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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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Halloween Hike held at Marr Park
The Washington County Conservation Board held its annual Halloween Hike at Marr Park Saturday.
The event was held on the Tall Tale Trail, where visitors heard a traditional Native American story at each station, and found fun activities to do along the way.
Randi Brase of Washington County Conservation said the attendance at the event was “outstanding.” Brase was in charge of one of the stations, dealing with spears and atlatls, which is a device used to hold a throwing spear or dart.
“We had the participants go back in time and get into the mindset that they are the hunters for their tribe,” Brase said. “They threw a spear at the mammoth first, without an atlatl. They noticed that to hit the mammoth, you had to get closer, which would be very dangerous for hunters, and you had to have a lot of force behind it, otherwise it would bounce off.”
However, when the kids threw the spear with the help of the atlatl, they were able to hit it from farther back, and the spears stuck in the mammoth with ease. Brase said this showed them why the atlatl was such an incredible tool and why it was used for so long.
Children practice throwing a spear with the help of an atlatl, a device Native Americans used to hold throwing spears so they could throw them farther. (Photo courtesy of Randi Brase)
Washington County Conservation Director Zach Rozmus poses for a photo at the Halloween Hike Saturday at Marr Park. (Photo courtesy of Randi Brase)
Volunteers Barb and Austin Donkersloot pose next to one of the activities available for children during the Halloween Hike Saturday at Marr Park in Washington County. (Photo courtesy of Randi Brase)
Washington County Conservation Naturalist Assistant Randi Brase poses next to the “mammoth” at the Halloween Hike Saturday at Marr Park. Kids tried to pierce the mammoth with a throwing spear, which they found much easier while holding the spear with an atlatl, a device Native Americans used to throw spears farther. (Photo courtesy of Randi Brase)
Volunteer Kim Prier builds a fire during the Halloween Hike Saturday at Marr Park in Washington County. (Photo courtesy of Randi Brase)
