| Perhaps one of the eldest activities on the face | | | | sport to a whole new level, capturing prey alive |
| of the planet is hunting. The history of hunting, as | | | | for sale or gladiatorial competitions. Only certain |
| a result, is also one of the most diverse. Hunting | | | | individuals were hunters, allowing the select men |
| for food has always been something that human | | | | to feed those in their community.The Third Era, |
| kind has had to do, dating back to the beginning | | | | The Middle AgesPerhaps one of the most |
| of any civilizations known to man.As a result of | | | | interesting times in the history of hunting, is the |
| this, there have been thousands of weapons and | | | | middle ages. This is the period in time where |
| devices used to hunt. The history of hunting is far | | | | hunting for food was a vital part of life for many, |
| more complicated than any other history in the | | | | though restricted. Rules on hunting, such as no |
| world, as it stretches so far into the past. In | | | | hunting in the King's Forest, was the first real |
| order to understand this history, you need to | | | | restrictions on hunting present in the world. Only |
| break down and study each era where hunting | | | | the rich prospered, and the surf classes hunted |
| has been a major part of life. While there are | | | | whatever they could, when they could for |
| exact time lines of when certain guns or weapons | | | | survival. Hunting, from boar to deer to fox |
| were produced, understanding the importance of | | | | hunting, became primary sports for the nobility of |
| hunting should be done on a far broader scale. | | | | the time frame. This started the trend of |
| There is much more to the history of hunting | | | | organized hunts for sport.Colonists to the New |
| than when the gun was created.The First Era, | | | | World required as much hunting skills as possible, |
| Pre-CivilizationIn this time frame, from before | | | | during this period of time, although they |
| great cities to the first starts of basic civilization, | | | | progressed quickly from relying on scavenging and |
| the human race survived on their skills of | | | | hunting to creating farms and plantations. Popular |
| scavenging and hunting. In cultures similar to those | | | | weapons for use in hunting during this time period |
| of the first era and pre-civilization, women had | | | | was forms of archery, slings and throwing spears. |
| the roll of caring for the home and preparing the | | | | The gun was also used, although it had not quite |
| food brought in by the men. Some portions of | | | | yet reached full levels of popularity.The Fourth |
| modern day Africa have conditions similar to this, | | | | Era, The Industrial PeriodOn the heels of the |
| where they do not have a great deal of money, | | | | Middle Ages was the Industrial period. This era |
| and a similar style of hierarchy. The men all | | | | stretched from beyond the 1700s until just after |
| learned how to hunt, and they held these hunts | | | | the start of the 1900s. The evolution of machines |
| daily to feed themselves. Unlike today, all hunting | | | | brought about great changes in hunting. Large |
| was for survival, and none of it for sport. All of | | | | farms became very popular, where livestock was |
| the materials from the killed animals was used, | | | | raised instead of the practice of hunting wild |
| from the bones to the pelt. Hunting was also a | | | | animals, downgrading hunting to only become a |
| method of determining who was the bravest | | | | past time. Guns, ranging from muskets to rifles, |
| warrior. The bravest would hunt the ferocious | | | | were being to be used extensively. Archery was |
| creatures that lived nearby their homes. These | | | | downgraded to sport use only, though it was |
| kills were a vital part of the early hierarchies.A | | | | very popular for tests of skill.Present DayThrough |
| wide variety of different weapons were used | | | | these stages of the history of hunting, humans |
| during this era, from slings to spears crafted of | | | | have perfected this activity, with a wide range of |
| wood and stone. For large prey, the hunters | | | | weapons. Archers, for example, have many |
| would work together in packs, similar to how a | | | | types of bows to choose from. Arrows are just |
| wolf hunts to bring down their quarry. The only | | | | as plentiful as bows, from metal to wood, with |
| trophies kept were antlers and teeth. Occasionally | | | | many different types of tips. Guns have evolved |
| the skulls would be kept as decoration or as | | | | the same way, with many types of bullets and |
| symbols of the clan or family group. This oldest | | | | guns for different types of hunting. Special guns |
| form of hunting was the basis in which the | | | | and equipment designed for moose hunting, for |
| present was formed.The Second Era, Growth of | | | | example, wouldn't be the same as deer hunting |
| CivilizationAs people gathered together and | | | | supplies.Competitive hunting, such as fox hunting, |
| civilization really began, the role of men as hunters | | | | is still greatly enjoyed by many people who |
| changed as well. Cities, by their very nature, | | | | prefer a little more action to their hunting. In the |
| require a variety of people with a lot of skills. | | | | modern world, safety and skill are the |
| There needed to be craftsmen and weavers, | | | | requirements for hunting, and it is open for |
| animal handlers and other trades so that | | | | anyone who is willing to learn proper weapon |
| everyone could have access to everything they | | | | handling and obtain all of the documents |
| needed. Instead of the split between men and | | | | necessary to hunt. Regulations on guns and |
| women, hunting became the task of those most | | | | hunting have been developed to prevent species |
| suited for hunting. These were usually always | | | | from going extinct. While hunting is still very |
| men, as it was looked down upon for women to | | | | popular, the modern day has a lot more |
| participate in this line of work.This was also the | | | | restrictions that in any other era in the history of |
| turning point where hunting becoming a sport. | | | | hunting.Each of these eras of the history of |
| Civilizations, such as the Babylonians, the | | | | hunting have done a lot for the sport and trade, |
| Egyptians, and the Romans all had their hunters | | | | giving it a rich heritage that shouldn't be forgotten. |
| and craftsmen. The Romans, took hunting as a | | | | |