# Why is it illegal to hunt deer with a spear in NY state? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 2, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838 "2013-01-02T16:22:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/21 "2013-01-02T18:04:19Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > A decent thrower will send an atlatll dart weighing about 6 oz at close to 90 fps. This will be about double the amount of energy a typical archer will kill with. Accuracy up to about 20 yards to attain a clean kill is expected to qualify as an atlatlist. They call them darts but they are often reffered to as spears by the general public, about 6ft length is pretty typical and often longer. I have witnessed a clean rabbit kill at 60 yards by one of the worlds best altatlists. He admiited it was a bit of luck but at 20 yards a clean deer kill shot would be nothing for him. For _him._ You’re assuming that the deer would stand still while the atlatlist wound up and threw. Edit: An inexperienced hunder with a bow is more likely to hit a deer in a vital area than somebody with an equal amount of practice, armed with an atlatl. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/22 "2013-01-02T18:07:50Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > My understanding is that humans traditionally hunted large game in _groups_ when they were using spears. It’s not just one guy, one stab, done - the goal is more to turn the target into a pincushion and hope it bleeds out fast. Sounds like a bad end. For something like a mammoth or a gigantic proto-bison, yes, but not necessarily for something deer-sized. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/23 "2013-01-02T18:11:02Z")
And, I just found this out about Missouri: > [@](#): > > Starting in 2012, Missouri will allow the use of atlatls during the archery deer and turkey hunting seasons ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/24 "2013-01-02T18:15:14Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > For _him._ > > You’re assuming that the deer would stand still while the atlatlist wound up and threw. > > Edit: An inexperienced hunder with a bow is more likely to hit a deer in a vital area than somebody with an equal amount of practice, armed with an atlatl. The atlatl does require more practice but not an extrordinary amount for 20 yard accuracy. The release is more silent than the release of an arrow. The thrower does have to be in position that the deer does not see him wind up and throw. Many deer are taken by darts in the United States each year. After about 50 throws i found myself hitting the target pretty well, not well enough to hunt but I could see my accuracy comming up fairly fast. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/25 "2013-01-02T18:37:21Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > While Alabama does say the spear must be hand thrown, I think what they mean is that it can’t be mechanically launched and that that doesn’t preclude simply wedging it in the Earth to protect against a charging animal. Just to clarify, an atlatl would be hand thrown and, therefore, legal. What I was trying to point out was they probably disallow artificial means of propulsion like from an explosive charge, potato gun, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/26 "2013-01-02T19:07:15Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > Yet they also, I believe, forbid the use of dogs to track wounded deer. Seems that would be an excellent way to reduce the numbers of injured but surviving deer from errant shots. According to the 2012-2013 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, > [@](#): > > A deer hunter can use a leashed dog to recover wounded deer. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/27 "2013-01-02T19:09:48Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > Yet they also, I believe, forbid the use of dogs to track wounded deer. Seems that would be an excellent way to reduce the numbers of injured but surviving deer from errant shots. I think what is actually forbidden (or at least the intent) is using dogs to ‘drive’ or track deer before they’re taken. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/28 "2013-01-02T19:18:00Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Just to clarify, an atlatl would be hand thrown and, therefore, legal. What I was trying to point out was they probably disallow artificial means of propulsion like from an explosive charge, potato gun, etc. …I now feel compelled to learn what deer hunting with a potato gun would be like. Using natural ammo, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/29 "2013-01-02T23:07:51Z")
What about a Panzerfaust? A cruise missile? ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838/30 "2013-01-03T00:09:34Z")
Spears are pretty worthless without a [magic helmet.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9Nbt7oJG0#t=1m40s) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-hunt-deer-with-a-spear-in-ny-state/645838.md?page=1)