My point is: is a place where Ungoliant has spun her "unlight" and "mosters from before the sun" still dwell capable of having trees at all? Or do you have to have some "anti-trees" who do not process sunlight for living, but unlight? Are such at all possible?
And as his far-future-descendant ""Let us hunt some orc!"-Aragorn" Beren does do just that
.
Beren's band has no horses nor carts drawn behind them with their armory, so they have to have weapons that are resonable light, versatile and easy to carry in a woodland setting (one of the reasons imho why e.g. a Woodland elf like Legoslas has no sword but only a long knive with him - climbing up trees with a full sword is a little difficult (even if Gandalf and Thurin do manage it in the Hobbit)).
On the other hand, advantages can also be claimed for the atlatl. Atlatls are
used one-handed, so they can be used with a shield (Mason 1928; VanPool 2006),
fending stick (Geib 1990; LeBlanc 1999), or paddle in watercraft (Dickson 1985;
Mason 1885; Mau 1963; Raymond 1986). Atlatls are easier to use with heavy
gloves in cold weather, and less susceptible to wet weather (Mason 1885). The
heavier projectile thrown with an atlatl retains greater impact force (kinetic
energy, momentum) and penetration for big game and warfare (Dickson 1985;
Raymond 1986; VanPool 2006; Yu 2006). The larger points cause more
hemorrhage, the major killing mechanism of arrow or dart (King 1989). The
larger points on atlatl darts are more multipurpose, especially since they can be
mounted on a detachable foreshaft usable as a knife. An atlatl is a multipurpose
tool (depending on form and size): fending stick, club, dish, musical instrument,
fire-saw, canoe paddle, attached pressure flaker, or cutting tool (Gould 1970;
Raymond 1986; VanPool 2006). Atlatls are easier to make and maintain than
bows (Christenson 1986; Kellar 1955)
An atlatl's dart is better against orcs' thick skin than a mere arror - and while javelins would be even better, they are more difficult to carry in a woodland setting in reasonable amounts. Aztec fighters used war atlatl agains the Spanish with some success.
The Aztecs and the atlatl or dart thrower
www.mexicolore.co.uk
It is frequently claimed that they would have penetrated metal armor. This is not true, but most of the Spaniards would have worn lighter chain mail or leather and padded cotton armor similar to that of the Aztecs, and Garcilaso de la Vega, a veteran of Indian fights in Peru and Florida, complained that atlatl darts would pass clear through a man.