6. Hunting Animals
The
Natives hunted all types of animals, from big game like bear and elk, to foul
like turkeys and geese. They also trapped smaller creatures like rabbits, beaver
and squirrels but the most valued and utilized animal was the deer. They often
hunted them with bows and arrows and also by herding them in one direction using
fences, and killing many at one time. After eating the meat they would use every
other part for something. The bones and antlers would be used to make tools; the
hides would be made into clothing through painstaking procedures. After all the
fur had been removed, the skins were boiled and rubbed with a mixture of the
brains; the final step was smoking the leather over a small fire with plants
high in tannin. The end result was a soft light weight material that could be
made into things from pants to moccasins. The sinew and guts were used for
sewing and binding, and the hooves were used to make glue.
