What the heck is an Atlatl?

An Atlatl is hunting weapon used to propel a spear or dart with great force and accuracy. This throwing "stick" is an extension of the users arm. Simply by adding length to the arm, a 6 ounce dart (5 times heavier than the average arrow) can be thrown at speeds varying from 65 to 100 miles per hour!

A common question people ask is, "How far can I throw a dart?"

Remember... "It's not about distance, but accuracy." The accuracy of this weapon is exactly proportioned to the time spent practicing. This thing is difficult to control. What I mean is the learning curve differences between archery and the atlatl is vast. In a few weeks one could become fairly proficient with a bow and arrow. Atlatls are a weapon that is far more difficult to master. Most of the top throwers in the U.S. have spent several years polishing their skills.

Arrowheads or Atlatl points?

Most flint projectiles people find are far too large for arrow points. As in modern times most arrowheads average from 100-150 grains. Things were no different for Native American archers.

Ancient Atlatl flint points can range from 125-800 grains! That's almost 2 ounces!