NO. 10 SECOND REPORT ON FOLSOM COMPLEX — ROBERTS I5 



traces of an occupation level or camp were found at Folsom — only 

 the signs of the kill. In this respect it was like the bison pit. Since 

 most of the material scattered over the Lindenmeier site is so scrappy 

 in its nature, the discovery of partially articulated skeletons and 

 numerous whole bones was fortunate. Just why the dismemberment 

 of these animals had not been carried to completion can only be postu- 

 lated. They may have been killed shortly before the group moved from 

 the site and only such portions taken as could be disposed of imme- 

 diately. The camp possibly was oversupplied with meat and as a con- 

 sequence only the hides and choice cuts were removed. Then again, 

 they may represent a winter kill when pelts were the chief objective, 

 the winter coat being superior for robes or blankets." 



There is no evidence to show the manner of hunting or methods of 

 butchering. It must be borne in mind, however, that the period here 

 represented long antedates the era of the horse in North American 

 Indian cultures and that the chase had to be conducted on foot, the 

 practice in vogue among later peoples when encountered by the first 

 Spanish explorers in the Southwest.' This custom probably called 

 for greater cunning and skill, if not actual bravery, than did the 

 method of hunting after the horse became a prominent accessory in 

 the Plains cultural pattern. It was necessary for the hunter to get 

 close enough to the bison to use his stone-tipped weapons with success. 

 By analogy, on the basis of later customs, it may be suggested that 

 Folsom man erected brush-shelters or blinds close to the ponds and 

 watering places frequented by the bison and bagged the creatures from 

 ambush. Vicente de Saldivar Mendoca observed such a practice when 

 he visited the bufifalo plains in 1598 as sargento mayor of the Onate 

 expedition.' It is also possible that the hunters camouflaged them- 

 selves in a manner similar to that reported at a much later date by 

 Catlin. He described the way in which Indians covered themselves 

 with wolf skins and crawled on hands and knees to within a short 

 distance of the desired game and then killed it." Wolves were numerous 

 and commonly followed the herds of buffalo, the latter paying little 

 attention to their presence.'" Bones from the wolf were found here, 

 so that hunting in that fashion was not beyond the range of possibility. 



Butchering an animal the size of those represented l)y the material 

 from the bison pit would not be an easy task. It seems obvious that 



'Catlin, 1841, vol. i, pp. 253-254. 



'Espinosa, 1933, p. 137. 



* Bolton, 1916, p. 230. 



" Catlin, 1841, vol. i, p. 254. 



" Winship, 1896, p. 528. 



