# Survival > Primitive Skills & Technology >  Throwing Sticks

## Foxman

Does anybody ever hunt with throwing sticks anymore? Not boomeranges or spears. Good old throwing sticks like the one in this picture http://www.hawaiiancollectibles.com/.../GameStick.jpg Mine is about 3' long and almost 3 pounds. I can hit an object from up to 15 feet away with enough accuracy and force to probably be able to kill a small animal. But I'm not trying it until I can do so well that I know I can kill at least a rabbit from 20 yards. I remember on Man vs. Wild, Bear Grylls making a throwing stick, and he talked about the Hopi using this weapon for hunting for many many years.

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## Sam

> Does anybody ever hunt with throwing sticks anymore? Not boomeranges or spears. Good old throwing sticks like the one in this picture http://www.hawaiiancollectibles.com/.../GameStick.jpg Mine is about 3' long and almost 3 pounds. I can hit an object from up to 15 feet away with enough accuracy and force to probably be able to kill a small animal. But I'm not trying it until I can do so well that I know I can kill at least a rabbit from 20 yards. I remember on Man vs. Wild, Bear Grylls making a throwing stick, and he talked about the Hopi using this weapon for hunting for many many years.


 What about the sling, it was good enough for David? I think if the stick works for you it works for me.
-Sam

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## Foxman

Oh yeah. There are a crapload of throwing weapons that you could use. My personal favorite though is the throwing stick. This catagory page on wikipedia has a good number of different weapons, and i'm sure if you typed one of them in your browswer you'd get instructions on how to get, make, and/or use them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Throwing_weapons my favorite non-lethal weapon on there is the Bolas. Those look like a heckload of fun :]

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## Sam

> Oh yeah. There are a crapload of throwing weapons that you could use. My personal favorite though is the throwing stick. This catagory page on wikipedia has a good number of different weapons, and i'm sure if you typed one of them in your browswer you'd get instructions on how to get, make, and/or use them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Throwing_weapons my favorite non-lethal weapon on there is the Bolas. Those look like a heckload of fun :]


 The bolas can be lethal depending on where you strike (head-neck) 
-Sam

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## crashdive123

Foxman - the funny thing about Bear's throwing stick........there is a youtube vid out that shows him missing, and missing, and missing, and missing.  Apparently they ended up catching a rabbit, and tied it to a stake so Bear could get close enough to hit it.

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## Foxman

I know... But I just mentioned that because of the background of the weapon. I don't really know if I trust bear completely.

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## snakeman

I like to use a throwing stick every now and then but I could hit the inside of a barn with it. It's a slightly curved cedar stick. I think a sling is more lethal but it took me a long time to get accurate. A throwing stick is probably one of the simplest weapons out there. As for bolas, They are good for waterfowl and birds just to bring them down from flight. Ancient asians used a weapon kind of like bolas except with one weight and threw it in combat.

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## crashdive123

Do you know what you call a boomerang that won't come back?   A stick.

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## Foxman

My stick broke today... but I expected it. It was just a piece of cherry that I found on the ground... It's not to sturdy... I'm going to make one out of cedar or hardwood. Maybe oak. I plan to have a lot of throwing weapons before the month is over. Later on I'lll start a new thread about them.

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## Manio

Why, not just grab a bunch of sticks, and throw until you kill?

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## crashdive123

OK - I'll ask.  Why? and what for?

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## Manio

If your lucky, one stick might be big enough the smash in the head of the rabbit. The others that don't do crap, the rabbit could sit all confused until the big one brings it down.
---
Sarcasm aside, wouldn't more be the better?

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## crashdive123

I guess I'm just wondering if you're going around killing animals for no reason.  In three different threads you've talked about killing bluejays, rabbits, squirrels, chipmonks, and others.  If you need to take an animal to survive, then by all means do so.  Try to take it quickly as possible out of respect for the animal.  Maybe I'm reading some of the posts wrong, but it almost sounds like you want to kill them for fun.

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## Sarge47

> I guess I'm just wondering if you're going around killing animals for no reason.  In three different threads you've talked about killing bluejays, rabbits, squirrels, chipmonks, and others.  If you need to take an animal to survive, then by all means do so.  Try to take it quickly as possible out of respect for the animal.  Maybe I'm reading some of the posts wrong, but it almost sounds like you want to kill them for fun.


More like we're being played. :Cool:

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## crashdive123

Oh, I started thinking that quite some time ago.  I figured if not, maybe some learning can take place and if so, maybe somebody else will learn.  Either way it's not skin off my nose.  (Besides, I told WE I would play nice :Big Grin: )

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## laughing beetle

> I guess I'm just wondering if you're going around killing animals for no reason.  In three different threads you've talked about killing bluejays, rabbits, squirrels, chipmonks, and others.  If you need to take an animal to survive, then by all means do so.  Try to take it quickly as possible out of respect for the animal.  Maybe I'm reading some of the posts wrong, but it almost sounds like you want to kill them for fun.


my thoughts exactly :Mad:

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## Jericho117

I consider these weapons as short-term survival hunting implements. I used to carry one around a year back for any animals walking about, or for just plain defense, but I have relied on the bow to much now. I have become quite effecient in felling, tillering, curing, and shooting these homemade tools. Iv'e only made a handfull of bows with a shard of flint ( ordered flint from 3riversarchery, due to the lack of materials in my area), and I make my own bowstrings from Yucca and Indian Hemp (like to work scavenged dead deer hides into bowstring). But of course I would turn to the old throwing stick to capture kill a Rabbit or two if I don't have time to make a bow.

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## Jericho117

And in terms of hunting, I believe hunting for fun is just pure evil and sickly, even against nature. When I hunt, I kill from hunger ( Gungy Wamp is huge, so being a few miles back into the forest is not worth leaving to go home and make a sandwhich), the true reason to hunt. And I strongly believe in utilizing every bit of the animal (bones for tools, intestines to dry and twist into cordage, sinew for cordage, stomach for container.....ect ect......) I used to hunt for fun about 3 years ago, but for about 3 years up today Iv'e changed my ways.

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## Manio

No, no no. I wouldn't want to kill an animal for fun that's just disgusting. I was just saying, grab alot of sticks, and throw them because I think the chance of actually killing your prey is slim.

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## Cleankill47

A really good throwing stick can be made with the base of an Ash, ironwood, oak, or hickory sapling with the rootball still on, and the bark scraped off and sanded for a smooth release.

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## canid

i use various types of rabbit stick, and practice with them often for fun. you ought to be able to hit a mark out to 60 ft, and you ought to be able to get to within 60-30 ft of hare, pheasant, grouse, even turkey.

i almost stepped on a jackrabbit the other day before it bolted, because i was looking for something and not paying attention.

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## Ole WV Coot

Glad you folks can hit something with one. I probably could if I held it in my hand, otherwise I couldn't hit a bull in the rear end with a bass fiddle if I was man enough to throw it.

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## canid

well i'm sure the tree limbs and stumps i practice on are more patient than game animals, but i'm confident that in an area with a lot of such critters i could take at least 500 calories in fowl or hare for every 450-490 calories spent running around and throwing sticks  :Big Grin: 

i don't know about bulls, it'd take an awfully big stick and some soft talking.

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## chiangmaimav

I would be interested in this subject as it is illegal for foreigners to carry firearms in Thailand. Technically hunting is illegal here now too because so many species were being wiped out. However, people, including myself, regularly hunt for food out of necessity in the jungle and mountains. The usual weapons are crossbows and the locals use rifles and shotguns, especially homemade flintlocks. I have a crossbow and use that sometime but it is not always convenient to carry it. This throwing stick sounds like a good idea but I have never used or even see none here. I would imagine it would take a long time to be proficient with it. I can throw tomahawk quite well, if that means anything as far as throwing the stick accurately.

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## crashdive123

I would imagine that checking with the local authorities/government would be the best bet in answering the firearms question.  As far as throwing a hawk and rabbit stick - two different (usually) throwing motions.  Hawk is usually an overhand motion, while the rabbit stick is more of a side arm throwing motion.

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## primeelite

I am not the expert on the non-traditional hunting methods but wouldn't it be easier to just pick up a good size rock to throw?

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## crashdive123

Unless you were real good with the rock, probably not.  The diameter of a rock with enough mass that you can throw far enough (what were we talking, 30 ft?) is maybe 4 or 5 inches in diameter.  You need to be pretty acurate with that.  A throwing stick might be 3 to 4 feet long with much more surface area heading toward the target, thereby increasing the chances of a strike.  Still takes practice though.

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## canid

and in rotation, where the ends are moving around at greater speed and thence with more force than the whole of the stick is in it's forward motion.

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## Foxman

I believe that if you can throw a tomahawk. then you'll be able to thow a throwing stick. The only difference is that there is no blade, it may be slighty bigger, and you throw it horizontally

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## chiangmaimav

How big should the throwing stick be? And what kind of wood do you think would be best?  I used to make a spear, but you couldn't very well carry it in the city, so I had to make a new one all the time. If I could find a good stick like this and learn to use it, I could keep it and save alot of trouble.

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## crashdive123

I like mine about 2 ft long.  Some like them a little shorter, some a little longer.  Hardwood IMO works the best.  A bend in the center of the stick of 30 to 45 degrees works best IMO.

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## Runs With Beer

> Oh, I started thinking that quite some time ago.  I figured if not, maybe some learning can take place and if so, maybe somebody else will learn.  Either way it's not skin off my nose.  (Besides, I told WE I would play nice)


Something aint right here.

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## canid

2-4 feet and of any dense wood will do. even just a cut length of sapling. i like to carve mine so that it's round in profile and thin at the handle and a good bit thicker and flat in profile at the other. it gives it a wobble when it flies, which increases the area that may strike, and the ridge i give it along the narrower edge limits the force of impact, should it strike with the heavy end, to a smaller surface area, thus increasing it further.

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## TDG

I've seen that episode of Man vs. Wild too. He killed a rabbit with an own-made throwing stick.

I never tried this technique but I think it's pretty effective if can get close enough.

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## crashdive123

> I've seen that episode of Man vs. Wild too. He killed a rabbit with an own-made throwing stick.
> 
> I never tried this technique but I think it's pretty effective if can get close enough.


It's even more effective when the rabbit is tied up and can't run away.

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## Tracker

i find throwing a knife is much more effective and accurate... not to mention humane

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## Cleankill47

What kind of knife, tracker? Do you have a few set aside for throwing, or would you throw your main blade just for a meal?

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## Styric

> I believe that if you can throw a tomahawk. then you'll be able to thow a throwing stick. The only difference is that there is no blade, it may be slighty bigger, and you throw it horizontally


The rotation on a tomahawk is way different than a stick. The weight from the tomahawk head gives it a different timing. It would be dependant on the shape of the stick and the balancing you give it through carving. You can hunt with a throwing stick as long as you practice enough. The problem is most of would not have practiced enough to use it properly in a real situation. The original users of this method used it daily. That is what mad it feasible.

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## BAKWOODS

yea i believe that bear and his crew would do that he is a complete tosser'"
dont get me wrong ,i love his shows and all but there is alot of crap in them.he is more fun than ray mears,hes as entertaining as dioreah.

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## erunkiswldrnssurvival

> Does anybody ever hunt with throwing sticks anymore? Not boomeranges or spears. Good old throwing sticks like the one in this picture http://www.hawaiiancollectibles.com/.../GameStick.jpg Mine is about 3' long and almost 3 pounds. I can hit an object from up to 15 feet away with enough accuracy and force to probably be able to kill a small animal. But I'm not trying it until I can do so well that I know I can kill at least a rabbit from 20 yards. I remember on Man vs. Wild, Bear Grylls making a throwing stick, and he talked about the Hopi using this weapon for hunting for many many years.


I use tree roots, they are tapered,arched, and knobie enough. the surface that makes contact with the target is the important thing(a root knob covered with smaller root stubs does more damage than a smooth ball).

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## swampmouse

Never considered throwing sticks.  Rocks, bricks even car parts.

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## Rick

Car parts? Yeah, I guess a drive shaft would kill a rabbit. Then you have the problem of putting everything back together so you can drive home. Seems like a lot of work, though.

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## MiddleWolf

Look at an Apache throwing star.  Some of the forums show how to make them (YTube).  Looks like a small 4 way tire wrench.  Ends are pointed to some extent.  It's 2 sticks tied crossways and carved out where they meet to keep from slipping.  Make in any size you want.

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## Thomas Johnson

Did some hunting with sticks once.. quite effective on birds, but it requires some pretty good stalking skills to succeed!

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## Highhawk1948

My brother and I when we were young hunted with rocks, throwing sticks and stone headed axes.  Only things I remember we got was a chipmunk and a dove.

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