Atlatls: The Ultimate Hunting Tools?

Proficiency in wilderness survival requires us to practice a wide range of skills. Fire building, shelter construction, animal tracking, foraging, flint knapping, water disinfection, rope making, and wood carving, to name a few. Nothing seems more exciting and also requires constant practice than the use of weapons. Accuracy with primitive weapons can take years to refine. Learning to make weapons can also include their own set of challenges. Making a bow is quite the undertaking even at home with a supply of hand tools. What about if you were lost in the woods or on an earth skills trip with minimal gear and maybe just a small everyday carry knife? What is a weapon that is fast and easy to make, but also deadly for many species? Introducing the atlatl!

Although this weapon goes by many names, it seems to be most popularly known as the “atlatl” which is an Aztec word, used in a published article by Zelia Nuttal in 1891. This article seemed to have made the public aware of the spear thrower. Since this weapon predates the bow, and has been found all over the world, it’s a safe bet that your ancestors used this to hunt animals! The oldest definitive atlatl found was from caves in France and is made of reindeer antler. It’s dated to be 17,500 years old! However, there’s also evidence that supports this being used in Australia much further back. Rock art in India shows a hunter with an atlatl running from a rhino. Dry conditions of the Southwestern United States have preserved many atlatl artifacts. Mammoth ivory spurs (the hook that a dart connects to) have been found in Florida rivers. There are many other names for it: woomera (Australia), propulseur (France), speerschleuder (Germany), and spear thrower. Atlatls have been used to hunt all varieties of animals, from chipmunks to whales! Could you imagine hunting a wooly mammoth with one of these?

One can easily make an atlatl in five minutes. All it takes is finding a spot on a sapling where a single branch grows out at approximately a 45 degree angle. Cut the trunk of the sapling below the branch and about an arm's length higher cut the main trunk of the sapling again. The branch should be cut off about an inch or so from the main trunk of the sapling, then sharpened to form the “spur”. Doing these three cuts and sharpening the spur is all it takes to make a functional atlatl. Although these are simple and quick to make, they can throw a dart with pinpoint accuracy in the right hands.

Atlatls can be found in many different styles. This had led to a wide variation of artifacts found around the world. Some atlatls accommodate the use of a bannerstone to help balance the dart when it's loaded. When I teach atlatl making classes, it takes about 3 hours for students to make a “beak notch” atlatl. These atlatls are essentially a metal pot hanger with a long handle. We take dried red cedar and split out a flat board about 2 feet long and 2 inches wide. We then cut the beak notch out so that it is above the overall shaft of the atlatl. This creates a raised spur and makes an atlatl that is a lot smoother to throw than the 5 minute creation. 

An atlatl dart is essentially a 6-7 foot long arrow as thick as your thumb in diameter. Two turkey feathers can serve as a fine fletching to help the dart fly straight. The feathers aren’t needed when going after fish or frogs because the darts are being thrown at a target, close by, and usually below you. Arrow wood, hazelnut, river cane, and any straight hardwood sapling can work fine for the shaft of the dart. Besides the difference in size, the only complete difference between a dart and arrow is the nock. Atlatl darts have a small depression or “cup” carved out at the end to accept the spur. 

The darts can be sharpened, hafted with a knapped stone point, or split into 4 at the end to make a fish spear. I usually carry two darts with me when spearfishing, but one should do the trick with a good shot. Be careful when going after fish. If the points hit the rocky bottom of the stream or pond, they can snap. 

Atlatls are an ancient human weapon that has been involved in our hunting tactics and successes for thousands of years. Although a versatile weapon, it is unfortunately illegal to hunt with in many states. However, given the chance,  these weapons are powerful against deer, bison, kangaroos, moose, whales, and especially wooly mammoths! They are also effective against small game like squirrels, frogs, and fish. Being able to craft a weapon and its reusable projectiles in under an hour make the atlatl the ultimate survival weapon. Get out there and craft your own, practice, and hopefully you’ll find just as much love for the weapon as I do!