PA game commission supports atlatl use

Grants preliminary approval for hunting

By KIMBERLY M. WEYANDT

PENNSYLVANIA — Despite the advice of the commission’s staff, the Pennsylvania Game Commission unanimously granted the preliminary approval for the use of the atlatl in deer hunting.

The spear thrower, or atlatl (pronounced at-ul-at-ul), as it was known by Aztecs, is a wooden device, usually made with a bone or antler handle, that extends a hunter’s arm by two or three feet. This allows for increased speed, distance and accuracy in spear throwing. According to Kurt Carr, atlatl expert with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum of Commission, the atlatl dates back from 25,000 years ago in Europe and about 8,000 years ago in Pennsylvania and New York.

“Its use was a vast improvement over the hand-held spear, allowing for anywhere from 20 to 50 meters of distance at around 80 miles per hour,” said Carr.

In most areas of the world, the atlatl was replaced by the invention of the bow and arrow some 1,500 years ago.

The atlatl today

Today, the atlatl can be found in sporting competitions. Although the atlatl itself is still made predominantly of wood, the weapon as a whole has taken on a modern aspect with the use of modern darts made of fiberglass or aluminum, and broad heads like those used for the bow.

One of the founding members of the Tioga Atlatl Association, Dennis Lantz of Ulster, started throwing the atlatl in 1996 but was not ready to enter competitions until 1999.

Lantz currently hunts with the rifle, the muzzle-loader, a shotgun and a bow. He would “absolutely use the atlatl” if approved by the gaming commission but doesn’t believe it will be used by the average hunter.

“The average hunter won’t use it,” said Lantz. “It takes a lot of practice.”

“It’s all about where you focus your attention and there is no aiming device other than your eye… it’s an instinctive action,” he said.

Use of the atlatl for hunting

When a member of the Pennsylvania Game Commission asked that a proposal be drafted for January to legalize the use of atlatls for hunting, the staff developed a draft of regulations and put it on the agenda.

However, the commissioners’ staff advised against the approval, as its use for deer hunting seemed to be “inconsistent with current commission regulations restricting lawful arms and ammunition; specifically, the regulations that permit the use of only those devices that possess sufficient lethality to safely, ethically and humanely harvest a deer,” said Jerry Feaser, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

According to Feaser, the staff did not question whether use of an atlatl and dart has the potential to harvest a deer; however, they were not convinced that it would be effective in the hands of the average hunter.

Gary L. Fogelman, president of the Pennsylvania Atlatl Association, was asked to give a presentation on the history and use of the atlatl. He agreed that the use of the atlatl in hunting would probably not be something for the average hunter.

“It would take some dedicated practice from a dedicated individual, and that’s why we feel that whoever used it would have the necessary skills required,” said Fogelman.

In a unanimous vote, the board gave the proposal preliminary approval. It will consider final approval in April.

As approved by the board, the use of the atlatl would be legal during any firearms deer season. The atlatl would consist of a 15- to 30-inch board or rod-like device with a handle at the aft end and a projection (as a hook or thong to hold a dart in place until released) at the fore end, used for propelling a dart by increasing the mechanical advantage of the user’s forward arm motion. This device is to derive its propulsive energy solely from the forward motion of the user’s arm, and the bending and recovery of the dart, and may not be derived from any other source. The atlatl and dart will have an overall length of five to eight feet. And nothing capable of causing damage or injury to the animal in excess of that inflected by the cutting edges of the broad head may be attached.

The use of the atlatl will be short-distance sporting arm, meaning less than 30 yards.

According to Feaser, to use the weapon, the hunter would just need a hunting license.

“However, it is the responsibility of all hunters to be proficient with any sporting arm that they take into the woods,” he said.

For more information on the atlatl, visit worldatlatl.org.

Upcoming Atlatl competitions in PA & NY:

March 4: Turbotville, PA

Fogelman’s ISAC and local contest. Contact: Gary Fogelman 570/437-3698

March 18: Mt. Morris, NY Osage Barn Toss, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Contact: Douglas Bassett 585/493-3625

April 21: Waverly, NY Eighth annual earth day gathering. Contact: John Whittaker 642/269-3447

June 2: Waverly, NY Atlatl-in-Action, EMC Club

Contact: Jack 570/888-8258