Spear Hunting

Early man depended on hunting for survival. Hunting for animals provided him with food and clothing. Since there were no guns or other weapons in those days our ancestors had to rely on the weapons made by their own hands. Archaeologists have found a variety of weapons from pre-historic times. Spears and knives made of stone have been unearthed. A spear is basically a pole-like weapon with a sharp head. It has a long shaft which is generally made of wood. The spearhead may be made of stone as in pre-historic times or of metal like iron or bronze. Historians have adequate evidence to show the early man used spears for hunting.

A spear is usually heavy and is used for thrusting by one hand or using both hands. It can be used for hunting down large as well as small animals.

A javelin is a lighter version of the spear; it is used for throwing and hunting animals at a distance. Using spears for hunting
is not just a thing of the past. Spear hunting is now being taken up as a sport by adventure lovers. Animals such as feral pigs are hunted using spears. Some African tribes use spears for hunting fish. There are various kinds of spears for hunting. They are of basically two types – one type which is thrown and the other kind which is not thrown. Arbir ,  Awl pike , Boar spear, Ranseur, Sarissa, Sibat ,Trishula Brandistock belong to the former category while Angon, Bhala , Bilari , Chimbane , Huata, Jarid are some of the spears belonging to the latter.

However, having a spear does not make one an able hunter. One has to learn the skill involved in using the spear correctly. Spear hunting requires good balance, aim and strength to maneuver the weapons. There are a number of spear wielding methods. For example, the spear is thrown while running, and while releasing the foot opposite to the arm holding the spear is forward. Another
method that involves swinging the spear is making the blade cut open the opponent’s flesh.