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 the area used by the acculturated hunters. In eastern Brazil (Smith, 1976), individual mestizo hunters 

 conducted 76% of the outings, while two or more hunters conducted 24% of the outings among three 

 conununities of settlers along the Transamazon Highway. These studies suggested that among settlers 

 as well as traditional and acculturated indigenous peoples in the Neotropics, the vast majority of 

 hunting outings were conducted by individual hunters or pairs of hunters. 



Types of weapons . The type of weapons used by hunters will affect the size, amount, and 

 type of game harvested. Hunters at X-Hazil Sur used traps, rifles, and shotguns to harvest game. 

 Traps were used for 9% by individuals of the game taken (mean prey weight = 0.6 kg). Rifles were 

 used for 39% of the game (mean prey weight = 1.8 kg). Shotguns were used for 42% of the game 

 (mean prey weight = 5.9-21.4 kg). In general, traps and rifles were used for smaller prey and 

 shotguns were used for larger prey. However, 22 caliber rifles were used to kill prey up to the size of 

 a brocket deer (mean weight = 15.6 kg), while 12 gauge shotguns were used to kill prey as small as 

 the great curassow (mean weight = 3.1 kg). This indicated that Maya hunters did not follow a strict 

 rule about using more powerful weapons for larger game and less powerful weapons for smaller game. 



When questioned about how they selected the weapon to use for a particular prey item, Maya 

 hunters usually laughed and responded that they only had a single, very old gun from which to choose. 

 Further, hunters often could not know what size prey they would encounter during a hunting outing and 

 thus could not select one weapon over another. Thus, for most hunters at X-Hazil Sur, the only 

 question was whether their weapon could kill the prey item at hand. 



The best explanation about how hunters select their weapons may deal less with preferences 

 and more with what types of weapons are readily available. Hunters at X-Hazil Sur reported that due 

 to Mexican legislation the only nearby location to purchase weapons or ammunition was at M^rida, 

 about 250 km away. At Merida, State of Yucatan, licensed dealers offered a limited selection of items 

 to buyers with the necessary permits. Hunters at X-Hazil Sur indicated that 22 caliber rifles and 16 

 and 20 gauge shotguns were best for hunting and most easily obtained, but it is also possible that sales 

 of 12 gauge shotguns and larger caliber rifles were restricted by the Government of Mexico. Whatever 



