Hunting With an Atlatl

[tbrown 26]

Just noticed a cool story on the news today, the state of Pennsylvania is considering permitting the use of a Stone Age weapon for hunting. Some states like Alabama already permit their use.

The Atlatl is over 8000 years old and considerably predates the bow and arrow. It's a dart throwing device, about two feet long that can fling a 5 - 8 ft. dart at speeds of up to 80 mph. Anyone who's read the "Clan of the Cave Bear" books will recognize this as the device that Ayla and her hunky boyfriend supposedly invented. It works by simply increasing the leverage of the arm, as if the thrower had a longer arm. Anyway, not many hunters actually use the things because the skill required is considerable (like just getting close enough to be within range). But there are a few hardcore fanatics who have brought down some deer, and even a buffalo with the things. I think it's cool. Besides, nobody can ever accidently shoot their friends because they didn't know it was loaded....

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[Jeff.Donohue 0]

Also, the atlatl was a favorite weapon of the Aztecs, when they were resisting the Spanish... Of course, guns, germs and steel (to steal from Jared Diamond) did them in, but I'm not sure I'd want to be a Conquistador with those (armor peircing) things zipping at me.

You can get a feel for how they work here: http://www.atlatl.com/

[JohnRich 4]

I got to try out the atlatl on a recent camping trip. The guy with the beard in the attached photo is an archaeologist in west Texas who has discovered some neat stuff. He practices with the ancient lifestyle, to help understand how the former civilizations here lived. The atlatl is a stick used to throw a spear with greater speed and force than could be accomplished through the arm alone, using the leverage principal.

On my first throw, I glanced off the side of the hay bale. My 2nd shot landed short. 3rd shot: stuck it in the target!

I'm ready to go hunting mastodons now. Anyone know where I can find a mastodon?

Some versions of the atlatl had replaceable tips for quick reloads with new arrowheads. The atlatl was eventually replaced by the bow and arrow. Last weeks episode of "Survivor" had the contestants throwing spears with an atlatl.

[freeflir29 0]

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Besides, nobody can ever accidently shoot their friends because they didn't know it was loaded....

Don't EVER underestimate the stupidty of Alabama red necks!

[shropshire 0]

Similar to a Dutch Arrow, that we used to make when we were kids... except it was fired with a length of string instead of a shaft of wood...... how we never killed each other, I'll never know......

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[SpeedRacer 1]

When I was in White Horse there is a museum there where they talked about the first people in the area & how they hunted with these atlatls.

Then they took us out back & they had some makeshift atlatls & let us try them out. They're actually not that difficult to use.

The end of the atlatl has a little spike sticking out. The spears have an indentation at the end. The spike fits into the indentation & the spear rests along the atlatl & you cradle it between thumb & index finger. You just do a natural throwing motion to launch the spear. It's pretty easy to do, actually. Probably takes some practice to get really accurate with it. But it was fun.

Speed Racer
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[skiskyrock 0]

That should just about cut self-inflicted-injury hunting accidents down to zero.

[freeflir29 0]

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That should just about cut self-inflicted-injury hunting accidents down to zero.

You obviously don't know anyone from Alabama do you?