Atlatl video

[Joec123able]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej3it7Ct76w


I mostly want you to listen to the last 1 and half mins of the video and listen to what he says. I think this guy is nuts for what he says about the bow and arrow, what do you think ??

[Dane]

Atlatl Bob is one weird dude. His theory of the dart flexing as it leaves the atlatl spur upon tossing giving the dart additional velocity has been debunked. It is almost a kind of religion with him. Take what he says with a grain of salt.

[adb]

Once an arrow, or dart, or bullet stops being accelerated by whatever is acting on it, it loses velocity, and be effected by gravity and air resistance... period. It is not physically possible for any projectile to accelerate during flight.

I have messed around with atlatls, and they're fun... but they went by the wayside once humans discovered the bow and arrow. There's a reason for that. 

[YosemiteBen]

my posit on this topic:

Early in human history there were less trees in many areas than there are now. that meant crawling for a long way or by ambush or by driving to ambush or a cliff.  That atlatl meant that you didn't have to crawl as far making it "safer" for hunting large game. As humans evolved and their technologies evolved their tools evolved as well. We also got more and more trees! So with more trees it becomes more difficult to use the long distance atlatl due to 1) its length and 2) there are too many trees for the prey to hid in and behind.  Along comes the bow and arrow which is 1) shorter and thus more maneuverable in the "forest" and 2) provided more opportunities for taking shots at more than one animal.  According to the archaeologists around here, the bow and arrow system is inly about 5-600 years old in the Sierra Nevada.

just my 1cent after taxes.
Ben

[Mike_H]

Once an arrow, or dart, or bullet stops being accelerated by whatever is acting on it, it loses velocity, and be effected by gravity and air resistance... period. It is not physically possible for any projectile to accelerate during flight.

I have messed around with atlatls, and they're fun... but they went by the wayside once humans discovered the bow and arrow. There's a reason for that. 

Yeah, and how long did that take?    It is an efficient weapons system with great range and power.  It takes less time and energy to make an atlatl and dart than it does the bow and arrow.  The simplicity is why it lasted so long, especially here in the Americas.  Hell, the Aztec were still using them when they must have been in contact with cultures using the bow.  I think that says something about the spear chucker.

[JW_Halverson]

You gotta give him some credit for going out on a limb. 

Coincidentally, out on a limb is where you find the nuts!     

[Joec123able]

You gotta give him some credit for going out on a limb. 

Coincidentally, out on a limb is where you find the nuts!     

Hahahahahha