Tag Archives: modern atlatl

Join us at the Vermont Atlatl Workshop September 18; Contest September 19

Bob Berg leading an atlatl workshop at Chimney Point
Bob Berg leading an atlatl workshop at Chimney Point
Workshop Participants try out atlatls
Atlatl Workshop Participants trying out atlatls
Come to Vermont, enjoy the beauty of the fall in New England and build your own atlatl and darts!

Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl will offer our annual Atlatl Workshop at the Chimney Point Historic Site. September 18 from noon to 5 p.m. The program is hosted by the Vermont State Historic site. The Chimney Point State Historic Site borders Lake Champlain at 7305 Vt Route 125, West Addison, Vermont.

Bob will teach traditional and modern techniques of atlatl and dart construction, flint knapping, hafting stone points, and cordage making. Enjoy atlatl lore and coaching on the use of your new atlatl. Bob’s been here each of the 20 years of this event! $65 includes instruction and materials. Pre-registration required. Call 802-759-2412 to register. After making your own atlatl and darts, consider competing in the annual atlatl competition the next day!

20th Annual Northeast Open Atlatl Championship
Participate in or watch this annual championship. The sport of atlatl throwing is based on the ancient hunting technique of using the atlatl or spear thrower. Demonstrations and workshops on flint knapping, Woodland pottery, and other crafts and skills. Vermont Archaeology Month program. Saturday, September 19

The museum opens at 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. there will be ancient craft demonstartions on the museum lawn and porch. Bob and Cheryll Berg, hafting points and atlatl-making; Charlie Paquin, Woodland pottery (hands-on!), and Barry Keegan, flint-knapping.

The atlatl competitions start at 11 a.m. with the International Standard Accuracy Competition. The schedule is as follows:
10:30 – 12:30 Atlatl Championship registration
10:30 – 11:00 ISAC Practice Time
11:00 International Standard Accuracy Competition
11:00-12:00 Master coaching: Try the atlatl with expert guidance.
Look for signs in competition area.
11:30 – 12:30 Warm-up and Practice for Open Championship
11:30 Food and snacks on & near Museum porch while it lasts.
12:30 Celebratory Flight: Join the mass spear throw to commemorate our 2Oth year!
Bob Berg, Introduction to the Atlatl at Target Zone
Open Championship events begin. Accuracy & Distance for Men, Women, Girls, and Boys
Approx. 3:00 Award ceremony on Museum front lawn
Grand Champion Shoot-Out between top finishers & Grand Championship Award ceremony
After awards 20th Anniversary Celebration: Enjoy cake & ice cream!
History Mystery Scavenger Hunt prizes awarded
5:30 Museum closes

Sunday, September 20

9:30 Museum Opens
10:00 International Standard Accuracy Competition

Atlatl hunting featured in new video story

Atlatl hunting is featured in this Playboy Magazine video story. The video features a lot of our atlatl friends. Author Dennis Nishi did a great job on the story.

Look for Brian and Dawn Wagner of Missouri in the beginning of the video. Brian has successfully taken deer with the atlatl. Dawn is working very diligently on getting a deer with the atlatl. We predict that will happen in the fall of 2015.

The video also shows Professor John Whittaker of Grinnell College, Ron Mertz , members of the Missouri Atlatl Association, and World Atlatl Association. If you check out Brian Wagner’s tshirt during the video it is one of David Carrigan’s popular atlatl tshirts. Dave is currently working on a new atlatl design. Some of Thunderbird Atlatl’s hunting darts were in the video. Check out the video and enjoy.
Andy with his gar. That's Micah behind him.
Some of hunting and fishing photos from past years.
Gary's Boar

Atlatl Fun – Beware, Atlatls Will Captivate

Is the atlatl fun?! We have to give a resounding yes to that after seeing hundreds of people use an atlatl for the first time. Some people are so captivated they keep coming back to try it again and again.

Who says atlatls are fun? We do.
Who says atlatls are fun? We do.

It is fun for us at the Thunderbird Atlatl shop to see stories in magazines, newspapers, and on local radio and television productions about people having fun with our atlatls and darts. Thunderbird Atlatl is proud of being one of the creators of the modern atlatl resurgence. Our atlatl and darts are used by groups throughout the United States. Internationally, we have sent atlatls and darts to countries all over the world.

In Elkhart County, Indiana, families enjoyed using our Hiawatha Atlatl and darts: video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

This week in Michigan, the Cranbrook Institute of Science had a night camp and Thunderbird’s atlatls and darts were part of the program. It looks like they are using our Nanticoke Atlatl in the picture associated with the article.

A few weeks ago, Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl shared atlatl fun with groups at the Primitive Pursuits program in Ithaca, NY. The first photo in this article and photos below are people having fun with atlatls and darts. The group made expedient atlatls from natural resources nearby and also put together a few of Thunderbird Atlatl’s popular atlatl and dart kits. They also used the atlatl to vanquish neaby predators. They learned how to make an atlatl and dart during the workshop.

Atlatl Fun with an expedient atlatl made from surrounding natural materials.
Atlatl Fun with an expedient atlatl made from surrounding natural materials.
Participants at Primitive Pursuits in Ithaca having atlatl fun with a finished Catatonk Hunter Atlatl and an expedient atlatl.  Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl (center) leads the fun.
Participants at Primitive Pursuits in Ithaca having atlatl fun with a finished Catatonk Hunter Atlatl and an expedient atlatl. Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl (center) leads the fun.
Thunderbird Atlatl Bob Berg shows how an atlatl and dart can handle predators. The Primitive Pursuit class helped capture this predator.
Thunderbird Atlatl Bob Berg shows how an atlatl and dart can handle predators. The Primitive Pursuit class helped capture this predator.