re: What do you think the native Americans deer management consisted of

They would have decimated the animal populations if they had developed the tools to do so.

The whole "Indians were conservationists and only killed what they need" thing is a farce. At least from what I was taught.

I agree. It probably varies from tribe to tribe. Some tribes were more nomadic and had to move around whereas others could stay in one area and live off the land. I would think the ones that were nomadic killed whatever they could but the ones that were permanent would be a little more conservative and take only what they could use?

A little off topic but another book by Stephen Ambrose documented the Lewis and Clark journeys. There was a passage in there about how when they got to the Rocky Mountains they almost starved Not much game

Another encounter talked about how they killed a turkey and ate it and how bad it was. They had heard how good turkey was but this was terribleness. It was thought they actually killed a turkey vulture!

Think about scale. Population estimates pre-Columbia is a hard number to nail down, but some estimates put it at 10 MM native Americans. 10 MM people spread across NA is nothing. Each family could have killed all they needed, and never effect migrating herds.

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Imagine a toothache. No medicine for that. Tooth is coming out with no numbing

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Toothache, frick man. Imagine eating all that deer jerky without a toothpick. F that.

The thing that I quickly learned when I first started studying Natives was that they weren't all the same. Some seemed very intelligent and gave things deep consideration such as alliances, tribal leadership, honor, etc. However, some (possibly most) were living as cave men. Almost no technology, very primitive weapons, etc. They also lived a life of fear of other Indians. They would routinely raid and capture slaves from other indian bands. It was much more south american indian type life style than the Pocohantas indian we were raised on.

I have read that also about elk. Apparently, elk were a plains animal like Bison. And, there was a subspecies that lived in the forests of the eastern US.

But hunters basically drove them to the Rocky Mountains where they learned to adapt. The Bison weren't as adaptive, and they have functionally disappeared because of that.

Also, slightly off subject: the Ogallalah (sp) Aquifer on N TX, OK, Kansas, Nebraska is running out. Like, it has less than 50 years remaining under the most conservative estimates.

When it taps out, millions of center pivot acres will dry up and be abandoned (something like 15% of all the grain produced in the US).

Apparently the USDA already has a plan for a CRP type program to purchase easements from the farmers up there. The plan is to restore the native grass prairie and bring back free roaming herds of Bison and elk. Tens of millions of acres without fences or agriculture.

It's a plan that will go into place in like 50 years and take another 50 years to complete. But the plan has been written and is sitting on the shelf ready to go.

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you see my recent cooler thread? we need back pack coolers.... make it happen.

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I'm thinking about ordering one container of random stuff. Like stands, decoys, grills, soft coolers, etc. And just see what happens.

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Investors have started purchasing "water rights" kinda like mineral rights

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I applied for the right to withdraw 2000 gpm from the bayou that runs through our farm. I have no use for it. And I can't think of what the future use might be. But I figure I might as well get the right from the State of MS and then file it at the Courthouse with the deed. 150 years from now I might be remember as a genius.

Probably by some ungrateful SJW snowflake great, great grandkids who aren't allowed to say whether they're boys or girls. But, whatever.