Saxton Pope - Yahi Archery.pdf - Primitiv-bogen.de

126 University of California Publications in Am. Arch, and Ethn. [Vol. 13HUNTINGAt a very early period in our association with the Yahi, we undertook various little hunting excursions, and upon two occasions wentupon extended trips into the mountains.In shooting small game, such as quail, squirrels, and rabbits, Ishiwas very proficient. His method was that of still hunting; walkingover the ground very quiet and alert, always paying particular attention to wind, noise, and cover. He was indefatigable in the persistencewith which he stalked game, and seldom left a clump of brush in/which he knew or suspected the presence of game, until all means ofgetting it had been tried.His vision was particularly well trained, and invariably he sightedthe game first. This acumen was manifest also in the finding of arrows.Ishi nearly always could find a shaft in the grass or brush where weoverlooked it.He shot rabbits as close as five yards. On the other hand I haveseen him shoot a squirrel through the head at forty yards. The usualkilling distance was between ten and twenty yards. Game was nearlyalways shot while standing still, although an occasional rabbit was shotrunning. Arrows striking these small animals frequently passed completely through them. Death did not always result from the firstand one or more additional arrows were sometimes necessary toshot,kill.If a rabbit were shot and caught, Ishi would break all its legs withhis hands, then lay it on the ground to die from the shock.This seemsto have been a hunting custom, and he seemed to dislike having theanimal die in his hands. Later, he adopted, with us, the more humanemethod of tapping his game on the head to kill it.Animals shot at do not always become alarmed, should the arrowmiss them, but often permit several shots to be made. Quail struckwith an arrow in fleshy parts, sometimes fly, or attempt to fly. withthe missile transfixing them, and are only detained by its catching inthe brush or foliage of trees.In hunting deer, Ishi was particularly careful in the observance ofseveral essential precautions. He would eat no fish on the day priorto the hunt, because the odor could be detected by deer, he said ;norwould he have the odor of tobacco smoke about him.The morning ofthe hunt Ishi bathed himself from head to foot, and washed his mouth.Eating no food, he dressed himself in a shirt, or breech clout. Any\