THE INVISIBLE HUNTERS

THESE HUNTERS CLEANSE THEMSELVES BY PUTTING WHITE SAGE IN HIS ARMPITS BEFORE SLEEPING. THEY ALSO MADE SURE TO BATHE AND NOT TO EAT BEFORE HUNTING. THE NORTHERN TRIBE CHIMARIKO LAID IN AN AMBUSH OF A SPRING AND SMEARED HIS BOW AND ARROW WITH YERBA BUENA TO MASK THE HUMAN ODOR FROM THE DEER. ISHI FROM THE YAHI TRIBE DID NOT EAT FISH THE DAY BEFORE HE HUNTED AND DID NOT SMOKE TOBACCO. IN OPPOSITION TO THIS TRIBE THE SALINANS CHEWED TOBACCO DURING HUNTING AS THEY BELIEVED THIS WOULD STUPIFY THE DEER.

ISHI DID NOT APPROACH AN ANIMAL ON THE WIND SIDE, BUT WALKED AROUND A MOUNTAIN TO GET TO THE ANIMAL. HE ALSO HUNTED QUAIL, RABBIT, AND SQUIRRELS. HE HID BEHIND THE ROCKS. HE ALSO PILED LARGE ROCKS ONTO A CAIRN WHICH HE HID BEHIND IN ORDER TO HUNT DEER AND OTHER ANIMALS. SOME OF THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIBES USED DEER HEADS TO DISGUISE THEMSELVES DURING THE HUNT.

PAUL CAMPBELL