Hunting weapon

Hunting weapons are

or weapons used primarily in warfare.

Characteristics

Since

The

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 thrown at the game, a well-designed throwing stick uses the principles of an airfoil shape and gyroscopic stability; the oldest of these dates back 200,000 years to ancient Poland.^[4] The kylie, for example, Australian hunting boomerang 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.^[5] 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.^[6]

Other early weapons used for hunting include the

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

History

atlatl

, one of the "newest" popular primitive hunting weapons

The most popular hunting weapons during antiquity were the

.

Atlatls, consisting of a weighted stick with a flexible spear or dart, are one example of primitive weapons that are commonly used today.[10] In the U.S., the Pennsylvania Game Commission has given preliminary approval^[11] 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 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.^[12]

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.^[13] 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
• Bolas
• Blowgun
• Bow (weapon)
• Boomerang
• Cutlass
• Hunting sword
• Crossbow
• Harpoon (for hunting marine mammals and Florida alligators^[13])
• Muzzleloader
• Spear
• Slingshot
• Sling (weapon)
• Woomera (spear-thrower)

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

suppressor

Rifles are shoulder fired guns with

, 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

. 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 100 yards (91 m) 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

Contender.

Powerheads or bang sticks

A powerhead or bang stick is a device which fires a firearms cartridge or

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

. 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

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

.

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
  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.^[15]

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 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

), are capable of generating about 200 ft⋅lbf (270 J) of energy with large bullets (200 grains (13 g) 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

.

References