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Hunting weapons are weapons designed or used primarily for hunting
game animal Game or quarry is any wild animal hunted for animal products (primarily meat), for recreation (" sporting"), or for trophies. The species of animals hunted as game varies in different parts of the world and by different local jurisdictions, t ...
s for food or sport, as distinct from
defensive weapon Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...
s or weapons used primarily in warfare.


Characteristics

Since human beings are lacking in the natural weapons possessed by other predators, humans have a long history of making tools to overcome this shortcoming. The evolution of hunting weapons shows an ever-increasing ability to extend the hunter's reach, while maintaining the ability to produce disabling or lethal wounds, allowing the hunter to capture the game. The spear was in use for hunting as early as five million years ago in hominid and chimpanzee societies, and its usage may go back even further. The spear gave the hunter the ability to kill large animals, at ranges as far as the hunter could throw the spear; the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
pilum The ''pilum'' (; plural ''pila'') was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about long overall, consisting of an iron shank about in diameter and long with a pyramidal head, attached to a wooden shaft b ...
, for example, had a range of . Spear throwing devices such as the
bâton de commandement Perforated baton, bâton de commandement or bâton percé are names given by archaeologists to a type of particular prehistoric artifact from Prehistoric Europe, whose function remains debated. The name ''bâtons de commandement'' ("batons of c ...
, woomera, and
atlatl A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to store en ...
extended that range even further by giving the hunter leverage to throw the spear faster and farther. The atlatl allowed a skilled user to throw a dart up to . Archaeological evidence of the atlatl has been found on all continents except for Antarctica. The atlatl was displaced starting in the late Paleolithic with the easier to make and use
bow and arrow The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was common ...
, which remains in common use today in both sporting and hunting. With the advent of accurate, reliable firearms, firearms became the weapon of choice. Each new evolution of hunting weapons extended the range and accuracy; a skilled hunter, with suitable equipment and good conditions, can take game at ranges of over 1,000 meters (1 km). Another hunting weapon, based on different principles than the spear, is the throwing stick. While at its simplest the throwing stick is just a heavy
club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...
thrown at the game, a well-designed throwing stick uses the principles of an
airfoil An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine. ...
shape and gyroscopic stability; the oldest of these dates back 200,000 years to ancient Poland. The ''kylie'', for example, Australian hunting
boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
in use into modern times, uses the bent shape and a symmetric airfoil cross-section to provide stability and low drag for long, accurate throws. Kylies do not return (a good thing, since they are large, heavy, and dangerous) but smaller, lighter versions, the classic boomerang, exhibit the classic circular path that made the boomerang famous. Boomerangs, of both the non-returning and returning variety, have been found in many ancient cultures, ranging from Egypt to North America. Other early weapons used for hunting include the
sling sling may refer to: Places * Sling, Anglesey, Wales * Sling, Gloucestershire, England, a small village in the Forest of Dean People with the name * Otto Šling (1912–1952), repressed Czech communist functionary Arts, entertainment, and media ...
, which allows small stones or metal balls to be thrown at much higher velocities than the arm alone, and the
blowgun A blowgun (also called a blowpipe or blow tube) is a simple ranged weapon consisting of a long narrow tube for shooting light projectiles such as darts. It operates by having the projectile placed inside the pipe and using the force created by f ...
. The South American blowgun's curare tipped darts, intended to paralyze small game, is very similar in function to modern capture guns, with the substitution of a
barbiturate Barbiturates are a class of depressant drugs that are chemically derived from barbituric acid. They are effective when used medically as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants, but have physical and psychological addiction potential as we ...
for the paralytic curare.


Usage and regulations

Hunting weapons are typically regulated by game category, area within the state, and time period. Regulations for big game hunting often specify a minimum
caliber In guns, particularly firearms, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel bore – regardless of how or where the bore is measured and whether the finished bore match ...
or
muzzle energy Muzzle energy is the kinetic energy of a bullet as it is expelled from the muzzle of a firearm. Without consideration of factors such as aerodynamics and gravity for the sake of comparison, muzzle energy is used as a rough indication of the de ...
for firearms. The use of rifles is often banned for safety reasons in areas with high population density, limited
topographic relief Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin word ...
, or for hunting on bodies of water where the danger of ricochet exists. Specific seasons for bow hunting or muzzle-loading
black-powder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Th ...
guns are often established to limit competition with hunters using more effective firearms. The state of Oklahoma, for example, has a three-and-a-half-month archery season, a 25-day muzzleloader season, and a 16-day modern gun season


History

The most popular hunting weapons during antiquity were the bow and the spear. During pre-history, prior to the invention of the bow, the most popular was arguably the
atlatl A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to store en ...
; archaeological finds of atlatls have occurred on all continents except Antarctica. Today, however, the most popular primitive hunting weapons are muzzleloading rifles. Whatever the choice of arms, primitive hunting weapons are used during special primitive weapon hunting seasons in many parts of the world Atlatls, consisting of a weighted stick with a flexible spear or dart, are one example of primitive weapons that are commonly used today. In the U.S., the Pennsylvania Game Commission has given preliminary approval for the legalization of the atlatl for hunting certain animals. The animals that would be allowed to atlatl hunters have yet to be determined, but attention is focused on deer. There are some who object, stating that the atlatl is rarely capable of a clean kill, resulting in undue suffering for the sport animal. As of 2007, only
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
allowed the use of the atlatl for deer hunting, with a few other states allowing its use for rough fish (rather than food or sport species), as well as some game birds and non-game mammals. Primitive hunting weapons are the only weapons permitted for some types of modern-day hunting. For example, the newly opened 2007 Florida Alligator Hunt specifically prohibits firearms due to the dangers of firing bullets around bodies of water, and recommends instead the use of a detachable-head harpoon for hunting alligators during the nighttime hours that hunting is permitted.Alligator hunting
A bang stick, a specialized type of firearm, is then often used to sever the spinal cord of the alligator just to the rear of the head. This kills the alligator immediately upon its being taken, as required by regulatory laws governing the hunt. *
Atlatl A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to store en ...
*
Bolas Bolas or bolases (singular bola; from Spanish and Portuguese ''bola'', "ball", also known as a ''boleadora'' or ''boleadeira'') is a type of throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, used to capture animals by enta ...
*
Blowgun A blowgun (also called a blowpipe or blow tube) is a simple ranged weapon consisting of a long narrow tube for shooting light projectiles such as darts. It operates by having the projectile placed inside the pipe and using the force created by f ...
*
Bow (weapon) The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was common ...
*
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
*
Cutlass A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of ...
*
Hunting sword A hunting sword is a type of single-handed short sword that dates to the 12th Century but was used during hunting parties among Europeans from the 17th to the 19th centuries. A hunting sword usually has a straight, single-edged, pointed blade typi ...
*
Crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fire ...
*
Harpoon A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument and tool used in fishing, whaling, sealing, and other marine hunting to catch and injure large fish or marine mammals such as seals and whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target ani ...
(for hunting marine mammals and Florida alligators) * Muzzleloader * Spear *
Slingshot A slingshot is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two natural rubber strips or tubes attached to the upper two ends. The other ends of the strips lead back to a pocket that holds the pro ...
*
Sling (weapon) A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone, clay, or lead " sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling or slingshot (in British English). Someone who specializes in using slings ...
*
Woomera (spear-thrower) A woomera is a wooden Australian Aboriginal spear-throwing device. Similar to an atlatl, it serves as an extension of the human arm, enabling a spear to travel at a greater speed and force than possible with only the arm. Name The word "woo ...


Firearms by type

Modern cartridge firearms are generally broken down into classifications based on their characteristics. Due to the vast number of laws regulating firearms in different jurisdictions, legal definitions may vary widely from the technical definitions provided here.


Rifles

Rifles are shoulder fired guns with
rifled In firearms, rifling is machining helical grooves into the internal (bore) surface of a gun's barrel for the purpose of exerting torque and thus imparting a spin to a projectile around its longitudinal axis during shooting to stabilize the pr ...
barrels, and provide the greatest accuracy and range of all hunting weapons.
Centerfire Two rounds of .357 Magnum, a centerfire cartridge; notice the circular primer in the center A centerfire cartridge is a firearm metallic cartridge whose primer is located at the center of the base of its casing (i.e. "case head"). Unlike rimf ...
rifles are generally used for killing big- game species. Rimfire rifles, such as the
.22 Long Rifle The .22 Long Rifle or simply .22 LR or 22 (metric designation: 5.6×15mmR) is a long-established variety of .22 caliber rimfire ammunition originating from the United States. It is used in a wide range of rifles, pistols, revolvers, smo ...
, are used for killing small-game species.


Shotguns

Shotguns were originally designed to fire multiple small projectiles in a single shot. This method is still used mainly for hunting small game, and, occasionally, for hunting deer with
buckshot A shotgun shell, shotshell or simply shell is a type of rimmed, cylindrical (straight-walled) cartridges used specifically in shotguns, and is typically loaded with numerous small, pellet-like spherical sub-projectiles called shot, fired throu ...
, but modern shotguns can also be used for bigger game (deer, bear, etc.) when loaded with
slug Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...
s. Hunting shotguns are shoulder-fired weapons, and are generally smoothbores, but guns designed to fire slugs may have rifled barrels. Shotguns are used for short range shooting, and are less accurate than rifles, though the ability to fire multiple projectiles makes them ideal for small, fast moving targets. Additionally, the shorter effective range of shotguns, measured typically less than when using shot or slugs, with a maximum slug travel range of a few hundred yards for missed shots, becomes a safety advantage when hunting in areas with high population densities relative to using rifles that may have a maximum bullet travel range of several miles for missed shots.


Handguns

Handguns are becoming increasingly popular for hunting. Intended to be fired with one or two hands, but lacking a shoulder support, handguns are more challenging to shoot accurately than a long gun (a rifle or shotgun). Hunting handguns differ from
defensive Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...
handguns in a number of ways; hunting handguns usually have longer barrels, better sights (often mounting telescopic sights or
red dot sight A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non- magnifying reflector (or reflex) sight for firearms, and other devices that require aiming, that gives the user a point of aim in the form of an illuminated red dot. A standard desig ...
s), and, depending on the game, will fire a much more powerful cartridge. Rimfire hunting handguns can be of any action type, but centerfire hunting handguns are dominated by the single shot and revolver actions, such as the
Thompson Center Arms Thompson/Center Arms was an American firearms company based in Springfield, Massachusetts. The company was best known for its line of interchangeable-barrel, single-shot pistols and rifles. Thompson/Center also manufactures muzzle-loading rifle ...
Contender.


Powerheads or bang sticks

A powerhead or bang stick is a device which fires a firearms cartridge or
blank cartridge A blank is a firearm cartridge that, when fired, does not shoot a projectile like a bullet or pellet, but generates a muzzle flash and an explosive sound ( muzzle report) like a normal gunshot would. Firearms may need to be modified to allow a b ...
in contact with the target, and relies primarily on the
muzzle blast A muzzle blast is an explosive shockwave created at the muzzle of a firearm during shooting. Before a projectile leaves the gun barrel, it obturates the bore and "plugs up" the pressurized gaseous products of the propellant combustion behind i ...
to kill the target. Powerheads are often attached to spears used for
spear fishing Spearfishing is a method of fishing that involves impaling the fish with a straight pointed object such as a spear, gig or harpoon. It has been deployed in artisanal fishing throughout the world for millennia. Early civilisations were famil ...
, or attached to a handle to make a bang stick, which is thrust (while still held) at the target. Bang sticks are often carried for
defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indust ...
against shark attack, but are legally required for alligator hunting in some areas.


Firearms by action

Firearms are often broken down further by the action type, which describes how the firearm loads and fires each cartridge.


Single-shot firearms

Single-shot firearms used for hunting generally fall into three categories: *Falling-block action *Break-barrel action *Single-shot bolt action Single-shot firearms when used for hunting have some advantages over other rifles: they are cheap, they are usually more accurate, and their silent action does not scare game. On the other hand, their single-shot characteristic limit one's ability to make follow-up or repeated shots quickly, when the first round does not provide a clean kill or when multiples of game appear. Likewise, when hunting dangerous game, having only a single shot capability increases the danger for the hunter, and single-shot firearms are therefore rarely used for hunting dangerous game. Single-shot designs can be found in all classes of hunting firearms, including rifles, shotguns, and handguns.


Multi-barreled firearms

Rifles and
shotgun A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small pellet-like spherical sub- pr ...
s containing multiple barrels are some of the oldest types of multi-shot firearms, and their use continues to this day. These guns are traditionally used for hunting fast-moving or dangerous game, as the simplicity of the design makes a rapid second shot quick and certain; double rifles are known as
express rifle The term ''express'' was first applied to hunting rifles and ammunition beginning in the mid-19th century, to indicate a rifle or ammunition capable of higher than typical velocities. The early express cartridges used a heavy charge of black po ...
s or when combined shotgun with rifle, are known as a
combination gun A combination gun is a firearm that usually comprises at least one rifled barrel and one smoothbore barrel, that is typically used with shot or some types of shotgun slug. Most have been break-action guns, although there have been other desig ...
, the original "combination" guns and are mostly manufactured by specialized gunsmiths in Europe. The
double-barreled shotgun A double-barreled shotgun is a break-action shotgun with two parallel barrels, allowing two single shots to be fired in quick succession or simultaneously. Construction Modern double-barreled shotguns, often known as ''doubles'', are almost u ...
is still the primary choice for most shotgun sporting events, as well as hunting of game birds. The
double rifle The double rifle, also known as a double-barreled rifle, is a rifle with two barrels mounted parallel to each other. Synonymous with big game hunting found primarily in Africa and India, the double rifle is a purely sporting weapon with no militar ...
, due to the difficulty involved in regulating the two barrels to impact at the same point of aim, is prohibitively expensive; for example, a Purdey, Parker or Holland & Holland double rifle sells between US$40,000 - 150,000. Combination guns, containing two, three, four, or five barrels, most often with a mix of rifle and shotgun barrels, and are popular choices for hunting in Europe. A typical three barrel drilling mix of a rimfire rifle, a powerful
centerfire Two rounds of .357 Magnum, a centerfire cartridge; notice the circular primer in the center A centerfire cartridge is a firearm metallic cartridge whose primer is located at the center of the base of its casing (i.e. "case head"). Unlike rimf ...
rifle, and a shotgun barrel allows the taking of a very wide range of game with a single gun. Multi-barrel designs in hunting guns are generally restricted to rifles, shotguns, and combination guns.


Revolvers

Revolvers use multiple chambers and a single barrel to provide much of the reliability of a multi-barreled firearm without the weight and expense. Generally found only in handguns, the revolver is becoming increasingly popular for hunting ever larger game, as shown by earlier developments such as the .41 Remington Magnum, and .44 Remington Magnum, and by later developments such as the
.454 Casull The .454 Casull () is a firearm cartridge, developed as a wildcat cartridge in 1958 by Dick Casull, Duane Marsh and Jack Fullmer. It was announced in November 1959 by ''Guns & Ammo'' magazine. The design is a lengthened and structurally improve ...
, .460 S&W Magnum,
.480 Ruger The .480 Ruger (12.1×33mmR) is a large, high-power revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Ruger and Hornady. It was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and when introduced, was the largest-diameter production revolver cartridge, at ...
, and .500 S&W Magnum.


Repeating action types

Repeating actions provide an easy way for the user to load a new round of ammunition into the firearm, usually from a spring-loaded magazine. These may be manually operated, or powered by energy tapped from the firing of a cartridge. *
Bolt-action Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed). Most bolt-action ...
firearms are rugged, reliable, and typically the most accurate, due to the strong camming action that locks the bolt into the receiver. The disadvantage is that bolt actions require removing the firing hand from the trigger to operate the bolt, which requires more time between shots than other repeating actions. * Lever-action firearms represent the earliest successful repeating actions. Essentially unchanged for over a century, lever action rifles are faster to operate than a bolt action, though the traditional designs and tubular magazines used limit the pressures and bullet shapes that can be used. The use of lever action hunting rifles is deeply embedded in American culture. * Pump-action firearms are faster to cycle than lever actions, but are not well suited for firing from a supported position. Most pump-action designs are found in shotguns, which are typically fired from a standing position where the movement of the arm to operate the action is not an issue. * Semi-automatic firearms are similar in principle to Automatic firearms, but only allow one shot per pull of the trigger. These actions provide the fastest operation, usually allowing a shot to be fired as fast as the shooter can pull the trigger. Since the action requires the energy created by the cartridge to operate the cyclic, there is less felt recoil, however, they may fail to cycle under extreme conditions.


Air rifles and air pistols

Air rifles have long been used as hunting weapons, for well over 200 years. Lewis & Clark, on their early journey through the Western United States, carried a repeating air rifle for use as a hunting weapon, it being considered more reliable than the flintlocks they also carried on their exploring journey. Air rifles are well suited for hunting small game such as squirrels and rabbits in commonly available powers. Such hunting is widely practiced in the United States and in the UK. Nonetheless, some states in the United States prohibit the use of air rifles for hunting regardless of the foot pound equivalent (FPE) of the projectile that is launched; for example, Florida prohibits the use of any air rifle for any hunting. On the other hand, in the UK, 12 FPE is the categorical limit for air rifles used for hunting. Above this
muzzle energy Muzzle energy is the kinetic energy of a bullet as it is expelled from the muzzle of a firearm. Without consideration of factors such as aerodynamics and gravity for the sake of comparison, muzzle energy is used as a rough indication of the de ...
rating, air rifles are considered to be firearms from a legal standpoint in the UK, and normal firearms regulations apply to these higher power air rifles. Air pistols and rifles are also well suited for hunting vermin (e.g., rats). Large game air rifles have experienced a resurgence in the last several decades, and are now capable of taking all game in North America, unlike the earlier Quackenbush rifle. Power levels of modern large game air rifles have greatly exceeded the hunting capabilities of the earlier
Girandoni Air Rifle The Girardoni air rifle was an air gun designed by Italian inventor Bartolomeo Girardoni circa 1779. The weapon was also known as the ''Windbüchse'' ("wind rifle" in German). One of the rifle's more famous associations is its use on the Lew ...
. Large bore air rifles made by Dennis Quackenbush, or those imported from Korea (i.e. Dragon Claw 50 caliber imported by Pyramydair), are capable of generating about of energy with large bullets ( or more), making them capable of taking large game.


Animals

Trained animals, most commonly dogs, are often used to track, flush, or retrieve game in various forms of hunting. In some sports, animals are also used as the weapons for bringing down the game. Examples of animals used in this way are some breeds of
canine Canine may refer to: Zoology and anatomy * a dog-like Canid animal in the subfamily Caninae ** ''Canis'', a genus including dogs, wolves, coyotes, and jackals ** Dog, the domestic dog * Canine tooth, in mammalian oral anatomy People with the surn ...
s such as
hound A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey. Description Hounds can be contrasted with gun dogs that assist hunters by identifying prey and/or recovering shot quarry. The hound breeds were the first hunting dogs. ...
s,
terrier Terrier (from Latin ''terra'', 'earth') is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. Terrier breeds vary g ...
s, and,
dachshund The dachshund ( or ; German: "badger dog"), also known as the wiener dog, badger dog, and sausage dog, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, and comes in a variety of ...
s or raptors such as falcons, hawks, and eagles.


References


See also

* Hunting * Firearm {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunting Weapon Hunting equipment Recreational weapons Sports equipment Weapons