throwzini
The Great Throwzini
knife throwing
Get Your FREE "101 KNIFE THROWING TIPS" Info-Pak -- Click Here for Details
HOME THE GREAT THROWZINI FREE NEWSLETTER THROWING HAWKS TARGETS
LOCAL THROWERS INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO THROWING SPIKES CLUBS/EVENTS SAFETY
THROWING MISC. THROWING ARTICLES THROWZINI STORE THROWING KNIVES PAST NEWSLETTERS
Return to THROWING ARTICLES Index Page

The Atlatl
by Chuck Fogarty

Since I made several posts to the Throwers List about the atlatl I've gotten several inquiries asking "Just what is an atlatl"?

A BIT OF HISTORY
Atlatl means throwing spear. It was developed thousands of years ago and preceded the bow and arrow as a hunting weapon and was used by ancient man extensively in warfare.

The atlatl is essentially a throwing stick 2 to 3 feet long.

It has a spur an inch or so long. The spur fits into a notch on the end of the spear, dart, arrow or whatever you want to call it. Atlatl people refer to it as a dart, so I will too.

We can all imagine what a fearsome weapon a thrown spear can be. The extra force generated by the atatl which acts as an extension of your arm throws the dart 2 1/2 times as far as the regularly thrown spear and has 2 1/2 times the striking power!

I have read several articles that say the atlatl contributed mightily to the extinction of the large animals more than climatic changes or other forces of nature did.

The main source of food was bison but they hunted many other animals with the atlatl occasionally even banding together to hunt the Woolly Mammoth.

The atlatl is a dangerous weapon and should not be thrown carelessly.

They are great fun but should be thrown with plenty of room and stringent safety factors.

I have 2 atlatls and 5 darts.

The darts are 5 1/2 feet long and are arrows fitted together with a sleeve and tape that keeps them joined.

I am far from an expert but throw several times a week, quite often when I can't throw knives outside because of the weather and am unable to use my daughters indoor arena.

My daughter and son inlaw have a horse ranch, raising and showing hunters and jumpers. It is in La Grange, Ill, a close suburb of Chicago.

I have an outdoor and indoor target but the outdoor is limited by weather and since it s a working ranch I have to wait til no one is using the arena to throw inside.

Enter the atlatl.

If it's cold or muddy or there's snow on the ground I can still throw the atlatl.

The only problem I have is that I can't have a target. The best target set up I've seen is Matt Rapaports in Petaluma, CA.

He has a double target. One side is made up of some huge tree rounds he uses for knife and tomahawk throwing, and the other side is made up of a dozen or so bales of hay for the atlatl.

I just line up on a tree or fence post in the distance and try to throw in a straight line towards that object.

Now I've started to throw my following darts at the 1st one and see how close I can come.

I have gradually gotten to where I can throw 200 ft. and better, but that seems to be about my limit.

I'm trying for accuracy now. I think most atlatl contests start at 60 ft. and go up from there.

Of course they also throw for distance. The record is over 800 feet which seems impossible to me. However I think if you use really high tech equipment, longer and springier atlatls and longer darts, you could get the extra distance.

Not having a target to aim at I'm sure my throws are too high and the dart really floats thru the air. It's kind of like watching golf on TV when they show the graceful arc of the ball :)

Article Contributed by:
Chuck (the traveling knife --and atlatl-- throwing
reporter) Fogarty
thechuckster@webtv.net


The Atlatl

The target is made up of... "The Earth Below"

Return to THROWING ARTICLES Index Page




Get your copy of the best knife throwing Info-Pak on the Web.
It's free, and there's no obligation.

Free 101 Knife Throwing Tips Info-Pak

You'll get hundreds of free tips, articles and interviews with the biggest names in the growing sport of knife throwing.

Want to stick more knives?
CLICK HERE





FREE STUFF

CLICK HERE for
FREE 101 Knife
Throwing Tips
Info-Pak


Want hundreds of great knife throwing tips, ideas, articles and interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport of knife throwing?

Get our FREE, twice-a-month Great Throwzini Online Newsletter. Just click below and send.


CLICK HERE for FREE Online Newsletter
or send e-mail to:
bigfishtips@gmail.com
with SUBSCRIBE in the
Subject Line.


I respect your privacy and will never share or sell your e-mail address to anyone.
Get Your FREE "101 KNIFE THROWING TIPS" Info-Pak -- Click Here for Details
HOME THE GREAT THROWZINI FREE NEWSLETTER THROWING HAWKS TARGETS
LOCAL THROWERS INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO THROWING SPIKES CLUBS/EVENTS SAFETY
THROWING MISC. THROWING ARTICLES THROWZINI STORE THROWING KNIVES PAST NEWSLETTERS