# Native American Targets



## tmarch (Jun 7, 2002)

buffalo:wink:
Seriously the heads they shot were pretty expendable & actually didn't suffer that much from hitting dirt. Wish all I had to do was hunt, bet a fella could get pretty good at it since your life might depend on it.


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## cbmac (May 24, 2006)

Interesting question. This is the only thing I could find so far.

This is not only a target, but a means of choosing arrows for good penetration.
http://www.sierracanyon.pvt.k12.ca.us/school/chumash/games.html

I think I'll keep looking.

CBMac


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## don s (Mar 7, 2003)

the white man


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## peace (May 25, 2006)

*lol*



don s said:


> the white man


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## double_lung_ya (Jun 13, 2006)

don s said:


> the white man


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## preyquester (Feb 3, 2004)

eachother ..


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## Selil (Sep 5, 2005)

The didn't have seasons, restrictions, and only a couple methods of keeping food for a period of time. So, I imagine they hunted daily if not weekly at the family unit level. Practice WAS the hunt in other words.


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## Dagdamor (Jul 14, 2006)

what tmarch said "Seriously the heads they shot were pretty expendable & actually didn't suffer that much from hitting dirt." all they had to do was shoot at a general area in a mound of dirt, i think the actual term is a hummock


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## Okie1bow (Jul 26, 2006)

*Corn Stock Bails*

Primitive shooters get together to this very day and have "corn stock shoots". 4 poles are place in the ground making a target about 5 ft. wide X 2ft. deep X 4ft high filled with dried corn stocks. Practice shots at them are always at unknown distances but almost always > 80 yds. I've been to several. Not my most fun shooting style but it is authentic. Thanks, Bill W.


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## sunaj (Jul 24, 2006)

From my reading of one particular Indian culture, namely ishti, he wasn't really a great bowshot, decent yes, pretty good at short range; their tackle wasn't anywhere as well made as modern standards, choice of material limited, and they depended on hunting skills and getting close rather than being great bow shots s


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## cbmac (May 24, 2006)

*Got some info*

Yesterday, I met an anthropologist specializing in North American Indians. He has the answer.

Many small bows with arrows are commonly found in the excavations of Indian sites. They are not toys. They are for boys to begin learning archery. They shot at targets made in different sizes for kids of different ages. The target was made of twigs bent in a circle and tied together. There was a cross through the center, also made of twigs. The boys shot through the target into the ground.

He also told me something very interesting about the Indian arrows. Each archer would make a distinctive carved mark on his arrows. This was important because after a hunt, the archer who hit the game would be rewarded with increased status... I guess that hasn't changed.

CBMac


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## Dropzone2006 (Feb 18, 2006)

im pretty sure the notch in the arrow thing is what started the cresting trend of todays standards


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## cbmac (May 24, 2006)

*Notches in arrows*

It's not easy to put a notch in a carbon arrow. Wrecks the spine.

CBMac


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## lwilt (Apr 6, 2006)

tmarch said:


> buffalo:wink:
> Seriously the heads they shot were pretty expendable & actually didn't suffer that much from hitting dirt. Wish all I had to do was hunt, bet a fella could get pretty good at it since your life might depend on it.


 Maybe you should try making obsidean arrow heads. I doubt you would waste any.


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## lonewolf05 (Aug 2, 2006)

Actually we indians did shoot at targets. Indians lived or died on the skill of the bow. Cornstalk shoots still take place today. As already said you shoot beyond 80+ yards, and score on hits AND dept of penetration(no# of stalks pierced). They used different bow for different needs, 70-80# for war, 50# hunting,lighter weights for targets, which included thrown, rolling, swinging, and the afore mentioned round hoop. Read "CHEEROKE BOW AND ARROWS# by AL HERIN. Oh and we did shoot whitemen too:wink:


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## cabooser (Jul 28, 2005)

"Oh and we did shoot whitemen too"

Apparently not enough of 'em!! The dang things are everywhere!!


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## Matatazela (Mar 1, 2005)

lwilt said:


> Maybe you should try making obsidean arrow heads. I doubt you would waste any.


 That would be like you or me practising with hunting broadheads - costly and wasteful. I bet there were special practise arrows or at least field points.


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