Hunting game

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Sep 22, 2005
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In a survival situation what hunting techniques would you use? Traps, throwing sticks, bow and arrows, spear, slings, or anything else? Just wondering what you feel would be best or most effective in catching game. Or what you feel most comfortable using.
 
would prolly start out using traps...

then hopefully I could make a spear/atlatl(spear thrower) and eventually a bow hopefully

but traps would prolly be the easiest to start with... just takes some cord and the knowledge of how to make them. and then they take care of themselves, you just check em, and you can do other things to survive instead of hunting.

with the other weapons you gotta practice with the specific set you've made, and it takes time to find sticks that will work well.
 
Most definatly would start with traps....then while they were sitting, waiting to snag something, I would be making a spear. John
 
Fishing. People don't seem to mention this much, but with a trot line your chance of success is better than terrestrial animal traps. Catfish lines are pretty easy to set out overnight also. Excellent source of protein.
 
All of the above. Start with the technique that will get food first, like a throwing stick or fishing. Once the belly is full, start working on the other means that are available to you.

One thing about hunting and trapping, is that it takes practice. Not only in how you kill or trap the critter, but in finding the critter to begin with and then getting around that critters defenses.
 
What about plant food!?!:D No trap, sharp point needed, just a bit of knowledge about what's eatable! :cool:

He he...

I agree with the traps, although it all depends on what's around. Grouse, partridge, pheasant? ground cages. Rodents/squirrels? snares. Small mammals, log falls and/or spiky things.

If there's fish around, fish traps are a GREAT way to get a week's worth of supper or at least minnow stew!

I'd probably go with a spear/gig after that and if I hadn't found my way home after that, start playing with the thrower.

The only reason I could think of needing to find food for more than a few days would be way out in the middle of nowhere and a broken leg.
 
In theory, trapping has the most potential. With squirrel snares, you should (theoretically) be able to get 1 for every 10 snares if the area is infested.
You can be trying to trap a whole lot more at once since you can spread your snares over more geographic area at once. You can't be in 2 places at once.

However, I would choose:
1. Firearm
2. Bow
3. Other projectile weapon
4. hand thrown rocks
 
In a survival situation what hunting techniques would you use? Traps, throwing sticks, bow and arrows, spear, slings, or anything else? Just wondering what you feel would be best or most effective in catching game. Or what you feel most comfortable using.

Most likely, the methods, for me anyway, would be determined by the habitat, animal population density, and materials available. As others have mentioned, a combination of food gathering methods should be considered. As always, I keep returning to the notion that good woodcraft skills are of prime importance, so you know what animals are about, what their habits are, how best to acquire them. Most of this is best learned before a situation arises that demands hunting for food. I suggest, as others have, starting with edible flora before moving on to the fauna. Most plants don't run away. Then start identifying animals and tracking them. Learn their habits. Fish, as also suggested, are an excellent source of nourishment for the time and energy expended. Learn to weave a fish trap basket, build a wier trap, make cordage and hooks/gorges. Learn to identify and catch bait. Active hunting is great since it gives you both an activity to keep your mind off a bad situation and also a possible source of food, but most novices do better with trapping critters and fish, and harvesting plants.

Codger
 
I'd set out some snares then go hunting under rotten logs for grubs which are very nutritious:

grubs.gif
 
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