Hunting with a spear

[Thankful Otter]

I have been ask to tell this story here on the forum. Some of you are already aware of this, but for those who are not.

Our grandfather who is 76, lives in a cabin in the mountains during the summer months and then heads south during the winter months.

We had a group of young people come up last summer, to learn how one can live 100% off of the land.

I had to set this up so that you would understand. One young lady ask our grandfather and she was very serious, " was it pretty scary for you when you hunted those big polar bears with spears, before guns were invented ?"

 

[Thebear_78]

I've played around a bit with atlatl and dart. It's actually a pretty impressive weapon system.


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[DrMike]

Spears! :shock: Why, we used rocks and clubs! 8) Yeah, that was when men were men and women wore double-breasted suits. :? My grandchildren used to ask about my disfigured index finger on my left hand. I've always explained to them that this was bitten by one of the last saber-toothed frogs left in British Columbia. When they tell me, "There aren't any saber-toothed frogs in British Columbia," I carefully explain that is because I killed the last one. :mrgreen: Funnily enough, they don't ask about that finger much any more. :?

 

[Europe]

Cheyenne, do you remember Bill ( triple a ). He has passed away now, but after he retired, him and his wife traveled all the major river's in the world. When they traveled the Amazon River he tried his hand at using the poison dart weapons the natives used. He said some of the natives were very accurate with that form of weaponry.

Anyway Bear78, if you ever hunt the Amazon, you will be ready

Dr Mike, great story, love it !!

 

[DrMike]

Yeah, April, the finger is a somatic mutation resulting from a time when a country doctor x-irradiated that finger to kill a fungal infection when I was a wee tyke. The finger tip is that of a five-year-old boy and the remainder of the finger grew naturally. Somehow, that finger has always fascinating children. My story is more exciting for them than telling them that a country doctor experimented and the experiment failed. For a few, I've explained that I'm a mutant left behind as seed for a new race. That tends to get some worried looks from children that are slightly older--you can see the wheels turning as they ponder what I just said.

 

[truck driver]

Quote; we used rocks and clubs. The spear must have been too complicated to fabricate and learn how to use. :roll: :lol: :lol: Oh and the finger was mangled trying to chip out a spear point so that idea was abandoned also. :shock: :roll: :lol: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Guy Miner]

It's getting pretty deep here. Glad I'm wearing boots today... :mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

It's getting pretty deep here. Glad I'm wearing boots today... :mrgreen:

Boots? You may require waders before this thread is exhausted, Guy! :lol:

 

[truck driver]

You have to admit that we have fun with each other and no one gets too perturbed.

 

[Guy Miner]

Actually, hunting with a spear is something I'd like to try...

There are videos on you-tube, showing guys having success with the spear, often from tree stands, on a wide variety of game... Not sure what type of game I'd like to go for, but ya, I'd like to give it a try.

On the ground, after wild hog... Perhaps...

Guy

 

[truck driver]

Actually, hunting with a spear is something I'd like to try...

There are videos on you-tube, showing guys having success with the spear, often from tree stands, on a wide variety of game... Not sure what type of game I'd like to go for, but ya, I'd like to give it a try.

On the ground, after wild hog... Perhaps...

Guy

Guy I can see you doing that.

 

[Blkram]

I often tell people the reason that natives developed the bow and arrow was because testing grizzly bears with a spear to see if they had enough fat on their ribs for tasty bar-b-q was just too dangerous! Much safer to shoot first and ask questions later with this animal that likes to bite back.

And when your hunting partner hunts by Braille, it just adds to the excitement!

All kidding aside, hunting with a spear would definitely be adventurous. Hogs would be a blast.

 

[DrMike]

I seem to recall quite the outcry from the couch ninjas when an American speared a bear in Alberta this past spring. Also, hiding in the deep recesses of my darkened memory, is an account of a hunter in Louisiana who was cited for hunting deer with a spear. It would be a rush, but it does appear that it would generate rather strong reaction from granola crunchers and leaf lickers.

Consequently, Guy, while it could be fun to hunt hogs with a spear, I'm always impressed by those daring souls who rush in with a knife to dispatch hogs when the dogs have halted the beast. Now, that should get the heart-rate up! :shock:

 

[sask boy]

Gil may I bravely ask which hunting partner were you referring too that hunts by Braille :wink:.
My grandchildren asked how I received such a large scar on my left leg and I have told them the story of me hunting Alligators and fighting them in the jungles with my partner Chuck Norris. The 2 oldest now call me a fibber but my 2 year old told his Dad about it. Needless to say I got a cuff in the back of the head by my Son and advised that I shouldn't lie to my grandchildren I calmly explained that it is not lying it is just entertaining them :grin:.
He came back stating they would not believe me anyways and I then stated why not advising that he did until he was 9 years old guess what I got another cuff :mrgreen:.
Spear hunting would be very exciting especially from a ground blind but it sure was frowned upon as DrMike mentioned in his post.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Thebear_78]

http://www.atlatl.com

The atlatl and dart was very effective, rivaling the bow and arrow. It was better firvreslly big game as it penetrates very well. It was used on wooly mammoths, and even punched thru Spanish armor


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[DrMike]

We have watched demonstrations of the use of atlatl and dart at the Yukon Beringia museum on several occasions when visiting Whitehorse. Most interesting. It sure extends the reach and does present some formidable penetration.

 

[Thankful Otter]

Dr Mike, both inuits and non inuits can still both use a spear to hunt big game in the Territories. I don't think they changed the law in Alberta, at least not yet, but they may have and I just missed it. What are the regulations in B.C. ?

Surprisingly we do of course still use "spears" for fish and seals.

But the original and real humor here is how very young children see someone as old as my grandfather ( 76 ) and thinks he was around before guns were invented. I know I like to joke with Dr Mike, April and my grandfather about their age but make no mistake I have utmost respect for all three of them and all of our senior citizens.

 

[DrMike]

Senior citizen! Why, Cheyenne, I'm still a pup (a rather old pup, I suppose; but a pup nonetheless). My grandchildren question whether I was around at a time when we made fire with flint and steel. I let them continue in their blissful ignorance of reality. I was born the year after matches came into common use.

Alberta hasn't changed their law to exclude spears--yet. However, the socialists reacted quite negatively to the publication of the Youtube video, so I should imagine that it is only a matter of time until they legislate to exclude spears. I honestly don't know the law here in BC concerning the use of spears, though I suspect from my reading of legislation that it is excluded through definition of legal methods of taking game rather than through specific exclusionary language.