throes of the Great Depression, he could always find rocks for his flips, but usually couldn't afford shells for the family's one old shotgun. Later in life, he always kept a bag of old marbles around in case he needed to be deadly accurate, like to dispatch any pesky bird that decided to to poop on the car or patio furniture for more than two days in a row. I take it this video was made a while back. If he is still with us, I hope Mr. Hussey will leave a video tutorial on the proper technique for shooting a slingshot. I failed to ask my Dad for one, since I always had an air rifle with an endless supply of pellets, and I fear this skill could become lost forever.
Right here is a tutorial kzhead.info/sun/ltFriKuKmYlphok/bejne.html
imagine getting old and people are like HEY RALPH, BEFORE YOU DIE CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR KNOWLEDGE? YOU'RE GONNA DIE SOON. PLEASE STOP BEING SO SELFISH. lmao
@@Mindstangle It wouldn't bother me a bit. I pray that when my time comes, people somewhere will think I have gained some intimate skill or knowledge in my life they feel is worth passing on to others.
@@ralphcantrell3214 just have some empathy for older people, I bet nobody in your life comes up to you and says anything close to HEY BRO CAN I HAVE YOUR STUFF WHEN YOU INEVITABLY DIE SOON. It is like talking to a woman, at least make some small talk first and don't mention the implication. It shows that you are only thinking about your own personal gain, not the person. But you're not gonna agree, you're just gonna keep going around literally saying "IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY DEAD, CAN I HAVE THIS? SINCE YOU WILL BE DEAD SOON"
@@Mindstangle Did your parents have any children that lived? I'm probably old enough to be your great grandfather, and I guarantee you nothing I said would have bothered any senior citizen on earth. Please grow up or shut up.
It’s a pleasure watching someone do a thing so well, and so completely absent mindedly. I read somewhere and I think it’s true; It’s like saying instinctually we have hardwired within us four related instincts: Fight, flight, freeze, and the fourth instinct “flow“ The “flow state” releases an intelligence within every one of us, greater than all of us. Let go, and flow. 🕊
Marksmanship with any weapon is all about repetition/practice once the basics are mastered. With a sling shot more hand eye coordination comes into play than with firearms. Haven't touched a sling shot in over 50 years. Not even sure if they still are made but the "wrist rocket" slings were scary accurate and extremely powerful when using quality shot. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it but my older brother dropped a deer from about 15 yards with a head shot.
I still have two wrist rockets from when I was a kid, and a big bag of shot. Pulled 'em out of the closet after I watched this. I'm not as good as this old guy but my kids were pretty impressed with how good I am with it. I was surprised all those hours I spent as a kid are still in my muscle memory!
You would be mighty impressed with today's sling shot accuracy 🎯👍
I believe it. We used old bearings 1/4 to 3/8 in size and sometimes small marbles. They were deadly with accurate shot placement.
i got shot in the back with a marble folding news papers , glad it missed my spine, i saw the older kid that did it . he looked strange , slightly regretful , i did not cry out , just sat there for awhile , i did stupid stuff , everyone was stupid
Your brother was a pos. Poor deer had to die just for sick amusement.
Gotta love them ol' timers. Such vast wisdom and experience they can impart to us
Hey Brent. I was luck to spend ten years doing stories on people like Rufus. Check out the channel, there are over 100 stories there.
Thanks for posting this Andy! I'm a huge Rufus fan!
Hi, thank you for watching, it's important. Please spread the word about these stories. I add a new story every week. So far there are 130 of them. I hope you will subscribe, too.
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
@@georgiatraveler Yes, I'll subscribe and share on Facebook.
Now that was badass!!!!
Natural Talent Nurtured out of Necessity, That is Amazing Hand to Eye Coordination
Blaise you are absolutely right. Hey I'm glad you like the story. You might want to subscribe because I've uploaded about 135 stories about amazing people back in the 1970s. Thanks for watching.
Such a skill. Impressive. Thanx.
SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, I hope you will check out the latest stories. I've posted over 30 since this one.
You did a nice job with that one Andy, thanks for sharing!
Hey I'm glad you like the story. You might want to subscribe because I've uploaded about 135 stories about amazing people back in the 1970s. Thanks for watching.
I'm taking up a new hobby! Thanks for the video.
Legend 👏
Legendary.
What Mr Rufus says is very true ! You only get so good with experience Practice makes perfect As I get older I realize that
Hey, check out the latest story, it's pretty crazy.
That's great! I have a fancy modern slingshot and I can't even come close to that!
Awesome thanks 👍👍
We need Mr. Hussey for President.
We had so much fun with slingshots ,, last person hitting the tiny sign , pay the sodas ,we spent hours on that game .
Legend
Awesome! Grew up in Australia 🇦🇺 always having slingshots. My Dad would make mine similar to you Sir out of a timber species called “Crepe Myrtle” Easy to carve and pretty hard and durable. Fond memories Thanks Sir 👍👍👍
My Grampa born 1905 made many slingshots... Y-Stick, old tire-tube 1960s and leather... seen him knock many a running squirrel out of a 100ft pine and spuce tree :) Thanks brings back memorys of my Grampa
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Now that was something nice to see!
Makes you wish you were 16 again. If you want to see more like this, check out the latest story.
I love this!! Thanks guys!!!
Our pleasure! Thank you for watching.
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
He's a legend in the slingshot community, shooters know his name as far as East Asia!
It actually took about a half a day to film this story. Rufus was fantastic. When we were finished we sat on the porch, drank sweet tea and talked baseball.
Incredible!
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Experience..... you don't get that out of books WELL SAID
Awesome
What a blast, I think I'll start looking for the perfect piece if maple to make one!
This reminds me of those books written back in the late 60's early 70's about how the older generation did things when they didn't have what was needed!
David vs Goliath this guy is awesome
awesome!
Rufus sure is the Sergeant York of the slingshot!!!
Hi Phil, I'm glad you liked the story. I actually interviewed Alvin York years ago but that's one of the lost stories. If you want to see other stories about the "old days" please subscribe and check out the other videos. There are over 135 of them.
You gotta love old timers😄
this is some wonderful Americana, thanks for the upload
Hi John, thank you for watching. I spent a fantastic ten years roaming the country doing these stories. I hope you will subscribe.
This is exactly the same way I learned to make them, in the late 70's by my granddad and the other kids, in what was then Yugoslavia. They called them triangle slings or something like that. They are surprisingly easy to learn to use well.
And that was the Beauty of it, you didnt have to spend much of your hard earned money, to have some fun and become proficient. Even today while still relatively inexpensive, the Slingshot world,Has been invaded by Commercialization.Natty's { Natural Fork Slingshots} are making a comeback though and it pleases me, to see it.
Brilliant.
Hi Chloe, Rufus was one of a kind. If you have a chance check out the channel. There are over 135 stories there, just like this one. I hope you subscribe, too.
Cool!
LOL!! I always had a sling shot in my pocket as a kid...wasn't as good as this guy but I was pretty accurate with it😆
Hey, I hope you will check out the latest stories. I've posted 30 more since this one.
Practise makes perfect.
Wow I'll tell you learning to shoot a slingshot helped me become a good shot with the a bow then pistols and rifles .
That's crazy and hilarious at same time bc it Proves Living Simply Will Keep Happiness and avoid Negativity and I say Hey Bless Their Hearts and Souls bc I loved seeing video from the 70s bc I was a small child then
Thank you 😊
Hey Robert, thanks for watching. You might want to check out the channel. There are over 100 stories like this one.
@@georgiatraveler 👍
Best shot and the cleanest yard in the county.
Hey, you sound like a neighbor. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for this!! I'll be searching the last 15 years for his Original Beanshooters. I'm so glad that I found some. I love this Man,shows me everytime how happy someone can be with a little piece of wood 🪵 😊👍🏻Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪
Thank you for watching. Please let people know about the channel. I post a new story every week and there are 130 right now. I hope you will subscribe, too.
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
Never miss with a double barrel slingshot here. 👍
Gee. Deliverance comes to mind. Bet he can play the banjo real well.
What a great video!
Hi, thank you for watching. Rufus was an amazing guy with a remarkable skill. I guess that's why his video is so popular. If you like stories like this one please check out the channel there are a lot more.
@@georgiatraveler I like these retro documentaries.
Outstanding vid.
Thanks Karl
I remember my dad making me a slingshot. He make pop guns too out of some hollow branches and used red buds for the cork or shot.
I agree with a lot of the comments ,his hand eye and brain work together so well as one, to compute the target in a split second! I would not be surprised if one handed he could easy use a single barreled shotgun or even a pistol and have much the same success !
I watched a later feature on this guy in which he showcases far more impressive skills. for example, from a much greater distance he’s able to make a weed the width of a spaghetti noodle fall left or right at the choice of his guest
We had wrist rockets growing up, never could hit a damn thing with it - so I'm impressed!
We used to hunt iguanas with slingshots. The elastic bands we made out of inner tube rubber.
Damn! Dude was hell on wheels with that thing.
I like the swarm trap hanging in the tree
I love the can print in his overalls lol
Haha! That's great! I've seen some other videos of his but not this one! Which I could have met him!
I'm glad you liked it. It took about a half a day to film a story so we spent a long time with Rufus Hussey. He was a fantastic guy.
Let me tip you off about the story I'll post tomorrow. The story is about one of the last rolling stores in Alabama. For decades they were a big part of the rural south but by 1973 there were only 2-3 left. I hope you will check it out.
In many Previous generations it was normal to find common folks displaying precision shooting with simple guns and slingshots of different kinds and everybody had some relatives or uncle or uncles that were really sharp with their shooting….specially when it came to shooting certain types of fruits that were small and hard to get to from some big trees in the middle of the woods…the shot had to hit just the tiny stem that was holding the fruit..even though I had an uncle that I never saw him missed a shot and my father was also accurate with a gun or even with any of my slingshots ….but mr Hussy is the best for he combines speed and accuracy like nobody else I ever saw……and for many centuries shooting precision with a slingshot was a part of a survival education mostly done by boys growing up which in later years then became more like a sport just like many other once considered essential weapons for survival…..but maybe it will once again become a part of our future-past ……………….if the supermarkets ever close down and people take to the woods once again…………………………….
Hey, I hope you will check out the latest stories. I've posted many more since this one.
This is how David peace be upon him defeated Goliath. That pure instinctive focus on accuracy that only comes after persistent patient practice.
Hey, I hope you will check out the latest stories. I've posted 30 more since this one.
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Dear Randy Johnson, Thank you for finally making a wholesome video. Those others I found on Google where very naughty.
Hi Mathew, you are very kind. I'm very glad you like the stories. Please spread the word so more people can see these amazing people.
I had exactly the same when I was a kid and never missed because I was very good at making and using them. Also, I put a bridge across one with a notch in the centre for shooting arrows just as good as any bow but far easier carried
I messed up a good slingshot doing that. SMH
@@MasterYoist Strange I had no problem so what happened with you? PTT
I used to shoot with a Marksman 3040 that I got one Christmas back in the early 90s. I got fairly good with it to a point where I didn't miss very often, either. I still have one that I bought a while back along with a mess of ball bearings. If you're watching this video and you're fairly young and you stumble onto this comment: go buy a slingshot. Ask mommy or daddy if they'd buy you a slingshot so that you can learn how to use it properly, outside, and never to hurt animals. Learn proper safety with your slingshot and practice as often as you can. Eventually, you'll be glad that you know how to use one since you basically have an unlimited supply of ammunition.
Born 1954, by 1962 I was making slingshots and knew how to use them accurately. It's 60 % gut and 40% training. Build one, get to know one, it will never let you down.
Spoken like a man who knows his slingshots. Thanks for watching.
@@georgiatraveler No where in your league, but I could take out hovering dogon flies at fifty feet on a good day, and never had bullies to worry about. 😉
Fun Stuff!
Super cool video.
Thank you for watching. If you want to see more stories like this check out the latest one.
I love slingshoot
Hey Slamet I'm glad you liked the video. There are over 150 stories like this on there channel so check them out.
I only like slingshit story sir.thank you
Practice makes perfect
No that was awesome It reminded me of the Japanese samurai And the way they practice the longbow. It's amazing what the human mind can do.
From the age of 7 the English longbow archers had to practice 2 hours every Sunday after church by law.
Anything old feels good to watch lately. So much crap happens everywhere these days, it all we see.
Hi Amy, thanks for watching. Please check out the channel. There are over 135 stories like this one.
Guava branches is the best to make a slingshot and one could easily find Y shape branch fom guava tree. As kids we used to slingshot birds ,the best toy to have
I'm not in his league, but I don't specialize like Mr. Hussy did. That said, my neighbor was throwing cans for me the other day, and I was hitting about 50%. That's not to take from Mr. Hussy. I was raised by a trick shooter and have done some, mostly with a rifle, and I am genuinely impressed.
Cool video. I remember trying to hit a matchstick from about 50 ft. against cousins. Whoever won…won…no stickers for participation back then. Guava branches…the best!!!
Hey, I hope you will check out the latest stories. I've posted 30 more since this one.