OK, I'll start the ball rolling...
If a bow is more sporting than a handgun which is more sporting than a rifle which is more sporting than a 50BMG, does that make spear hunting the pinnacle of sport hunting?
What methods are used to kill, say a deer with a spear (without the aid of dogs)? Do you throw it, or is it necessary to come within thrusting range?

Here in the US they are thrown, often using an implement called an atlatl (pronounced AT-lattle)

Have used them a lot, but never ever killed anything with them.

[I have been messing around with a atlatl and dart for a couple of years. Last summer I bought some darts1/2in diameter 7ft long ash shafts with flint heads.[buy your first darts they throw better than homemade]then I got serious and practiced every night,getting ready for deer season.I am only accurate for 15yds,but that should be enough.I only got to hunt three evenings when I fell at work and broke some ribs.Sure can't throw with broken ribs!Next year will be the year of the spear for sure.For me how I hunt is more fun than what I kill.As old age crept up on me I realized I enjoyed setting up an executing the exact shot I wanted was more enjoyable than just killing deer.

Sounds like a true challenge! How do you wind up for the throw? Do you do it all in one fluid motion OR try to inch into position before thrusting forward? I remember using one of those throwing devices on a school trip...so much for accuracy! Do you also just flint-tipped spears, or is it a concession to the age of stainless steel?

Raising the dart and throwing in one motion doesn't work for me.I need everything set in position [feet body arm]before the throw.I position the dart fairly high and much closer to my head than you would to throw a ball this is the only way I can get any accuarcy at all.Flint points just seemed like the thing to do with a spear,a broadhead for a arrow will work fine.Feathers should be straight with no helical as the dart flexes a lot in flight,and it does some weird things when spinning.I also use an atlatl with a rest on the end the hand goes on.With this style thrower you can hold the dart in position while the game approaches without your fingers tiring.

Check these sites out....

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Found this on one of the sites.

Quote:

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The oldest atlatls in the world date back over 25,000 years in N.W Africa. The late Upper Paleolithic Magdalenian peoples of Europe made beautifully carved specimens from antler and bone 17,000 years ago.

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Although not called a atlatl, the Australian aborigionals have been using the wumera for 40,000 years. FWIW

I purchased a commercial atlatl and three practice darts from one of the World Atlatl Assoc. members nearly 20 years ago. I have used it every year since to demonstrate what an advance it is over the hand thrown spear to my students. They love it. Only a few of them can manage to get it to work in the limited time we have to use it but they sure have fun.

Oldsarg your students have fun with the atlatl.That's why I hunt to have fun.I think many hunters using the ultra high tech gear loose sight of this, and actually are frustrated.Making hunting a compitition for bigger horns.

HI
spear for deer hunting NO it is too risky because am too fat to run and catch the deer if injured not dead,but i own a cold steel spear and use it as a shooting stick!!and naturally back up weapon for boar and eventually bear(not yet happenned) if the rifle jam or refuse to shoot!!.i,ve forged some spear heads too with longer shaft and forged a short sword for backing up the spear if the the shaft is broken
regards
danny

I have heard that some states will allow you to use 'alternative' methods to the standard bow and arrow but you have to get special permission in most cases. I thought it would be awesome to try for a deer with a blowgun and a poison dart. Curare would be the poison of choice I suppose due to the fact that it will stop most animals fairly quickly and not damage any meat (you can ingest it without being poisoned).

You might get permission to use an atlatl and dart but I suspect that it will be a cold day in Hell before some DFG allows curare. The silence and stealth of a blowgun and dart is just too obvious to the professional poachers. That's why PETA's silly-ass idea of using tranq guns for catch-and-release hunting could never go anywhere. I saw that proposed about 10-15 years back just once and it was never heard from again. Duh!

To the original posted question(s) and presumptions, my thoughts for free!

I think it is faulty logic to assume that a bow is more sporting than a gun for starters. Bow's are more likely to result in wounded and lost game by GFD statistics. Such does not make high sport. It IS more challenging to snuggle up to your quarry, and as a still hunter(gun) I recognize the rewards of that. I am not concerned as to whether you hunt with bows, atlatls or blow guns, you want to hunt, hunt. These activities are just another way to harvest game, don't confuse them with being benevolent towards the prey. The sport is in the chase, not the kill.

I know a fellow who will get in a trap pen with wild hogs here in Florida and sorta does a take down manuever before tying up the hooves and loading them for transport. He's a bit over 60 and will admit that it's starting to be a challenge. He also will do this with hogs caught by dogs, mostly just kneeling on their ribcage then tying them up. If you want primitive and sporty, well, there you go. You can even do catch and release!

So, in closing and because I'm always looking for new country to ponder, how about this: Gaffs. They come in all sizes, and for all purposes. Short lip gaffs, 7' kill gaffs, and everything in between. If you stalk a 300# porker until you can lip gaff him/her, is that more sporting? I KNOW it will be more exciting... Who'll be first up at the plate?

That sounds like a fun new game for Tick! derf

Hello, I run across this tread while doing a search on hunting with the atlatl. I�ve been throwing darts with the atlatl about 7 years now, 6 of those in competition. I�m ready to hunt using the atlatl and darts I made myself. I�ve been making atlatls and river cane darts for the last 3 years. In the hands of an experienced thrower the atlatl and dart is a very efficient weapon. It�s been used over most the world for many thousands of years. A very efficient weapon indeed yet I know of no state where the atlatl is a legal hunting weapon. Spears (hand thrown) are legal in some states but not a single state where the atlatl and dart specifically is allowed. A few of us �atlatlist� have started a hunting site dedicated to getting the atlatl legalized as a hunting weapon. We�re a very small group right now but growing. If you interested in hunting with this ancient weapon come over and join. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Atlatl_Hunting/
One state where we do hunt is in Alabama. The law there says:

9) SPEAR: DEER and FERAL SWINE may be taken by hand thrown spear
during the open Bow and Arrow season on these species. The hand
thrown spear shall have a sharpened blade a minimum of two inches in
width. The spear shall only be hand thrown.

Isn�t the dart thrown with the atlatl by hand? We�ve asked that the law be clarified but haven�t gotten any response. Jack