Sling keeps scaring the animals away.

[wildair]

Recently made a sling but whenever I use it to hunt rabbits or squirrel, it usually just scares them and the rock doesn't land. Is there a mechanic around this other than just running at the animal?

[displaced]

find a grassland where you can actually run. and hunt 2 white rabbits (they are slower than the brown ones at least most of the time).
Make bunny slippers, they buff your speed while chasing those small creatures.
profit.

[Nexit]

Your mm isn't high enough if you're missing. However I'd just recommend running after them until they hit water or a tree. You run faster then squirrles, and can also put on some bunny slippers and do the forager credo so you can run faster than rabbits.

[wildair]

Further question: How do I use the sling to fight bigger animals?

[Shadow7168]

Further question: How do I use the sling to fight bigger animals?

slings are pretty bad for large animals, bows deal more damage but fighting unarmed is best. For either of those, lure the animal to a narrow stretch of shallows in a boat, block it in by placing another boat behind it and then fight it normally, retreating to restore your openings. You don't need much ua at all to hunt like this.