Hunting with a Tomahawk

[FSCGunslinger]

On one of the other forums I'm a member of, one of the Canadian members had this to say about using his tomahawk for hunting:

Throwing?.... As of today I have taken 3 squirrels, 1 racoon, 1 rabbit and a mourning dove with my hawk. If you have it in your hand while you walk, you will have plenty of opportunity to take game...

This got me wondering, who all here has taken game with your tomahawk? What kind of game did you take? Do you actually practice throwing for hunting (small targets, low to the ground, etc...), or just rely on your regular hawk throwing skills?

I'm very interested to hear some hunting stories from our members! Indulge me!

 

[davemcg]

Well, I've never taken any game with one, but I think I've finally found a good reason to practice throwing a hawk again.

Thank you! :hatsoff:

 

[swquiro]

Reminds me of a buddy I used to fish with when I lived in Colo. From time to time we'd walk up on a "fools" grouse and he would bag them with a rock. He was deadly. So I guess you could do that with a hawk, but I sure wouldnt want to depend on it to put food on the table.

 

[F.G. Ford]

I suppose you could always try it for fishing!
Old Ford

 

[davemcg]

I suppose you could always try it for fishing!
Old Ford

I couldn't do any worse. :rotf:

 

[nw_hunter]

In my youth, I must have thrown hundreds of rocks at critters, and I can't remember hitting one :surrender:

 

[redwing]

I would think the state game and fish laws and Federal Migratory Bird laws would have to be checked.
After killing with a Hawk do you scalp your victim? :rotf:

 

[F.G. Ford]

Your rock wasn't big enough!
Old Ford

 

[onepaw]

i have thought about it, usually after i am already in the woods and the squirrels are close lol
I did try to use my knife this fall when a squrrel(sp?) entered my ground stand
I missed
but lots of potential

 

[tg]

I would think it to be as usefull as a throwing stick which has been used for thousands of years, I suspect the blade was not likely the part that hit the gane in many cases unless one waited/stalked or just happened to be at the right distance.

 

[rafterob]

I have a feeling a throwing stick would actually be better balanced for this purpose. If using a hawk for small game I think the shorter the handle the better to focus the head on the target. What the poster didn't add was his contact %.

 

[Bob Riegl]

:bow: I have taken several rabbits with the use of a "throwing stick". It took a little getting used to, finding the correct size and weight and then doing a little "modification" to the handle---I learned that a slight bounce off the ground seems to a some extra spin and it usually caught the rabbit behind his ears or legs. Both shots put the rabbit down for a quick kill to follow.Quite in fact I have a piece of a tree limb in the garage right now, drying out for a spring time build. This is he first time I have anyone talk about throwing sticks on this site.I have read about methods of improving the striking portion with some minor carving on the sides. :thumbsup:

 

[ameling]

State and Federal game laws don't allow it. And most don't allow using rocks or "rabbit sticks". So check and know the laws/regs in your area before it becomes a problem.

A well-chosen rock or a throwing stick would be much better - for size/weight/balance. But all still require lots of practice.

They showed using rocks to take sage hens in the movie Jeremiah Johnson. The Swan used a couple rocks to take them, after stopping him from shooting them. One of those little "details" that were kind of surprising that hollyweird included in the movie. And rock-chucking was also included in Lonesome Dove.

Hollyweird usually has some "bad guy" throw a knife and pin/kill a rabbit to the ground - to show how bad/evil he is. But such knife throwing really requires some precise distance adjustments. The same will apply to a hawk.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[SgtSchutzen]

I got one of the neighbors cats with a screwdriver once. Connected from about 20yds out. I think I was more surprised than the damm cat. Bastard took off like a shot and I never caught him backin up to my shed again.

 

[twobirds]

No live game with a 'hawk, but I once beaned a rabbit target on a woods walk. It was meant to be a rifle target, but I was low on powder and hated to waste it.

twobirds

 

[flintlock75]

I always carry a hawk in the woods, to usfull not to have it. I have taken many spruce grouse and a couple of rabits with it.Nice and quiet when out hunting big game, no shot to scare them away. Usually a target of oppertunity. I throw hawk alot and the targets are usually playing cards stappled to a round wood block. I have several 8" rounds along a trail that are on the ground that we practice throwing at.With small game it does not matter if you hit with the edge or not, the impact knocks them down and ussually kills them instantly.

 

[crockett]

Nothing yet, I have thought about it for wild hog hunting where the dogs have grabbed the hog- only trouble is if you miss (swing-don't throw) you could drive the hawk into you leg. :shocked2: Ouch!

 

[tg]

".I have read about methods of improving the striking portion with some minor carving on the sides."
Good Lord don't tell me they are putting peep sights and scopes on these to !!!!

 

[trent/OH]

A few years ago I had a goofy looking buck walk by me on the edge of a field while I was scouting. It was bow season, but not gun. I didn't know the law, so I didn't throw. When I asked the game warden awhile later, he told me it would have been illegal. Quite framkly, I doubt I could have inflicted a lethal wound on the deer with a thrown hawk.
The times I've tried to throw at a rabbit one end or the other of the tomahawk struck the ground and ruined the throw.

 

[Bob Riegl]

:nono: It certainly hurts me to see people take out their aggression on a defenseless cat. I agree that cats should be owned, loved, cherished and kept indoors. But it hurts to hear of incidents such as this. JMHO--- :hmm: