Atlatl's in PA
When it comes to deer hunting, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials prefer the atlatl to remain part of ancient history.
That's the position agency staffers are taking with a proposal that would allow hunters to pursue whitetails with atlatls, prehistoric weapons that use a wooden frame to propel 6-foot-long darts at speeds up to 80 mph.
Atlatl use dates back more than 8,000 years in Pennsylvania and far longer elsewhere in North America and Europe. The name, usually pronounced AT-lad-ul, is derived from an Aztec word for ''throwing board.''
For years, atlatl hunters in Pennsylvania have had to hone their skills in obscurity, hurling the darts at paper targets on private property and at competitions.
Their quest for legitimacy has generated a flood of interest. ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' traveled to Pennsylvania for an amusing look at the sport that aired last week.
Commission officials don't dispute the fact an atlatl can be an effective weapon "” in the right hands. However, they fear it isn't lethal enough for the average hunter to safely, ethically and humanely harvest game.
The nonbinding staff recommendation, which will be considered by the commissioners at their Jan. 24 meeting, is a blow to the state's small but vocal group of atlatl enthusiasts, who have long sought permission to partake in what they describe as an ancestral hunting experience.
''I've been throwing for close to nine years, and it just seems like it's the thing to do,'' said Jack Rowe, vice president of the 30-member Pennsylvania Atlatl Association. ''That's what it's for. It's a hunting weapon.''
Rowe, of Sayre, Bradford County, said much practice is needed to become proficient with atlatls. Their effective range is just 10-20 yards, and he said harvesting a deer with one would be the pinnacle of hunting achievement.
''If you don't know how to use the thing, you'll never get one,'' Rowe said. ''Only those people who have the skill will succeed.''
Commissioner Roxane Palone of Greene County expressed support for atlatl hunting at the board's October meeting and asked the staff to develop a proposal for legalizing it. Currently, the only devices allowed for deer hunting in Pennsylvania are rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders and bows.
Palone's proposal led to a ream of newspaper stories on the atlatl as well as the attention of Comedy Central's ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.''
''We got a lot of laughs out of it, but more importantly, millions of people saw the atlatl and how it was used,'' said Gary Fogelman of Montour County, who serves as president of the state atlatl association and appeared on the show.
''We have seen an interest in the World Atlatl Association [Web] site, and I think we have picked up some members because of the exposure.'' (For information go to
http://www.worldatlatl.org.)
Palone said previously that allowing atlatls could help boost interest in hunting. Sales of general hunting licenses have fallen about 22 percent since the mid-1980s.
Palone could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but Fogelman doubts legalization of atlatls as a hunting weapon would do much for license sales. He estimates there are fewer than 100 atlatl enthusiasts across the state. The World Atlatl Association, he said, has just 350 members.
At least one state "” Alabama "” has legalized atlatl hunting for deer, but even there they are rarely used. Atlatl hunters have killed bison with the weapon, but animal rights activists are concerned they could wound and maim too great a percentage of deer.
Johnna Seeton, a board member of the Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network, said modern firearms vastly improve the odds of a clean kill.
''You would think in this modern day and age that you would not have to unevolve yourself to, you know, such barbaric practices,'' she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Pa looks to nix Atlatl...
