We are taking a trip north this weekend to the Wilderness Learning Center, operated by Marty Simon, in Chateaugay, NY. We will be arriving at the center sometime on Friday, May 27.
The free rendezvous is open to all. Known as the PEACE Rendezvous (People Enjoying Another “Campraderie” Experience), the program takes place from May 27 to 30. The events are open to the public and are family friendly events. Wilderness Learning Center’s address is 435 Sandy Knoll Road, Chateaugay, NY 12920. Check out their web page http://www.weteachu.com or give them a call at 518-497-3179 between 6 a.m. & 9 p.m.
The center is located in upstate New York, right on the Canadian border. It is approximately 55 miles southwest of Montreal, Canada, and 350 miles north of New York City. Nearby cities are Montreal, Canada; Burlington, Vt. or Plattsburgh, NY.
Thunderbird Atlatl will be offering workshops and will have atlatls and equipment available for anyone interested. For more details about the weekend contact the center.
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Thunderbird Atlatl Participates in Arts In Bloom in Salem County, NJ May 21 & 22
The Thunderbird Atlatl staff will be participating in the Salem County, NJ Arts In Bloom program Saturday, May 21 & Sunday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
We will be at the Primitive Arts and Flintknapping Gathering at Camp Edge in Alloway, NJ. Flintknapping, fire making, pottery making and, of course, atlatl demonstrations will take place throughout the day.
The program also features a free tour of artist studios throughout Salem County, NJ. For further information and a brochure click here If you want to try and reach us over the weekend, please try our cell phone at 607-743-4379.
Memorial Day weekend, we will be participating in the PEACE 2011 program at Marty Simon’s Wilderness Learning Center, 435 Sandy Knoll Road, Chateaugay, N.Y. 12920 PEACE, is a free event, open to all. It’s about camping, survival, knives, the outdoors and meeting like minded folks for a really good time. For further information, weteachu@dishmail.net or 518-497-3179
Remembering Dad- Anthony W. Connolly
It’s with sadness and also the joy of celebrating his life that we say good bye to Cheryll’s Dad, Anthony Connolly. Anthony passed away Saturday, May 14, at our home in Candor, New York. Cheryll’s parents have lived in our home for nearly seven years. They moved here from the Catskills in Hancock, NY after living on their own became too difficult despite the support of many wonderful neighbors.
We are blessed that Thunderbird Atlatl operates out of a shop in our home, making it possible for us to provide eldercare for our parents here. Obviously, this has not been without its challenges and frustrations over the years; but there have been moments of humor, love and joy. Cheryll’s Dad was a determined soul who could drive us crazy all the while we were proud of that same determination in the face of Parkinson’s Disease.
He was an amazingly creative person who has left us a legacy of memories in his writings, wood carvings, photography, paintings and many collections of cameras, rifles, car parts and other assorted interests. We thank all of your for your thoughts and condolences over the past few days. For our atlatlist and flintknapper friends, Cheryll’s Dad was a member of the Secret Ear of Corn Ooga Booga Society! Oooga Booga! Anthony and Cheryll’s Mom, Helen, learned the Oooga Booga secret at The Atlatl Rattle at Green Flats, Casa De Fumo, Hancock, New York (Ray Turner’s) several years ago.
Anthony’s obituary can be viewed here A memorial service for Anthony will be held June 4 at noon at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Hancock, NY.
Join us at 4-H Acres in Ithaca, NY for Primitive Pursuits Day May 14
Thunderbird Atlatl will be at 4-H Acres in Ithaca, NY for the annual Primitive Pursuits Day, May 14. This is the tenth annual event sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event will feature naturalists, artisans, teachers and wilderness skills enthusiasts from all over upstate NY sharing their crafts and skills. Workshops, walks and demonstrations for all ages! Bring the family and your dancing shoes! Bring a lunch and something to keep you dry (if it rains)
Presenters and Activities include…
Hawk Circle – Throwing tomahawks
Jeff Gotlieb – Bark Baskets
Jeff Joseph – Guided Tree Walks
Thunder Bird Atl Atl – Fishing Kits
Earth Arts – Basket weaving
CNY Wildcrafters – Arrow Making
Linda Spielman. – Tracking
Becca Harber & Suzanne Johnson – herbal/ plant walks
Primitive Pursuits Activites – Wild Edible cooking, Friction Fires, Stone Carving, Stone Drilling, Natural Cordage, Wilderness Games, Hide Tanning and more…
Rain or Shine! Covered space for inclement weather. The event takes place at 418 Lower Creek Road in Ithaca, NY. Suggested donation: $5-$15 person / $15-$30 family
Darts, Darts and More Darts!
The Thunderbird Atlatl staff is back in Candor, New York in full force and ready for spring! We look forward to working with you in providing you high quality atlatl equipment. We pride ourselves on our customer service so please give us a call if you have any questions or need some assistance in deciding on what equipment will work best for you. Owner. atlatl and dart designer Bob Berg recently sat down and took a few moments to explain differences between darts produced at the Thunderbird shop.
Why the differences between atlatl darts? At Thunderbird Atlatl we make atlatl darts for lots of different purposes.
Five foot, 5 ounce ash darts may not interest someone who wants to compete in the International Standard Accuracy Contest but when it comes to summer camp or scouts with groups of 8 to 12 year old participants nothing works better. 
They are both durable and affordable. Our 6 foot, six ounce ash darts likewise are great for the younger set and more mature beginning atlatlists for some of the same reasons. These are the dart shafts that are included in our Thunderbird Atlatl Kits™ that we have been selling the last 16 years.
The 3 to 5 ounce bamboo darts that we make are anywhere from about 5 to 8 feet or longer with conical copper points. They are fantastic for competition because they fly straight and true. I don’t think there is a natural material better than the Yadake Bamboo we use for making these world class competition darts. Our formula for building these bamboo darts originated from adapting methods developed by Japanese arrow makers. The copper points we use originated from a study of artifacts of the Old Copper Culture of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While eclectic in traditional but cross culture themes, these darts really perform. Some of the highest scores on the International Accuracy Contest have been achieved with bamboo darts.
We make lighter 7 foot darts from Engelman Spruce and Douglas Fir from British Columbia for better accuracy at longer distances but they are not as good for penetration. We have been testing these darts lately to see if they indeed hold up to rigorous use on the range. So far they have done well
We make darts that are as short as 4 feet and weigh less than an ounce for distance throwing for those who want to try their hand at an interesting aspect of the atlatl sport.
It is therefore important to consider what your goals are when you purchase your Thunderbird Atlatl™ atlatls and darts.
Our 5 foot darts at 5 ounces are designed for younger beginning atlatlists.
The 6 foot 6 ounce ash darts are a good all around dart for practice and stump shooting. The 6 foot darts have been used successfully for hunting by younger or smaller atlatlists.
The principle is that longer darts are more accurate, heavier darts are better for penetration and lighter, smaller darts are good for distance. Longer, lighter darts are good for target shooting.