Primitive Hunting: 5 Tools That You Can Use

Hunting for food has been around for a millennia and is a fundamental skill to learn if you are a survivalist.

To off-gridders, it can be the best way to supplement a diet when you can’t get meat from your livestock. You don’t need advanced tools to hunt because not even the pioneers had them.

Different tools and techniques are used in hunting varying animals. In this article, we will describe 5 tools you can use for primitive hunting.

Some of them are not necessarily tools but skills to help you achieve your goals. Keep reading to find out all the details.

Why Should You Know Primitive Hunting?

Most hunters of today use compound bows, modern tree stands, and/or blinds.

Some of them even wear camouflaging suites or block their scents so that the animals may not notice them. If that is the case with you, then you are a modern hunter.

There is nothing wrong with being a modern hunter. In fact, it is more effective and rewarding. But have you thought of primitive hunting?

You don’t necessarily need a compound bow or guns to be a successful hunter. As a survivalist, you can trap or wound animals with only a spear or any other primitive tool.

Many people who are interested in primitive hunting do so to revive their skills. If you don’t understand the essence of learning these old hunting skills, think of a situation when you get lost in the jungle.

Somehow, you have to hunt just to survive. You may also not have access to modern tools, however, that doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the world.

You can still use primitive tools to efficiently hunt and bring meat home. As a primitive hunter, you should learn skills such as tracking animals, reading signs, and understanding their behavior.

That is done by studying their footprints and recognizing their droppings.

Primitive hunting makes you a more complete person who can survive in every challenging situation. In fact, you become a more efficient modern hunter if you also have these old skills.

5 Primitive Hunting Tools You Can Use

Primitive hunting is unique in the world. It allows people to adapt to the dynamism of the world and improve survivability.

However, you should also understand how to use simple tools to achieve it. In this section, we will explain the five most common primitive hunting tools and skills for everyone.

Be ready to learn and enhance your hunting skills.

A Wooden Club

A wooden club is one of the essential primitive hunting tools used by the Aboriginal people.

It is best described by its weighty punch that can immediately immobilize a game animal if aimed at the skull. This tool is also used in crushing and breaking anything, not just hunting.

A wooden club is shaped with a bulbous head and slim handle. It is this shape that makes it possible to be thrown at game animals during hunting.

Once you have spotted your target, you stealthily move close enough to accurately aim at the head.

This primitive tool can produce large enough force to crush the skull of just about any game animal, giving you an easy and delicious meal.

Once it hits the animal, it either dies instantly or becomes unconscious. If the latter is true, then you can use a hunting knife to finish the business.

How To Make A Wooden Club?

To make a wooden club, you need a hardwood branch measuring 2.5 by 12 inches.

You can change these dimensions to suit your needs. Also, you will need a knife, string, and sandpaper for shaping and smoothing.

Remove the outer back of the wood branch or log. Once done, use medium or fine-grit sandpaper to evenly smooth it.

Mark further up, about the size of your hand. Carve down the other end to fit into your palm when holding for a better grip. You want to make sure that you can get a good grip on your wooden club.

This last step is optional, but it is just to give a little comfort when holding. Wrap the string tightly around the shaped handle section. You can use glue or tape to stick it together and ensure you achieve at least one layer.

A wooden club meant for hunting is better if carved down to appear like a wooden sword. However, that will make it lighter and less useful as a mallet, which is the modern-day use of the tool.

Bow & Arrow

Bows and arrows are popular. Most kids raised off the grid are conversant with them and even make these tools from flexible wood pieces and strings. Some of us might have that experience.

For many centuries, people relied on bows and arrows to protect themselves from enemies. They are still used today, although the design has changed. The modern bow and arrows are more reliable than in the past.

Another use for bows and arrows is hunting. The success of this tool depends on how it is made.

You should carefully choose the appropriate materials such as flexible wood and a string for the bow. That ensures it doesn’t break when in action. Hickory and bamboo are the preferred trees to use when making a bow and arrow.

There is a bit of flexibility in making the string. You can choose just any cordage that you find, provided it gives you the best results.

For a more efficient primitive bow, you may need to consider natural fibers such as linen and hemp. These are very strong and provide the propulsion force to drive the arrow.

Club Corp Archery Shoulder Back Quiver

How To Use A Bow And Arrow For Hunting.

Using a bow and arrow for hunting is not for all. It is a skill you learn through continuous practicing to master the art of aiming at your target.

Remember, the aim is to hit it and cause injury. That doesn’t come by hitting any other point but vital organs that will immobilize the animal.

Learn how to shoot a bow and arrow to increase your chances of returning home with game meat.

If you miss, you lose the target. Plus, we don’t think you will be lucky to have many opportunities. Therefore, it is better to become an accurate shooter before going out hunting.

Pitfall Traps

Pitfall traps have been used for centuries. Pioneers or primitive people relied on them to trap game animals for meat. However, things have changed and they are used differently today.

Pitfall trapping is widely used in the estimation of the animal population in the wild. Through the captured ones, it is possible to tell their spatial distribution patterns and estimate their number.

It also helps to study the seasonal occurrence of some animal species.

In general, pitfall traps are used for the following reasons:

• Capturing animal species that are not easy to catch with other methods.
• Estimate daily activities of different animals.
• Understand the microhabitat use.
• Determine the movement patterns of specific animal species.
• Estimate the relative abundances and species richness.

How To Make A Pitfall Trap

This is a simple primitive hunting technique. You don’t need any specialized skills or training to set up a pitfall trap.

All you need to do is dig a hole in the ground using a shovel or any other tool and then cover it with branches and twigs. You can also make a woven grass cover to blend with the surrounding.

The first step in making a pitfall trap is choosing the location. Consider a site near vegetation on the path of the animal you want to trap. Once it is identified, a hole is dug and covered.

The size of the pit depends on the target animal. The larger the animal is, the wider the pit should be. The idea here is to trick the animal into it and fail to rescue itself from the hole.

However, pitfall traps are not always effective and pose more danger to other untargeted animals.

Before the real target gets to the scene, other animals might pass by and fall into the trap. Also, you need to fill the hole once it has served its purpose.

Throwing Stick

A throwing stick is a modern term that refers to straight-flying hunting boomerangs.

They were mainly used for hunting but are also effective as weapons for self-protection. It is simply a rod with one pointed end. Some people may refer to this item as a spear,however, it is a little different than a spear.

This primitive tool was used by the Aboriginal people for hunting. Unfortunately, it became obsolete as more efficient, long-range tools became more prevalent.

They were not that helpful for fighting against human opponents, given their intelligence.

How To Use A Throwing Stick?

Unlike all other primitive hunting tools, throw stick moves on a straight path towards the target.

In other words, it is an effective tool for hitting large targets that are considerably raised from the ground.

Provided you have aligned yourself directly with the target, a throwing stick will pierce through it.

A throwing stick is usually constructed of wood, bamboo, bone, or antler. A becket, which is a short cord, is tied to the tail of the tool.

That causes the throwing stick to spin as it flies to maintain its straight flight path.

The range a throwing stick can go depends on the design, material used, and the thrower.

Some can go as far as 150-200 meters, producing enough force to break bones in the legs of large mammals. They were in use up to the late 19th century for hunting all kinds of game animals.

A throwing stick is not only for hunting. Additionally, it can be used as a digging tool for making fire pits, underground shelters, or uproot tubers for food.       

Spear

Spear hunting was a traditional method that is still in use today. In the United States, it is legal in the states of Alabama, Hawaii, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

However, the use of spears for hunting is restricted, and residents have to follow the rules. For example, Oklahoma permits it for gigging or frog hunting.

Spears are famous among outdoorsmen and survivalists. They are the people who understand how to use them for hunting and self-protection.

We also encourage you to possess one, even if you will not be hunting game animals with it. You can use it to fight your assailants.

11003 Survival Spear

How To Use A Spear?

A spear consists of a straight rod and a sharp metallic head used to inflict injuries to the target. A thrower holds the spear midway on the rod and aims it at the hunted game animal.

Some people even use spear throwers to give it more power if the target is far from you.

The success of spear hunting depends on your experience in using the tool. Learn how to throw a spear appropriately to hit the target and wound it.

Spears are currently used in sports and other cultural practices, though some communities still hunt with it. It is also used for security.

Wrapping Up

As a survivalist, you should learn how to use the primitive hunting tools discussed in this article.

We have stated some of the uses, how to handle them, and the procedure for making these tools. With the knowledge and skills, you can better adapt to an off-grid lifestyle.

We thank you for your time at the Em Offgrid reading this article. Please share with friends, and don’t forget to come back for our new posts on related topics.