Early hunter gatherers developed all kinds of devices to assist them in hunting large game animals. One of their innovations was large-scale traps made of rocks and wood that allowed them to concentrate migrating herds of bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and deer. Once concentrated by the traps, these animals became much easier targets for slaughter.
This volume by retired archaeologists from the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service provides new information on the archaeological remains of these traps in the Great Basin over the past 9,000 years. It provides important evidence on the design, construction, and operation of these large traps and the impact they had on the ancient cultures that used them.
With 58 color and black and white photos, 14 maps, and 14 tables, it is well illustrated for the lay reader. It is an important addition to the study of communal hunting practices and offers evidence from some of the oldest large traps in the world.
