Lower Alabama Creek Style

by Dan Hutchison, Apalachee Archery. Posted with his permission.

      I'm mixed blood Muskogee[Creek] from south Al. , this is the style my grandfather and great uncle's taught me to make as a child in the 1940's & 50's.

Material:
Wood, 20" x 1" x 1/2" (main board)
Wood, 3" x 1" x 1" (peg block)
Dowel, 5/16" x 1 1/2"
Leather thong, 9" long

Construction:

• 6" from the peg end, start tapering the board down to 1/2" wide at the handle.
  
  
• Cut and shape the peg block, leaving about 1/2" flat on top.
  
  
• Glue the peg block onto the main board, clamp, and let dry.
  
  
  
• Alternate: Instead of using two pieces of wood, you could cut the rough shape out of one piece (a 2x4 would work nice). Seems like a waste of wood, though, which is why I suggested 2 pieces and gluing them.
  
  
  
• Drill a 1/8" hole though the handle, 5" from the end.
  
  
• Drill a 5/16" hole into the peg block at a 40 degree angle, about 1" deep.
  
  
• Round off all edges and sand smooth.
  
  
• Round/taper one end of the dowel peg. Put glue in the hole and insert the flat end, pushing it in firmly.
  
  
• Put the thong through the hole and tie it in back.

The original has an antler peg, a bow-style thong grip, and a rock weight tied on just ahead of the peg block.

---

Atlatl Designs | Home