I am not an expert but I have hunted and killed game with both the bow and the atlatl and darts.  If you are hunting out of a treestand with your target almost directly below, the atlatl is better.  Unless you are using a really heavy bow, the spine will usually stop an arrow, the steep downward angle also usually prevents a pass through, so your blood trail is really poor.  Also, it is difficult to come to full draw at a steep downward angle.  On level ground, or uphill,  the bow is better.  You have to make a lot less movement with a bow.  You can also shoot a bow while sitting down or tucked in next to a tree.  Effective range is about the same, the bow will let you have about 5 more yards.  No one mentioned fishing, the atlatl/dart is better for larger fish, sharks and armored targets such as alligators and turtles.  Bows are good for shallow water, atlatls will let you get fish that are much deeper.  Heavy brush screws up both, you can't throw and even if you can, it still deflects the dart.  Moving through the brush is about the same, both are a PITA but can be done.  I usually use a bow for whitetail deer and an atlatl/dart for feral hogs.  One last thing, a bow can easily be used to hunt small game, it can be done with an atlatl/dart but not easily.  That was one of the reasons I looked into slinging.  Bill

colejack3 wrote on Oct 27^th, 2010 at 7:11pm:


Compared to what kind of bow?  I've talked with a few hunters that had arrows go completely through and exit something the size of a deer.  Of course, this doesn't make the animal extra dead, but it's impressive, and cautionary about standing close to other bow hunters.

Well if you're gonna make me choose, then neither thanks.  In all practicality, both are equally deadly.  Both are capable of putting a shaft through a deer size target.  Any thing beyond going all the way throug is just bragging rights.