Hunting+Styles+of+North+American+Natives

Ben Welch American Indian Studies 210 Hunting Styles of North American Natives    In the ancient native culture there were many things that the Indians needed to do in order to stay alive and thrive. They needed to find a way to sustain their culture and provide for their families. In order to do this they had to create different tools in order to give them opportunities for success. They would then use these tools to stalk and hunt animals which ranged in all forms and sizes. Such animals would include deer, bear, bison and many smaller creatures that are rabbits, squirrels and many others. Hunting was an absolute must for the natives because it provided many resources such as food, blankets, and more importantly tools. In this document I will talk about the different ways natives would hunt and some of the tools they would use. First the natives had to construct the tools that they would be using to hunt and kill the animals. Today the tools that everyone relates the Indians with are stone clubs or axes. Stone clubs were durable and could withstand the elements. This tool was often heavy and would offer a killing blow if the animal was struck. The rock would usually be attached to a wooded branch that would be firm enough to withstand large forces. Battle axes would also be made the same way, but they would have more of a sharpened edge to them in order to cut. Natives would also make tools out of wood and leather. The bow and arrow was also another great invention for the natives. Archeologists believe that the bow and arrow was a newer method of hunting and was used around 1200 years ago. Since the natives have been around for 13,500 years this is a relatively newer method. Is order to make a functional bow the natives had to learn what type of wood is the best in order to get the right amount of flex. Then they would use a firm branch to make the arrow which would usually come from oak trees. They would either sharpen the tip or they would attach an arrowhead on the end and fasten it with leather. These methods are some of the most primitive in the ancient Indian culture. Now that we have looked at ways the natives have built their tools we will now look at some of the ways that they hunted and stalked their prey. The natives had many different techniques that they used in order to catch and kill their prey. One of the methods that the hunters used was to get a large group together and find an animal. Once the hunters located an animal such as a deer or elk, they would circle around the animal and chase it back and forth. This would confuse the animal and then it would become over exhausted and fall. Once the animal would fall the hunters could move in to take the animal. When bison hunting, the natives would use a somewhat similar tactic but would use more advanced tools. When the natives invented the bow and arrow they found it to be a more sufficient method of taking animals. When the hunters found a herd a bison they had two methods that they would commonly use. The first was a stalking method where the men would first locate a young calf or a weak member of the herd and try to single it out. When they had successfully singled it out they would use their bows and spears to take the animal. The other more effective way of taking bison was to ride horses through a herd and basically perform the same hunt. Only this method was more efficient because the horses were quick and could run with the animals and allow the hunters to place accurate shots. Finally the hunters had a hunting style that would most likely be considered the most gruesome. Depending on the location of the tribe and what type of animals they are hunting, the men could also chase the animals off of cliffs and gather the remains. This way was usually not considered to be the first choice but was used as a last option. With all the information about Native Indians we can see that they had many different hunting styles and techniques. All the tribes hunted with many different tool and styles which would allow for efficiency. Today many people still hunt the same way and with a form of the same tools. For example we can see that Bow and Arrow still in use and a very high percentage of regular hunters use them. So we can thank the natives for supplying the world with tools for the means to gather food.  · "Native Americans - Adapting to their Changing Environment." //Kidport Home Page//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. .  -This site talks about the native culture and also some hunting styles that the natives used in their traditional culture. -This site discusses other hunting styles and techniques. It also talks about some of the tools that were used. · "Native Americans History, Way of Living, Method of Traveling, Hunting Style." //Native Americans History, Way of Living, Method of Traveling, Hunting Style//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . -This site talks in depth about the history of the American Indians and covers many of the methods they used. It also looks at the they ways natives traveled and also some of their hunting styles. -This site lists all the information concerning artifacts, cultures, habitats, etc. It is a good source for looking at all types of information.  -This site talks more about the general culture of Native Americans. It is an all around informational site that covers Natives. · "Native Americans." //Comcast.net: Personal Web Pages//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011.  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This site looks into the total history and culture. It also covers hunting and gathering styles of the native population. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This site looks in depth at the hunting styles and talks about the primitive styles that they would use to hunt and kill animals. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Native American Food: Agriculture, Hunting and Gathering, Fishing, and other American Indian food sources." //Native American Language Net: Preserving and promoting indigenous American Indian languages//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.native-languages.org/food.htm>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This site discusses specific foods that the native tribes had and also some techniques that they would use in order to gather the foods. It compares some of the traditional methods that were used and also some of the newer ones. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This site talks specifically about the Cherokee tribe and some of the weapons they made and used and also many of the types of tools that were used in battles and while on hunting trips. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This site looks in depth into at the specific weapons that were used and how they were used. It compares and contrasts the different styles that were used. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This site looks at the comparison of food gathering by native tribes in Illinois. It also covers history and other important traditional methods. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Clovis Hunting Strategies, or How to Make out on Plentiful Resources <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Nicole M. Waguespack and Todd A. Surovell //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">American Antiquity //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Vol. 68, No. 2 (Apr., 2003), pp. 333-352 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-This article investigates the difference between foraging and the organized hunting of large terrestrial animals. It contrasts the two lifestyles and comments on the effectiveness and failure of each one. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Interaction, Spacing Behavior, and the Organization of Hunting Bands <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Edwin N. Wilmsen //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Journal of Anthropological Research //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Vol. 29, No. 1 (Spring, 1973), pp. 1-31 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-In this paper the organization and relationships of hunting bands are explored. Aspects such as spacing, technique, and locations are explored in depth to truly show how the hunting bands interacted with their environment and one another. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Spears, Darts, and Arrows: Late Woodland Hunting Techniques in the Upper Ohio Valley <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Michael J. Shott //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">American Antiquity //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Vol. 58, No. 3 (Jul., 1993), pp. 425-443 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-In this article, the transition from spear and dart hunting to using bow and arrows is explored. The article compares the effectiveness of the different types of hunting implements as well as how the switch to bow and arrows increased hunting efficiency. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Hunting by Hohokam Desert Farmers <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Christine R. Szuter //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Kiva //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> Vol. 56, No. 3, Hohokam Ethnobiology (1991), pp. 277-291 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-The hunting strategies of the Hohokam are explored in this article. These strategies include the reliance on small and medium sized animals as well as the importance of cottontails and jackrabbits. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Isenberg, Andrew C.. //The destruction of the bison: an environmental history, 1750-1920//. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This book investigates the bison hunting strategies employed by North American Indians. These strategies include directing a stampede of buffalo toward a bluff using fire and other methods as well as hunting buffalo on horseback. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hauptman, Laurence M., and James Wherry. //The Pequots in southern New England the fall and rise of an American Indian nation//. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1990. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This book includes information about the hunting strategies of the Pequot Indians in New England. It comments on what types of animals their diet mainly subsisted upon as well as how these various animals were hunted. <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Richard Irving Dodge. The Hunting Grounds of the Great West - A  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Description of the Plains, Game, and Indians of the Great North American <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Desert, Second Edition, published by Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1878, 448 Pages <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This book gives a first-hand look at the Native American tribal life, which includes their hunting life. It comments on their propensity for hunting and the various tactics that they employ when hunting game. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-This is the picture of the bow and arrow. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Denton. //Indian Hunting Bison//. N.d. none, none. //Real Cool Art Prints//. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. -This is the image of the native shooting the bison.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Native American Stone Tools used for hunting and preparing food." //NativeNet - Dedicated to literature of Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.native-net.org/na/native-american-stone-tools.html>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Ancient Native American Indian Artifacts, Relics and Arrowheads - Museum Page." //Ancient Native American Indian Arrowheads, Indian Artifacts and other ancient Indian relics - Home Page//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.westernartifacts.com/museum.htm>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Native American Cultures." //Academic American History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.academicamerican.com/colonial/topics/nativeam.htm>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Fulton, Matthew. "Native American hunting techniques - by Matthew Fulton - Helium." //Helium - Where Knowledge Rules//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.helium.com/items/1826290-native-american-hunting>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Cherokee society." //Cherokee resources, Cherokee genealogy, Cherokee religion//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.cherokeebyblood.com/chersociety.htm>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Cherokee Indians: Weapons and Warfare." //Thomas' Legion: The 69th North Carolina Regiment//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://thomaslegioncherokee.tripod.com/cherokee_indian_weapon_indians_weapons_war_and_warfare_photo_photos.html>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Native Americans:Historic:The Illinois:Economy:Food:Hunting and Fishing." //Welcome to the Illinois State Museum--Illinois State Museum//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/nat_amer/post/htmls/ec_huntfish.html>.
 * <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Gordy. //Long Bow with Arrow//. 201. Florida Center for Instructional Technology, none. //Clip art ETC//. Web. 16 Apr. 2011.