Hunting is an activity that has been taking place for thousands of years, and though over the years it has changed in the way it is done and with the equipment being used, it is fundamentally the same thing.
There are many different types of hunting that take place and there are different groups of animals that are hunted. Big game hunting involves large animals such as moose, bison, deer and boar, while small game hunting will involve smaller animals such as grouse, rabbit, and hare.
Find hunting news and information at Hunting Illustrated, which is full of great advice and articles. Below we have compiled a list of some of the strangest facts about hunting, many of which you may probably have never heard of.
1. Defined gender roles
Hunting may have played a role in establishing the first gender roles. While females stayed in a shelter and cared for their offspring, males had to be effective when hunting in order to gather the food necessary for their families. Nowadays, both men and women enjoy hunting as a sport.
2. Cheetahs trained for hunting
According to Wikipedia, the ancient Egyptians trained cheetahs for the purpose of hunting. Their speed and agility were seen as very important factors when it came down to hunting prey.
3. Bison hunting for the wrong reasons
The hunting of bison in the U.S. during the 1800s was purely for the purpose of restricting the food supply of the Native American Indians. This period of hunting almost led to the bison’s extinction.
4. No child support = No hunting
According to the Texas state website, if you are divorced with children and enjoy taking part in hunting, then you had better make sure that you are up to date when it comes to paying child support. If you don’t pay, you won’t be allowed to renew your hunting license.
5. It’s in the eyes
Cats are natural predators, and the main reason that their eyes have vertical pupils is so that they can increase their depth perception, especially when hunting at night. Snakes also have vertical pupils which aid them when hunting for food.
6. Human sacrifices for successful hunting
In order to have a successful hunting season, human sacrifices were performed by the Aztecs. These were done in honour of Mixcoatl, who was their god of hunting.
7. Going at it like rabbits
In Australia in the 1850s, English settler Thomas Austin released 24 rabbits onto his land. He stated that a few rabbits wouldn’t do much harm and might even allow him to enjoy a spot of hunting, which he had done back in the United Kingdom. By the 1920s, the estimated rabbit population in Australia was around the 10 million mark.
8. Hunting with a boomerang
The boomerang was actually used by the native Aborigines in Australia as a tool for hunting, in addition to being used as a handheld weapon and a musical instrument. During hunting, the boomerang was used to get birds to flock together and fly towards the hunters who would be waiting to ambush them. It wasn’t actually used as a weapon.
9. Origin of the term sniper
The name “snipers” was one that was originally used when referring to skilled hunters. These hunters were able to shoot a snipe, which was a breed of game bird that was famous for its very erratic flight and the ability to camouflage itself. If a hunter was skilled enough to kill a snipe, the marksman earned the right to be known as a sniper.
10. The 1st License
The first deer hunting license was sold in New York in 1864. By selling permits and licenses, states could generate revenue, and this was something that President Roosevelt helped many states to accomplish.
11. Surprising Animal Activists
Believe it or not, but the Nazi’s were very strong animal activists and were against cruelty to animals and hunting. Nazi Germany was actually the first country to ban vivisection, as well as the shoeing of horses.
12. Hunting animals to extinction
By the 1800s in Great Britain, the huge amount of hunting that was taking place led to the extinction of a number of species. Wolves became extinct by 1770 due to overhunting.
13. Hunting with dogs
In Ancient Egypt, dogs were used for the hunting of gazelles. Hunters in the country were also seen as a different class where they hunted for themselves, as well as for nobility.
