Got bow, arrows and running shoes? Check. Got pronghorn? Nope.

[Charles Ek]

#6749

Some of you will know about the hunting technique called persistence hunting, in which an animal is pursued until it can no longer continue and can be dispatched at relatively close range. Apparently Antilocapra americana hasn’t read the articles. Here’s the latest in a series of unsuccessful efforts over the last few years:

‘Fair Chase’ redefines fair chase as fit hunters go primal

[Stephen Graf]

#54877

Well that was a little disappointing…

I have seen a documentary about the persistence hunters in Africa. When they get their animal, they walk up to it and simply dispatch it with a knife.

Why would the fellows in this article need a bow and arrow? Maybe if they left the bows and arrows behind, they could have run faster and tired out the animal.

The way it works, as I understand it, is that they don’t necessarily fatigue the animal, they cause it to over heat. In the documentary I watched, they ran the animal for over 24 hours straight before catching it. When they did “catch” it, it was just standing there. Could’t take another step as it was totally over heated. Can’t see how that would be good for the meat.

15 miles? I could have told them they wouldn’t catch it if they were only willing to go 15 miles.

Sorry. I’m feeling like a curmudgeon this morning.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#54998

Bizarre. I’m still not sure I entirely understand their motivation behind this, and I should probably drink a little more coffee before formulating a response. But my first thought is: a whole group of people attemping to ‘run down’ an animal, and it sounds like only one of them had a hunting license – is that actually legal in New Mexico?

[Etter1]

#55414

It’s pretty interesting from an anthropological perspective. I know this was common practice in Africa way back when.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#55430

Its a practice that is still used today in certain places, among susbsistence hunters. And I agree its interesting from an anthro perspective, but that was one of things I was confused about in the article – is this actually part of an anthropological study? The trailer for the film doesn’t explain anything either.

The article says, “They are, in effect, experimental anthropologists exploring a form of persistence hunting apparently known to ancient peoples.”

A little more context and detail would be helpful. So are these folks anthropologists, and is this info being looked at and accumulated for a scientific purpose? Or are they just a bunch of guys out there running down animals because they want to “see what it’s like?” I’m not sure how one can be an anthropologist “in effect” but I also tend to be a literalist, at times to my own detriment. 8)

[wahoo]

#56116

cool story about Paul Schafer – he did it but shot 1st then ran him down and killed him

[Author]

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